Mumbai: Everyone wants to get into a pickleball!

Pickleball a relatively new sport in India has tickled everyonersquos fancy in Mumbai especially since the COVID19 lockdown Not only has the number of players multiplied over the past two years the game has become popular among both youngsters and adultsThe summer campSuch is the case that there is a waiting period of weeks for pickleball summer camp at Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul in Vile Parle The camp is being organised by Arvind Ramesh Prabhoo the first Indian to become the president of International Pickleball Federation IPFPrior to COVID19 only a few hundred people were playing the sport in India but now the number is above 1000 in Mumbai alone he told middayAlso Read Mumbai Restoration work is actually killing Mithi alleges MNSYuvi Ruia plays pickleball at Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul in Vile ParlePrabhoo said he is already talking to different state governments to introduce pickleball in schools ldquoThe Maharashtra government was enthusiastic about our proposalrdquo he addedThe sport is attracting youngsters to the camp from across the country like 20yearold Sonu Kumar from Jharkhand ldquoI used to play cricket in my hometown Next to the cricket pitch there was a small pickleball field I slowly developed interest in the sport and now I am in Mumbai to learn and practice because there are more facilities at the summer camprdquo Sonu told middayEven the youth of the corporate sector is taking interest in the sport Yuvi Ruia 25 of the Ruia family of the Essar group has returned from the United States to promote this game in India especially in MumbaildquoI was originally into table tennis But when I shifted to the US for higher studies I dabbled in pickleballmdashthe fastestgrowing sport in Americardquo said Yuvi adding that now he is in love with the sportldquoIn fact I left the US and shifted to Mumbai with one objective of spreading more awareness about this sport hererdquo said Yuvi who also regularly plays at Krida SankulEven adults and other professionals like doctors and architects are also taking interest in pickleball Dr Sarita Davare who runs a pain and obesity clinic in Vile Parle plays at the club dailyldquoIn school I used to play badminton but I gave up due to higher studies I decided to take up badminton again and when I came here I learnt about pickleball and tried it Last year I even participated in 50 categories of the sport and won the doubles title I will be taking part this year toordquo she saidAbout pickleballSunil Valavalkar a Mumbaibased company secretary is believed to have introduced the sport in India after seeing families in Canada play the sport during his visits in 1999 and 2006 Sunil returned to India with a few paddles and balls and introduced it to his family and friends Later in 2008 Sunil went on to establish the All India Pickleball Association AIPAPickleball is played with a paddle which is roughly the size of a table tennis racket and a plastic ball with holes that counter windy conditions The court is roughly the size of a doubles badminton courtThe lsquoGlobal Sports Pickleball Championshiprsquo commenced from May 5 and over 350 registrations have been recorded from top players across multiple categories right from 1415 years of age to players who are 6070 years who are all extremely competitive The competition is being held at the Celebration Club Mumbai and prize money for the championship is Rs 10 lakh