Grav8 Sports Names Saina Nehwal and Armaan Bhatia as Partners

Grav8 Sports, a sports venture founded by radio jockey RJ Anmol, has announced a partnership with Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal and professional pickleball player Armaan Bhatia. The move is aimed at strengthening the company’s premium sporting initiatives for senior corporate executives and India’s C-suite community.

The association brings together Nehwal’s experience in international badminton and Bhatia’s expertise in professional pickleball as Grav8 continues to expand its corporate sports offerings across major Indian cities.

Grav8 Sports Expands Its Corporate Sports Portfolio

Grav8 Sports introduced the CXO Pickleball League in Mumbai in 2025, positioning it as a sports platform designed specifically for corporate leaders. The inaugural tournament featured 16 teams and 31 matches, with participation from senior professionals representing organisations such as Barclays, HDFC ERGO, Hitachi Systems, WNS, DSK Legal, V3 Ventures, Spotify, KPMG, Adidas and Google.

Industrialist Dr Niranjan Hiranandani was also among the prominent personalities associated with the initiative, alongside Saina Nehwal and RJ Anmol.

Since its launch, Grav8 has expanded its CXO sports activities to Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Pune. The company subsequently introduced the CXO Baddy League as its second sports property, building on its pickleball initiative.

The first edition of the CXO Baddy League took place on October 18 at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai. Nehwal served as its brand ambassador, while HDFC ERGO, Yotta Data Services and Regalia Business Parks were associated with the event as partners.

Saina Nehwal Brings International Badminton Credentials

Saina Nehwal is one of India’s best-known badminton players, having won a bronze medal in women’s singles at the 2012 London Olympics and reached the top of the world rankings during her career.

Her association with Grav8’s corporate pickleball initiative began with the league’s launch, according to the information provided by the company. She is now expected to contribute to the platform’s wider ambition of combining sporting participation with networking opportunities for senior business leaders.

Armaan Bhatia Adds Professional Pickleball Experience

Armaan Bhatia brings experience from competitive pickleball to the partnership. He made headlines in October 2024 after winning the men’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles titles at the PWR DUPR India Masters in New Delhi.

His achievements have helped raise the profile of Indian pickleball, a sport that is gaining attention through professional tournaments and recreational participation. His association with Grav8 is expected to support the company’s efforts to build a stronger connection between the professional sporting ecosystem and corporate audiences.

RJ Anmol Outlines Grav8’s Vision

RJ Anmol, founder of Grav8 Sports, said the company aims to create a premium sporting environment for India’s corporate leadership community. He highlighted Nehwal’s international sporting credentials and Bhatia’s professional pickleball experience as complementary strengths for the initiative.

Nehwal said she welcomed the growth of pickleball in India and appreciated Grav8’s approach to introducing the sport to corporate executives. Bhatia also expressed enthusiasm about contributing his professional experience to the company’s plans for developing premium sporting experiences for C-suite leaders.

With its pickleball and badminton-focused corporate leagues, Grav8 is seeking to expand the role of sport beyond competition by creating opportunities for business networking, leadership engagement and brand partnerships.