AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN INDIA (AASI)

In the year 1904, a self-help association formed by owners of motor vehicles in the Nilgiris, led to the formation of the Nilgiris Automobile Association. Vehicle owners in Chennai followed suit, and started an association called the South India Motor Union in the same year.  In 1906, when the Nilgiris Association became part of the South India Motor Union, there were around 67 members. The South India Motor Union was affiliated to the Royal Automobile Club of England in 1910 and adopted its badge and rules, by which time the membership had grown to 181. At that time there were only 282 cars in Madras city, and a similar number of motorcycles. In 1930, this Union changed its name to Automobile Association of Southern India (AASI) like other similar Associations in other parts of the world.

In the meantime in 1921, a group of car owners in Nilgiris started another Association called the New Nilgiris Motor Owners Association, mainly to oppose the demand of car drivers for increased pay. Because of this, the local Association became very popular in Nilgiris and almost all car owners in Nilgiris became its member. But this Nilgiris Motor Association changed its name to Nilgiris Automobile Association (its former namesake, now being part of AASI) and federated with Automobile Association of Great Britain. After the failure of its many attempts to retain separate identity, the Nilgiris Automobile Association merged with AASI, and the Nilgiris office at Ootacamund became the branch office of AASI.

Right from its inception, AASI had as its patrons, the Governor of Madras, the Maharaja of Mysore, the Maharaja of Travancore and the Maharaja of Jodhpur. After India attained freedom, the Governors of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh also became its patrons. The President of India is the Patron in Chief.

Services Offered by AASI include, issuance of International Driving Permit (IDP), issuance of Motor Vehicle Tax Token, all services related to Regional Transport Authority like transfer of ownership, change of address, breakdownservice, towing service, Insurance service, issue of road distance certificate, road information (itinerary), valuation service and community oriented activities like campaigning for road safety, creating awareness against pollution, co-ordinating with Government and like minded voluntary organisations on traffic problems.

At present, AASI has 14 branches in Southern India, and is headquartered at Chennai. The Association's executive-committee consists of professionals, both currently employed and retired from various fields of Medicine, Engineering, Automotive and other fields. AASI being a constituent member of the Federation of Indian Automobile Associations (FIAA), which is the apex body of automobile associations in India, is affiliated to the Alliance Interationale de Tourisme (AIT - International Touring Alliance). The AIT is a non-profit, non-governmental association representing motoring organisations and touring clubs around the world.

AASI's growth can be gauged from the fact that its membership has grown from 67 members in 1906 to over 20,000 in the year 2000.

Address: Automobile Association of Southern India, AASI Centre, 187, Anna Salai, Post Box No. 729 Chennai 596 006
Phone: 852 1162 / 4061
Fax: 851 1548
Pager: 9632 – 719210 / 11
E-Mail: aasi@pppindia.com