World No. 18 Dipika Pallikal, who is India’s top-ranked squash player, tied the knot with Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik in a Christian wedding ceremony on August 18th, 2015. The couple officially completed all the rituals, with the second of their two ceremonies, a Hindu Telegu-Naidu wedding, held earlier on the 20th of August.
Although the 23-year-old Pallikal is busy with year-round tournaments and is constantly in the public eye, that has not stopped her from spending quality time with her family. At the same time, she’s all business on the court; she has brought several laurels to the nation with her splendid performances, and her best years are still ahead of her.
Dipika Pallikal: Here are 10 facts you need to know about India’s squash queen
1. Dipika Pallikal hates cricketers (other than Dinesh Karthik of course!)
"Except Dinesh Karthik I hate all cricketers because they steal all the limelight and endorsements," Pallikal said, as reported by India Today. She feels that the popularity of cricket in the country has stifled the growth of other sports.
So why did she make the exception for Karthik? “It is a funny feeling now. Our common friends pull my leg for my known dislike for cricketers. Frankly, I like him because he is grounded and a homely guy, I can't help if he happens to be a cricketer," Dipika said, according to The Deccan Herald.
2. Dipika Pallikal is a professional model
Having signed a contract with Globus Ltd. at the start of her career. She has also been featured on the cover of Femina Tamil Nadu.
3. She has her own logo:
4. Pallikal took part in her first international tournament in London when she was still a sixth standard student.
5. Dipika Pallikal became the first female squash player to win the Arjuna Award, which is India’s second highest sporting honour, in 2012. She went one better in 2014 when she won the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour.
6. She is the first Indian to break into the top 20, and later the top 10, of the women’s squash (WSA) rankings. She is also the first Indian to play in the final of a silver event (The Tournament of Champions, 2012) and the semi-finals of a gold event (Australian Open, 2012).
7. Dipika Pallikal’s favourite sportsperson is not her husband Dinesh Karthik, but tennis great Roger Federer. “He’s my ultimate idol,” she says.
8. She has two main goals – the first of these is to achieve the World No. 1 ranking, and the other to win India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.
"To win the Bharat Ratna is a dream but obviously there is a lot that must be achieved before I can fulfill it. Awards motivate me to keep doing my best and help me stay focused despite hardships," Pallikal told the Times Of India.
9. No confusion! She may have danced to songs from the Deepika Padukone-Ranbir Kapoor starrer ‘Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani’ at her wedding, but if there is one thing the squash queen dislikes, it is people confusing her name with the actress’.
“I absolutely hate it when people spell my name as 'Deepika', she says.
10. Known for her stunning looks, Pallikal revealed that she would have ventured into the film industry had she not made it big in the sports world.
“I would have taken up modelling or perhaps even tried my hand at acting,” she said.
11. According to Dipika Pallikal, the one word that defines her is ‘determined’. And she has walked the talk, giving the National Squash Championship a miss for the last four years in protest against the unequal prize money awarded to men and women.
