Dravid’s fiancee dodges paparazzi

The Indian paparazzi has come of age, if the commotion at Nagpur station on Tuesday afternoon was anything to go by. The celebrity passenger they chased was Dr Vijeta Pendharkar, the fiancee of Rahul Dravid. The media waited at the station for the bride and her family who were to board the Jaipur-Bangalore Express for the wedding on May 4. But the Pendharkars had worked out a plan.

To begin with, they ‘wrong-footed’ the cameramen by entering the station from a less-used side entrance. Vijeta, clad in a red shirt and blue jeans, sported the customary tools of pre-empting paparazzi — dark glasses, a cap and a scarf around her face.

Adding to the confusion, the train which was scheduled to arrive on platform no 2, rolled into platform no 4. While all the passengers, including the Pendharkars, ran towards the train, the cameramen started flashing away.

While Vijeta evaded queries, her father, Wing Commander (Retd.) S.P. Pendharkar said: ‘‘This marriage is a dream come true for me.’’ The Dravids will host two receptions in Bangalore, the first for the families and the second for cricketers. A third reception is scheduled to be held in Nagpur on May 10.