At 29, Rishabh Gupta has already carved a unique place in Kolkata’s pickleball story. A fitness professional who runs an exercise studio and also coaches in the sport, he was among the first to step onto the city’s courts when they opened in December 2023. “I had basically gone on the day when they had started the courts.
In a way, I was one of the few people who played pickleball first in Kolkata,” he recalled while speaking to Pickleball Now.
Since then, the game has spread rapidly in the city. “Back in those days, very few people knew about the sport. Over time, many people got into it, switching from tennis or starting from scratch. One is the social aspect – you can play with different age groups, categories, and genders. The other is accessibility. To play tennis, you need a club membership, which isn’t possible for everyone. Now you have over 50-60 courts in Kolkata open to the public.”
Gupta has already represented India, becoming the first player from Kolkata to do so. Asked what separates local players from those competing at the highest level, he pointed to experience. “Pickleball here is barely two years old. In places like Mumbai, it began in 2008 and gained momentum around 2017-18. So they are ahead of us in terms of time spent and number of players.”
With the Arena One Open in Kolkata drawing top talent, Gupta knows what success there would mean. “It’s one of the biggest tournaments the city has seen. Winning would be special. It would give me recognition, especially with the president of IPA, Mr. Giren Patel, coming here. It would feel nice to do well in front of them.”
About Indian Pickleball Association:
The Indian Pickleball Association is the official governing body for pickleball in India and is dedicated to promoting, developing, and organising the sport across the country. The association continues to inspire players of all ages and skill levels to embrace the game through events like the IPA Nationals. IPA is affiliated with the Asian Pickleball Association (APA) and the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF).
About Pickleball World Ranking:
PWR is a national ranking system that spans all age groups, skill divisions, and formats -including singles, doubles, and mixed categories. It serves as the official National Sports Federation Ranking for India. With multiple sanctioned events taking place every week across the country, PWR defines the top Indian players at every level and forms the foundation for team selection at the school, district, state, and national stages.
PICKLEBALL –
Stay connected with all the latest news on Pickleball, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, tips, and inspiration you won’t find anywhere else. Your ultimate destination for all things pickleball – where the community comes together for news, views, and the sport that’s sweeping the globe.