Manpreet Singh to wed Malaysian fiancee Illi Saddique ahead of Tokyo Olympics
Indian hockey team captain Manpreet Singh had met Illi during the Sultan of Johor Cup in 2012. The wedding is planned for December.
Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh’s fiancee Illi Saddique already has the perfect wedding gift in mind – her husband-to-be leading India to an Olympics medal in Tokyo next year.
The two have been seeing each other since 2012 and are set to tie the knot in December.
“An Olympic hockey medal next year will be the perfect start to our married life,” Malaysian Illi Saddique told Mid-Day in an interview.
“Seeing how the Indian team has been performing in the last year or so and given the support from Hockey India, I'm confident Manpreet and his team are on track to make India proud in Tokyo.
“It will be an honour for me to be by his side, seeing him achieve his dreams,” she added.
Saddique first met Manpreet Singh when he was captaining the junior Indian hockey team at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia in 2012.
Illi’s mother, Masita, used to play hockey for the Malaysian army and now with Manpreet, she shares a special love affair with the sport.
“Hockey will remain Manpreet's priority even after our wedding. The only difference now will be that I will be with him at home whenever he is on a break from the national camps or tournaments,” the 26-year-old die-hard hockey and Manpreet fan said.
The wedding numerology
Their wedding is planned on December 2, 2020, with the reception to be held in Ludhiana, Punjab.
Illi Saddique opened up about the reason behind the exact date chosen.
“We had initially planned it for December 30 as that's my birthday but after discussing it with Manpreet and his family, we chose 02/12/20. It adds up to seven, which is our lucky number,” she said.
Incidentally, Manpreet Singh also wears the No. 7 jersey.
Marriage with COVID-19 precautions
The couple also asserted that the wedding will take place, taking into account the necessary precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to the wedding between Olympic archers Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das,
While the guest list was over a 1,000 initially, it will be cut down significantly depending on the government restrictions.
They are also willing to move the ceremony to Manpreet’s home in Mithapur village in Jalandhar instead of a venue.