Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA: The North American Telugu Association (TANA) continues to organize a variety of community-focused initiatives across the United States. As part of its summer activities, TANA successfully conducted the TANA Pickleball Tournament at the Carolina Pickleball Club in Kannapolis, North Carolina, on June 6.
TANA has consistently played a leading role in promoting pickleball within the Telugu community, particularly in the Charlotte region and across the nation. The organization introduced pickleball tournaments to the Telugu community several years ago, and since then, the sport has witnessed growing popularity among participants of all age groups.
The tournament attracted enthusiastic participation from women, men, and children, with competitions held across Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Women's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles categories. The matches were highly competitive and generated significant excitement among players and spectators alike.
More than 65 teams participated in the mega sporting event. TANA President Naren Kodali and Executive Vice President Srini Lau congratulated the players and organizers for making the tournament a grand success.
The event was led by TANA Appalachian Regional Representative Ravi (Nani) Vadlamudi. Key contributions were made by Charlotte pickleball team members Tarak Pudi, Karthik Pandra, Pawan Pettambaram Venkata, Sports Chair Dinesh Donga, and several volunteers. Local TANA leaders Ravi (Nani) Vadlamudi, Naga Panchumaruthi, Tagore Mallineni, Madhuri Eluri, Kiran Kothapalli, and Anne Ramana also played an important role in ensuring the event's success.
TANA Treasurer Raja Kasukurthi contributed significantly to the smooth execution of the tournament. He managed event registration, payment tracking, and overall financial coordination, helping ensure efficient and disciplined event operations. The organizers expressed their appreciation for his efforts.
During the closing ceremony, trophies were presented to the winners and runners-up. TANA leadership also extended special thanks to event sponsors Nawabi Hyderabad House, Coldwell Banker Realty – Raghu Vemuri, and Tutelary Inc for their valuable support.
TANA announced that several additional sports competitions will be organized throughout the summer, including badminton, cricket, men's and women's volleyball, kids' sports events, IPL-style volleyball, and throwball tournaments.
