Squash in Bihar

Verified profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and scholarships on this page are compiled from federation and government sources (Wikipedia — Squash in India, Saurav Ghosal, Olympics.com — Best Indian squash players, Dipika Pallikal profile, KhelNow — Greatest Indian squash players).

Overview

Governing body: SRFI
Origin: 19th century England
Olympic discipline: Yes
Category: Racquet
Total players listed: …

Squash is one of India's most-followed disciplines. The SRFI 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.

Squash is a recognised Olympic discipline, which shapes the entire high-performance pipeline in India. Athletes who break into the senior national camp become eligible for the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), which funds international training stints, foreign coaches, sports science support, equipment and travel for ranking events. Below the senior tier, the Khelo India Youth Games, University Games and Winter Games act as the country's largest scouting net, feeding talent into the Khelo India Talent Development scheme where annual stipends, boarding and dedicated coaching are provided at SAI National Centres of Excellence and accredited academies. The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports tracks every selected athlete's progress against published benchmarks, and underperformance can mean a drop from the scheme — the pathway is rigorous by design.

Squash in India follows the global individual-sport calendar of ranking tournaments, with the SRFI 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 Squash 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.

Squash originated in 19th century England, 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 Squash, the practical starting point is the same: connect with your state association under the SRFI, 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. Makes its Olympic debut at LA28.

History

How squash evolved globally and took root in India.

Squash traces its modern origins to 19th century England. Codified rules, standard equipment and international competition took shape as the sport spread beyond its birthplace, and SRFI is the body that carried it into organised Indian competition.

In India, squash grew through princely-state patronage, defence-service teams, universities and state associations. Post-independence, the discipline was formalised under SRFI, 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.

Squash being on the Olympic programme reshaped its Indian pathway: Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) selection, Khelo India Talent Development stipends and international training stints became the norm for the country's leading athletes.

Indian Players

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Rules

Squash is played by two players in an enclosed four-walled court, striking a small hollow rubber ball alternately against the front wall above the tin and below the out-line. The serve must be struck from within a service box with one foot inside and land in the opposite back quarter. A rally continues until a player fails to return the ball before its second bounce or hits it out; because players share the same space, the rules centre on giving the opponent a fair view of and unobstructed swing at the ball — interference brings a let, stroke or no-let decision from the referee. PSA and most senior events use point-a-rally scoring to 11, best of five games, with a two-point margin required at 10-10. Ball speed is graded by dot colour (double-yellow for elite play), and eye protection is mandatory for juniors and in doubles.

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

Positions

Key roles, events or positions inside a squash 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 squash at a federation-recognised event.

Squash racket (max 500 sq cm head, strung) and grip tape
Graded squash balls — double-yellow dot for competition play
Non-marking indoor court shoes with good lateral support
Protective eyewear (mandatory for juniors and doubles)
Regulation glass-back or plastered four-wall court with tin, service boxes and out-lines
Ghosting/court-sprint and resistance training kit for conditioning

Governing body

National federation

SRFI

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

Origin: 19th century England
Olympic: Yes
Category: Racquet

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Major Indian Events

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

Senior National Squash Championship
India's premier domestic event (73rd edition held in 2016), organized by the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI), which also established the Indian Squash Academy in 1990. SRFI notes the sport is currently established in only 19 states and 4 union territories.

International Events

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

Commonwealth Games
India won its first-ever squash gold medals at Glasgow 2014 — men's team (led by Saurav Ghosal) and women's doubles (Dipika Pallikal/Joshna Chinappa). Ghosal added CWG singles bronze at Birmingham 2022 — India's only Commonwealth Games singles medal in the sport.
World Doubles Squash Championships
Ghosal and Pallikal became India's first-ever squash world champions, winning mixed doubles gold at Glasgow 2022.
Asian Games
Ghosal has 9 career Asian Games medals including team gold (2014, 2023) and singles silver (2014); Pallikal has 6 Asian Games medals including singles bronze (2014, 2018).
Olympic Games
Squash will make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for squash. The national championship under SRFI remains the top domestic competition.

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International Players

Globally recognised squash 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 squash record book.

Olympic medalsTracked
Individual and team Olympic medals for India in squash are logged on the official IOC and IOA archives.
Asian Games medalsTracked
India's Asian Games results in squash are compiled by the Indian Olympic Association and the SRFI.
Commonwealth medalsTracked
Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championship medals in squash are maintained by the SRFI.
World Championship medalsTracked
Senior, junior and youth World Championship medal records are held by the international federation for squash and mirrored by SRFI.
National record holdersFederation register
SRFI 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 squash — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

India has produced genuinely world-class squash talent: Saurav Ghosal reached World No. 10 in 2019 (first Indian man to break the world top 20), and Dipika Pallikal became the first Indian woman in the world top 10 in 2012 — both later became the first squash players of their gender to win the Arjuna Award
Ritwick Bhattacharya was an important trailblazer, becoming the first Indian to win a PSA title (2003, Whakatane Open) and break the world top 50 (2006)
A promising next generation — including Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh — is emerging ahead of squash's Olympic debut at LA 2028, expected to significantly raise the sport's profile and funding in India
Playing pathway through SRFI's Indian Squash Academy and state associations; coaching certification through SRFI

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Related academies

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Government Schemes

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

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FAQs

Common questions about squash in India.

Who governs Squash in India?▾

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

Is Squash an Olympic sport?▾

Yes, Squash is on the Olympic programme. Selection for India runs through SRFI and the international federation's ranking events, and top athletes are typically funded through TOPS.

How do I start playing Squash 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 Squash 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 Squash?▾

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 Squash athletes selected for international events?▾

SRFI 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.

Squash in every state & UT

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

Squash