Dipika Pallikal Karthik is an Indian professional squash player, model, and entrepreneur. She became the first Indian woman squash player to enter the top 10 in the PSA Women’s rankings in December 2012 and was the first female squash player to receive the Arjuna Award, India’s second-highest sporting award, in the same year.
Wiki/Biography
Dipika Rebecca Pallikal was born on Saturday, 21 September 1991 (age 32 years; as of 2023) in Kottayam, Kerala, India. Her zodiac sign is Virgo. She did her schooling at Good Shepherd Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai. Later, she went to Ethiraj College for Women in Chennai to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Arts (English Honours). She began playing squash at the age of eleven.
An eleven years old Dipika Pallikal (extreme right) with her coach (middle)
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 71⁄2”
Weight (approx.): 70 kg
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): 36-26-36
Family
Dipika Pallikal belongs to a Malayali family.
Parents & Siblings
Her father’s name is Sanjiv Pallikal.
Dipika Pallikal with her father
Her mother, Susan Itticheria, is a former Indian Cricketer.
Dipika Pallikal with her parents
She has two sisters named Divya Pallikal and Dia Pallikal.
Dipika Pallikal (extreme right) with her two sisters
Husband & Children
On 18 August 2015 (as per Christian Rituals), and on 20 August 2015 (as per Hindu Rituals), she got married to Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik. Their marriage took place at the Leela Palace Hotel in Chennai as per Christian Rituals, and at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai as per Hindu Rituals.
Dipika Pallikal with Dinesh Karthik on their wedding day
Dipika Pallikal on her wedding day
The couple has twin boys named Kabir and Zian, who were born on 18 October 2021.
Dipika Pallikal with her sons and husband
Relationships/Affairs
She was in a relationship with Dinesh Karthik before marrying him in 2015.
Autograph
Dipika Pallikal’s Autograph
Career
Squash
In 2006, Dipika Pallikal became a professional squash player and faced some challenges at the start of her career. However, after a brief training in Egypt in early 2011, she became more consistent and started winning titles. At the end of the year, she won three WISPA titles, with her first victory being at the Orange County Open in Irvine, California. Her second title was in the United States, and her third was in Hong Kong, which helped her achieve a world ranking of 17. Thereafter, her performance in the World Open gained her recognition after she finished in the top eight. This led to her achieving a world ranking of 14 in February 2012, surpassing the previous best ranking by the Indian squash player Misha Grewal in 1995. In January 2012, Dipika Pallikal made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the final of a silver event, the Tournament of Champions squash meet in New York.
Dipika Pallikal during the Tournament of Champions squash meet in New York (2012)
Later that year, Dipika Pallikal reached the semi-finals of a gold event, the 2012 Australian Open, another first for an Indian. She also played an important role in the Indian squash team that finished fifth in the 2012 Women’s World Team Squash Championships, defeating higher-ranked Netherlands and Ireland.
Dipika Pallikal during the 2012 Women’s World Team Squash Championships
Dipika Pallikal won her sixth WSA title in February 2013. In 2014, she and Joshna Chinappa won the squash women’s doubles gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, marking India’s first-ever medal in the sport at the event.
Pallikal Karthik posing with Joshna Chinappa after winning the gold medal in the CWG in 2014
In the same year, Dipika Pallikal earned a silver medal in a team event and a bronze medal in the singles event during the Asian Games organised in Incheon, South Korea. Dipika Pallikal picked up her 10th Tour title in January 2015 by winning the Winter Club Open. In 2016, she won a silver medal in the mixed doubles event and a bronze medal in a doubles event during the World Doubles Championships held in Darwin. In 2017, she clinched a bronze medal in a doubles event during the World Doubles Championships held in Manchester. During the same year, Dipika Pallikal won a silver medal in the singles event during the Asian Individual Championships organised in Chennai. In 2018, she won a silver medal in doubles and a silver medal in a mixed doubles event during the Commonwealth Games held in Gold Coast. During the same year, she won a bronze medal in the singles event during the Asian Games organised in Jakarta.
Dipika Pallikal after winning the bronze medal during the Asian Games (2018)
Dipika Pallikal then won a bronze medal in a team event and a gold medal in a mixed doubles event in the 2022 Asian Games organised in Hangzhou. In 2022, she won a gold medal in the doubles event and a gold medal in a mixed doubles event during the World Doubles Championships organised in Glasgow. In August 2022, Dipika Pallikal won a bronze medal in a mixed doubles event during the Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, UK.
Dipika Pallikal after winning a bronze medal (mixed doubles) in the Commonwealth Games organised in Birmingham, United Kingdom
In October 2023, she won a gold medal in a mixed doubles event with Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu by beating Malaysia in the final during the Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China.
Pallikal and Sandhu after winning the final mixed doubles event in Squash during the Asian Games (2023)
National Squash Championship: Dipika Pallikal’s Stand and Victory
Despite her successes, Dipika Pallikal refused to participate in the National Championship Squash between 2012 and 2015 due to the inequality in prize money. Earlier, the women’s championship winner was awarded only 40% of the prize money of the men’s championship winner. Equal prize money was finally agreed upon for the 2016 championships, where Dipika Pallikal upset Joshna Chinappa to win the title for the second time.
Entrepreneur
Dipika Pallikal works at Studio Twenty-One Twelve, a branding designing and interior designing agency.
Controversies
2012 Consumer Court Victory: Dipika Pallikal vs. Axis Bank
In 2012, Dipika Pallikal filed a complaint against Axis Bank Limited in the consumer court in Chennai, seeking Rs. 10 lakh compensation for an embarrassing incident that she faced during her trip to Rotterdam in 2011. Despite having enough balance in her account, her debit card was declined when she tried to make a transaction at a hotel. In 2014, Dipika Pallikal won the case, and the consumer court directed Axis Bank to pay her Rs. 5 lakh in compensation for their deficient service.
Dinesh Karthik’s Listicle Controversy
Dipika Pallikal’s husband, Dinesh Karthik, was featured on MensXP’s listicle on why “attractive women date unattractive men” in 2015. Soon after reading the article, she got furious and tweeted a reply:
Pallikal Karthik’s tweet on MensXP’s listicle in 2015
High Court Arbitration Victory
In 2017, Pallikal Karthik went to the Madras High Court under the ‘Arbitration and Conciliation Act’ to appoint an arbitrator for a payment dispute with Borg Energy India Private Limited. The dispute was regarding a ‘Brand Endorsement Agreement’ for which they had not paid her Rs. 10 lakh for their brand endorsement for 2015-16. After winning the case, the Madras High Court Arbitration Centre awarded Dipika Pallikal Rs. 19.48 lakh with 12% interest.
Awards and Honours
- In 2013, Pallikal Karthik was honoured with the Arjuna Award.
Dipika Pallikal while receiving the Arjuna Award
- In 2015, Pallikal Karthik was awarded Padma Shri.
Dipika Pallikal while receiving the Padma Shri
Facts/Trivia
- She uses the Technifibre brand racquet to play squash.
- Dipika Pallikal is a certified baker.
Dipika Pallikal presenting a cake made by her
- Sarah Fitz-Gerald, an Australian former professional squash player, coaches Dipika Pallikal.
Sarah Fitz-Gerald with Dipika Pallikal
- Pallikal Karthik is an avid dog lover. She has a pet dog named Coco. She often shares pictures of her pet on social media.
Dipika Pallikal with her husband and pet dog
- She has also walked the ramps at various events. She walked the ramp for ‘Lakme Fashion Week’ for the designer ‘Arpita Mehta’ in 2014.
Dipika Pallikal walking a ramp during the Lakme Fashion Week
- Dipika Pallikal has been featured in many renowned magazines and tabloids such as ‘Femina Tamil Magazine’ and ‘Verve India Magazine.’
Dipika Pallikal on the cover of Verve Magazine
- She is the brand ambassador of ‘sports365.in’ and ‘caratlane.com.’
- As a model, Dipika Pallikal often endorses commercial products on social media.
Dipika Pallikal while promoting a baby product online
- Pallikal Karthik is a fitness enthusiast and goes to the gym regularly. She often shares pictures of her gym sessions on social media.
Dipika Pallikal at a gym
- She enjoys drinking alcoholic beverages occasionally.
Dipika Pallikal while enjoying alcohol
- In her leisure time, Dipika Pallikal likes travelling to distant places, swimming, and dancing.
Dipika Pallikal while enjoying a trip