Indian cricket legend, Zaheer Khan, was present at the launching event of Knowledge Report on Pickleball developed by Krishang Sports in association with International Institute of Sports & Management.
Krishang Sports has tried to bring on papers the journey of Pickleball in India. The Knowledge Report presented by the organisation delves into a lot of aspects of the game. It also provides an overview of the development roadmap of Pickleball in the future.
Mehul Raval, Founder of Krishang Sports, said, “This is a unique undertaking for an unconventional sport. The idea came when Krishang organised Vidarbha Open in May 2024. AIPA entrusted the responsibility of a national ranking tournament to a new company and we successfully conducted it.”
The Knowledge Report covers the background of Pickleball, the comparative domestic and international growth trend and the future prospects. It also includes the community engagement aspect of the sport along with its promotion and awareness.
The event was attended by ex-India cricketer Zaheer Khan. Speaking on the occasion, Zaheer told, “I have played Pickleball, especially during COVID time, when we were in bubbles. As a director of cricket in Mumbai Indians, I have to think about various ways to keep ourselves motivated and occupied. So we thought about different kind of activities and Pickleball was one of them.”
International Institute of Sport Management (IISM) has been a constant source of support to Krishang Sport in this project. Nilesh Kulkarni, the Director of IISM, spoke about the institute’s commitment towards sports-related research and development. He added, “This project aligns perfectly with our mission to foster the development of sport at all levels, from grassroots to professional.”
All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), which has been instrumental to promote this game far and wide in India, has faced many challenges both domestically and internationally. But overcoming all the difficulties, AIPA has been successful in registering around 3000 players from 19 different states of India.
Arvind Prabhoo, the President of AIPA, said, “I was immediately attracted towards the game when Mr Sunil Valavalkar introduced it to me. He was the one who convinced me to head the association. We are spreading in the grassroots, going to colleges, doing demos, going to various states, universities.”
The Knowledge Report mentions the future prospects of the sport in India. There have been initiative to bring World Pickleball League in India by Natekar Sports and Sony Entertainment Talent Ventures.
