Harith Noah (born 29 January 1993 in Germany) is a professional motorsports athlete from Shoranur in Kerala, India.[1][2] He represents India in international cross country rallies such as the Dakar Rally. He is also the third rider from India to finish Dakar rally successfully after C.S. Santosh and Aravind K.P. He is also the fastest from India. He took a historic victory for India in the Rally 2 category of Motorcycles at the 46th Dakar Rally on 19 January 2024 and finished in the overall top-11, to become the fastest from India at Dakar. [3][4] Earlier, he bagged two stage wins in his class, the Rally 2.[5][6]
Early life and education edit
Noah hails from Kullappully, Shoranur.[7] He studied at KVR High School in Vaniamkulam till Class 7. Then he joined Sholai School, a boarding school in Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu.[8] His father, Mohammed Rafi Koitha Veettil is a businessman and his mother, Susanne, is an artiste and farmer. His mother is a German.[9] He is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University with a bachelor's degree in Sports Science.[10]
Early career edit
Noah started racing local dirt track events at the age of 16, in 2009.[2] Later, in 2011 he started taking part in the National supercross championship. In 2012, he did a 3-month training course in US.[10] He won the title the same year and was recruited by TVS Factory Racing in 2012.
Motorsport career edit
Domestic career edit
Noah is a 5-time Indian National Supercross champion. He raced and won his first National Supercross title in 2011 in the SX2 category as a privateer. He was recruited by TVS Racing in 2012.[11] and won four more national championships in the years, 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2018.[12]
Dakar edit
Noah won[13] the Rally 2 category in bikes astride a 450SEF Rally at Dakar 2024.[14]
Since 2018, he is taking part in cross-country rallies and made his debut at Dakar in 2020 and finished Dakar Rally in the 'Dakar Experience' Category.[15] In 2021, he completed the Dakar Rally, rated as the world's toughest cross-country rally, and became the first cross-country rally-raid athlete representing India to have finished in the top-20.[16][17] He is the fastest rider from India at Dakar with a highest ranking of P18 in a Dakar stage in 2022. He beat his own record of P19 which he set in 2021. He competed in four Dakar Rallies and is one of the four Indians to have taken part in Dakar. Earlier, he beat CS Santosh[17] record of P34, finishing Dakar in P20 on 15 January 2021. Taking part in his third Dakar in 2022, he survived two falls and fractured ribs by Stage 9 and later completed the rally in Dakar Experience class.[18][19] He entered as a privateer supported by TVS Racing factory team and was serviced by Sherco TVS Rally Factory team which has a tie-up with TVS Motor Company. He remains the best from India at Dakar with a record of 20th place.[20] In 2023, he suffered a serious spinal injury, but fortunately for him, it was a stable T5 fracture, that healed through rest for over three months.[7]
He trained at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre[21] and then at USA preparing for his fifth Dakar which begins on 5 January 2024. At the half-way stage after finishing six stages, including the tough 48-hour Chrono stage, Noah is placed 13th in the overall general rankings for Bike category. He is placed third in the Rally2 class.[22][23]
International edit
Noah won his first international rally when he finished first in his class B1 (Bikes under 450cc)[7] at TransAnatolia Rally which ran from 2 to 9 September 2023 in Turkey. He finished overall 4th.[24] He then finished 15th at the Rallye du Maroc.[25][26]
In 2018, he raced his first-ever international cross-country race, the Rallye Du Maroc. In 2019, he participated in Baja Aragon and finished 7th overall. In 2020,
In July 2022, Harith Noah competed in the FIM Baja Spain Aragon, the fourth round of the FIM Bajas World Cup and finished a creditable fourth behind his Sherco TVS Factory teammates Lorenzo Santolino and Rui Goncalves.[27]
Charity run edit
Noah supports research related to spinal chord injuries. He took part in the Wings for Life World Run, a charity run organised by Wings for Life Foundation in 2022. He joined the Run again in 2023 at Mumbai and also roped in his friend Rahul KP, a national football player.[28]
Awards edit
2024: Noah received the FMSCI Special Award at the Annual Awards gala 2023 held in Chennai on 21 February 2024.[29][30]
References edit
- ^ "Kerala's Harith Noah revs up, aims to make history at Dakar Rally". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- ^ a b "At Dakar, this Noah hopes to expand his racing arc". Hindustan Times. 5 January 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- ^ "DAKAR Rally 2024: TVS Racing Factory Racer Harith Noah Creates History; becomes the 1st Indian to win the Rally 2 Class and secure 11th Position Overall". CNBCTV18. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Harith Noah Wins The 2024 Dakar Rally 2 Class And Finishes P11 Overall". www.topgearmag.in. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Official Dakar rankings - bike - quad - car - SxS - truck". www.dakar.com. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Vashisth, Mohit (15 January 2024). "Harith Noah becomes the first Indian to win a stage at Dakar". Evo India. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "Shoranur's Harith prepares for his fifth Dakar with TransAnatolia win". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ "Flash: Harith Noah, first Indian to finish Dakar Rally in top-20". INDIA in F1. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Noah's arc: Riding in Kerala fields to conquering Dakar, pit stop in Germany". The Indian Express. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ a b Rayan, Stan. "Bike's roar, Harith's sound of music". Sportstar. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "TVS Racing's Harith Noah Ready For Dakar Rally Debut - ZigWheels". ZigWheels.com. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Dakar Rally racer Harith Noah explains the struggles of getting into the niche sport". CNBCTV18. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ "Gukesh outwits Foreest, Praggnanandhaa plays draw with Nepomniachtchi". Hindustan Times. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Bodapati, David (19 January 2024). "Historic victory for Harith Noah in Rally2 class at Dakar 2024". INDIA in F1. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Meet Harith Noah - the latest Indian to tackle the dreaded Dakar". Overdrive. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ "From the paddy fields of Shoranur to the sand dunes of Dakar, Noah charts an upward arc". The Indian Express. 14 February 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Dakar 2021: Harith Noah first Indian to finish Dakar in top 20". Autocar India. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ David Bodapati, INDIAinF1 (11 January 2022). "Braving broken ribs Harith Noah conquers Stage 9". INDIA in F1. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Warrier, Sajith B. (11 January 2022). "Dakar 2022: Despite broken ribs and loss of rear brakes Harith Noah keeps fighting all the way". www.mykhel.com. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ Bodapati, David (14 January 2022). "Braving broken ribs, engine failure, Harith Noah completes 3rd Dakar". INDIA in F1. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ R, Adithya (20 July 2023). ""I do not question my decision to bounce back and strive for improvement": Harith Noah on his journey of perseverance and fitness". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ "Official Dakar rankings - bike - quad - car - SxS - truck". www.dakar.com. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ Vashisth, Mohit (12 January 2024). "2024 Dakar Rally Stage 6: Harith Noah finished 12th, Van Beveren won his 4th Dakar stage, and Audi 1-2 overall and more updates". Evo India. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Ianslive". ianslive.in. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- ^ Desk, INDIAinF1 (29 December 2023). "Harith Noah, Ashish Raorane to represent India at Dakar 2024, the mother of all rallies". INDIA in F1. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Profile of HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTIL - SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY - Dakar". www.dakar.com. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ Bodapati, David (24 July 2022). "Stunning 4th for Sherco TVS Racing Factory rider Harith Noah at FIM Baja Aragon". INDIA in F1. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "Harith Noah explains why Wings for Life World Run is close to heart for him". Red Bull. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ "Plans afoot for two-wheeler Racing League". The Times of India. 21 February 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ Bureau, DTNEXT (22 February 2024). "FMSCI Honours 2023 National Champions: Plans afoot for two-wheeler Racing League". www.dtnext.in. Retrieved 22 February 2024.