The Royal Calcutta Golf Club pulled off yet another successful edition of the Royal Darts Premier League (RDPL) with 128 participants aiming for the bullseye. The intra-club showdown took place from June 28 to July 5. The players were divided into 16 teams — each playing seven league games. Teams were formed IPL auction-style, split into two groups. The top three teams qualified for the Gold Cup, while fourth to sixth battled it out for the Silver Cup. Winners were crowned after a nail-biting series of legs on the final day
Images by Royal Calcutta Golf ClubAfter the semis, RSV Rising Stars went head-to-head with Rama Darts for the Gold Cup, while BLC High Rollers squared off against The Panthers for the Silver. RCGC Captain Gaurav Ghosh shared his thoughts on the event, saying, ‘Hosting the RDPL is truly special for us — not just as a competitive event, but as a celebration of togetherness. With 16 teams, it’s incredible to see how darts has evolved into one of the most popular and engaging sports at the club. What makes it even more meaningful is how it brings families and friends together, creating a vibrant and inclusive atmosphere that defines the spirit of RDPL.’
Following a few intense throws (and a fair share of nervous gulps), RSV Rising Stars strutted off with the Gold Cup, feeling every bit like champions. ‘This was our debut tournament as a team and all of the teammates performed fabulously. The tournament was superbly organised and each day was a great experience. I was pleasantly surprised at the huge number of participants at the tournament… suffice to say RDPL is a catalyst to producing great players for our country,’ said Rahul and Ritu Vasisth
A close second, BLC High Rollers clinched the Silver Cup after a tough fight against The Panthers. ‘Initially, we won five matches, then lost three in a row. But today, we won them all — and I landed the final dart!’ said Vikash Musaddi, who co-owns the team with Chandan Shroff. ‘The competition was fierce, but we kept at it and made it happen.’
Other than the main cups, prizes were also given to Vijay Mittal for Most Valuable Player Male and Highest Checkout, Simi Gupta for Most Valuable Player Female, Ravindra Biyani for Most Promising Player Male, Amisha Sachdev for Most Promising Female, Sashank Shah for Unbeaten Player of the Tournament and Shalu Gupta and Jay Vardhan Bansal for Best Leg
The guests of honour were Mohan Kumar Goel, fresh from a win at the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt, and Indian Darts Council president Devesh Srivastava. ‘Darts is a bit niche, but it’s growing steadily in Kolkata. Other cities are still catching up,’ said Srivastava. ‘A few years ago, clubs struggled to field six players. Now we’ve got 16 full teams — progress’ Mohan Kumar Goel added, ‘There’s a great mix of amateurs and pros in this edition. Newbies can always learn from the old-timers. Events like this helped me represent India, and it's lovely to see such talent blooming.’
After the festivities, the event’s organising crew gathered for a group snap. ‘This tournament is always something to look forward to,’ said sport convener Samit Malhotra. ‘The best bit? The camaraderie, the friendships — and discovering new darting stars every year!’