Digboi: Executive Director-cum-Digboi Refinery Head Rahul Prashant flagged off a cyclothon at 3.45 a.m. from the AOD Administrative Gate on Tuesday as part of the 67th IndianOil Day celebrations at the historic Digboi Refinery.
According to IndianOil, it was the first time in the history of IndianOil Day celebrations in Digboi that the refinery head personally flagged off the pre-dawn cyclothon. Twenty-nine IOCians, including two women, took part in the ride, covering 67.03 km in 2 hours and 57 minutes, with an elevation gain of 54 metres.
Though the cyclothon was not organised as a competitive race, S. Firoz Hashmy, DGM (PN), finished first, followed by retired Assistant Manager Narayan Jaishy and Junior Engineering Assistant Mahendra Mili. The three riders were later felicitated by Prashant at the AOD Administrative Gate.
Jaishy, a retired Assistant Manager and national-level athlete, participated alongside serving employees.
The celebrations also included the inauguration of Project Sanjyog on Shillong Road and a bus stand near Shanti Para. The DVI-SROTAS-JALSANGAMA-PARIYOJANA at the NSA plant was also unveiled.
A blood donation camp was organised at the IOCL (AOD) Hospital from 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
The main IndianOil Day ceremony was held at the Golden Jubilee Complex in the presence of senior officials, employees, representatives of employee organisations and other invitees. The programme included ceremonial lamp lighting, the IndianOil song, pledge and cake cutting, along with messages from the corporation’s senior leadership and addresses by AOD officials and employee representatives.
Employees completing 35 years of service were presented Long Service Awards. Suggestion Scheme Award winners and PSPB-2025 achievers were also honoured, while meritorious students were recognised for academic performance.
The celebrations were scheduled to conclude with an inter-school football final at Jubilee Field at 6 p.m., with Prashant slated to inaugurate the match.
The Digboi Refinery, commissioned in 1901, occupies a significant place in India’s petroleum history and has been associated with the town’s petroleum industry for more than a century.
The IndianOil Day programme combined the cyclothon with community infrastructure initiatives, a blood donation camp, employee recognition, student awards and school football.