Aditya Khanna Pickleball India Boom: At the Rise Up Championship – Pickleball by the Bay 2025, PWR co-founder Aditya Khanna praised India’s first-ever PWR 1000 tournament, calling it “truly special.” Held at Chennai’s VGP Golden Beach Resort, the event features top players from across the country, offering Rs 25 lakhs in prize money and valuable national ranking points.
Event and Significance
“You can see the sea on the beach, the courts are beautifully set up, and the organisers have done a great job putting up this event. The best players of India are playing this event, and we’ve seen some great action.”(Aditya Khanna)
Khanna explained the importance of the PWR 1000:
“The prize money is Rs 25 lakhs, and the point system is a 1000-point system. Players gain valuable national ranking points and prize money. Events like this are going to encourage juniors and pros to push their limits.”
Growth of Pickleball in India
Pickleball is growing rapidly, Khanna noted.
“In the last five months after the national recognition of the Indian Pickleball Association, more than 100 events have taken place and over 15,000 unique players participated. It shows the sport is growing at a multifold pace across all age groups.”
He also highlighted the expansion beyond big cities:
“Infrastructure development is happening in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, but good quality coaching and more events are needed. IPA’s vision is also to put pickleball into schools.”
Inclusive and Fun Sport
Khanna emphasized the inclusive nature of pickleball.
“Pickleball is a sport for everyone. You have kids as young as seven and people in their eighties playing. It’s easy to learn, fun to play, and it’s played equally by men and women. Everyone should pick up a paddle and get on court.”
He added that pickleball is also a lifestyle:
“Gym is great, but it gets monotonous. On a pickleball court, every day is different. You meet new people, travel for tournaments. It’s a way of life. I feel pickleball will be the second most actively played sport in India after cricket, that’s the vision.”
News in Brief: Aditya Khanna Pickleball India Boom
Aditya Khanna, PWR co-founder, called the Rise Up Championship – Pickleball by the Bay 2025 “truly special.” The PWR 1000 event in Chennai features top Indian players, Rs 25 lakh prize money, and national ranking points. Khanna sees pickleball growing rapidly and believes it could become India’s second most popular sport.
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