Shillong, Sep 4: The Meghalaya Motorsports Society (MMS) has announced that Phoebe Dale Nongrum, accomplished racer and rally driver from Shillong and President of the MMS, has been selected to represent India in Round 2 of the Asia Auto Gymkhana Championship 2026, scheduled to take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 4th to 6th September.
Phoebe will be part of a five-member Indian contingent representing the country at the international motorsport competition.
The Asia Auto Gymkhana Championship 2026 brings together drivers from across Asia in a discipline that places exceptional emphasis on vehicle control, skill, precision, concentration, reaction time and consistency. Unlike conventional circuit racing and rallying, Auto Gymkhana challenges competitors through technical courses that require drivers to negotiate a series of turns, manoeuvres and obstacles with speed and accuracy, making it a demanding test of both driver and machine.
The first round was held at the Sokol International Circuit in the Kyrgyzstan/Kazakhstan region. Following the Uzbekistan round, the championship will continue through subsequent rounds in Hong Kong, Thailand, India and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan). For Phoebe, this selection represents another significant milestone in her motorsport journey. A full-time motorsport athlete since 2023, Phoebe has steadily established herself as one of Meghalaya’s prominent representatives in Indian motorsport. She became the first female Formula 4 driver from Meghalaya and the North East, competing in the JK Tyre Formula 4 championship with Ahura Racing from 2020–2021.
She subsequently made her mark in national rallying, finishing as vice-champion in the women’s category of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) in 2024 and 2025. Her 2025 season was further highlighted by an exceptional performance at the Dakshin Dare Cross Country Rally, where she became the first woman in the event to secure three podium finishes, including victory in the ladies category, a third-place finish in the T1 modified car category and an overall Top 4 finish.
Her performances have continued the international and national rallying stage, including her participation in the Rally of the Himalayas, where she secured 2nd Runner-Up in the T1 Xtreme Category and, alongside her co-driver, received the Best Team award.
(File photo)