Hero MotoCorp celebrated the 10th anniversary of Hero MotoSports Team Rally at its Centre for Innovation and Technology in Jaipur, India, by announcing three major initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s future in rally-raid racing.
The celebrations brought together key members of the team, including reigning FIM World Rally-Raid Champion Ross Branch, Nacho Cornejo, Michael Docherty, rising Indian rider Shlok Ghorpade, Hero MotoSports Team Manager Wolfgang “Waffi” Fischer, and Head of National MotoSports Jordi Grau.
The biggest announcement was the extension of Hero MotoSports Team Rally’s partnership with Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the organisers of the Dakar Rally and FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. The new agreement secures a further five years of collaboration.
Hero MotoCorp also launched the “India’s Next Dakar Hero” (INDH) program, a structured development pathway designed to identify and prepare young Indian riders for international rally-raid competition. Selected riders will undergo a two-to-three-year training program covering riding technique, navigation, fitness and endurance.
The initiative builds on Hero MotoSports’ existing rider development efforts, which saw Arun Thayappa make his international rally-raid debut at Spain’s Cierzo Rally in 2025 aboard a Hero 450 Rally.
Hero MotoSports also confirmed the signing of 18-year-old Shlok Ghorpade, one of India’s most successful young off-road racers. The Satara rider has claimed every major national supercross title available to him and was the fastest national competitor in the India Supercross League.
Ghorpade has already begun training alongside Ross Branch and the factory rally squad and is set to take part in an intensive race simulation program in Morocco as part of his long-term pathway towards the Dakar Rally.
Hero MotoCorp Executive Chairman Dr Pawan Munjal said the initiatives represent the next phase of the team’s development.
“Over the past decade, Hero MotoSports Team Rally has evolved from a bold ambition into a globally respected rally racing team, proudly representing India on the world stage,” Munjal said.
“The renewal of our partnership with ASO strengthens our long-term commitment to global rally racing, while the India’s Next Dakar Hero program reflects our belief that India possesses immense untapped motorsports talent waiting to be discovered and nurtured.
“By welcoming Shlok Ghorpade to the team, we aim to build a sustainable pathway for homegrown Indian riders to compete and excel at the highest levels of the sport.”
Established in 2016, Hero MotoSports Team Rally has become one of rally-raid racing’s leading teams, collecting multiple podiums and victories in both the Dakar Rally and FIM World Rally-Raid Championship over the past decade.
