The inaugural Indian Pickleball League began in New Delhi on Monday with a spirited opening ceremony, as organisers projected the sport’s rapid rise across the country. Launched by The Times Group and sanctioned by the Indian Pickleball Association under the Sports Ministry, the league marks the first formal franchise competition for the discipline.
The glittering trophy was unveiled at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall of the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who described pickleball as a timely addition to India’s expanding sporting ecosystem. She said the Delhi government would work towards including the sport in the school curriculum, noting that the culture of sport had strengthened significantly in recent years.
Six teams, Bengaluru Blasters, Hyderabad Royals, Chennai Super Warriors, Mumbai Smashers, Capital Warriors and Lucknow Leopards, will contest the title, with the tournament scheduled to conclude on December 7.
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In his address, Vineet Jain, Managing Director of The Times Group, called the league’s launch a defining moment for pickleball in India. He said the competition would serve as a platform for young players to showcase their abilities and build professional sporting careers. The aim, he added, was to make pickleball the second-most popular sport in India after cricket.
Jain announced that 500 seats at the venue had been reserved for Delhi students in an effort to promote greater awareness and participation. “Today, we do not merely launch a season, we launch a new era,” he said. He urged players to “raise the bar, and then rise above”.
The league’s first edition, organisers said, is intended to lay the foundation for a nationwide movement, powered by accessibility and opportunity.
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