Welcome to the wild, magnificent, and delightfully unhinged saga of The Grand Trunk Nomads.
The team named after the legendary ancient trade route that connected cultures across thousands of kilometers, we are taking that same historic spirit of relentless endurance and slapping it onto a <$1,500 automotive tragedy.
We have signed up for one of the wildest charity events - THE SHITBOX RALLY.
We are swapping historic spice roads for unforgiving Aussie red dirt, trading majestic trade caravans for a clunker on wheels, and driving over 3,000 kilometers across the outback for the Autumn 2027 Shitbox Rally.
Is it absurd? Absolutely.
Is our car held together by prayers, duct tape, and pure optimism? Without a doubt.
But every great journey requires a little glorious madness.
Behind the rattle of our sputtering engine lies a deeply personal crusade. Cancer isn't an abstract statistic to us—it has barged into our lives, stolen people we cherished, and tested the strength of our families.
Ashish lost his beloved Dad to lymphoma in 2022, watched relatives fall to the disease, and felt the heartbreak of losing his best friend’s mother to pancreatic cancer. Priyanshu watched both of his parents wage brutal battles against cancer; while his mother triumphed over breast cancer, his father bravely fought prostate cancer early in life.
We aren't driving thousands of kilometers through the desert just to see if a scrap-heap can survive the heat. We are driving to honor our fathers, to celebrate our mothers, and to fight back against a disease that has taken far too much. Every single dollar we raise for Cancer Council turns our personal grief into groundbreaking research, support and hope.
So, who are the two souls brave—or foolish—enough to steer this shitbox?
Hailing from Kerala—the "Venice of the East"— Ashish is an IT engineer turned global wanderer who has lived and worked across the UK, Thailand, India, and Australia. When he isn't collecting stamp marks across Europe and Asia, he’s whipping up feasts in the kitchen, tinkering with electronics or hanging out with his wife Jo, their two grown sons Riane and Vivaan, and their fluffball Groodle, Duke.
Raised in the shadow of the Indian Himalayas, Priyanshu’s path took him through India, Russia, and Australia. An IT professional settled in Melbourne, mountain hiker, and veteran bike rider of over 20 years, he spends his downtime reading history and other non-fiction, and running around with his two ultimate kids, Aria and Yash.Two tech-obsessed dads, two lifetimes of global wanderlust, and one shared mission to outrun breakdown calls and beat cancer.
Join our caravan, back our cause, and let's make some history!
The Grand Trunk Nomads are driving a $1,500 car from Port Augusta to Townsville to raise money for Cancer Council
They're doing what!?
Shitbox Rally is a 7-day challenge like no other. Participants drive cars worth no more than $1,500 through some of Australia's most stunning (and often rugged) landscapes, all in support of cancer research. It's not a race — it's a challenge and more importantly, a celebration of the power of community.
Yes, the cars break down, and yes, there are plenty of unexpected twists along the way, but that's all part of the fun.
The rally is designed to be a colourful and unpredictable experience, where teams travel in small groups, helping each other along the way.
And when the day's drive ends, we gather around the campfire, share stories, and reflect on the day's achievements.
This event brings together people who have been impacted by cancer in different ways — whether it's through their own battles or through loved ones. Together we'll make memories that last a lifetime while supporting the fight against cancer.
Donate NowEvery rally. Every dollar.
Directly to Cancer Council.
Box Rallies is the largest funder of cancer research in Australia — outside of the government. Every dollar supports Cancer Council.
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Leading development of a novel epigenetic test to more accurately determine tumour risk — particularly for tumours misclassified by current clinical tools.
Developed innovative x-ray hardware under $0.5M that produces MRI-quality images and captures 3D scans during live treatment delivery.
Targeting pancreatic cancer via anti-fibrotic NID2 therapy combined with Gemcitabine/Abraxane chemotherapy to stratify and improve treatment outcomes.
Exploring genomics to identify high-risk patients earlier and guide development of new therapeutic strategies — improving survival chances.
Advanced pre-clinical evaluation of sphingosine kinase 1-targeting agents as a therapy for acute myeloid leukaemia.
Advancing CAR-T cell therapy for extracranial solid paediatric cancers.
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Harnessing epigenetics for early detection of residual and recurrent breast cancer through advanced liquid biopsy testing.
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A new targeted therapy for resistant HER2-positive breast cancers.
