GUWAHATI: Shillong-based racer and rally driver Phoebe Dale Nongrum will represent India at Round 2 of the Asia Auto Gymkhana Championship 2026 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from September 4 to 6.
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Nongrum is part of a five-member Indian contingent participating in the international championship. Her participation also marks the first time a racer from Meghalaya and the Northeast is representing the region at an international Auto Gymkhana championship.
Auto Gymkhana is a precision driving discipline that tests competitors on vehicle control, concentration, reaction time and accuracy. Drivers navigate a technical course involving turns and manoeuvres, with performance judged largely on speed and precision.
Nongrum previously competed in Formula 4 and later moved into national rallying. She became the first female Formula 4 driver from Meghalaya and the Northeast, competing in the JK Tyre Formula 4 championship.
She has also competed in the Indian National Rally Championship, finishing as vice-champion in the women’s category in 2024 and 2025.
The Uzbekistan event will be her first international Auto Gymkhana competition, a discipline that differs from the circuit racing and cross-country rallying formats she has previously competed in.
The championship's opening round was held at the Sokol International Circuit in the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan region. After the Uzbekistan round, the championship is scheduled to continue in Hong Kong, Thailand, India and Chinese Taipei.
Nongrum's participation gives the Northeast representation in an international Auto Gymkhana championship for the first time.