Fifth RFC India title for Kodagu's Chethan Chengappa and second for Ujjal Namshum

Ujjal Namshum and spotter Chethan Chengappa clinch the '4x4 Extreme' Overall Champion trophy at RFC India for the second year in row.

Sarjerao Kawade and co-driver Rushikesh Patil from Pune take the '4x4 Modified' Overall Champions title, while Athul Thomas and co-driver Binil Babu from Kerala triumph in '4x4 Stock' category at RFC India 2026

Panjim, August 3, 2026:

The 12th edition of The Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India, the country’s biggest and toughest off-road motorsport event, concluded with Ujjal Namshum from Arunachal Pradesh and Chethan Chengappa from Kodagu by being the best in all the five stages wers crowned the Overall Champion in the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category with a total score of 2253 out of 2600. This is the second consecutive year that the duo has won RFC India. As the top driver in the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category, Ujjal has won a free, automatic entry to the RFC Global Series Finale, to be held in Malaysia at the end of the year.

Kranthi Kumar Vengala (Rajeev Lal PM) from Hyderabad emerged as the first runner up with 2052 points while Goan driver Viddesh Madgaonkar (Sahil Sadekar) took the third position with 1962 points.

Upto 1600cc Petrol or Diesel Engines Kranthi Kumar Vengala along with Rajeev Lal PM was the winner followed by Viddesh Madgaonkar and Sahil Sadekar in second and Anirudha Shete and Gajender Singh in third.

1611 to 3010cc Diesel Engines Vishnu Santhosh and Sahil were the leaders followed by Sri Venkat Devineni and Daljit Singh in second, as Mehaboob Karuvadi along with Shafi Ck finished third.

Benaeer PP along with Nasar CK were the winners of Above 3010cc followed by Pravin Jadhav and Ajit Sabale in seconds

Sarjerao Kawade (Rushikesh Patil) from Pune took home the Overall Champion trophy in the ‘4x4 Modified’ category with 1633 points out of 2000. Shehinsha TP (Muhammed Nabeel) from Kerala claimed the second position with 1572 points and Gagan Karumbaiah (Bopanna Maleyanda) was at the third position on the leaderboard with 1569 points.

In the 1611 to 3010 Diesel class Shehinsha TP along with Muhammed Nabeel were the winners followed by Gagan Karumbaiah and Bopanna Maleyanda in second and Suraksha BS and Sanoj S finished third.

Athul Thomas (Binil Babu) from Kerala won the ‘4x4 Stock’ category with 1247 points out of 1400. RFC India debutant Naku Hage Chada (Loda Punyo) from Arunachal Pradesh was declared the runner up with 1173 points and Sabu Xavier (Halvin Appanna) from Bengaluru took the third spot with 1144 points.

Upto 1510cc Petrol was bagged by Athul Thomas and Binil Babu, while second went Naku Hage Chada and Loda Punyo’s way, while the podium was completed by Sabu Xavier and Halvin Appanna.

Aneesh JP and Asif A won the Above 2510cc Diesel class followed by Mihir Dharkar and Shrey Pande in second as Rahul Bedi and Mohit Singh finished third.

In the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category, defending champions Ujjal and Chethan fought hard to retain their title. Speaking on the win, Ujjal said, “Defending our title is hard to put into words; there is struggle, frustration, even anger along the way, and then this joy at the end that makes it all worth it. Winning is the icing on the cake, but it's really the process, the six days of racing, that we live for. We set ourselves a personal target this year: a perfect day, a clean sweep of stage wins. We achieved that on Day 4 of the competition and that moment was as precious for us as this win.”

On what RFC India means to him, Ujjal added, “I have raced all over the country but RFC India is the one event we build our whole year around. It's not just a race, it's a pilgrimage. We prepare for months the way you would say your daily prayers, and then we come here like pilgrims, to worship and to experience it fully. And it's not just about us competing; it's the spectators coming in from as far as Arunachal Pradesh as well as the whole atmosphere of a festival. Winning here, twice now, is the highest point of my career. This is our Mecca.”

The ‘4x4 Modified’ category saw Sarjerao Kawade and co-driver Rushikesh Patil maintain a consistent lead throughout the event, returning with a rebuilt vehicle and a markedly stronger campaign than their podium finish last year. Speaking on the win, Sarjerao Kawade said, “Winning the Modified category at RFC India 2026 feels incredible, especially after the setbacks I faced this year. Last year, I didn't fully understand how to strategize and give my best, but this year I prepared properly and came in with a clear plan. Even after a difficult first day with a breakdown, I knew I had to give 100% on the next track. The competition this year was extremely tough, with several strong participants pushing hard right until the end. To come out on top after all of that means everything to me.”

In the ‘4x4 Stock’ category, Athul Thomas overcame an early setback on the very first stage to secure victory. Speaking on the win, Athul Thomas said, “Honestly, this win almost didn't happen. I hadn't even planned to be at RFC India this year; I was set to compete in an event in Coimbatore instead, and it was only after that got cancelled that I turned to RFC India. We made a mistake on the very first stage, and that put us on the back foot for the rest of the competition. But I told myself not to look at what anyone else was doing; just trust ourselves and focus entirely on the track in front of us. That's what got us through. Winning this category means everything, not just to me, but to my team, my mechanics and everyone back home in Kerala who's been behind me.”

Commenting on the standout performances of this year's edition, RFC India organiser Cougar Motorsport’s Founder & Director Ashish Gupta said, “Chethan and Ujjal are among the finest driver-navigator pairs in the country and they fought hard to retain their titles, putting together five fastest stage times that changed the ‘4x4 Extreme’ leaderboard completely. Kranthi had some bad luck, including a DNF (Did Not Finish) on one of the stages, but it was still an outstanding effort. I was especially pleased to see Viddesh, only in his second RFC India, finish third overall. In the Stock category, drivers like Athul and Sabu impressed, alongside a wonderful surprise entry all the way from Arunachal Pradesh. And in Modified, Sarjerao came back with a rebuilt vehicle and led consistently from start to finish.”

On the 2026 edition, Ashish Gupta added, “This year's Stock competitors clearly found the event more demanding than last year, which is exactly what we wanted. When we introduced the Stock category, we genuinely didn't know how prepared people would be or how far they'd push their vehicles. So, we raised the bar this year and the competitors rose to meet it. What's been most rewarding is watching people move up the ladder the way we hoped they would, with drivers stepping up from Modified into Extreme. That progression is exactly why we built these categories in the first place. Add to that tougher tracks and more rain than last year, and it made for one of the most challenging editions of RFC India in recent years.”

Several special awards were also announced. The ‘Environment Award’ went to Team Hyderabad, the ‘Most Unique 4x4’ award went to Pravin Jadhav and the ‘David Metcalfe Jungleman Award’ went to Hamdaan Khan. Sameer Chunawala from Mumbai received the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ and the ‘Best Service Team’ award went to Ujjal and Chethan’s Service Team.

Day1:s

20 DNFs in Special Stage 1

Quepem (Goa), July 28, 2026:

It kicked off in dramatic fashion, with a demanding opening day that pushed the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category competitors and their vehicles to their absolute limits. Persistent rain, technically punishing terrain and a string of winch failures combined to produce one of the toughest Day Ones the event has seen in recent years, with Special Stage (SS) 1 alone accounting for 20 DNFs (Did Not Finish).

Following the completion of four out of 26 SS of the competition in ‘4x4 Extreme’ category,, Kranthi Kumar Vengala and co-driver Rajeev Lal PM from Team Hyderabad were placed at the top of the leader board with 355 points out of 400. Ujjal Namshum (co-driver Chethan Chengappa) from Manabhum Off-roader's Club Arunachal (MOCA) had belt penalty and claimed the second spot with 334 points while Anand Manjooran (Vishnu Raj) from Kerala took the third spot with 331 points. Vishnu Santhosh (Rahul), representing 4x4 Beats, was in fourth position with 246 points and Viddesh Madgaonkar (Sahil Sadekar) from Team 4x4 Addictz Goa was at the fifth spot on the leaderboard.

SS 1 set an unforgiving tone for the competition. Featuring three separate winching points, the stage was especially tough for those teams who arrived without adequate preparation or final mechanical checks.

SS 2 offered a marginally easier profile, with two winching points instead of three, but introduced a fresh complication: the absence of trees meant teams had to rely on ground anchors, and the first group of competitors struggled to identify usable points. Once the early groups worked out the technique, the teams behind them moved through more smoothly. The stage was also defined by extensive water-wading sections, with vehicles submerged deep enough that only their roofs remained visible above the waterline. With two winching points and a high-speed run of roughly 80 metres, most of the competitors cleared SS 3 without major incident. SS 4 also featured two winching points requiring ground anchors.

Day 2:

Sarjerao Kawade from Pune (co-driver Rushikesh Patil) leads after 4 of the 20 SS in the '4x4 Modified' category

Quepem (Goa), July 29, 2026:

As per the Provisional Results for the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category after the completion of Special Stages (SS) 1 to 9, Kranthi Kumar Vengala (co-driver Rajeev Lal PM) from Hyderabad continued to lead the field, with 790 points out of a possible 900. Anand Manjooran (Vishnu Raj) from Kerala fought his way up to the second position on the leaderboard with 745 points, while Ujjal Namshum (Chethan Chengappa) from Arunachal Pradesh had a very testing time after they toppled in the first stage of the day and further due to winch issues after recovering had to DNF and in the next stage of the day while Chethan was running for the winching points he came headon to a photographer and hurt himself, but further down with two axles giving up had to just winch to finish and  held on to the third spot with 688 points.

The pressure of the previous day’s running showed in how several of the leaders fared on Day 2. Kranthi Kumar Vengala lost a tyre during one of the stages but still persevered, eventually completing the stage on three tyres while also recovering the lost tyre in the process. Ujjal Namshum toppled his vehicle in the very first stage of the day while pushing to climb up the leaderboard. Despite this hurdle, the team got the vehicle, which faced some issues following the topple, fixed in time to complete the remaining three stages and preserve their place in the top three.

Day 1 of the ‘4x4 Modified’ category's competition saw 16 teams take to the stages. As per the Provisional Results for Special Stages 1 to 4 for this category, Sarjerao Kawade (Rushikesh Patil) from Pune took the top spot on the leaderboard with 363 points out of 400. Suraksha BS (Sanoj S) from Coorg was placed second with 339 points and Nikunj Vora (Parag Patil) from Maharashtra rounded off the top three with 338 points.

The ‘4x4 Modified’ competitors took on largely the same stages the ‘4x4 Extreme’ competitors had faced a day earlier, minus the winching points, turning the day into a pure test of driving. Two of the stages carried significant water obstacles, with the second among them the deepest of the day, while the first and third stages also featured water crossings; only the fourth stage stayed dry. For competitors used to and expecting high-speed driving, the rain and the water obstacles proved an unfamiliar challenge, with several teams caught out by wading conditions they had not encountered before. The rough nature of the stages, combined with an aggressive approach from some of the competitors, also took a toll on the vehicles, with a number of teams picking up mechanical damage over the course of the day.

The ‘4x4 Stock’ category, meanwhile, completed scrutiny of its 23 competing vehicles, setting the stage for its competition to begin in the days ahead.

Day3:

RFC India 2026 Day 3: Kranthi Kumar Vengala and co-driver Rajeev Lal PM hold firm at the top of '4x4 Extreme' standings after SS 1-14

Sarjerao Kawade and Suraksha BS tied for the lead in the '4x4 Modified' category after eight stages, while Sabu Xavier tops the '4x4 Stock' leaderboard on Day 1 of its competition

Raia (Goa), July 30, 2026:

The Rainforest Challenge India 2026 continued into its third day, with the '4x4 Extreme' category competitors completing 14 of the 26 Special Stages (SS) of the competition, the '4x4 Modified' field moving through eight of its 20 SS, and the '4x4 Stock' category flagging off its own campaign with the completion of SS 1 to 4.

Results for the '4x4 Extreme' category after the completion of SS 1 to 14, Kranthi Kumar Vengala and co-driver Rajeev Lal PM continued to lead with 1204 points out of a possible 1400. Anand Manjooran (Vishnu Raj) held on to second position with 1141 points, while Ujjal Namshum (Chethan Chengappa) did have a great day and managed to cutdown the lead and occupied the third spot with 1137 points.

Speaking about his stint at RFC India 2026 so far, Kranthi Kumar Vengala said, “I have been competing at RFC India since 2015, trying to make it to the top for the last ten years. This year, I teamed up with Rajiv Lal as my co-driver, and we started preparing from the end of June. The stages this year have been far more technical and competitive than 2025. This time the tracks have really tested our off-roading skills and we have enjoyed every stage so far. Even though the competition is razor-close, we are not looking at the points board too much. We are just focused on driving our best and hoping that’s enough to bring the trophy home to Hyderabad, which we have never managed to do before.”

In the '4x4 Modified' category, the battle for the top spot turned into a dead heat after the completion of SS 1 to 8, with Sarjerao Kawade (co-driver Rushikesh Patil) from Pune and Suraksha BS (Sanoj S) from Coorg tied for the lead with 652 points out of a possible 800. Shehinsha TP (Muhammed Nabeel) held second position with 648 points, while Gagan Karumbaiah (Bopanna Maleyanda) rounded off the top three with 626 points.

The '4x4 Stock' category began its competition today, with Sabu Xavier (co-driver Halvin Appanna) topping the leaderboard after the completion of SS 1 to 4, with 348 points out of a possible 400. Athul Thomas (Binil Babu) was placed second with 336 points, and Naku Hage Chada (Loda Punyo) claimed the third position with 332 points.

Mihir Dharkar, the reigning '4x4 Stock' category champion from RFC India 2025, returned to defend his title this year. He ended Day 1 of the competition this year at the fourth position with 300 points. Speaking about his Day 1 experience in the category, Mihir said, “I usually compete in a Gypsy, but this year I have come in a Hilux just to see how things go, and it has exceeded my expectations. It’s not able to match the smaller cars through tight obstacles, but it’s cleared everything else seamlessly. This year’s stages have been tougher than last, with a lot more rain, but that’s what RFC India is about: pushing each other to do better, stage by stage, and helping each other out no matter what category you’re in.”

Day4:

RFC India 2026 Day 4: Ujjal Namshum and co-driver Chethan Chengappa climb to the top of ‘4x4 Extreme’ standings after SS 1-19

Sarjerao Kawade and co-driver Rushikesh Patil at the top of the ‘4x4 Modified’ category after 13 stages, while Naku Hage Chada (Loda Punyo) takes over the lead in the ‘4x4 Stock’ category

Raia (Goa), July 31, 2026:

The Rainforest Challenge India 2026 moved into its fourth day, with the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category competitors completing 19 of the 26 Special Stages (SS) of the competition, the ‘4x4 Modified’ field moving through 13 of its 20 SS, and the ‘4x4 Stock’ category completing SS 1 to 8 of its own campaign.

Results for the ‘4x4 Extreme’ category after the completion of SS 1 to 19, Ujjal Namshum (Chethan Chengappa) moved to the top of the standings with 1637 points out of a possible 1900. Kranthi Kumar Vengala (Rajeev Lal PM), who had led the category since Day 1, dropped to second position with 1598 points, while Viddesh Madgaonkar (Sahil Sadekar) held on to third spot with 1523 points.

Ujjal’s week has been a story of resilience, from second on Day 1, to a tough third on Day 2 and Day 3, before climbing his way up on Day 4. He said, “RFC India is our Mecca; we prepare for it all year and we are grateful just to make it here. Day 2 was brutal: we broke an axle, and my co-driver Chethan is also not well, but we somehow managed to finish. We also made mistakes along the way. But we decided to forget what happened on the previous days; each day is a new day, a new challenge. We just focus on covering ground and getting into the position we want.”

In the ‘4x4 Modified’ category, Sarjerao Kawade (Rushikesh Patil) built a healthy lead after the completion of SS 1 to 13, leading with 1137 points out of a possible 1300. Gagan Karumbaiah and Bopanna Maleyanda moved up to second position with 1067 points, while Suraksha BS and Sanoj S rounded off the top three with 1065 points.

Sarjerao Kawade, who currently leads the scoreboard in the ‘4x4 Modified’ category, said, “This year the tracks are more technically sound, and the stages are tougher than last year, so we are enjoying the challenge. It has also been quite nerve-wracking; I took a 30-point penalty yesterday, but I had no option because my vehicle is bigger and heavier than the other modified cars, and without that penalty it would’ve toppled. Today I put in my best because I have no option but to play hard and technical. I have some engine issues, but I’ll keep playing to my strengths and trust my luck to carry us through.”

The ‘4x4 Stock’ category saw a change at the top, with Naku Hage Chada along with Loda Punyo taking over the lead after the completion of SS 1 to 8, with 704 points out of a possible 800. Athul Thomas (Binil Babu) held on to second position with 689 points, while Sabu Xavier (Halvin Appanna) slipped to third with 677 points.

Sabu Xavier, who slipped from first position on Day 1 to third in the ‘4x4 Stock’ category on Day 2, spoke about the technical challenges of the day and his approach to the remaining stages. He said, “Yesterday was easy for us, but today was tough. The track was very technical, especially the rock climbing, which made it hard to score well. The vehicle has no damage though, and we are hoping to improve tomorrow. There are still six stages to go, and every stage here is a surprise; you can never predict what’s coming. I am just keeping my fingers crossed, keeping the vehicle safe and giving my best on the remaining stages.”