Mohit Kumar Ignites Pickleball Fever: The 7th Tamil Nadu State Level Pickleball Championship began Saturday at Picklers Arena in Chennai, with around 450 players competing across more than 30 categories. Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association President Mohit Kumar said the event is a major step for the sport in India and serves as a pathway to the IPA Nationals in Bengaluru.
Record Participation and Competitive Spirit
“This tournament is the road for the IPA Nationals. We are happy to say that we have around 450 participants here from all the districts of Tamil Nadu. From Vellore, Tiruchi, Namakkal to Coimbatore, you name them they are all here,”
Mohit Kumar told Pickleball Now. The PWR 100 event also acts as a selection trial for national-level competitions, highlighting the growing competitiveness in the state.
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Pickleball’s Rising Popularity
Mohit Kumar expressed confidence in pickleball’s potential in India.
“The rising popularity is unmatched. Like I said about the growing pickleball scenario in the state, there is really exponential growth across the country. And I am confident the way IPA is taking the game ahead for its inclusion in the Olympics and other. We definitely see this to be the top sport in India very soon,” he said.
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Inclusivity and Community Appeal
“The beauty of pickleball, even a person of the age of 35 or a 40-year-old can compete with a 19-year-old boy and still feel that competitiveness of sports. That is the beauty of pickleball and it is such an inclusive sport,”
Mohit Kumar said. He added that the sport brings communities together and is affordable for training and competition.
Promoting Fitness Through Pickleball
Mohit Kumar also highlighted the sport’s role in health and fitness, especially since the pandemic.
“Fitness for the youth is really required today. And the way pickleball has grown, like I said, after 2020, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, people got to know they have to be healthy… Now you see people playing on the pickleball court along with their friends,” he explained.
He believes pickleball’s rise encourages more participation in state- and national-level tournaments, benefiting community health.
News in Brief: Mohit Kumar Ignites Pickleball Fever
The 7th Tamil Nadu State Level Pickleball Championship began Saturday at Picklers Arena, Chennai, with 450 participants across 30-plus categories. Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association President Mohit Kumar praised the sport’s growth, inclusivity, and fitness benefits. The tournament also serves as selection trials for the IPA Nationals in Bengaluru.