Reception for Sania-Shoaib held

NEW DELHI: The mood at the wedding reception of tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik was more symbolic of the general feeling that these two sportspersons would be goodwill ambassadors of India and Pakistan in the days to come.

The evening function at Taj Krishna was off to a quiet start with the first one to enter the venue being Shoaib Malik’s mother Sultana.

“I am very happy. We were all eagerly waiting for this evening. Inshallah, we will have a grand function in Sialkot on April 17.” Pakistan cricketer Tanvir Sohail, perhaps, reflected the mood of the Pakistan cricketers themselves. “I am representing the Pakistan cricketing fraternity here. It feels great to be in India and especially in Hyderabad for this august occasion. The best part is we are taking our Bhabhi [Sania] back home.”

Film stars Nagarjuna and his wife Amala, Jagapathi Babu, Venkatesh, Vishnuvardhan and film producer V.J. Rajendra Prasad, former Davis Cuppers S.P. Mishra and Vasudeva Reddy, and tennis stars of yesteryears, Jayadeep Mukherjee and Enrico Piperno, former Test cricketer Arshad Ayub and chairman of GVK group of industries, GVK Reddy, were among the dignitaries. The Telugu Desam president and former CM N. Chandrababu Naidu walked into the reception around 8.30 p.m. More than 600 invitees were present in the Ball Room of hotel Taj Krishna.

Meanwhile, Shoaib Malik moved the Indian High Court on Thursday for return of his passport. The counsel for Malik requested the judge for hearing on the application but the judge said it can be heard on Friday.