Pickleball And Its Growing Popularity in Urban India
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Pickleball: Taking India by Storm
In a nation where cricket is a religion and football follows closely behind, pickleball is quietly making its mark, emerging not only as a recreational pastime but also as a community-driven sport. Over the last 24 months, pickleball has seen a surge in popularity across India’s major cities, particularly in Mumbai and Bengaluru, attracting players of all ages from children to seniors. Owing to its low cost, inclusive nature and minimal space requirements, pickleball could easily outpace other sports in popularity in the coming years.
Nearly six decades after its invention by Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, and Bill Bell in Bainbridge Island, Washington, pickleball has now crossed borders, spreading across Europe, China and the Southern Hemisphere. Often described as a blend of tennis, table tennis and badminton, pickleball - named after Pritchard's dog, Pickles - is played with carbon fibre paddles and whiffle balls, featuring its own set of unique rules that have captivated the interest of players from across the globe.
Unlike many traditional sports that have been linked to urban India, pickleball has also managed to spread beyond major cities like Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai, reaching smaller towns such as Jaipur, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Ambala. The first dedicated court in India opened in April 2023, and since then, the country now has nearly 1,000 courts. Additionally, more than 50,000 players have participated in the sport at least once over the last 18 months, highlighting its swift rise. Hudle, the company that operates almost half of the courts across the nation, are focused on expanding the number of pickleball courts across India even further in the next year.
The National Captial Region of Delhi now features 80 pickleball courts, serving the region’s growing player base. Ahmedabad has experienced a significant rise in the sport’s popularity with around 500 courts now in operation. Cities like Bangalore, Vadodara, Hyderabad, Jaipur, and Chennai are also seeing a steady increase in pickleball facilities, with each reportedly adding between 100 to 200 courts every month. Surat, Pune, Bhopal, Indore, Ambala, and Chandigarh are also among the cities that have embraced pickleball in more recent times, each hosting between 50 - 100 courts.
The International Institue of Sports & Management (IISM) - a prominent sports education and research organisation in India - has strongly advocated for replicating the “Vidarbha Model” of growth in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities to accelerate pickleball’s development. This model focuses on building a sustainable ecosystem for the sport, encompassing infrastructure, coaching and community development. The Vidarbha Pickleball Association (VPA), under the leadership of Shreyansh Mohta, has played a key role in implementing this model in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
As pickleball continues to gain momentum in India, its prospects are bright and the sport’s widespread accessibility and broad appeal are fueling participation, while investment in infrastructure and grassroots initiatives are bolstering the communities in which it is played. Despite facing challenges, the growing passion of players and supporters is steadily embedding pickleball into the fabric of India’s diverse sports culture.
