Kuppam (AP), October 20, 2025: Privateer Rushab Shah of Bengaluru stamped his authority on the inaugural Indian National Hill Climb Championship (INHCC) for two-wheelers, winning three classes and taking the Fastest Rider award — setting a time quicker than the cars on his debut at Mallappa Konda on Friday. The event, organised by the Motor Sports Club of Karnataka and powered by Vamcy Merla’s VM Motorsports Foundation, marked a historic debut for hill climb racing under national status.
The hills near Kuppam came alive as self-funded riders from across India battled gravity and gradient on the 2.5 km uphill tarmac course of the Eastern Ghats. While the car event on Sunday had the bigger spotlight, it was the bikers who brought the grit, passion, and precision that defined the weekend’s racing.
Astride a KTM RC 390 tuned with his friend Sreekumar “Poncho” Gopinadhan under the TSS RaceParts banner, Rushab clocked 1 minute 56.261 seconds to win the Group B 4-Stroke 261 cc & Above class — the outright fastest run of the meet. He followed it up by winning the 4-Stroke Indian Open (1:56.608) and Unrestricted Class (1:58.374), completing a historic triple on his national debut.
Rushab, who also competes in the Supersport category in Europe’s International Road Racing Championship, called the short, twisty Mallappa Konda course “technical, tricky and demanding.” “You have to commit to every corner — the hairpins come fast, and the surface changes quickly,” he said. “It’s a different kind of challenge, one that really tests your focus and throttle control.”
His father, Sanjeev Shah, Secretary of the Karnataka Motor Sports Club, added with pride: “Rushab now holds the fastest record on Mallappa Konda — even faster than the cars, both on the older 4.5 km course and this new 2.5 km national route.” The earlier event, conducted by Jaidas Menon, was tougher and longer, but he noted that this new national championship has “great potential to become a benchmark if a few sporting norms are fine-tuned in future.”
The weekend also belonged to Bharath L, who matched Rushab’s intensity with a treble of his own across the smaller-capacity categories. The Bengaluru rider dominated the Group B 2-Stroke Indian Open (2:13.812), the 4-Stroke Up to 165 cc (2:20.900), and took second place in the 166–260 cc class (2:18.532), just behind Shabarish (2:15.100). “You don’t need a big team or fancy setup — just focus, grip, and guts,” said Bharath, reflecting the spirit of the self-funded privateers who keep Indian motorsport alive.
Among scooters, Goutham N took top honours in Group B Scooter Up to 210 cc with 2:24.606, followed by Aditya Dutt and Hemanth. The lightweight class drew loud applause for its close fights and aggressive riding.
The Ladies Class witnessed a trailblazing moment as Soundari “Sindy” Ananthraj, a Chennai-based circuit racer and FMSCI official, returned to competition after three years and became the first female winner in Indian Hill Climb history. Riding all the way from Chennai on her race bike, Sindy clocked 2:41.342 to win the class, ahead of Mynthuri (2:45.218).
Not done yet, she borrowed a stock car the next day to compete in the 4W Ladies Open class, where she earned a podium. “Hill climb racing was new to me, but I wanted to prove women can challenge gravity on two wheels or four,” said Sindy. “My car overheated chasing the boys, but the thrill was worth it.”
Despite a smaller field, the competition was fierce and the organisation commendable. Promoter Pradeep Urs, a former national rally driver, and his team — including Start Line Motorsports, Srinivas “Motoport Seena” as Competitor Relations Officer, and Ravee handling results — managed to run the first-ever national hill climb round successfully despite tight timelines and logistical hurdles.
“This round served as a qualifier since riders from other regions couldn’t participate,” explained Urs. “We’ve requested the federation to structure the championship like sprint or autocross nationals, with a qualifier and final to give everyone a fair shot.”
Promoter Vamcy Merla, who was present on Sunday, surprised competitors with an incentive. “All riders and drivers who took part in this round will have their entry fees waived for the remaining rounds,” he announced, drawing cheers and applause.
Urs thanked Vamcy and JK Tyre for their partnership: “Their support made this first national hill climb possible. Even with fewer entries, we delivered an event to remember. It’s a foundation for what’s to come in Indian motorsport.”
Provisional Results
2W Classes (Final):
Group B 2-Stroke Indian Open: 1. Bharath L (2:13.812), 2. Naresh (2:19.445), 3. Harshaavarhan (2:21.094)
Group B 4-Stroke Indian Open: 1. Rushab Shah (1:56.608), 2. Naresh (2:02.827), 3. Sanjay Somasekhar (2:03.127)
Group B 4-Stroke Up to 165 cc: 1. Bharath L (2:20.900), 2. Naresh (2:25.077), 3. Soundari Sindy A (2:36.861)
Group B 4-Stroke 166–260 cc: 1. Shabarish (2:15.100), 2. Bharath L (2:18.532), 3. Naresh (2:20.958)
Group B 4-Stroke 261 cc & Above: 1. Rushab Shah (1:56.261), 2. Hemanth (2:01.923), 3. Naresh (2:04.062)
Group B Scooter Up to 210 cc: 1. Goutham N (2:24.606), 2. Aditya Dutt (2:34.852), 3. Hemanth (2:36.582)
Unrestricted Class: 1. Rushab Shah (1:58.374), 2. Sanjay S (2:00.436), 3. Naresh (2:01.586)
Ladies Class: 1. Soundari Sindy A (2:41.342), 2. Mynthuri (2:45.218)
4W Classes (Provisional):
Up to 1150 cc: 1. Mohammed Sahil (2:10.264), 2. Abhin Rai (2:11.927), 3. Paramesh H (2:17.727)
1151–1650 cc: 1. Vinay S Madaiah (2:03.804), 2. Karthik Arumugam (2:11.032)
1651 cc & Above: 1. Karthik Arumugam (2:13.220)
Indian Open: 1. Vinay S Madaiah (2:05.371), 2. Karthik Arumugam (2:14.747)
Rally Car Class: 1. Vinay S Madaiah (2:09.138)
Ladies Open: 1. Geetalatha Rai (2:42.217), 2. Soundari Ananthraj (2:51.093), 3. Kavya Kumari (5:59.530)
