Not every sporting league begins in a boardroom. Delhi’s newest pickleball competition started, more or less, with one man’s love of racquet sports and a fairly simple question: why not build something that feels like a party as much as a tournament?
The Inner Circle Invitational Pickleball League made its debut on 26 September 2026 at DACE Athletic Club in R.K. Puram, a smart new facility that houses padel and pickleball courts, a turf for football and cricket, and a restaurant, with Pilates classes lined up for the future. It’s a fitting home for an event built around variety and community rather than pure competition.
Shaleen Jain is the man behind it. A long-time racquet sports enthusiast who has both played in and organised recreational tennis tournaments, he turned to pickleball to create something fresher, a sporting experience centred as much on the people taking part as on the scoreline. The league grew directly out of that instinct.
Sunset to Late Night
The format leaned heavily into atmosphere. Players, women among them, took to the courts from sunset and stayed until late into the night, with spirited matches running alongside music, food and soft drinks. The setting was deliberately relaxed, closer to a social gathering than a formal tournament, which suits a sport whose appeal so often lies in how easily strangers become playing partners.
There was no entry fee, either. That was a conscious choice, with the invitational league designed to celebrate friendly competition, fitness and camaraderie rather than prize money or ranking points.
Backed by Names From Beyond the Court
The event was presented by Estera Real Estate in partnership with JOOLA, DACE Athletic Club and 108 Art Project, a mix of sporting, commercial and creative backers that reflects the league’s broader ambition to blend sport with entertainment. Attendees pictured at the launch included Tarun Khanna of 108 Art Projects, Jain himself, Samant Brara of Estera Real Estate, Puranjay Kataraa of DACE Athletic Club, and Amarjeet Batra, managing director of Spotify India.
For JOOLA, the partnership fits a wider view of the country’s potential. India, the brand noted, is emerging as an exciting growth market for pickleball, and its involvement reflects a commitment to supporting the athletes, organisers and communities helping the sport find its feet there.
Whether the Inner Circle Invitational grows into something bigger remains to be seen. For a first evening, though, it delivered exactly what it set out to: a lively new way for Delhi to experience pickleball, with sport, entertainment and community all sharing the same court.
