Q. What was your first impression about pickleball and why did you decide to promote it?
In 2017, when Sunil Valavalkar [All India Pickleball Association or AIPA’s founder-director] introduced me to the game, and I saw it, I realised it’s a game for the future. Indians are good at wrist games or any racquet games. Pickleball is also an easy game to adapt to. And it’s an addictive sport.
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Q. What is AIPA and the international federation doing to spread the word?
We are doing a lot of promotional activities, especially at the grassroots level—camps, demos, talking to the right people. We are giving Valavalkar sir’s efforts a vision, structure and resources.
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Q. What is your vision for the sport?
My viewpoint then [when I was first approached] was let’s do tournaments and let’s start having prize money. If someone, especially a villager, earns Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 from the game, it helps spread the word.