Dipika Pallikal Biography, Height, Age, Education and Family
Dipika Pallikal is one of India’s best female players ever. She has created history throughout her career and became the face of Indian squash. A successful player, a model and the youngest ever Padma Shri awardee, she has been an inspiration.
Dipika Pallikal was born on 21st September, 1991 in Chennai, TamilNadu, India, into a Malayali family. Her full name is Dipika Rebecca Pallikal. Her zodiac sign is Virgo. Currently she is 26 years old (as of August 2018).
The Indian Squash Star is 5 feet 7 inches tall with black hair and beautiful brown eyes. She weighs 65 kg with body measurements of 34-26-36.
Her Father Sanjiv George Pallikal and her Mother Susan Pallikal (Susan Itticheria), are Malayali Christian couple of Syrian origin. They were originally from Kallooppara village in Pathanamthitta district in the state of Kerala.
Her father is the Managing Director & Founder of “Reach Management Consultants pvt. Ltd., Chennai.
Her mother Susan Itticheria had played 7 test matches and 2 One Day International Matches for the Indian national women cricket team from year 1976 to 1978.
She also has two elder sisters Divya and Dia Pallikal. While the eldest Divya is a chartered accountant, the middle one Dia is a graphic designer.
She did her schooling from “Good Shepherd Matriculation Higher Secondary School”, Chennai and her graduation in B.A. (English Hons.) From “Ethiraj College for Women”, Chennai.
Earlier she had trained at three places — in Egypt, under “Amr Wagih”, in England, under “Malcolm Wilstrop” and in her hometown Chennai, under “Cyrus Poncha”. But there came a great improvement in her game and ranking since she was coached by 6 time world champion “Sarah Fitz-Gerald” of Australia.
In 2012, she became the 1st Female Squash player to be conferred with the “Arjuna Award” (India’s 2nd highest sporting award).
In 2014, she went one better and won the “Padma Shri award” (India’s 4th highest civilian honour). She was the youngest ever Padma Shri awardee.
Dipika Pallikal and Dinesh Kartik:
Dipika and Kartik first meet briefly during the 2008 Chennai marathon. Dinesh Kartik was then married to “Nikita Vanjara”. It was a love marriage and they were childhood lovebirds.
But they get divorced in 2012. While Nikita Vanjara got married to another Indian cricketer “Murali Vijay”, in the same year, fate has other plans for Kartik .
Dipika and Dinesh met again in 2013 while training under the same Trainer “Mr. Shankar Basu” at the Maverick gym in Chennai, though they have different timing.
During one of the fitness Session at the Gym, Dinesh Karthik asked Dipika for dinner, but she lied that she is leaving for Australia the next day.
Next morning Kartik went to the gym at dipika’s timing and caught her lie. She became very embarrassed. The next day both met for breakfast and there was a long conversation between the two and a friendship blossomed.
Their friendship blossomed into love during Feb 2013, when Kartik flew all the way to Leeds England to meet her, where she was undergoing a week long Training.
In June 2013 that he asked her to marry him. They got engaged on November 15, 2013 in Chennai.
The Couple got married on 18th August 2015 as per Christian rituals at the Leela Palace Hotel, Chennai. And two days later on 20th August 2015 they got married for the second time in a Telugu-Naidu style wedding at the ITC Grand Chola, Chennai.
Also read 20 Most Beautiful Indian Cricketer’s Wives Short Bio
The couple bought together a beautiful lavish house in the posh neighbourhood of Poes Garden, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Dipika Pallikal Modelling, Films and Ads:
1. Cardia Life oil Ad
2. Fabelle Exquisite Chocolates Ad
3. OnePlus ad
4. TN Elections 2016 Ad
5. Verve Magazine Cover Page Model:
Dipika Pallikal Kartik and Joshna Chinappa (Head-to-Head):
Dipika Pallikal |
Joshna Chinappa |
|
| Head-to-Head Matches Won | 2 | 7 |
| World Ranking (Aug 2018) | 19 | 16 |
| World Series Ranking | 18 | 13 |
| Tournaments in 2018
(Till Aug 2018) |
12 | 12 |
| Points | 2525 | 3205 |
| Average | 255 | 321 |
Dipika pallikal Squash Journey:
She started playing squash, when she was 8 years old. When she was in her 6th grade, she played her first international tournament in London.
In 2002, at the age of 11, she became a national junior champion.
In 2006 she started participating in the professional senior squash circuit
From 2003 till Aug 2018, Dipika had played in 192 international events and 501 matches.
Some of her career highlights were:
- 5 WISPA (Women’s International Squash Players Association) Title won during April 2010 to Dec 2011
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 12-17 Apr 2010 | Indian challenger #5,2010,
Kolkata |
Won her maiden WISPA title against Emma Beddoes of England
(11/9, 11/8, 9/11, 11/6) in 55 Minutes |
8000$ |
| 12-13 Nov 2010 | Nepal Open 2010,
Lalitpur, Nepal |
Won against kylie Lindsay of new Zealand
(10/12, 11,/2, 11/1, 11/5) |
10,000$ |
| 6-11 Sep 2011 | Orange County Open 2011,
Irvine,USA |
Won against Yathreb Adel of Egypt
(11/6, 12/10, 11/9) in 1 hour |
9000$ |
| 13-16 Oct 2011 | Dread sports series #2,2011, Washington D.C., USA | Won against sarah-jane perry of England
(11/9, 11/3, 11/7) in 33 minutes |
12,000$ |
| 13-18 Dec 2011 | Crocodile challenge cup 2011,
Hong Kong |
Won against Joey Chan of Hong Kong
(10/12, 11/8, 10/12, 11/8, 14/12) in 1 hour |
16,000$ |
- Windy City Open 2011 – Runner-up:
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 2-7 Feb 2011 | Windy City Open, Chicago , USA | Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Dipika Pallikal in the finals
(11/4, 6/11, 12/10, 2/11, 11/6) |
10,000$ |
- Tournament of champions 2012- Runner up
Australian Open 2012 – semifinalist
| 18-26 jan 2012 | Natalie Grinham (NED) Bt dipika pallikal
(11/4, 11/3, 11/3) in 25 Minutes In the finals of TOC. |
27,000$ |
| 13-19 Aug 2012 | Laura Massaro (ENG) bt dipika pallikal
(11/7, 7/11, 13/11, 3/11, 11/9) in 72 minutes; in the semifinals of Australian Open. |
50,000$ |
She became the 1st Indian ever to reach the finals of a “Silver squash event” when she reached the final of the “Tournament of Champions” squash meet in New York in 2012.
Dipika Pallikal then made history by becoming the 1st Indian player to reach the semi-final of a ‘WSA” Gold event at “Australian Open”.
Dipika Pallikal then became the 1st Indian to break into the top 10 of the WISPA (Women’s International Squash Players Association) world rankings.
- Two more (her 6th & 7th) WISPA Titles in 2013:
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 29 Jan- 3feb 2013 | Meadowood Pharmacy Open 2013,Winnipeg, Canada | Won against Joey Chan
(HKG) (11/9, 11/7, 11/4) |
15,000$ |
| 15-20 Oct 2013 | Macau Open 2013 | Won against Rachael Grinham (AUS)
(12/10, 5/11, 11/7, 11/9) |
50,000$ |
- Commonwealth Gold In 2014
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 29 July- 2 August | Squash Women’s Doubles – Glasgow | Won against top-seeded English pair of Jenny Duncalf and Laura Massaro
(11-6, 11-8) |
CWG GOLD |
The fifth-seeded Indian pair of Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Created History by winning the 1st ever CWG Squash Gold for India.
- Texas Open 2014 – Runner-up:
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 8-13 april 2014 | Texas open 2014 | Nour el sherbini (EGY) bt dipika pallikal in the finals
(11/7, 5/11, 11/7, 11/8) |
50,000$ |
- Two more (her 8th & 9th) WISPA Titles in 2014:
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 14-19 Oct 2014 | JSW Indian Circuit #3 2014, Mumbai | Won against Nouran El Torky (EGY)
(14/12, 12/10, 11/7) |
5000$ |
| 25-29 Oct 2014 | JSW Indian Circuit #4 2014,
Chennai |
Won against Misaki Kobayashi (JPN)
(11/6, 11/2, 11/8) |
10,000$ |
- 10th WISPA Title in 2015:
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 28 Jan – 1 Feb 2015 | Winter Club Open 2015, Winnipeg, Canada | Won against Heba El Torky (EGY)
(11/4, 11/9, 11/8) |
15,000$ |
- Granite Open 2015 – Runner-up:
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 16-20 Feb 2015 | Toronto, Canada | Sarah-Jane-Perry (ENG) bt Dipika Pallikal in the finals
(8/11, 11/6, 12/10, 11/7) |
25,000$ |
- Victoria Open 2016 – Runner-up:
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| 8 Aug 2016 | Melbourne | Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt Dipika Pallikal in the finals
(11-6, 4-11, 11-3, 7-11, 9-11) |
15,000$ |
- 11th WISPA Title:
| Calendar | Event – Venue | Opponent | Prize |
| Aug 2016 | Melbourne | Won against Mayar Hany (EGY)
(10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-4) |
27,000$ |
- In Asian Games
| 2010 | Asian games 2010, Guangzhou, China | Bronze |
| 2014 | Asian games 2014, Incheon, South Korea | Women’s team (Silver)
Women’s singles (Bronze) |
| 2018 | Asian games 2018, Jakarta, Indonesia | Women’s singles (Bronze) |
- Commonwealth Games 2018, Gold Coast,
Australia
| Women’s doubles | Silver |
| Mixed doubles | Silver |
Dipika Pallikal Squash Journey (2001-2010):
| Year | Title | Position |
| 2001 | Girls U-13, Sub Junior / Junior National Squash Championship | Quarter Finalist |
| 2002 | Girls U-13, Complan Junior Squash Open | Semi-finalist |
| 2002 | Girls Under-13, Junior / Sub-Junior National Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2003 | Girls U-13 & U-15, Otters Open Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2003 | Girls U-19, East India Junior Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2003 | Girls U-13, Indian Junior Squash Open | Winner |
| 2003 | Girls U-13, Sub-Junior / Junior National Squash Championship | Runner Up |
| 2003 | Girls U-15, Natalia – SRFI | Winner |
| 2004 | Women’s Open, 52nd National Squash Championship | Semi-finalist |
| 2004 | Women’s Open, 1st National Doubles Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2004 | Harish Chandra Golcha Memorial Rajasthan Women’s Open (National Level Squash Championship) | Semi-finalist |
| 2004 | Girls U-15, Harish Chandra Golcha Memorial Rajasthan Women’s Open | Winner |
| 2004 | Girls U-15, Sub-Junior / Junior National Squash Championship | Runner Up |
| 2004 | Women’s Open, Northern India Squash Championship | Runner Up |
| 2004 | Girls U-17, Northern India Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2004 | Girls U-19, The Little Masters Junior Squash Tournament | Runner Up |
| 2004 | Girls U-15, The Little Masters Junior Squash Tournament | Winner |
| 2005 | Women’s Open, Chelmsford Delhi Open Squash Championship | Runner Up |
| 2005 | Girls U -17, Chelmsford Delhi Open Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2005 | Girls U-17, 1st Southern India Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2005 | Women’s Open, Rajasthan Open (National Level Squash Championship) | Runner Up |
| 2005 | Girls U-17, Rajasthan Open | Winner |
| 2005 | Girls U-19, The Little Masters Junior Squash Tournament | Winner |
| 2005 | Girls U-15, The Little Masters Junior Squash Tournament | Winner |
| 2005 | Girls U-19, Sub-Junior / Junior National Squash Championship | Runner Up |
| 2005 | Girls U-19, The Daly College Indian Junior Squash Open | Winner |
| 2005 | Girls U-15, 62nd C.C.I. Western India Open Squash Tournament | Winner |
| 2005 | Girls U-19, 62nd C.C.I. Western India Open Squash Tournament | Winner |
| 2006 | Women’s, South Asian Games Squash Championship, Colombo | Runner Up |
| 2006 | Girls U-19, Sub-Junior / Junior National Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2007 | Women’s, National Squash Championship | Runner Up |
| 2007 | Girls U-19, Sub-Junior / Junior National Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2008 | Women’s U-17, British Junior Open | Winner |
| 2008 | Asian Seniors Individual Squash Championship (HongKong) | Winner |
| 2008 | Women, 56th National Squash Championship | Runner Up |
| 2008 | Women, Maharashtra State Open Squash Championship | Semi-Finalist |
| 2008 | Girls U-19, Sub-Junior/Junior National Squash Championship | Winner |
| 2009 | Women’s Internationaux de Creteil, France | Semi-Finalist |
| 2009 | World Junior Individual Squash Championship | Semi-Finalist |
| 2009 | Asian Junior Squash Championship | Runner Up |
| 2009 | Coronation Squash Open, London | Quarterfinalist |
| 2009 | McWil Courtwall Women’s Austrian Open Squash Championship, Vienna, Austria | Semi-Finalist |
| 2010 | ESR International doubles championship, Manchester | Winner |
| 2010 | Swedish Open, Sweden | Semi-finalist |
| 2010 | Mixed Doubles, Chennai Squash Open | Winner |
| 2010 | Women’s Sheikha Sheikha Saad Al Sabah International, Kuwait | Runner Up |
| 2010 | World’s Junior Individual Squash Championship, Cologne , Germany | Semi-finalist |
| 2010 | Punj Lloyd Squash Masters | Quarterfinalist |
