Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced its continued association with the prestigious Hornbill Music Festival, one of India’s most iconic cultural celebrations, for the third consecutive year through the title sponsorship. Held at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, in Kohima District, Nagaland, the festival runs from December 2 to December 10, featuring exciting performances, including a special opening act by Japan’s renowned drum ensemble, Drum Tao. This unique collaboration brings together traditional and contemporary musical experiences, showcasing a deep cultural bond. TKM’s ongoing partnership with the Hornbill Music Festival reflects the company’s deeper connections with the people of Nagaland and Northeast, and support to promote the rich cultural heritage.
This year, the Hornbill Music Festival was inaugurated in the presence of senior leadership from Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), including Ms. Manasi Tata, Vice Chairperson of TKM & Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts (TKAP); Mr. Tadashi Asazuma, Deputy Managing Director for Sales, Service, and Used Cars at TKM & Lexus and Mr. Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President. The event was also witnessed the presence of TKM’s valued business associates – Mr. Y Vikheho Swu, Managing Director of Okusa Toyota; Mr. Nobuaki Yahiro, Managing Director & CEO of Toyota Tsusho India; Mr. Takayuki Ueda, Managing Director & CEO of Toyota Tsusho Insurance Broker India; Mr. Ryusuke Miyake, Corporate Officer of Sumitomo Corporation & General Manager of Sumitomo Corporation Automotive Sales & Marketing SBU; Mr. Shinya Watanabe, Deputy Managing Director of Denso International India and Mr. Keitaro Asano, Managing Coordinator of Toyota Industries Engine India.
As a part of its active participation in the event, TKM has set up an engaging car pavilion at the Hornbill Music Festival, featuring a display of its various popular models, including the Innova Crysta, Innova Hycross (hybrid electric vehicle), Fortuner, Glanza, Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Urban Cruiser Taisor, Rumion, Camry, Hilux, and Vellfire.
TKM is deeply engaged in the Northeast, with a strong commitment to elevating customer experiences and shaping the region’s automotive landscape with its world-class products and exceptional services. Currently, TKM has set-up 39 touchpoints in the Northeast region and will continue to expand its network to meet the region’s growing demand. This underlines the company’s customer centric focus to delivering efficient, accessible, and enriching ownership experiences for Toyota customers across the Northeast.
Commenting about TKM’s association with the Hornbill Music Festival 2024, Mr. Sabari Manohar – Vice President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the esteemed Hornbill Music Festival for the third year in a row. This collaboration underscores our resolute commitment to honouring the rich cultural heritage of Nagaland, a region renowned for its vibrant traditions and remarkable diversity. The Hornbill Music Festival is more than just a cultural event; it is a celebration of history, arts, and music, showcasing the unique identities of the Naga tribes, making it a vital part of India’s cultural tapestry. This platform not only allows us to foster strong connect with the local community, but also enable us to add excitement to their festive fervour by presenting our wide range of product offerings to the customer base in the region.”
As a part of its community development efforts in the skilling area, TKM has implemented the Toyota Technical Education Program (T-TEP) in the region, with the set-up of 7 institutes across Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim. This skill initiative is undertaken in collaboration with Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), aimed to build technical skills among rural youth in the Northeast. Further, this is complemented by the “STAR” (Scholarship Program for Technical Education and Recognition) within T-TEP providing financial support to deserving students from economically challenged backgrounds, enabling them to pursue various technical courses to become skilled and employable technicians. Towards this, TKM will continue to take focused approach to enhance the skill outreach by establishing more such T-TEP institutes in the Northeast region.
These initiatives highlight TKM’s commitment to empowering youth, fostering economic growth, and developing industry-ready talent that will contribute to the sustainable growth of the automotive sector in the Northeast and beyond.
