Nitin Kumar made history at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship in December 2025, becoming the first Indian ever to win a match at Alexandra Palace. The 40-year-old, nicknamed "The Royal Bengal," triumphed in a pulsating five-set duel, beating Dutchman Richard Veenstra 3-2. Veenstra was ranked world number 48 at the time and was the favorite, but Kumar raised his arms in victory after a deciding fifth set where he kept his nerves under better control.
Kumar's journey is unique among PDC pros. He works full-time as a marketing professional in Dubai, practicing darts in his living room after eight to nine-hour workdays, with no luxury training facilities or extensive support. He credits his mental resilience as key, stating, "Darts is such a game where the less mental stress you take, the better you always are going to play." He added that it took him close to a month to get into the right mental state for the match against Veenstra, where he felt pressure but trained himself not to think about it.
Remarkably, Kumar did not grow up in India; he moved to Dubai as a baby and calls himself a "Dubai boy." Darts entered his life through the city's Indian community at social gatherings, and he initially pursued basketball before focusing on marketing. His next big goal is to earn a PDC Tour Card via Q-School.
The impact of Kumar's win has sparked a wave of enthusiasm in India. He revealed, "Already, two darts academies have opened up since December. There's another one opening next week. So people are taking it very seriously. They have a lot of youngsters in India." However, Kumar feels a responsibility he cannot fully meet from Dubai, saying, "I sort of feel a little guilty that if I was in India, I could have taught them a little better." He uses a comparison to explain the mental side of darts, noting that hitting a 180 in practice is different from doing it in front of screaming fans.
Despite being 40, Kumar feels nowhere near the end of his development and dreams of more, stating, "Of course, ambition is always to be a world champion. You've got to shoot for the stars."
