After Dubai camp, Nadar Kaur Dhillon aims to shine for India

Nadar Kaur Dhillon, an 18-year-old international basketball player from Ludhiana, aims to represent the country at the highest level one day. Currently participating in the ASMITA Khelo India 3×3 Basketball Senior Women Tournament at Guru Nanak Stadium, Nadar Kaur is a member of the Punjab senior team.

The budding athlete is presently training at the Basketball Academy at Guru Nanak Stadium, where General Secretary of the Punjab Basketball Association, Teja Singh Dhaliwal, has been a guiding force in her journey.

Having represented India in international matches in Dubai, she began playing basketball five years ago after her father encouraged her to take up the sport. “I was 13 years old when my father started pushing me into sports. Initially, I wasn’t interested in basketball, but with his encouragement, I found my rhythm in the game. Now, basketball is my heartbeat — I can’t live without it,” she shared. She also credited her coach, Saloni of the Ludhiana Basketball Association (LBA), for playing a key role in shaping her game.

A student of Khalsa College, Ghumar Mandi, she balances her academics and athletics with discipline. “Basketball is my life, but I also make sure to manage my studies alongside,” she said.

She has an impressive record, having competed in the National Basketball Championship in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, where the Under-18 Punjab team clinched a gold medal. She has represented the Punjab junior team for four consecutive years, playing matches across cities such as Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar and Indore. Her team has secured two golds, three silvers, and one bronze medal in recent years.

“One day, I will be a key player in the senior Indian basketball team and bring laurels to the country,” she asserted with confidence. Teja Singh Dhaliwal noted that Ludhiana has produced many basketball players and that a number of budding talents from the region are ready to rise to the national and international stage.

Punjab