INDIA hockey captain Manpreet Singh is a busy man these days. And for a change, it's not hockey that's keeping him occupied but something probably more important. Manpreet, 27, is busy preparing for his wedding to fiancee Illi Saddique, 26, a Malaysian resident, on December 2, in Punjab.

'Wedding planning is tough'

"Wedding planning can be quite a difficult job and stressful too, particularly in my case, since I have to do all the physical work myself though I do have my mum and Illi for advice and support. They are always available no matter how busy they are and that makes the whole task a bit smoother and easier for me," Manpreet tells mid-day from his home in Mithapur village in Jalandhar, Punjab.

The couple have been dating for nine years now, ever since they met and fell in love at first sight on the sidelines of the 2012 Sultan of Johor Cup in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, where Manpreet was leading the junior India team and Illi was an ardent fan. Illi, meanwhile, is busy planning and coordinating everything over the phone all the way from Malaysia. "It's difficult because I'm unable to be there physically to plan everything. Instead, I have to do it via Skype or FaceTime with Manpreet, his mum and our wedding planner. I can't thank Manpreet enough for all the effort he's putting in. He's even choosing my lehenga," says Illi, who works with a private University in Malaysia, overseeing the planning, business development and student recruitment activities in the South Asian market.