Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has become a father once again. His wife, Dipika Pallikal, has given birth to a daughter. (Image X @SportsByND)
New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has become a father once again. His wife, Dipika Pallikal, has given birth to a daughter. Dipika is a renowned squash player. The couple has welcomed their third child. They previously had twins in 2021. Karthik and Pallikal became parents to twin sons—named Kabir and Zian—in 2021. The couple has now revealed their daughter's name; they have named her Raha. Karthik shared the good news with fans on Thursday (March 19).
In a post shared on Instagram, Karthik stated: "With hearts full of prayers and gratitude beyond words, we joyfully welcome our darling baby girl into this world. Kabir and Zian are thrilled to introduce their little sister, Raha Pallikal Karthik. With love, Dipika and Dinesh."
Fans have been pouring in their reactions to the post shared by the 40-year-old Karthik. Several prominent cricketers also extended their best wishes to him on the birth of his daughter. Star batsman Virat Kohli shared a heart emoji in the comments section. Former opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan wrote, "Congratulations, brother." All-rounder Axar Patel commented, "Best wishes, Anna." Karthik currently serves as the mentor for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Congratulating Karthik, the franchise wrote, "Sending lots of love to Raha, along with a little RCB jersey!" It is worth noting that Karthik and Pallikal tied the knot in 2015. The couple celebrated their wedding through ceremonies conducted according to both traditional Hindu and Christian rituals, as Pallikal is a Christian.
Following his retirement from cricket, Karthik has ventured into the world of coaching and commentary. He represented India in 26 Tests, 94 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 60 T20 Internationals. He played his final international match in 2022. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he took the field in a total of 267 matches. He has represented six teams in the IPL, including RCB and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Meanwhile, Dipika is one of the country's most esteemed athletes; she has won a gold medal for India at the Commonwealth Games.
A recipient of the Padma Shri, Dipika has featured in the top 10 of the women's squash world rankings. She is the first Indian female squash player to secure a spot in the top 10 rankings. She last competed in October 2023 at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where she won a gold medal in the mixed doubles category. Following her return from maternity leave in early 2022, she made a successful comeback, winning two titles at the World Doubles Squash Championships. She also won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Copyright © 2026 Top Indian News
