KUALA LUMPUR – India's hockey captain, Manpreet Singh Pawar and Malaysian Illi Najwa Saddique have finally tied the knot after being engaged for six years.
After their first encounter when Manpreet was playing in the 2012 Sultan of Johor Cup for the Indian junior team, their courtship started only when Manpreet returned for the annual Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
“Manpreet had reportedly fallen for Illi Najwa’s charm and courteous behaviour, including being served with hot chappati at her home on their second date.”
Manpreet and Najwa got engaged in 2014 but put off their wedding plans because of Manpreet’s involvement in the international and domestic Indian hockey league.
The couple had their wedding ceremony in Jalandhar, Punjab among family, relatives, national team players, officials and invited guests.
A media reported that Najwa was able to obtain special permission from Malaysian authorities and India’s home affairs ministry to hold the wedding.
Manpreet was named Asia’s “Junior Player of the Year” in 2014 when he was 19 and has been India’s captain since May of 2017.
For Manpreet, hockey will always remain a priority even after their wedding and Najwa admits that she would be honoured to stay by his side for the Tokyo Olympics.
