Chennai women took to the pickleball court to celebrate world sari day

On a pickleball court in Chennai, saris swirled alongside swift volleys, quietly challenging the idea of what sport and sporting attire should look like. At the heart of this scene was Poornima Kumar Chinnam, who, along with her husband Surendra Kumar, in their 60s and 70s, has turned pickleball into the centrepiece of their next chapter.

What began as a simple way to stay active soon grew into something larger. The couple converted the garden of their Ashok Nagar residence into a pickleball court, now known as Pickleball Point, envisioning it as a lively space where people from all age groups could gather, play and connect. “It started at home, as something for my husband and me to stay engaged,” she says. “As senior citizens, we wanted to enjoy the energy of people coming in and playing,” she further adds.

To mark World Sari Day, on December 21, Poornima organised a pickleball event, called Pickleball in Sari, that reimagined the court as a celebration of tradition and sports. Women arrived draped in saris, paddles in hand, and the overwhelming turnout took even the organisers by surprise. “Seeing pickleball played in saris shows that the sari is no impediment to the game at all,” says Poornima. “It makes me especially happy to see so many senior women join in too,” she adds.

 Mala Subramanian playing pickleball.
| Photo Credit:
AKHILA EASWARAN

A testament to the sporting spirit on display was 76-year-old Mala Subramanian from the United States, who is currently visiting India. She walked onto the court draped in a bright orange sari, her presence embodying elan and grace. A long-time member of the Ashok Nagar Ladies Club, Mala was quick to embrace pickleball when Poornima introduced it to the community. “I found the game enjoyable and not too fast-paced,” she says, adding that playing alongside friends made the experience even more special. 

For Vaishnavi Swamikumar, a resident of T Nagar, the afternoon was as much about nostalgia as it was about sport. Attending the event with her friend Priya, she found herself reconnecting with a part of life she had not visited in decades. “I used to play tennis in college. I am picking up the racquet after a gap of nearly 25 to 30 years,” she says.

The love for pickleball runs deep for Bharathi, Suseela, and Shamna, all in their 40s, who have known each other for over 15 years and play the sport together at least once a week. “We love the game,” says Suseela, who took up pickleball after dislocating her shoulder. The World Sari Day event offered a refreshing and memorable experience, she says. “Playing a modern game while wearing something so deeply rooted in our culture was fun and unique, and that’s what brought us here,” she adds.

At Pickleball Point, tradition did not sit on the sidelines; it moved, served, and volleyed its way into the game, proving that sport can be both inclusive and expressive.

To block the court, call ‭8122060311‬ or 9941018210