Pankaj Arjan Advani

Sports

Pankaj Arjan Advani is India's leading professional billiards and snooker player. A winner of 8 World Titles in billiards and snooker, he is considered the best all-round professional billiards and snooker player India has produced. In 2005, he set a world record by becoming the first player to complete a grand double by winning both the point and time formats in the IBSF World Billiards Championship, Malta. In recognition of his achievements, the Government of India has bestowed several awards upon Advani Arjuna Award in 2004, ;Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratnain 2006 and Padma Shri in 2009. On the 28th of October 2012, Pankaj won his 8th World Title by defeating Mike Russell 1895–1216 in the Professional World Billiards Championship. Pankaj completed a hat-trick of hat-tricks in 2012 by being the reigning World, Asian & National Champion in Billiards (2005 & 2008 too). He is also the only Indian to win the Men's Australian Open Billiards Championship in 2008 in Melbourne. Pankaj has won everything there is to be won in the world of Billiards, a feat achieved by no other. He became a snooker professional only in 2012 and his first season on the main tour is the 2012/2013 season.