Karnataka, [India], October 10, 2024: Racquet Sports have been a popular sports choice among people of all ages for generations. One such fastest-growing sport across the globe is pickleball. Its appeal is no longer limited to international borders, it has gained a strong foothold in India. Participation is on the rise among teams. Recently, the Karnataka Pickleball Team showcased a lot of accomplishments at the 8th National Pickleball Championship.
Pickleball has been around for quite some time now but gained widespread attention very recently. Rajath Kankar MR anticipated the positive aspects of this sport and founded The Karnataka State Pickleball Association in 2016. The Karnataka Pickleball Team secured an impressive six medals, highlighting the growing prominence of this dynamic sport in the state. This championship was organized by the All India Pickleball Association and the Pickleball Association of Haryana in Panipat. Rajath Kankar MR’s pride in the team’s achievements is evident as he says “Winning 6 medals at the national level is a huge boost to our team and pickleball enthusiasts in Karnataka and across India”.
The popularity of pickleball enjoys today is because it is an all-age sport and thrives well in indoor and outdoor areas. It is gaining momentum among youth and senior citizens equally in urban India. Sports icons and Bollywood actors too are identifying this sport as their newfound interest. The sport, played with paddles and lighter balls, is an easy workout option as well. It is observed through studies that there is an actual growing trend of pickleball workouts and it may be more popular than tennis workouts.
Since its establishment, KSPA has played a pivotal role in promoting pickleball across Karnataka. Under the leadership of Rajath Kankar MR, who serves as the General Secretary, the association has successfully conducted 8 state championships so far. By organizing such events, the association fosters health benefits and a competitive spirit among players. This has also contributed to the overall development of the sport in the state.
In line with its mission to elevate pickleball’s profile, KSPA will host the upcoming Karnataka Pickleball Premiere League (KPPL) this December in Bengaluru. This league will feature 8 franchise teams. The KPPL aims to attract sports enthusiasts and foster a vibrant pickleball culture for all the pickleball enthusiasts.
The Karnataka State Pickleball Association is not only celebrating its recent success but is also committed to the future of pickleball in the region. The Founder General Secretary congratulated all medal winners and officially announced that they would be honored with the Pickleball Ratna State Award very soon. Nirupraj won Silver medal in U19 Boys, Aditya Pradeep and Nirupraj won the Gold medal in U19 Boy’s Doubles category, Kavya J and Akash S won the Bronze Medal 19+ Mix Doubles, Kiran Kumar and Asha won the Gold medal won 35+ Mix Doubles, Raghu Gowda and Poornima won bronze medal 35+Mix Doubles, and Lokesh R and Nagendra G won Silver medal in 50+ Men’s Doubles.
