GoRally Funding Propels Pickleball Revolution in India: What's Next?

Imagine a sport that blends the best elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis—easy to learn, exciting to play, and incredibly social. Now, imagine this sport exploding in popularity across urban India, with courts popping up in bustling metro cities and thousands of enthusiasts joining in every day. That’s exactly what’s happening with pickleball, and at the heart of this movement is GoRally, India’s fastest-growing pickleball chain.

Founded just a year ago by Sam Sancheti (ex-Bain, Visa, IIT Delhi) and Abhinav Shankar (ex-Lightrock, VenturEast, Oxford), GoRally has quickly built a name for itself as a leader in this burgeoning sport. And now, with a fresh infusion of $750K (INR 6.6 crore) in pre-seed funding, the company is gearing up for a massive expansion, aiming to make pickleball a mainstream recreational sport in India. Here TICE brings key details of this funding deal.

GoRally Funding

The funding round was led by Sujeet Kumar (Co-Founder, Udaan; ex-Head of Ops, Flipkart), with a lineup of high-profile investors including:

• Mohit Kumar & Vatsal Singhal (Founders, Ultrahuman)
• Viren Singhvi (ex-CFO, American Razor Safety Co.)
• Kartik Kapoor (East Africa Racquet Sports)
• Abhishek Goyal (Founder & CEO, Tracxn)
• Deepak Singh (Founder & CEO, Gameskraft & AnzyGlobal)
• Arjun Vaidya (Founder, V3 Ventures & Dr. Vaidya’s)
• Bharat Founders Fund
• An IIT Delhi syndicate and several US-based investors

This backing not only provides GoRally with the capital to scale but also validates its vision of making pickleball a household sport in India.

From a Single Center to India’s Largest Pickleball Chain

When GoRally was founded in February 2024, it started with a bold idea: to create a network of top-tier pickleball centers that offer professional courts, community-driven events, and high-quality coaching. In just a year, the startup has achieved remarkable milestones:

• Four centers across Bangalore
• 15 world-class courts
• A flagship 15,000 sq. ft. indoor facility in Indiranagar
• A thriving 4,000-member WhatsApp community

Now, with this new funding, GoRally is set to supercharge its expansion. By April 2025, the company aims to:

• Scale up to eight centers with 40 pickleball courts and two padel courts
• Launch India’s largest indoor pickle-padel arena in Whitefield, spanning 40,000 sq. ft.
• Roll out its Tech platform to streamline bookings, coaching, and event management
• Expand its coaching services, with Karnataka’s top two players as full-time coaches
• Grow its equipment retail business, bringing premium global brands like Joola to Indian players

While Bangalore remains its stronghold, GoRally has set its sights on Delhi and Chennai next, aiming for a pan-India presence by late 2025.

Why Pickleball? The Sport That’s Taking Over India

Pickleball’s rise in India has been nothing short of meteoric. Consider these numbers:

• The total number of pickleball courts in India surged from 200 to over 1,200 in just a year
• Bangalore alone boasts 50+ full-time courts, and the demand is only growing
• The sport appeals to a wide audience, from 8-year-olds to 80-year-olds
• Experts predict pickleball could soon become India’s second or third most-played recreational sport after cricket

What’s fueling this rapid adoption? Accessibility and community. Unlike tennis or badminton, pickleball has a gentle learning curve, allowing even first-time players to enjoy the game within minutes. The social nature of the sport, combined with the rise of recreational fitness trends, has turned it into a lifestyle movement rather than just a sport.

Investors and founders alike are bullish on GoRally’s potential to dominate this space.

Sujeet Kumar, Lead Investor and Co-Founder of Udaan, shared his excitement about GoRally’s vision, “Sam and Abhinav have built something truly special. Their passion and relentless execution are evident in how quickly they’ve scaled. With their tech-driven approach and deep focus on community engagement, GoRally is redefining how people experience the game.”

For the founders, this isn’t just about business—it’s about building a movement.

Sam Sancheti, Co-Founder of GoRally, emphasized the growing demand for organized recreational sports, “The hunger for inclusive, welcoming sports spaces is unprecedented. Pickleball’s rise in 2024 exceeded even our most ambitious expectations. Our mission is to continue building best-in-class, accessible facilities, events, and tech-driven platforms that foster a sense of community.”

His co-founder, Abhinav Shankar, sees even greater potential.

Shankar said, “Our goal is to get the next 10 million Indians playing sports. We’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible. Pickleball has become more than just a sport—it’s a social phenomenon. This round sets the foundation for the next phase of our journey.”

The Road Ahead: Can Pickleball Become India’s Next Big Sport?

With a first-mover advantage, a community-first approach, and deep backing from experienced investors, GoRally is poised to lead the next wave of sports innovation in India. The startup isn’t just opening courts; it’s creating a recreational sports culture, one that encourages fitness, social bonding, and competitive play in equal measure.

As India continues to embrace new-age sports, pickleball’s meteoric rise and GoRally’s aggressive expansion signal that we might just be witnessing the birth of India’s next big sporting revolution.

And if you haven’t tried pickleball yet, maybe it’s time to grab a paddle and join the game.

Disclaimer: This is a company/PR press release, creatively edited without altering facts. TICE is not responsible for business decisions based on this report and does not verify its accuracy.

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