India series

All India Pickleball Association: Considered by many as the fastest-growing sport in the country in terms of registered players, pickleball got noticed by mainstream media in the country. With many medals and honours at the international level, Indian pickleball players had a successful year.

As the year 2024 draws to a close, the unique racquet sport that is an amalgamation of tennis and table tennis but has its own specific rules and court, which has attracted many players to switch to pickleball.

With the sport looking for another giant leap in India with the launch of the World Pickleball League in 2025, IANS got Arvind Prabhoo, president of the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), to analyse the year that has gone by, pointing out the highlights and narrating plans for the next year. Excerpts from an interview over email: