Padel in Andhra Pradesh

Verified profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and scholarships on this page are compiled from federation and government sources (Wikipedia — Padel in India, India Tribune/IANS — Mahesh Bhupathi padel growth interview, Padel Business Magazine — FIP World Padel Report 2025 (India affiliation), Wikipedia — Lakshit Sood, The Signal — Inside Padel's India push).

Overview

Governing body: Indian Padel Federation
Origin: 1969 Mexico
Olympic discipline: No
Category: Racquet
Total players listed: …

Padel is one of India's most-followed disciplines. The Indian Padel Federation oversees national federation activity, talent identification and Olympic qualification pathways. Major support flows in through TOPS and Khelo India for athletes who clear federation benchmarks.

Padel is not currently on the Olympic programme, but it sits firmly inside India's broader sporting ecosystem. The discipline receives support through the Khelo India movement, multi-sport events such as the National Games and Asian Games trials wherever the sport is contested, and dedicated league or championship structures run by the federation. Sponsorship, broadcast deals and private academies often fill the gap that direct government funding leaves, and several state governments offer cash awards, government jobs and land grants to medallists at the National Games and recognised world championships.

Padel in India follows the global individual-sport calendar of ranking tournaments, with the Indian Padel Federation sanctioning the domestic circuit and selecting players for international duty. Junior rankings start at under-13 and feed into senior all-India rankings used for national team selection. Private academies — many run by former internationals — have become the dominant talent-production model, and the best junior players routinely train and compete abroad with federation clearance. Equipment cost and access to quality sparring partners remain the two biggest practical barriers for new entrants in smaller cities.

At the grassroots, the route into Padel typically starts at school under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), at the inter-university level under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or through a private academy registered with the state association. The Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games are the largest single discovery platforms — athletes who reach the podium at these events become eligible for the Khelo India Talent Development scheme, which funds boarding, coaching, kit, education and a monthly stipend at accredited centres. State sports awards and central government jobs under the sports quota remain a powerful incentive for athletes from smaller towns.

Padel originated in 1969 Mexico, and in India it has developed a distinct character shaped by the country's geography, demographics and sporting culture. Whether you want to compete, coach, sponsor, write about or simply follow Padel, the practical starting point is the same: connect with your state association under the Indian Padel Federation, identify the nearest SAI centre or accredited academy, and track the Khelo India and federation calendars for the events that decide selection at every level. Padel is played and developed across India under the Indian Padel Federation, with grassroots programmes, state associations and national-level competition pathways.

History

How padel evolved globally and took root in India.

Padel traces its modern origins to 1969 Mexico. Codified rules, standard equipment and international competition took shape as the sport spread beyond its birthplace, and Indian Padel Federation is the body that carried it into organised Indian competition.

In India, padel grew through princely-state patronage, defence-service teams, universities and state associations. Post-independence, the discipline was formalised under Indian Padel Federation, national championships were instituted, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) later brought it into the centralised high-performance system with dedicated centres, coaching cadres and sports-science support.

Padel sits outside the Olympic programme but is firmly part of India's Asian Games, Commonwealth and National Games map, with state governments backing medallists through cash awards, jobs and land grants.

Scholarships & Funding

Central, state and private scholarships available for padel athletes in India.

Khelo India Talent Development Scheme (KISCE)
Monthly stipend (₹10,000 for Khelo India athletes), boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for identified padel talent (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports).
Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
Central government scheme covering training, foreign exposure, equipment and out-of-pocket allowance (up to ₹50,000/month) for medal-prospect padel athletes; administered by the Mission Olympic Cell.
National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports fund used to sponsor elite padel athletes' training, foreign coaches and equipment.
Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons
Lifetime monthly pension (₹20,000 for Olympic/World/Asian/CWG medallists; scaled by tier) for retired padel internationals — Government of India.

Explore all government schemes →

Indian Players

Loading…

Loading roster…

Browse the full athlete directory →

Rules

Padel is played almost always in doubles on an enclosed 20m x 10m court with glass back walls and metal-mesh side fencing, using solid stringless rackets and a slightly depressurised tennis ball. Serving is underhand after one bounce, hit diagonally into the opponents' service box. Scoring follows tennis (15-30-40, games and sets). The defining feature is that walls are in play: after the ball bounces once on your side you may play it off your own back or side wall, and shots may rebound off the opponents' walls provided they first land in court. A ball that hits the fencing or wall before touching the ground on the opponents' side is a fault, as is a double bounce or a volley off your own wall before the bounce.

Authoritative rulebook: Indian Padel Federation. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Key roles, events or positions inside a padel squad or competition.

Singles
One-on-one match — the standard individual format for ranking events.
Doubles
Two-a-side format with different court coverage and serve/return patterns.
Mixed doubles
One male and one female partner — a distinct discipline at multi-sport meets.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in padel at a federation-recognised event.

Solid perforated padel racket (premium models up to ₹30,000)
Depressurised padel balls
Enclosed 20m x 10m court with glass back walls and mesh sides
Net at 88cm centre height
Non-marking court shoes with herringbone/omni sole

Governing body

National federation

Indian Padel Federation

Indian Padel Federation is the recognised national body for Padel in India. It sets the domestic calendar, selection norms, coaching curriculum and anti-doping compliance, and is affiliated to the international federation for padel. State associations under Indian Padel Federation run age-group competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Origin: 1969 Mexico
Olympic: No
Category: Racquet

All federations →

Major Indian Events

Domestic championships, Khelo India events, National Games and franchise leagues that shape the padel calendar in India.

Indian Padel Federation (IPF) national circuit
IPF (established 2016) organizes national ranking tournaments and manages India's national team. The federation received formal international recognition when FIP (the International Padel Federation) affiliated India as a member federation in November 2025. Other bodies (Padel Association of India, Padel Tennis Federation) also operate in this space, reflecting the same kind of governance overlap seen in several newer Indian sports.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions where India competes in padel.

World Padel League
12-time Grand Slam doubles champion Mahesh Bhupathi has become a leading advocate for the sport in India, bringing the World Padel League from Dubai to Mumbai (3rd season, August 2026, 6 teams, 36 world-class players).
ITF Masters World Team & Individual Championships
Tennis-crossover athlete Lakshit Sood won bronze in both doubles and mixed doubles at the 2024 edition in Lisbon.
2026 Asian Games and other multi-sport Games
Padel will feature at the 2026 Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya), Asian Beach Games, Mediterranean Games and FISU World University Championships, part of the sport's push toward eventual Olympic recognition.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for padel. The national championship under Indian Padel Federation remains the top domestic competition.

All leagues →

International Players

Globally recognised padel athletes to know outside India.

Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
24-time Grand Slam singles champion.
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
Multiple-time Grand Slam winner and former world No. 1.
Iga Świątek (Poland)
Multiple-time French Open champion and world No. 1.
Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)
Olympic and World badminton champion.
Chen Meng (China)
Olympic table tennis singles gold medallist.

Records

Where to find India's official padel record book.

Olympic medalsN/A
Padel is not on the Olympic programme, so India records this discipline through Asian Games, Commonwealth, World and Continental championships instead.
Asian Games medalsTracked
India's Asian Games results in padel are compiled by the Indian Olympic Association and the Indian Padel Federation.
Commonwealth medalsTracked
Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championship medals in padel are maintained by the Indian Padel Federation.
World Championship medalsTracked
Senior, junior and youth World Championship medal records are held by the international federation for padel and mirrored by Indian Padel Federation.
National record holdersFederation register
Indian Padel Federation publishes the current senior, junior and sub-junior national records and updates them after every ratified event.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in padel — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

India's first padel court opened in Bangalore in 2017; by 2024 the country had roughly 100 courts across major cities
Bhupathi has explicitly framed padel as opening new coaching career pathways in India, noting that many current tennis coaches are also coaching padel and pickleball as the sport grows
Equipment remains a real cost barrier — premium rackets run up to ₹30,000 — and stakeholders are working with brands to bring prices down for the Indian market
Playing pathway through IPF's national ranking events and franchise leagues like the World Padel League

Explore sports careers →Coaches directory →

Related academies

0 listed

No padel academies are catalogued in the directory yet. Browse the full academy list or list your academy to appear here.

All academies →List your academy →

Government Schemes

…

Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for padel athletes and academies.

Loading schemes…

All government schemes →

FAQs

Common questions about padel in India.

Who governs Padel in India?▾

Indian Padel Federation is the recognised national federation for Padel in India. State associations under Indian Padel Federation run age-group and state-level competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Is Padel an Olympic sport?▾

Padel is not currently on the Olympic programme, but India competes at Asian Games, Commonwealth Games (where recognised), World Championships and other continental events sanctioned by Indian Padel Federation.

How do I start playing Padel in India?▾

Join a school team under SGFI, a college team under AIU, or a private academy affiliated to your state association. From there, age-group state championships and Khelo India events are the standard route into the national pipeline.

What government schemes support Padel athletes?▾

The core schemes are Khelo India (talent development stipends, scholarships and boarding at accredited centres), TOPS (funding for elite athletes preparing for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games), and state-government cash awards, jobs and land grants for medallists. Federation-specific schemes may also apply.

Where can I train for Padel?▾

Sports Authority of India (SAI) national centres of excellence, Khelo India accredited academies, state sports institutes and private academies registered with the state association are the standard training venues. The Academies section on this page lists options.

How are Indian Padel athletes selected for international events?▾

Indian Padel Federation runs selection trials — typically the senior national championship, a dedicated trial event, or ranking-based selection — and publishes the selection policy each season. Objective criteria (times, distances, ranking points, weight-class results) dominate at the elite level.

Padel in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Padel in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.

Padel