Tennis sensation Sania Mirza, surrounded by tight security after two lovelorn youth attempted to barge in to her house to 'marry her', will exchange engagement rings with family friend Sohrab Mirza at a ceremony at 2030 IST in Hyderabad on Friday.
Sohrab will offer Sania a Rs 10 lakh diamond ring and other jewellry, family sources said. This is in addition to 11 different dresses, including a traditional pink and golden Hyderabadi Lacha, the groom's family will bring along.
The ceremony, to be attended by 300 close relatives and family friends from both the sides, will be held at a five-star hotel amid elaborate security.
"Only guests carrying invitation cards will be allowed to enter," a senior official said.
Sania's father Imran said, "This is a private function. That is why we have not invited the media."
There is hectic activity at 'Mirzas', the tennis ace's residence in Banjara Hills, as this is the first big ceremony in the family.
Similar activity was witnessed at Sohrab's residence in Anand Nagar area, on the other side of Banjara Hills.
"Main Baahut Khush Hoon [I am very happy]," Sohrab told the media during a brief interaction, even as he ran around for last-minute shopping.
He was unfazed by the hullabaloo over cupid-stricken youngsters rushing to Sania's residence to express their love for her over the last two days.
"I have a lot of work to do, I can't say anything more," he added.
Sohrab, who will be soon going to London to pursue MBA, is the son of Adil Mirza, owner of a bakery chain in Hyderabad.
The family is of Iranian origin, and Sohrab's mother Nooran is the sister of Shadan, wife of former legislator Vizarat Rasool Khan.
Few details were available as far as the bridal dress and other preparations. Five dresses for Sania, including the lacha, are designed by Ada.
Sania's family has a Manish Malhotra-designed dress for the star but family members are tight-lipped about the cost of it.
Even as hordes of media crew are gathering at the venue of the ceremony, the paparazzi is unlikely to be welcomed.
There is speculation that the family has given exclusive rights for live telecast of the evening to a channel for a whopping Rs 2 crore, but same could not be confirmed.
Tennis star Mahesh Bhupati and batting ace Sachin Tendulkar are among those invited for the function.
Sania's father has already made it clear that there are no immediate plans for the wedding, saying his daughter will continue to play for at least two more years.
In a career, often hit by injuries, Sania touched a high of 34 in the world rankings; she is presently ranked 85.
In an indication of her seriousness to continue playing with the same vigor, Sania was seen practicing at the Lal Bahadur stadium complex on Wednesday evening. Family sources said Sania will leave for the United States on July 15 to prepare for the US Open.
Meanwhile Ajay Singh Yadav, son of a school teacher for Etah, spent last night in the police lockup after trying to enter Sania's house last evening to express his love for her.
A student of Dronacharya College of Engineering, Ajay will be produced in court on Friday and is likely to be remanded to judicial custody, where another stalker, Mohammed Ashraf from Kerala, is cooling his heels.
"I meant no harm. I came only to see Sania for a last time and give my good wishes to her. I wanted to hand over my love letter to her," Ajay told the media at the police station.
The love letter and his mobile phone was seized by the police.
In the letter the 22-year-old youth indulged some shayari (poetry), praising the beauty of the player and expressing his love.
Banjara Hills police inspector Iqbal Siddiqui said a case under section 509 of IPC was registered against him for uttering words or making gestures with intent to outrage the modesty of a woman.
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