The countdown to what is expected to be a historic moment in Indian squash has started. The first-ever PSA Squash Copper event in India, the Indian Open 2025, will have a USD 53,500 prize fund.

The Indian Open 2025 will start on March 24 and conclude at the Bombay Gymkhana on March 28. According to the PSA news release, the tournament will start on indoor courts, while the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final will all be held on full-glass outdoor courts, providing spectators with a one-of-a-kind experience.

With a major squash tournament returning to India after a seven-year break, the India Open has even more significance for the Indian sports community. It just so happens that squash will be added to the Olympic program for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

In the presence of Divyanshu Singh, COO of Sports, Ramit Tandon (India No. 1 in Men’s Squash), Anahat Singh (India No. 3 in Women’s Squash), and Manisha Malhotra, President, Inspire Institute of Sports, the announcement was made that the India Open will bring top-tier squash back to India.

Top squash players from India, including Ramit Tandon, Velavan Senthilkumar, Veer Chotrani, Anahat Singh, and Akanksha Salunkhe, will compete in this tournament alongside some exceptional international athletes from the USA, Malaysia, Japan, France, Spain, Holland, Egypt, Canada, and England. There will be 24 players in total for both the men’s and women’s draws, with Ramit Tandon and Akanksha Salunkhe of India entering as the top seeds. India’s two Wild Card participants for the India Open are Anjali Semwal and Suraj Kumar Chand.

According to the PSA news release, IIS President Manisha Malhotra said, “We are thrilled to be able to bring squash back to India at the top level. State and national circuits for sports like squash must be reinstated. We must encourage and assist our athletes through these tournaments, and they must learn how to compete in larger competitions. It’s a sport that we Indians can surely dominate, therefore this will be a terrific chance for us.

“We are working to create an ecosystem for the Indian sports industry,” said Divyanshu Singh, COO of JSW Sports. Cricket is the most popular sport there, but we are working to promote other Indian sports. Fortunately, there are six Indian squash players in the top 100, which is already a remarkable accomplishment. We are here to get these sportsmen on the spot, and there is a lot of hope that they would excel for India till LA2028.”

“From a marketing perspective, our endeavour is to raise the profile of the players and to raise the popularity of the sport,” he said.

India No. 1 Ramit Tandon said, “It’s always good to play at home,” when questioned about his feelings about the competition. I believe we don’t have enough opportunities to do it in India, therefore I’m grateful to JSW and all others who helped make this happen. Our PSA rankings will be very important, especially with the Olympics approaching, because Indians don’t really have home-court advantage at the highest level.

Reaching a wider audience and increasing interest in squash is crucial since this is the largest squash tournament ever held in India. I’m thrilled because I believe it’s wonderful that there will be more sporting events in the nation.”

India’s third place “This will be one of the biggest tournaments for me so far, and it will be amazing to play in India and be able to compete against so many players from around the world,” said Anahat Singh. For me in particular, it’s crucial for my ranking and for being able to play at home instead of often traveling abroad.”