The 23-year-old Rashid, playing on his home course, went on a birdie spree as he picked up nine of them and one eagle in a flawless card, in which he didn't put a foot wrong.
"I shot the best round of my career. My last best score here was an eight-under in SAIL Open last year. Of course, I hit nine-under in Sri Lanka at the Standard Chartered Open a couple of weeks ago but it has been a great round.
This was the second best score at the DGC, where Liang Wen-Chong of China had set the 18-hole Tour record with a stunning 12-under 60 in the opening round of the 2008 Indian Open. He had won the title with a total of 16-under 272.
"Everything went fine today for me. The tee shots, the short game, everything combined well for me. It has been a satisfying round," added the Delhi golfer, who turned pro in 2010 but missed out on an Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School Final Stage in 2011 and 2012.
"I will concentrate on the Asian Tour this year and my aim to win atleast a title in the tour this season," said the Indian, who finished 10th and fourth in the PGTI Ahmedabad Masters and Standard Charter Open respectively in the early domestic season.