Shreyansh Mohta is an entrepreneur based out of Nagpur, Maharashtra. He has a Master’s Degree in Sports Business and Innovation from Loughborough University, London. Passionate about sports from a young age, Shreyansh seeks to explore the sector in details, with Pickleball being his first step in this domain.
Sports and its management……
Shreyansh Mohta:I have been a sports fanatic since my childhood. I excelled in all sports; I played district and state level Cricket and Basketball when I was in Sherwood College in Nainital. While in school, I received the Sportsman of the Year award and was accoladed by none other than Mr Amitabh Bachchan, who is an alumni of Sherwood.
So that inclination towards sports was always there. And when passion drives inclination, that drives a person too. I could have easily done a Masters in Finance or Marketing, but I felt that professional sports need a lot of development in the country. So that’s why I went to do my Masters in Sports Business and Innovation.
Sports management in India…
Shreyansh Mohta: We are a sports-driven country; sports unite us. With the initiation of so many leagues in different sports, this is indeed a booming industry. What goes on behind the scenes is massive. There is a lot of money involved, people involved, and to manage it in proper ways we need talented young professionals. So, there is a huge scope all around for those who come with degrees in sports management. We require more professionals to manage various sports in the country.
Pickleball to start with…
Shreyansh Mohta: I heard of Pickleball’s worldwide growth since last few years and it has a massive potential. After coming back from London, I thought of growing the sports base in my hometown and found Pickleball as the right mean to go forward.
Vidarbha Pickleball Open…
Shreyansh Mohta: Pickleball has grown massively in Mumbai and Pune but we need to develop this sport in Nagpur which is also one of the most important cities of Maharashtra. There are less players in this region due to lack of awareness. The aim of Vidarbha Pickleball Open is to create a community of Pickleball players that will take the sport to higher heights.
The second reason for organising this tournament in Nagpur is to add another annual sporting event to its much acclaimed Khelo Games and Khasdar Krida Mahotsav that have shaped up here under the able guidance of Mr. Nitin Gadkari.
Moreover, the influence of Badminton and some other racquet sports is massive in Nagpur. So, I feel, the conversion of players from those sports to Pickleball will be easier; that in turn will generate more players from the region.
Initial plans for the tournament….
Shreyansh Mohta: We are planning to host around 200 to 250 players from all around the country in the second week of May. We have chosen an indoor ground, keeping in mind the heat during that month. We have started the registration process for the players. We are planning an extensive media coverage for the tournament. We have a great back end team comprising of Krishang Sport, ISRAD and UA Sports. And obviously AIPA without whose support we could not think of this tournament.
