News Headline
Pickleball World Rankings names National Pickleball League Australia as official 2025 Oceania partner
New Delhi: Pickleball World Rankings (PWR) and National Pickleball League (NPL) have confirmed a partnership that establishes NPL as the exclusive and official tournament and league provider for the Oceania region in 2025. Through this partnership, NPL’s leagues and tournaments will now be part of the PWR structure, allowing NPL players to earn points towards their PWR ranking and assist in qualifying for the PWR World Series.
PWR is home to the newly created Pickleball World Rankings, along with the PWR World Tour and PWR World Series. As a unified global ranking system, PWR offers a clear path for pickleball players to earn ranking points by competing in regional events. Players accumulate points through the PWR World Tour and can qualify for the PWR World Series.
NPL runs the Professional Teams League (NPL ProTour) and a professional tournament circuit.
As PWR’s exclusive partner in Oceania, only NPL events—both league and tournaments—will award PWR ranking points in the region. This collaboration aims to unify regional bodies under one global structure, supporting the long-term growth and governance of pickleball.
The exact point structure for NPL Australia tournaments will be announced later in 2024, but all events will fall under PWR’s established categories: PWR50, PWR100, PWR200, PWR400, PWR700, PWR1000, and PWR2000.
PWR is a partnership between The Times Group, the news and entertainment leader in India and Pickleball League Asia Private Limited. PWR, the PWR World Series, and the PWR World Tour were launched in Dubai in July’2024, with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced as the host region for the first PWR World Series.
PWR had also recently announced PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League, a grand pickleball tour and league for India. The former World number one tennis player Andre Agassi will visit India in January 2025 to officially flag off the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League.
PWR DUPR India Masters, a PWR700 event on the PWR World Tour, with an impressive roster of 750 players—both professionals and amateurs, is being held in New Delhi from 24th to 27th October 2024. This event is a key milestone for pickleball, boosting its presence on both the Indian and global sports landscapes.
NPL CEO Ron Shell said: “We are thrilled to partner with PWR for 2025 and support their significant investment in the global pickleball ecosystem. PWR’s vision for the sport is incredibly exciting, providing our players with the opportunity to be part of a global movement while still enjoying regional competition. The introduction of a unified, international ranking pathway is exactly what has been missing. We look forward to delivering top-tier Oceania leagues and tournaments in 2025, helping players progress in their professional pickleball careers.”
The Times Group managing director Vineet Jain said: “The vision of PWR is to unify the global pickleball community and drive the growth of pickleball in global markets. The partnership with NPL is a step in that direction and we are excited to partner with them”
PWR CEO Pranav Kohli added: “Australia is a key market for the growth of PWR in the Oceania region. We’re excited to collaborate with Ron, David, and the entire NPL Australia team. This partnership is a major step in PWR’s global expansion.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
