India is a nation of passionate sports lovers, and snooker is no exception. Over the years, some of the best Indian snooker players have come to the forefront, making their mark in the international arena.
From legendary players like Geet Sethi and Pankaj Advani to the rising stars like Aditya Mehta and Aditya Agarwal, India has had its share of memorable snooker stars. In this article, we shall take a look at some of the best snooker players in India.
1. Aditya Mehta
Aditya Mehta is a former professional snooker player from India. He has been a participant on the World Snooker Tour for two different intervals. The first was between 2007 and 2008, and the second was between 2011 and 2018.
During his time on the tour, Aditya achieved the highest world ranking of 49, making him one of the most successful Indian professional snooker players. This is a remarkable accomplishment, considering the high level of competition and the fact that snooker originated in the UK.
Aditya has been praised for his skill and determination, as well as his commitment to the game. He has inspired many Indians to take up the game and has made snooker more popular in India.
He also served as an ambassador for the game, travelling around the country to promote the sport and help develop the game amongst aspiring players. His legacy will remain for years to come, and he will be remembered as one of the most successful snooker players from India.
2. Pankaj Advani
Pankaj Arjan Advani is a world-renowned Indian billiards and snooker player. He has achieved great success in his career, having won 25 world championships. This includes 17 billiards world titles, and an impressive 16 championships in the IBSF World Billiards Championship.
He has also won the World Team Billiards Championship once. Advani has been playing the sport since he was a young boy. He began playing in Bangalore at the age of 10 and soon developed his skills to become a champion.
He won his first world championship in 2004 at the IBSF World Billiards Championship. Since then, he has gone on to win many more titles, setting records and becoming an inspiration for millions of young Indians.
Advani is a highly decorated athlete and has been honored by several organizations. He was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2007, India’s highest honor for sports. He has also been awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, in 2009.
His accomplishments have been recognized all around the world, with him being featured in several international magazines and newspapers. Pankaj Arjan Advani is an exceptional player and his accomplishments are a testament to his skill and dedication.
His 25 world championships have earned him recognition as one of the best billiards and snooker players of all time.
3. Yasin Merchant
Yasin Merchant is an Indian snooker player who was born on 17 December 1966. He is the second professional snooker player from India, with the late Omprakesh Agrawal being the first.
Merchant has had a successful career in snooker and has won the National Snooker Championships on three occasions – 2001, 2000 and 1991. Merchant was a dedicated and talented snooker player from a young age, and he has continued to work hard to become one of the top players in the country.
His hard work and dedication paid off when he won the National Snooker Championships for the first time in 2001. He was able to defend his title in 2000 and then again in 1991.
This is a testament to his consistency and ability to remain at the top of his game. Merchant has also represented India several times at international tournaments, including the Asian Snooker Championships, the World Snooker Championship, and the Commonwealth Games.
His success in the sport has earned him a great deal of respect and admiration from his peers and fans alike. Merchant’s success at the snooker table has also seen him become a role model for aspiring snooker players in India.
He is a great example of how hard work and dedication can pay off, and he continues to inspire many young players to reach their goals. He is a true inspiration to aspiring snooker players all around the world.
4. Geet Sethi
Geet Siriram Sethi of India is an accomplished billiards player who has been active in the sport for over two decades. He has been a dominant force in English billiards since the 1990s, establishing himself as one of the top players of the sport.
His impressive skills have earned him numerous tournament victories, and his name is widely known even among casual billiards fans.In addition to his success in English billiards, Geet Sethi has also made a name for himself as an amateur snooker player.
He has participated in amateur tournaments, as well as various exhibitions, and has developed a reputation as a talented and entertaining player. His experience in both billiards and snooker has enabled him to become one of the most influential figures in the sport.
5. Lucky Vatnani
Lucky Vatnani is a former professional snooker player from India. He is originally from Hyderabad, but he moved to Sheffield, England during his snooker career. Vatnani was born and raised in India and he decided to pursue a professional career in snooker while in England.
He was based in Sheffield, which is a city in the north of England and is well known for its snooker clubs. During his career, Vatnani participated in several major tournaments, including the India Open, Welsh Open, and UK Championship.
He has also been featured in a number of snooker-related TV shows and documentaries. Vatnani is now retired from professional snooker, but he continues to be a passionate advocate for the sport and a mentor to aspiring snooker players.
6. Vidya Pillai
Vidya Viswanathan Pillai is an accomplished Indian professional snooker player. She has had an impressive career in the sport, having grown up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Her achievements have been widely recognized, and in 2016, she was honored with the Ekalavya award by the Government of Karnataka. This award is a prestigious distinction awarded to individuals for their outstanding performance in sports.
Pillai is a true example of hard work and dedication paying off. Her success in the sport of snooker is a testimony to her focus and commitment. She is an inspiration to many young people, showing them that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.
Pillai’s success is a reminder of the importance of striving for excellence and never giving up.
7. Sourav Kothari
Sourav Kothari is a renowned Indian player of the game of English billiards. He is a highly skilled and experienced player who has made a mark for himself in the world of English billiards. He first rose to fame when he won the U-21 World Championship title in 2005.
Since then, he has achieved numerous titles in the sport, including the Asian Championship title in 2009, the Asian Team Championship title in 2011 and the Indian National title in 2012.
In 2018, he achieved the pinnacle of success in the sport when he was declared the World Champion in English billiards. This was a major milestone in his career and it solidified his status as one of the best players in the world.
He has also been honored with several awards and accolades for his excellence in the sport. He is an inspiration to many aspiring players and a true testament to the power of hard work and dedication.
8. Amee Kamani
Amee Kamani is a professional snooker player from India. She has achieved remarkable success in the sport and is highly regarded as a world-class talent.
In 2016, she reached the pinnacle of the sport when she competed in the International Billiards and Snooker Federation World Snooker Championship. Despite coming up against the defending champion, Wendy Jans, Kamani put on an impressive display and reached the final.
Unfortunately, she was unable to overcome the experienced Jans, going down 0-5 in the final. It was a remarkable effort from Kamani and one which highlights her potential as one of the best snooker players in the world.
9. Manan Chandra
Manan Chandra is an accomplished Indian amateur snooker and pool player, having reached the semi-final in the 2006 International Billiards and Snooker Federation World Championship in Amman, Jordan. He was ultimately beaten 8–7 by Daniel Ward, a formidable opponent.
He is married to Anuja Thakur, who is also an exceptionally talented amateur snooker and billiards player. She has won numerous titles in the sport, including the Women’s National Snooker Championship.
Both Manan Chandra and Anuja Thakur are highly respected players in the Indian snooker and billiards circuit, and they have set a great example for aspiring players in the country.
They have both been instrumental in popularizing the sport in India and inspiring thousands of young people to pursue their passion for snooker and billiards.
10. Ishpreet Singh Chadha
Ishpreet Singh Chadha is a talented snooker player from India. He recently made history by being the first Indian to earn a two-year card on the World Snooker Tour.
This means he will be playing professional snooker on the World Snooker Tour for two years starting from the 2023–24 snooker season. This is a major achievement for Chadha as it validates his hard work and dedication to the sport.
Chadha has been playing snooker since he was a young child, and has been competing in international tournaments since 2014. His skill and dedication to the sport have paid off, as he is now considered one of the best snooker players in India.
Chadha’s success is an inspiration for aspiring snooker players in India. It shows that hard work and determination can pay off and that anyone can achieve their dreams if they put in the effort.
His success will also bring more attention to the sport of snooker in India, which can only be a positive thing for the growth of the sport in the country. Ishpreet Singh Chadha is an excellent example of what hard work and dedication can accomplish.
His success is an inspiration and will go a long way in furthering the popularity of the sport of snooker in India.
11. R Umadevi Nagaraj
Revanna Umadevi Nagaraj is a remarkable pool player from India. She is a force to be reckoned with in the world of English billiards and snooker.
She has achieved an impressive level of success in these sports, having won the World Women’s Billiard Championship and six Indian National Billiards Championships. Nagaraj’s most recent accomplishment was her victory at the London 2012 Championship, where she beat the World No.
13, Eva Palmius. Her win earned her the title of World Champion and cemented her place as one of the best female pool players in the world. Nagaraj’s career is an inspiring example of dedication and hard work paying off.
She has worked diligently for years to perfect her skills, and her results have been impressive.
She is a great role model for aspiring female pool players, showing them that anything is possible if you put in the effort. Nagaraj’s accomplishments serve as a source of pride for the people of India, who have watched her rise to the top.
Her success is a testament to the great pool players India produces, and her example of perseverance is an inspiration to many.
12. Omprakesh Agrawal
Omprakesh Bankelal Agrawal was an Indian professional snooker player who was widely known by two different names: Omprakash Agarwal and Omprakash Agrawal.
He was an amateur snooker player for many years before achieving his greatest success in 1984 when he became the world champion. His victory was a major achievement in the world of snooker, as it was the first time an Indian player had won the world championship.
He was highly respected in the sport and was regarded as an inspiration to many aspiring snooker players. He was also well known for his discipline and dedication to the sport, as he trained hard and was always looking to improve his game.
After his victory, Omprakesh became a role model for many Indian snooker players, and it was his example that helped to create a new generation of talented snooker players from India.
13. Anuja Thakur
Anuja Chandra-Thakur is an Indian amateur player of both snooker and English billiards. She is a highly successful and respected player in the sport, having achieved a great deal of success in the field.
In April 2005, Chandra-Thakur won the World Ladies Billiards and Snooker Association (WLBSA) Ladies World Billiards Championship. Her victory was a stunning one, as she defeated her opponent, Lynette Horsburgh, by an impressive 243-136 scoreline.
This win was a fantastic accomplishment and cemented Chandra-Thakur’s place as one of the greatest female players of the sport.
Her victory also serves as an inspiration to other female players, showing that with hard work and dedication, success in the field of snooker and billiards is achievable.
14. Subhash Agarwal
Subhash Agarwal is a renowned Indian professional of English billiards and snooker. He is a National Snooker Champion of India and is highly respected for his expertise in the sport.
In 1983, Agarwal competed in the amateur IBSF World Billiards Championship, where he advanced to the finals. Unfortunately, he was unable to secure the championship, and lost to his opponent, Michael Ferreira, with a score of 2744-3933.
Despite the loss, Agarwal is still remembered for his great performance and is an inspiration to many aspiring players. His success in the sport has made him a highly sought after coach, and he continues to share his knowledge and experience with players of all levels.
15. Chitra Magimairaj
Chitra Magimairaj is a highly accomplished athlete from India. She is a professional player of snooker, English billiards, and pool. She is a two-time World Ladies Billiards and Snooker Association World Champion, which is a prestigious title.
She is also a two-time national pool champion and recently won the World Women’s Senior Snooker Championship. Her accomplishments show that she is an excellent and talented player in her sports.
She has won numerous titles in her career, which has been a testament to her dedication and skill. Her success has also been an inspiration to other female athletes in India and worldwide. She has shown that with hard work and determination, anything can be achieved.
Her achievements have made her a household name in India and she is seen as a role model for aspiring athletes.
16. Wilson Jones
Wilson Lionel Garton-Jones was an exceptional billiards player from India. His talent was evident from a very young age, as he became the national amateur champion for more than a decade.
Jones’ fame and skill only grew with time, as he went on to become the amateur world champion twice in 1958 and 1964.
His impressive achievements were recognized by the Indian government, as he was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1963, the Padma Shri Award in 1965, and the Dronacharya Award in 1996. Jones was an extraordinary competitor who made an immense contribution to the sport of billiards.
He had a remarkable career, and his legacy lives on in the hearts of the people of India. He was an inspiring figure for many aspiring billiards players, and his success serves as an example of what can be accomplished with hard work and dedication.
Jones will always be remembered as one of the greatest billiards players India has ever produced.
17. Brijesh Damani
Brijesh Damani is an Indian professional snooker player who is well-known for his accomplishments. He is a two-time champion of the Indian National Snooker Championship, having won the title in 2008 and again in 2016.
He is also a silver medalist in the 2010 Asian Games, making him one of the top snooker players in India. Brijesh grew up in Kolkata and attended Shri Daulatram Nopany Vidyalaya for his schooling.
He developed an early interest in snooker, which is when he decided to pursue a professional career in the sport. Through hard work and dedication, he has achieved a great deal of success in his career.
He has won multiple national titles, as well as a prestigious silver medal in the Asian Games. This has made him one of the most celebrated snooker players in India. Brijesh Damani is a true inspiration for aspiring players who want to make a career in the sport.
His success in the Indian National Snooker Championship and the Asian Games is a testament to the hard work and dedication he has put in throughout his career. He is a great example of how passion and dedication can help one achieve success in any field.
18. Chandra Hirjee
Chandrasinh Hirjee Jewraj, commonly known as Chandu, was a renowned Indian amateur billiards and snooker player. He was admired by friends, fans, and the media alike, who affectionately referred to him as “The Stylist”.
Chandu was an accomplished player in the billiards and snooker circuit, having made a name for himself in the field.
He was an inspiration to many aspiring players, who looked up to him for guidance and support. Chandu was renowned for his style and finesse; a style that earned him the nickname “The Stylist”.
His skill and technique was unrivaled, and he was often praised for his unique approach to the game.
He was also respected for his sportsmanship and was known to always be encouraging and supportive of his fellow players. Chandu’s impressive achievements in the world of billiards and snooker will be remembered for years to come.
He was an exceptional player, and his passion for the sport was truly inspiring. He will be fondly remembered by his friends, fans, and the media who followed his career. Chandu will be remembered as a true stylist and a great ambassador of the sport.
Conclusion
The best players of Snooker in India are a testament to the country’s rich sporting culture. These players have played with great skill and determination and have made India proud.
They have also made a name for themselves in the international arena, proving to the world that India is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Snooker.
With the right guidance and support, these players will continue to make India proud and ensure that the country’s Snooker players remain at the top of the rankings for many years to come.
