Dipika Pallikal: Inspiring Journey of India’s Squash Trailblazer
From breaking into the world top 10 to winning Commonwealth, World Doubles and Asian Games gold, discover the career, family and achievements of one of India’s greatest squash players.
Introduction
Dipika Pallikal is an Indian squash player who changed how the world viewed Indian women’s squash. She became the first Indian woman to enter the top 10 of the world squash rankings and later won major medals at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Doubles Championships.
Born on 21 September 1991, she started competing internationally while still young and joined the professional squash circuit in 2006. Her career includes professional titles, historic team victories and two of India’s major civilian and sporting honours.
She is also known outside squash as the wife of former Indian international cricketer Dinesh Karthik. However, Pallikal built an important sporting identity of her own long before their marriage.
Her story combines sporting success, determination, motherhood and a public stand for equal prize money in Indian squash.
Dipika Pallikal Quick Facts
| Detail | Verified Information |
|---|---|
| Full public name | Dipika Pallikal Karthik |
| Name in Padma records | Dipika Rebecca Pallikal |
| Date of birth | 21 September 1991 |
| Age | 34 years old, as of August 2026 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Squash player |
| Playing hand | Right-handed |
| Professional career began | 2006 |
| Highest world ranking | World No. 10 |
| Highest ranking achieved | December 2012 |
| Professional titles | 11 |
| Husband | Dinesh Karthik |
| Children | Three |
| Major honours | Arjuna Award and Padma Shri |
| Famous for | Becoming the first Indian woman to reach the squash world top 10 |
SquashInfo records her career-high ranking as world No. 10 on 1 December 2012 and lists 2006 as the year she joined the professional circuit.
Who Is Dipika Pallikal?
Dipika Pallikal is one of the most successful squash players produced by India.
She became internationally recognised after rising rapidly through professional squash during the early 2010s. Her speed, fitness and competitive style helped her challenge leading international players at a time when Indian women had limited representation near the top of the global rankings.
Her biggest breakthrough came when she entered the world’s top 10 in December 2012.
This achievement made her a trailblazer for Indian squash and helped create greater international attention around the sport in India.
Readers interested in other rising sports stars can also explore Phanuel Koech’s remarkable athletics journey, which follows another athlete who reached world-class level at a young age.
Dipika Pallikal Age and Date of Birth
She was born on 21 September 1991.
Therefore, she is 34 years old as of August 2026 and will turn 35 in September 2026.
Several sports databases agree on her birth date. However, reliable sources have published different information about her exact birthplace. Because of that disagreement, this article does not present one birthplace as certain.
She has strong links with Chennai, where she grew up, trained and developed much of her squash career. Olympics.com describes her as having been born and brought up in Chennai.
Early Life and Education
Sport was part of Pallikal’s life from an early age.
She started playing squash during childhood and was already competing outside India while still at school. One of her early international competitions took place in London when she was in the sixth grade.
She studied in Chennai and later attended Ethiraj College for Women, where published biographical records connect her with English studies.
Her family also had a strong sporting background.
Her mother, Susan Itticheria, represented India in international cricket during the 1970s. Growing up with an international athlete as a parent gave Pallikal an early understanding of training, competition and the demands of professional sport.
Beginning of Her Professional Squash Career
Pallikal joined the professional squash circuit in 2006.
Her early years involved travel, training and competition against experienced international players. Progress was gradual at first, but her results improved strongly by 2011.
That year became an important turning point.
She won three professional tour titles and reached the quarter-finals of the World Open. Those results showed that an Indian woman could compete seriously at the highest international level.
Her ranking continued to improve during the following season.
Historic World Top 10 Achievement
One of the defining moments of her career arrived in December 2012.
Pallikal climbed to world No. 10, becoming the first Indian woman to break into the top 10 of the professional squash rankings. SquashInfo records 1 December 2012 as the date of her career-high position.
It was more than a personal ranking achievement.
Her rise showed young Indian players that reaching the highest levels of international squash was possible.
She eventually collected 11 professional circuit titles, according to Olympics.com.
Commonwealth Games Success
The 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow became another historic moment.
Pallikal partnered with Joshna Chinappa in women’s doubles. The Indian pair won the gold medal, creating history for Indian squash.
The result gave India its first Commonwealth Games squash medal.
Their partnership remained successful in later international competitions.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Pallikal won silver in women’s doubles with Chinappa and another silver in mixed doubles alongside Saurav Ghosal.
She later added a mixed doubles bronze medal with Ghosal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
These performances made her one of India’s most successful squash players at the Commonwealth Games.
World Doubles Champion
The year 2022 became especially important because Pallikal returned to high-level competition after becoming a mother.
Her comeback produced outstanding results.
At the World Doubles Squash Championships in Glasgow, she won two gold medals.
She partnered Joshna Chinappa to win the women’s doubles title and joined Saurav Ghosal to win the mixed doubles title.
These victories were historic for India and showed that Pallikal could return to championship level after a long break from regular competition. Olympics.com documented her return following the birth of her twins.
Her comeback is one reason her career is often associated with resilience as well as sporting talent.
Readers who enjoy record-breaking international sports stories may also like Mykolas Alekna’s journey to discus world-record success.
Asian Games Career
Pallikal also built an impressive record at the Asian Games.
She won medals across several editions, including singles, team and mixed doubles events.
Her biggest Asian Games victory came at Hangzhou 2023.
She partnered Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu in the mixed doubles competition. The Indian pair reached the final and defeated Malaysia to win the gold medal.
It was the first Asian Games edition to feature mixed doubles squash, making the victory especially significant.
Her Asian Games career also included medals in the women’s singles and women’s team competitions.
These results strengthened her place among the leading squash players in Indian sporting history.
Arjuna Award and Padma Shri
India recognised Pallikal’s achievements with two major honours.
She received the Arjuna Award in 2012, one of India’s leading awards for sporting achievement.
Two years later, she received the Padma Shri in 2014.
The Government of India’s official Padma Awards database records her as Ms Dipika Rebecca Pallikal, in the Sports category for Tamil Nadu.
Winning such an honour at a relatively young age reflected the importance of her achievements for Indian sport.
Her Stand for Equal Prize Money
Pallikal’s influence was not limited to results on the squash court.
She also took a public stand over unequal prize money at India’s national squash championships.
She stayed away from the competition for several years because the women’s winner received less prize money than the men’s champion.
When organisers introduced equal prize money, she returned to the national championship in 2016.
She then won the women’s title.
The episode became an important part of her public image because she used her position as a leading athlete to raise a wider issue affecting women competitors.
Dipika Pallikal and Dinesh Karthik
Pallikal is married to Dinesh Karthik, the former India international cricketer and wicketkeeper-batter.
The couple became engaged in 2013 and married in 2015.
Although both belong to Indian sport, their careers developed in very different disciplines. Karthik built his career in cricket while Pallikal competed internationally in squash.
Their sporting backgrounds have made them one of India’s better-known athlete couples.
Dipika Pallikal Children and Motherhood
Pallikal and Dinesh Karthik became parents to twin boys Kabir and Zian in October 2021.
Her return to elite squash after becoming a mother attracted significant attention because she quickly returned to winning major international medals. Olympics.com confirmed that she returned to competition before winning her 2022 World Doubles titles.
The family grew again in March 2026 when the couple publicly announced the birth of their daughter, Raaha Pallikal Karthik.
As of August 2026, the couple have three children.
What Makes Dipika Pallikal Important to Indian Squash?
Her importance comes from several achievements working together.
She did not simply win tournaments.
She crossed barriers that Indian squash players had not crossed before, including reaching the world top 10.
She helped India win its first Commonwealth Games squash medal, became a World Doubles champion, won Asian Games gold and challenged unequal prize money at domestic level.
For younger Indian players, her career provided evidence that international success in squash was achievable.
According to the Olympics.com profile of Dipika Pallikal, she is a doubles world champion and a gold medallist at both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
Major Career Achievements
Some of her most important confirmed achievements include:
- Reached world No. 10 in December 2012
- First Indian woman to enter the squash world top 10
- Won 11 professional circuit titles
- Won the Arjuna Award in 2012
- Received the Padma Shri in 2014
- Won Commonwealth Games women’s doubles gold in 2014
- Won two Commonwealth Games silver medals in 2018
- Won Commonwealth Games mixed doubles bronze in 2022
- Became women’s doubles world champion in 2022
- Became mixed doubles world champion in 2022
- Won Asian Games mixed doubles gold in 2023
- Won medals across multiple Asian Games editions
- Publicly supported equal prize money in Indian squash
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dipika Pallikal?
Dipika Pallikal is an Indian squash player who became the first Indian woman to reach the top 10 of the world squash rankings. She is also a World Doubles champion, Commonwealth Games champion and Asian Games gold medallist.
How old is Dipika Pallikal?
She is 34 years old as of August 2026. She was born on 21 September 1991.
What is Dipika Pallikal famous for?
She is famous for becoming the first Indian woman to enter the squash world top 10 and for winning major international medals for India.
What was Dipika Pallikal’s highest world ranking?
Her highest verified world ranking was No. 10, achieved in December 2012.
Who is Dipika Pallikal’s husband?
Her husband is former Indian international cricketer Dinesh Karthik. They married in 2015.
How many children does Dipika Pallikal have?
As of August 2026, Pallikal and Dinesh Karthik have three children: twin sons Kabir and Zian and a daughter named Raaha.
Did Dipika Pallikal win a Padma Shri?
Yes. The Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri in 2014 for her contribution to sport.
Has Dipika Pallikal won a world championship?
Yes. She won both the women’s doubles and mixed doubles titles at the 2022 World Doubles Squash Championships.
Did Dipika Pallikal win an Asian Games gold medal?
Yes. She and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu won mixed doubles gold at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games.
Did Dipika Pallikal retire from squash?
A clear formal retirement announcement was not found in the reliable sources checked for this article. Therefore, it would be misleading to label her as officially retired without qualification.
Conclusion
Dipika Pallikal has built one of the most important careers in Indian squash.
She progressed from a young player in Chennai to a world top-10 athlete and international champion. Along the way, she won professional titles, Commonwealth Games medals, World Doubles titles and Asian Games gold.
Her career also created an impact beyond trophies. She challenged unequal prize money, returned successfully to international sport after motherhood and helped increase the visibility of squash in India.
Her Arjuna Award and Padma Shri recognise that wider contribution.
For Indian squash, her legacy is clear: she helped prove that an Indian woman could compete with the world’s best and win on some of the sport’s biggest stages.
