'Performance And Self-Expression Can Coexist': PadelPark Co-Founder On Women's Padel Boom in India

For padel in India, the next big story may not simply be how fast the sport is growing, but how deeply it is becoming part of the sporting and social lives of women. From players looking for a new way to stay active to communities forming around courts, the women's game is beginning to give padel a dimension that goes beyond competition.

With the sport now entering the Asian Games ecosystem, that participation could eventually become the foundation for India's next generation of competitive players.

The growing momentum is being reflected in initiatives such as 'Padel in Gloss', a collaboration between 7Padel and Kérastase that puts women at the centre of an experience combining sport, confidence, beauty and community. It is an interesting development for a sport that prides itself on being gender-neutral: if padel is inherently inclusive, why are dedicated platforms for women still important?

In an exclusive email interaction with myKhel, Nikhil Sachdeva, Co-Founder, PadelPark India, explores that question while discussing the changing profile of India's padel community, the role of lifestyle brands, the recreational-to-competitive pathway and what the rise of women's participation could mean for India's ambitions. Here are the excerpts:

Q: Padel is often promoted as a gender-neutral and highly inclusive sport, so what is the significance of creating a women-focused experience like 'Padel in Gloss'? Is it about addressing specific barriers to participation, or creating a dedicated space to celebrate a community that is already growing within the sport?

Nikhil Sachdev: Padel in Gloss is primarily about celebrating the incredible community of women that is already embracing the sport. While padel is inherently inclusive, creating dedicated experiences gives women an opportunity to come together, build connections and celebrate their shared passion for the game. It is less about addressing barriers and more about creating visibility, confidence and momentum around women's participation.

Q: What does the rise of women's participation tell you about where padel stands today in India? Is the sport attracting women primarily because of its competitive appeal, or because of the social and community element around it?

Nikhil Sachdev: The rise in women's participation reflects how naturally padel fits into the evolving lifestyle of urban India. The sport offers a unique combination of fitness, competition and social interaction. For many women, the opportunity to play with friends, meet new people and be part of a community is as important as the competitive aspect, and that combination is helping drive sustained participation.

Q: The partnership with Kérastase brings together sport, glamour, and self-expression. What made this an interesting partnership for 7Padel MS Dhoni, and how do you see lifestyle brands contributing to the growth of women's sport?

Nikhil Sachdev: Kérastase, being in India for 20 years, understands the haircare needs of their consumers, and their philosophy of boosting confidence in women brings a strong understanding of self-expression, community and contemporary lifestyle, which aligns naturally with the culture developing around padel. For us, the partnership is an opportunity to take women's sport into a more experiential space and show that performance and self-expression can coexist. Lifestyle brands can play an important role in making sport more culturally relevant and bringing new audiences into the ecosystem.

Q: The 'Gloss On. Game On.' philosophy goes beyond performance on the court and speaks about confidence, wellness, careers and everyday life. Do you see padel increasingly becoming part of women's lifestyles rather than simply another sport they play?

Nikhil Sachdev: Absolutely. Padel is increasingly becoming part of how people socialise, stay active and build their routines. For women especially, it offers a space where fitness, community and personal expression come together. The growth we are seeing suggests that padel is becoming less about a scheduled sporting activity and more about an active lifestyle.

Q: The event will feature a women's-only tournament with more than 40 players, followed by a creator and lifestyle experience. How important are these community-led formats in getting women who may not consider themselves serious athletes to pick up a racquet?

Nikhil Sachdev: They are extremely important because they make the sport feel approachable and enjoyable. Not everyone enters padel with the ambition to compete professionally, and community-led formats create an easy entry point. Experiences such as Padel in Gloss allow women to discover the game in a social environment, build confidence and eventually make it part of their regular routine.

Q: Do you think women-focused initiatives such as 'Padel in Gloss' can help create a stronger pipeline into competitive padel, or is their larger value in making sport a regular part of women's lives?

Nikhil Sachdev: They can achieve both. Every competitive player starts with an opportunity to discover the sport and enjoy playing it. By creating more platforms for women to participate, connect and compete, we naturally widen the pool of talent that can progress into structured competition.

At the same time, the larger impact is creating a culture where sport becomes a regular and enjoyable part of women's lives.

Q: Padel's inclusion in the Asian Games gives the sport a new competitive pathway. As recreational participation among women grows, how do you see that translating into more Indian women entering the professional circuit and eventually competing at the Asian Games?

Nikhil Sachdev: The Asian Games recognition is a significant catalyst for the sport. As participation grows at the grassroots and recreational levels, the next priority is creating structured coaching, tournaments and competitive pathways for players who want to progress.

With the right ecosystem, the growing pool of women playing padel today can become the foundation for a strong generation of Indian players competing at the highest levels.

Q: With padel moving towards greater recognition as a competitive sport while also becoming a lifestyle and community activity, how do you see 7Padel MS Dhoni balancing those two sides of the sport?

Nikhil Sachdev: We see the two sides as complementary rather than separate. A strong recreational and lifestyle community creates the participation base, while structured competition gives aspiring athletes a pathway to progress.

At 7Padel MS Dhoni, our focus is on building spaces and experiences that serve both, whether someone is stepping onto a court for the first time or preparing for competitive play.

Q: As women's participation grows, are there specific changes you believe the ecosystem needs to make in terms of coaching, tournaments, facilities, timings or accessibility in order to sustain that momentum?

Nikhil Sachdev: The priority is to continue creating an ecosystem that is welcoming, convenient and professionally structured. This means accessible coaching, more women-focused tournaments and leagues, quality facilities, flexible timings and opportunities to progress at every level.

As participation grows, the infrastructure and programming around the sport need to evolve with it.

Q: Looking ahead three to five years, what would success for women's padel in India look like to you? Would it be millions of women playing recreationally, Indian women becoming competitive at the international level, stronger representation at the Asian Games, or a combination of all three?

Nikhil Sachdev: It would be a combination of all three. Success would mean seeing padel become a natural part of the sporting and lifestyle choices of women across India, while simultaneously developing Indian players who can compete internationally.

If we can build a large, engaged community alongside a strong competitive pathway, we will have created a sustainable foundation for the future of women's padel in India.