HOT SPORT

More than just a game, pickleball has become a social movement in India

- BY POOJA BIRAIA

From July 29 to August 3, Navi Mumbai hosted the Monsoon Pickleball Championship 3. 0, touted as India's biggest indoor pickleball tournament, with a cash prize of $60,000 (around ₹52.6 lakh). The event was held across 17 airconditioned indoor courts. Then comes season 2 of the Global Pro & Challenger Pickleball League in December and several other tournaments—cementing pickleball as India's latest sporting obsession. What began as a humble pastime a decade ago, and picked up pace during the pandemic, has now snowballed into a full-fledged movement. Tournaments are being held nearly every weekend across the country.

A sport once seen as a gentle game for retirees in the US has transformed into a high-energy, youth-friendly, and fiercely competitive phenomenon in India. And the numbers are telling: the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) claims there are now over 5 lakh active players in the country.

Pickleball—a hybrid of tennis, badminton and table tennis—is played on a smaller court with a paddle and a perforated ball. It is easy to learn and requires little formal coaching, which adds to its appeal. Jaipur-based Niraj Sharma, a former tennis hobbyist, took to pickleball in 2016. "At the time, we did not even have dedicated courts—we would use portable nets and mark out lines on tennis or basketball courts. But once I tried pickleball, I was hooked. Unlike tennis, where it is tough to master backhand strokes even after years, pickleball is more accessible. A novice can play with a pro and still enjoy the game," says Sharma, who has since won multiple medals in international tournaments.