RFC India 2025 '4x4 Extreme' category champions Chow Ujjal Namshum and Chethan Chengappa.
PANAJI
After a gruelling week of mud, grit, and high-octane action, Chow Ujjal Namshum from Arunachal Pradesh and Chethan Chengappa from Karnataka emerged victorious in the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category at the 11th edition of the Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India 2025, held in Goa.
The duo topped the leaderboard with 2,302 points out of 2,600, dominating 14 of the 26 Special Stages (SS) and earning full points in 12.
Namshum’s win also earns him a free entry to the RFC Global Grand Finale in Malaysia, a first for him and a fourth RFC India win for co-driver Chengappa. Cedrick Jordan Da Silva (with Mackwin Dias) and Rambabu Mareedu (with Kumaraswamy Thalam) finished second and third in the category, respectively.
“This victory means a lot because of the hard work that went into it,” said Namshum. “We fixed what didn’t work, kept what did and kept improving… From winter races in Arunachal to fine-tuning every nut and bolt, it’s been non-stop.”
He added, “No holding back, no preserving the car. We knew we were prepared… That mindset, combined with a great team and solid prep, is what made the difference this year.”
In the newly introduced ‘4x4 Modified’ category, Steven Fernandes of Goa and co-driver Balwant Jagram triumphed with 1,622 points out of 2,000, after battling difficult terrain and fluctuating rankings.
“Winning the ‘4x4 Modified’ category in my very first RFC India is an incredible feeling,” said Fernandes. “We stayed focused, kept climbing and here we are.”
Cyril Dmello (Ameer Sadiq) and Manoj Biradar (Sachin Gadashetti) rounded out the Modified podium.
Meanwhile, Mihir Dharkar (with Shantanu Grover) from Maharashtra topped the ‘4x4 Stock’ category with 1,303 points out of 1,400, followed by Bopaiah Kongettira and Prathan Chittiyappa, both from Karnataka. All three podium finishers in Stock competed in Maruti Suzuki vehicles—two Jimnys and a Gypsy.
RFC India, organised by Delhi-based Cougar Motorsport, continues to grow as India’s toughest off-road motorsport event. “The scale of the India edition has grown manifold,” said Luis JA Wee, founder of the RFC. Cougar Motorsport’s Ashish Gupta reflected on the growth and scale of the event, stating, “With the introduction of two new categories and participation of a record 77 teams across the categories, I was just as nervous this time as I was back in 2014 when we launched the very first edition of RFC India. The stakes were higher, the challenges tougher and yet the spirit remains the same."
