How does a filmmaker from Bollywood become one of the key leaders helping grow pickleball across India, and what happens when a sport built on joy, inclusivity, and community begins changing lives across an entire country?

In this episode, we talk with Suryaveer Singh Bhullar, president of the Indian Pickleball Association, about his remarkable journey from player to national leader in one of the fastest-growing pickleball movements in the world. Suryaveer first discovered pickleball during COVID in 2021, when a friend invited him to the courts and he immediately fell in love with the game. What started as personal passion quickly grew into something much bigger. Today, he helps lead pickleball across 26 states in India, with more than 10,000 serious registered players and a vision to make pickleball one of the biggest sports in the country.

Suryaveer shares how his background as a director, producer, and filmmaker in Bollywood has shaped the way he promotes the sport, builds excitement, and thinks about making pickleball more engaging for viewers as well as players. He also talks about the Indian Pickleball Association’s work to bring pickleball into school curriculum, launch national interschool championships, build high performance centers, certify coaches, and create real career opportunities through pickleball for players, coaches, and officials. Along the way, he reflects on the role of the Global Pickleball Federation, the dream of seeing pickleball in the Commonwealth Games and eventually the Olympics, and the powerful stories of young players whose lives are already being transformed by the game.

This is an energizing and inspiring conversation about pickleball, India pickleball, Indian Pickleball Association, Suryaveer Singh Bhullar, Bollywood, youth sports, school pickleball, international pickleball, Global Pickleball Federation, inclusivity, community, leadership, and the life lessons that remind us it is never too late to start, that sport can open doors for anyone, and that pickleball has the power to bring people together across every age, background, and stage of life. 

https://www.ipaofficial.com/

📘 Our book Life Lessons from Pickleball™ is now available on Amazon

Order the book here: https://a.co/d/0bHPFYve

A collection of short, true stories from players around the world about community, resilience, and joy through the game of pickleball.

A portion of proceeds supports Operation PaddleLift, through the Global Pickleball Federation, distributing paddles, balls and nets to underserved communities around the world.

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Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

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