Shillong-based racer Phoebe Dale Nongrum will represent India at Round 2 of the 2026 Asia Auto Gymkhana Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from September 4 to 6.
Nongrum is part of a five-member Indian contingent and becomes the first racer from Meghalaya and the Northeast to represent the region at an international auto gymkhana competition.
Auto gymkhana tests drivers on technical courses featuring tight turns, manoeuvres and obstacles, with emphasis on precision, vehicle control, reaction time and consistency.
A full-time motorsport athlete since 2023, Nongrum has competed in circuit racing and rallying. She became the first female Formula 4 driver from Meghalaya and the Northeast, competing in the JK Tyre Formula 4 championship with Ahura Racing in 2020 and 2021.
She later moved to national rallying and finished runner-up in the women’s category of the Indian National Rally Championship in 2024 and 2025.
During the 2025 season, Nongrum secured three podium finishes at the Dakshin Dare Cross Country Rally, winning the Ladies category, finishing third in the T1 Modified Car category and securing a top-four overall finish. She also finished third in the T1 Xtreme category at the Rally of the Himalayas and received the Best Team award with her co-driver.
The Uzbekistan round will present a different challenge for Nongrum, with auto gymkhana requiring rapid decision-making and precise execution of manoeuvres under time pressure.
The championship began with its opening round at the Sokol International Circuit in the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan region. Following the Uzbekistan round, it will continue with rounds in Hong Kong, Thailand, India and Chinese Taipei.
