After badminton, tennis, and pickleball, squash is another racket sport that has taken a recognizable place in the country. With many players globally and in India, Squash has gained Indigenous popularity recently, with talented and professional personalities dominating the game. Let's have a look at those personalities here. In today's blog, let's overview the best Indian squash players of all time who have taken the sport to incredible heights! Read the blog till the end to know more.
What Made the Squash Game So Famous?
The reason behind the sport's increasing popularity is the squash game's rules, which are unique and distinct from those of other sports. The scoring system and the way the points are allocated to the players are also different from other sports.
However, the game originated in the prison of London in the 19th century, where the boys of Harrow School were given a boost. Later, other schools also developed, and the game spread across the globe. In terms of resemblance, the game is closely related to badminton, but there are differences between tennis and squash.
Another reason for the increasing popularity of the squash game is the number of health benefits it provides players. Squash games support the cardiovascular health of players and are good exercise for people who want to overcome their stress and improve their mental health.
Best Indian Squash Players
Here is the list of the best Indian squash players in India's history.
Dipika Pallikal
Dipika Pallikal is one of the best Indian squash players in the history of India. She is known for her extraordinary performance in squash sports. She was born on 21 September 1991, in the Kottayam district of Kerala, into a Malayali family.
She determined her first of three WISPA titles for 2011 in September by winning the Orange Country Open in Irvine, California. Second in the United States with another WISPA tour event victory. She was third in Hong Kong in the Crocodile Challenge Cup in December 2011, which took her to 17th position in the world ranking, which was a limelight performance.
Dipika Pallikal is the first ever Indian to break into the top 10 PSA Women's rankings. She came to prominence in 2011, winning WISPA tour titles. She was considered India's top squash player and was honoured with awards like the Arjuna Award in 2012 and Padma Shri in 2014.
In the February 2016 South Asian Games, she was part of the gold medal-winning Indian women's team.
Joshna Chinappa
Joshna Chinappa is another best Indian squash player who was the first Indian to win the British Junior Squash Championship title in 2005 and also won the title of the youngest Indian women's national champion. She was born on 15 September 1986 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She reached a career-high world ranking of World No.10 in July 2016.
Also Read: 10 Golden Pickleball Rules and Regulations
She has secured 18 titles for the most national championship wins. In 2024, she was awarded India's fourth highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri, by the Indian Government.
In 2014, at the Commonwealth Games, she and Dipika Pallikal won a gold medal for the squash women's doubles, India's first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the sport. The pair again won a silver medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Edition, losing to Team New Zealand. In 2017, at the Women's Asian Individual Squash Championships, she again won a gold medal, becoming the first Asian Squash Champion from India.
Saurav Ghoshal
Saurav Ghoshal is another well-known and excellent squash player born on 10 August 1986 in Kolkata, West Bengal. He is a retired professional squash player from India and reached a career height of world ranking No.10 in April 2019.
In 2004, he became the first Indian player to win the coveted British Junior Open under 19 squash title. In 2013, he became the first Indian to reach the Quarterfinals of the World Squash Championship in Manchester, England.
He also won the bronze medal at the Asian Games 2006 Doha and was honoured with the Arjuna Award by the President of India in August 2007, thus becoming the first player from the country to get the award.
In 2022, Ghoshal became the first Indian men's squash singles medallist at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and won the bronze medal.
Mahesh Mangaonkar
Mahesh Mangaonkar is another professional Indian squash player on our list who represented India and was born on 23 March 1994 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
He reached a career height of world ranking of World No. 44 in January 2015. He won the prestigious British Junior Open under-15 category in 2009.
He also won the IMET Open 2013 in the Slovak capital Bratislava. He is the first Indian squash player to win the IMET Open and was also a part of the Indian team, which won the gold medal in the 2014 Asian Games held at Incheon.
Frequently Asked Questions about Best Indian Squash Players of All Time.
Who Was the First Indian to Reach the Top 10 in the World Squash Rankings?
Saurav Ghoshal became the first Indian to reach the top 10 in the PSA world rankings in 2019.
Who Is the Most Successful Female Indian Squash Player?
Dipika Pallikal was considered the most successful Indian squash player who broke into the top 10 of the Women's World Squash Rankings.
Who Are the Rising Stars of Squash?
Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh are the young talents who are the rising stars with their pleasing performance in the national and international tournaments.
I hope the guide on Best Indian Squash Players was helpful and that you learnt about the star players and emerging talents of the Squash game. So, even if you are a squash player, follow them, perceive their achievements as a sign of determination, and move forward with your extraordinary skills.
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