Meghalaya rally driver Phoebe Nongrum heads to Ladakh after Coimbatore podium
Meghalaya driver Phoebe Nongrum will compete in the Rally of the Himalaya days after a podium finish in Coimbatore. The quick switch from INRC action to high-altitude cross-country racing reflects the demands of her current campaign.
- Sep 25, 2026,
- Updated Sep 25, 2026, 8:42 AM IST
Meghalaya motorsport athlete Phoebe Dale Nongrum will represent the state at the sixth edition of the Rally of the Himalaya, days after securing a podium finish in the women’s category at the Rally of Coimbatore.
Nongrum finished second runner-up in the women’s category at the second round of the 2026 Indian National Rally Championship (INRC), held in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, from September 18 to 20. The result came despite car-related problems on the opening day, with Nongrum and her team recovering in the subsequent stages to finish on the podium.
She will now compete in the Rally of the Himalaya from September 27 to 30, with the event covering the high-altitude terrain of Zanskar Valley and Ladakh. The cross-country rally will feature mountain routes, changing surfaces and long-distance stages.
The upcoming event will be Nongrum’s second appearance in the Rally of the Himalaya. During the fifth edition, she secured a podium in the T1 Xtreme category and became the first female competitor to finish on the podium in the event. She also won the Best Team Trophy.
Nongrum made her INRC debut in 2023 and has since recorded consecutive runner-up finishes in the championship’s women’s category. She represents the Meghalaya Motorsports Society and competes across rallying, circuit racing and cross-country motorsport.
Speaking ahead of the Himalayan rally, Nongrum said the short turnaround after the Coimbatore event would leave little time for recovery, but added that her previous experience had given her an understanding of the demands of high-altitude cross-country racing.
She will be partnered by co-driver Shahid Salman, who has experience in national rallying and cross-country competition. Salman won the T2 category at the 2017 Rally of the Himalaya and was the INRC 3 champion in 2023.
Nongrum's participation comes as she continues to compete in both the INRC and cross-country rallying, putting her through two different formats of motorsport within a short period.