Home PICKLEBALL “Pickleball became my saviour when I really needed”…..

“Pickleball became my saviour when I really needed”…..

390
0

with PRASHANT KALANI

DOB:              22nd July, 1990

State:             Rajasthan

City:               Jaipur

Club:              Rajasthan Pickleball Association

Prashant Kalani had an indulgence towards sport from his childhood. He and his friends were often spotted playing Cricket, Football, Basketball or Tennis in local clubs and fields. But as they grew up, academic pressure and later professional life scattered them and the friends longed to reunite.  

“Time flew and some of my friends went for higher studies. Some of us stayed together but had little time to play. And when we got time to play there was shortage of players. During that phase, I saw Pickleball being played at Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium and was enjoyed by the players. It was 2013 and that was the first time I heard about the game. Since then I am playing it regularly.” 

Pickleball is a game that is easy to learn but is hard to master. Prashant Kalani found the game easy initially but as he continued he found that it requires a lot of energy and patience. So, one has to be physically as well as mentally fit.

“Pickleball became my life savior when I really needed a sport to take care of my health. I am not a gym guy and this game kept me fit for the last 6 years.”

But Pickleball has not only given the much-needed fitness to Kalani, it has also given him some friends for life. Apart from his medals in national and international-level tournaments, he has achieved a platform to know more people and interact with different players.

“The game has given me an opportunity to know people outside my city and their commitment for the game. It has also stimulated me to do the best when on the court. I really enjoy the heat, the nervousness, the intensity during matches. All these help me to evolve more.”

Prashant Kalani might be a sober person off the court but he is quite attacking on the court. For this he is very particular about his gears.

“I always play with my Selkirk graphite paddle as it suits me best. I have been playing with it for the last 3 years.  But sometimes I also play with Prolite Supernova because it is a special paddle for me.”

The future of Pickleball lies in the hands of young players like Prashant. It is they who have to take the responsibility to promote the game. By profession, Kalani works as a Quality Inspector in Food Corporation of India. But he is ready to give the sport his best.

“My future plan is to encourage new players to take the game. At the same time I have to increase my level. These two are my motto now.”

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

Gold in Men’s Doubles at 1st Senior National Tournament in 2014

Gold in Men’s Doubles at 2nd Senior National Tournament in 2015

Silver in Men’s Doubles at 4th National Senior Tournament in 2017

Silver in Men’s Doubles at 5th National Senior Tournament in 2018

Bronze in Men’s Doubles at Federation Cup

Gold in Men’s Doubles at 1st Indian Open in 2017

Previous article“Pickleball is something that shall stay with me forever”…..
Next article“Pickleball has made my parents speak proudly about me…..”
PoulomiKundu started her career in 2000 as a freelance journalist in Hindustan Times. Soon after she was selected an intern in Zee News, Kolkata. After her post- graduation in English, Poulomi joined the leading television production house of eastern India, Rainbow Productions. She was a journalist in Khas Khobor, a Bengali news magazine programme in Doordarshan and also headed the post production department of another programme, Khas Kolkata. In 2004, Poulomi moved to Delhi as a creative writer in an advertising agency, Brand Stewards Pvt. Ltd. In 2005, she again shifted her base for a better opportunity and that in Mumbai. There she got the job in Raa Media Pvt Ltd. as an associate director of two programmes for Doordarshan-Yuva and Paisa Vasool. In the meantime, she also wrote features in DNA as a freelancer. Poulomi directs promotional videos, develops scripts for films for Corporate and NGOs. But an ardent sports lover, Poulomi always had an urge to contribute somewhere in the field of sports. Her love for sports started from an early age when she played gully cricket and football for local teams. Academics and professional hazards sometimes took her away from her passion, but it never died in her. She always nurtured the never-ending dream. So she materialized her dream in the form of ‘SPORTSAVOUR’. It is an online sports portal that serves sports with the tagline ‘For the indigenous, unconventional, unknown’.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here