Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 21
According to the President of the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA), Nagaland has pickleball champions in the making. “The level of players in Nagaland is really, really good. And I’m confident that with the right kind of support and coaching, we’ll probably see a national champion from here in the next two years,” IPA President, Suryaveer Singh Bhullar told a press conference in Dimapur on September 21, on the sideline of the Dimapur Pickleball Open 2025 organised by the Nagaland Pickleball Association at The Fitness House, Dimapur.
He noted what he said was a “high level of play” in the two-day tournament, which concluded on September 21. He said that the IPA believes in taking the sport across India to the grassroots with special emphasis on grooming talent in the northeast, which he held is a talent pool for the sport. While he commended the state association and the effort it has put into the sport, he termed the tournament venue as one of the best he has seen in the country.
The tournament carried a total cash purse of Rs 1 lakh with over 100 players, ranging from veterans to emerging stars, from Nagaland and Assam.
The state association said that it seeks to foster a vibrant pickleball ecosystem in the state by developing grassroots programmes, certifying coaches, and creating opportunities for players of all levels to participate. Another tournament is already in the pipeline scheduled for the second week of October, featuring Men’s, Mix, and 40+ categories.
