Royalty galore at Sawai Man Singh Cup Final in Delhi

A fashionable addition to polo: The final match of the Sawai Man Singh Gold Vase Polo Cup in Delhi recently turned out to be a day-long celebration of polo players. After the match, in which they were cheered lustily, the suave men of Indian polo got their due as sharp dressers later that day as well. Princess Diya Kumari of Jaipur was the chief guest, which was attended by both Somnath Bharti and Shazia Ilmi, among others.
Royal presence: Diya Kumari was attending a polo match in the capital after two years, and told us that she was nervous as her son Padmanabh Singh was one of the players. “I’ve come here after such a long time and I think polo matches have become grander and classier here. I also see that now, many more people come to watch the game, which is very good. Since my son has started playing, I will hopefully be coming here more often,” she said. Padmanabh did his mom proud by earning high praise from seasoned players.
Pup love: Mark Tully, who got his pet dog Soni to the game, said, “We named her Soni as she is very beautiful.” Even Sunjay Kapur brought his two pets to the match. Host Soniya Singh, who chose a sari for the polo match, said, “I would otherwise be seen in western wear, but for polo, I chose a sari as I feel it’s classy and regal, and that’s what the game is all about.”