From Palakkad's paddy fields to Dakar Glory: Harith Noah's arc continues its voyage

India Today

5 hours ago

Motorsport is considered a niche in a country like India. In a nation where cricket is the dominant sport, it is not just money that makes you successful in the world of racing — having that innate skill and the willpower to reach the finish line at all costs is what makes a true champion. In that case, rally raid racer Harith Noah certainly fits the bill.advertisementTo say that the 32-year-old is a legend of Indian motorsport would be an understatement. Hailing from the town of Shoranur in the Palakkad district of Kerala, Noah has already carved a long-lasting legacy in the sport with his impeccable riding skills and sheer determination to succeed. What began in 2009, when he was just 16, quickly bore fruit as Noah went on to win five national Supercross titles. But soon enough, he found his true calling in the world-famous Dakar Rally.In 2018, he shifted his focus to cross-country rallies and made his Dakar debut in 2020. The following year, Noah became the third Indian athlete — after CS Santosh and Aravind KP — to complete the gruelling event. In 2021, he also became the first Indian to secure a top-20 finish. By 2024, the Rally Raid racer had broken several of his records, becoming the first Indian champion at the Dakar Rally in the Rally 2 class, winning two stages on his way to the crown. advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dakar Rally (@dakarrally)
He finished 11th in the bike category, narrowly missing out on a top-10 finish by just six minutes. This made him the fastest Indian in the history of the Dakar Rally.However, the 2025 edition of the Dakar Rally didn't go as planned. In what was his sixth appearance at the iconic event, a crash in the prologue stage left Noah with a broken wrist, forcing him to withdraw.Despite the setback, Noah bounced back quickly, setting his sights on a grand return to Dakar next year. India Today caught up with the Rally Raid biker as he continued training at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre in Santa Monica, California, where he recounted his remarkable journey from the paddy fields of Shoranur to the deserts of Dakar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harith Noah (@harithnoah8)The beginningNoah's love for bikes started in 2009 when he received his first motorcycle as a gift — and promptly took it racing through the paddy fields near his home. His first race ended with him finishing last, but it sparked a lifelong passion."It began back in 2009, if I'm not wrong. I just had got a motorcycle for my birthday or Christmas. There was a race happening down the road, like in the paddy fields. They asked me if I wanted to take part, and I said yes, but I didn't know how to ride yet. So I kind of learned in a few days. I could ride, but not properly. I took part in the race and I finished last, but that's when my love for bikes first struck me and then I wanted to keep doing it and get better," said Noah.
Harith in action (Courtesy: TVS Sherco)
Noah also made it a point to separate his passion for racing from reckless driving on the road."I never rode the bike on the road. The first bike I had, I turned it into a race bike. I usually use my mother's scooter. Even now, I hardly ride on the road. I mean, I have an RR from TVS, which is nice. Sometimes I take it out, but normally I don't ride on the road.," said Noah.advertisementFor most Indian parents, motorsport is often seen as a dangerous path. But in Harith's case, it was his father, Mr. Mohammed Rafi, who fueled the interest. A former rally navigator, Mr. Rafi played a pivotal role in Harith's early days — acting as a crew chief, mentor, and travel companion."He was there a lot from the beginning. Especially at the start, he was more present than right now. He taught me many things. Not that he has been a racer, but he took part in a rally when he was younger as a navigator. Back then, there used to be two guys on the motorcycle.""He had a few contacts with some people who raced around my house. The whole time I was doing Supercross, he was always there.""We did everything ourselves. We had a Scorpio, dismantled the bike, put it inside the car, and traveled for the National Supercross races. The furthest we went was Chandigarh. We didn't drive that time—we took a train, but sent the bike there," said Noah."I haven't really thought about retirement or the legacy I want to leave behind. I'm not seeing an end right now—I want to keep doing my best and maybe go bigger than I have already. No one thought I'd win Rally 2 before 2024—but it happened. It took 13 days of racing. I believe greater things are possible, but a lot of things need to line up properly." advertisementThe 32-year-old recalled one specific moment where his father made him realise his passion for racing and help him setup his career."There's one moment when we were at a race in Chandigarh. I forgot my knee brace and ended up buying some from a local shop, and the first race didn't go so well.""After that, me and my dad had a discussion. He asked, 'Do you really want to? You have to push if you want to do it,' and so on. That was like a turning point. I won the second race after that. I started winning and taking the championship title, which was not the plan initially. After that, we joined TVS," said Noah.The love for DakarNoah's doesn't romanticise his affection for the Dakar Rally, but keeps it rather simple and straightforward. He acknowledges its chaos and unpredictability, which is precisely what draws him to it.advertisement"It's a lot of different challenges. That's why it's so special. It's not straightforward. In other sports like marathon running, you know what you're up against. The weather might change, but the route is known. In Dakar, it's super unplanned—you don't know what's coming, what's around the hill, which way to go. You need physical fitness, good navigation, strong mental ability. Mistakes will happen. It's about how you deal with them. It's all about not overthinking at that time," said Noah.His background in sports science helped him emotionally recover from the 2025 disappointment at the Dakar."It's super hard mentally to go to Dakar and leave before it even starts due to injury. That's not a nice feeling. But I try to be present. I can't change it once it has happened. Going forward, I will always focus on doing my best, not on results. The most important thing for me is giving my 100 percent and learning from my mistakes," said Noah.
Harith in action (Credit: TVS Sherco)
So does the fastest Indian at the Dakar aim to win it in the future? Well, he remains grounded when it comes to his ambitions at the prestigious event. "No, I don't have the confidence to win it. Even when I won Rally 2, I never really thought I would do it. It was never my plan. Of course, I enjoyed the win and I really loved the 2024 Dakar performance. But for me, what matters is doing my best. Ofcourse, winning the Dakar would be amazing," said Harith."I dream of one day when people are waiting for the weekend to watch Indian Supercross live on TV—or watching the Dakar every January." One of his proudest moments in Dakar 2024 wasn't the win itself, but the feeling of competing with the very best."The biggest achievement was leading stage 10 overall until the last 30 kilometres—not just Rally 2, overall. That's almost 4 hours of racing. I slowed down a bit at the end due to difficult navigation and finished fifth. That was the greatest feeling for me. Then in Morocco, I finished 4th and 5th on two stages. So again, top 5 overall. As for Dakar, the team asked me if I wanted to know the results on the last day. I spoke to my psychiatrist, and we decided not to check. I just wanted to give my best. After the race, I got to know I had won," said Noah.The future of motorsport in IndiaThe lack of institutional support is a well-known barrier for Indian motorsport athletes. But Noah believes the issue goes beyond funding."For me, it's the lack of skill level on the motorcycle compared to others. Most pro athletes start at the age of three or five. I started at 16. Their skill is way higher. If you put all the Dakar riders on a track, I'd probably finish between 30 and 40. But on the Dakar stage with navigation and 5 hours of racing, that's where I can be top 10 or top 5. So for me, the most important thing to work on is riding the bike—improving skills over endurance and everything else," said Noah.Yet, he's encouraged by recent developments, including the launch of the Indian Supercross Racing League."It's improving. If you zoom out five or 10 years, there's definitely growth. Ten years ago, I was possibly the youngest rider at 16. Now, at any Supercross race, there are 10 to 20 kids under 15. So yeah, it's going in the right direction. Two manufacturers in Dakar is a really positive thing. It makes people believe that it's possible to race or even win the Dakar from India," said Noah.The legacy he wants to leave behind View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harith Noah (@harithnoah8)Noah isn't thinking about retirement just yet. He feels like he still has a long way to go and can achieve more in the sport. "I haven't really thought about retirement or the legacy I want to leave behind. I'm not seeing an end right now. I want to keep doing my best and maybe go bigger than I have already. No one thought I'd win Rally 2 before 2024—but it happened. I believe greater things are possible, but a lot of things need to line up properly," said Noah.And his dream? To bring motorsport closer to the Indian mainstream."I dream of one day when people are waiting for the weekend to watch Indian Supercross live on TV—or watching the Dakar every January," concluded Noah.If that dream comes true, expect Noah to be at the forefront, tackling the unforgiving challenges of Dakar — and making India proud.- Ends