Opinion: My first experience of covering Auto Expo was phenomenal

“Auto Expo is set to take place around 7th February. I have mailed you the link for the Expo’s accreditation; fill it as early as possible,” were the words of my editor, leaving me stunned.

I tried to contain my excitement and with all my strength I went up to him saying, sir, I have never covered any automobile event before. Moreover, I doubt I will be able to do it as per your expectations.

The only thing he said to me was, “There is always a first time.”

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It wasn’t that I had never heard this phrase before, but the confidence he expressed in me was almost similar to a hard blow to the head, with my inner voice firmly saying, let’s do it.

The date arrived and with all my equipment I entered the India Expo mart in Greater Noida to cover the biggest automotive event of the country.

The bi-annual Auto Expo pulls in international manufacturers vying to capture the Indian market, said to be one of the fastest growing automobile markets in the world.

Among the things that attracted me on the first day of the expo was unveiling of a concept car by market leader Maruti.

The 'Future S' was not just eye-catchy but also one of a kind, and I said to myself 'let's book this car', forgetting it’s just a concept and letting the novice in me run amok.

I was jolted out of my dream by my colleague who reminded me that we have to cover many launch events. Hyundai, Honda, BMW, Mahindra, Tata and Toyota - almost every company had lined up their concept vehicles at the expo.

Soon, the attraction turned into love as every single concept displayed at the expo was worthy of attention.

The major display at the expo was of Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. which unveiled six electric vehicles, including a three-wheeler. And to cover it, the media gathering was uncountable.

From shutterbugs to video cameras, everybody was trying to get a close shot of the unveiling concepts. Amongst them was I, trying to cover it from my phone.

I realised how competitive the industry is. Every single person was in a rush to cover it first. To send it first to their organisation and then ever body can run in as their exclusives.

I was pushed many times while I was clicking pictures but the difference was I kept silent while some raised their voice at others.

I also realised that during such moments, nobody actually cares for the other person standing beside him. What matters is how good your shots are.

Mahindra and Mahindra was a major attraction but it was the most unorganised event. They had six cars put up at different locations, and every time one unveiling finished, the media had to run and set their equipment again to cover the next concept.

Another reason why media used to run after every concluded event was to get their press kits or, in simpler words, the ‘free gifts’ brand offers to journalists.

People standing with dull faces, looking tired and almost exhausted were suddenly charged with some unknown energy to grab these kits. Some even left their cameras behind to get it, making me think is this the reason why they came here?

I preferred to stop thinking over it as there were many other events still left to cover.

The excitement surrounding the Expo took another level after celebrities added to the glamour at the Auto Expo 2018.

Tata was briefing the audience about its H5X concept and its future roadmap when Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar made a blazing entry on top of the new compact truck ‘Intra’ launched by Tata Motors.

The situation went haywire with many breaking the boundary line to catch a glimpse and click pictures of the 'Khiladi Kumar'. Forgetting the consequences, I followed the same path and pushed my way through the crowd, finally managing to reach at a point to click his photographs.

Was just done with 4-5 pictures and a notification appeared on my phone, informing that my phone’s battery had exhausted.

Left with no option, I requested and pleaded to executives standing at reception to help me get my phone charge but all in vain. I wasn’t worried about Akshay anymore as I had few pictures but it was the upcoming events that haunted me.

After a half-an-hour of zero battery, I managed to get a socket to charge my phone.

With 50% battery, I covered events of BMW, Toyota and Mahindra.

The other celebrities that added glamour included Sachin Tendulkar, who unveiled BMW’s sedan M5, first-ever BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo at the Auto Expo 2018.

Shah Rukh Khan too unveiled 'Swachh Can', a portable bin for users of Hyundai cars. It was launched under Hyundai Motor India Limited's 'Swachh Move' that supports Modi's cleanliness campaign

Sonakshi Sinha along with popular Indian car designer Dilip Chhabria showcased DC's new TCA Sportcase.

Cricketer Gautam Gambhir and former Indian Test captain Mohammad Azharuddin also arrived to add charm at the expo.

Given that top brands such as Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Ford, Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover and Fiat Chrysler chose to give the event a skip meant that it was really up to the others to try and hold things together.

However, the same levels of energy were not present on the second day even while the Expo opens its gates to the public till February 14.

The fizz was just not there this time around, which was particularly odd for a country tipped to be the automobile powerhouse of the future after China and the US.

But for a first-timer like me, Auto Expo 2018 was phenomenal.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)