Pankaj Advani

About Pankaj Advani

Pankaj Advani stands as one of India’s most extraordinary sporting icons, a cueist who has redefined excellence in both billiards and snooker at the global level. Fondly called the Golden Boy and the Prince of Pune, Pankaj began his journey with a rare combination of calm focus and fierce determination. At just 18, he captured his first world title, signalling the arrival of a prodigy who was destined to dominate cue sports for decades. With unmatched discipline, precision, and an unshakable mindset, he rose through the ranks to become the only player in the world to win world championships in both billiards and snooker formats, making him a pioneer in the truest sense. His consistency, humility, and passion for the sport have earned him admiration across generations.

Over the years, Pankaj has collected an exceptional list of achievements, becoming a 25-time International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Champion—a feat that places him among the most decorated cueists in history. In billiards, he has lifted 17 world titles, including 16 IBSF World Billiards Championships and a World Team Billiards Championship. In snooker, he has secured major wins such as the IBSF World Snooker Championship (3 times), the World Six-Red Championship (2 times), and top honours at both the IBSF World Team Cup and the IBSF World Team Championship. His dominance across formats, surfaces, and eras showcases not just talent, but an unrelenting hunger for mastery and reinvention.

For his outstanding contribution to Indian sports, Pankaj Advani has been honoured with the Arjuna Award (2004), the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2006), the Padma Shri (2009), and the Padma Bhushan (2018)—a set of recognitions held by only the greatest Indian athletes. He also received the Rajyotsava Prashasti (2007) and was chosen as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum in 2011. Booking Pankaj Advani as a motivational speaker for your event means bringing in not just a champion, but a refined thinker, a disciplined artist of the mind, and a storyteller whose journey inspires audiences to chase excellence with grace and grit.