Suresh Raina and his wife Priyanka appeared as guests on talk show 'Who's The Boss?', hosted by Harbhajan Singh and his wife Geeta Basra. During the episode, the couple talked about their personal and professional lives, and how they manage to support each other in their endeavors.
Notably, Harbhajan and Raina have played a lot of cricket together for the Indian team as well as in the IPL. They helped India win the 2011 World Cup and played a key role in Chennai Super Kings' IPL 2018 victory. Naturally, they recollected memories from their playing days as well.
However, there were some interesting revelations made by Suresh Raina and his wife as well. On that note, let's take a look at the five important topics which they touched upon during their presence on the show.
#1 Suresh Raina and Priyanka have been friends since childhood
When asked about how they met, Priyanka disclosed that he and Suresh Raina were neighbors and played cricket together in their village in Uttar Pradesh. However, they lost touch after taking different routes in their lives. She said:
"We were neighbors, we knew each other, but we were too young to fall in love or something. We were just friends and I used to play roadside cricket with him sometimes. We were very young at the time, he was 12 and moved out." (5:00)
Then, Suresh Raina said:
"I'm really grateful that we come from a place where we've experienced true village life. Everything exists in the city too, but the kind of bond you have there, the way we sit and chat with grandfathers, those conversations felt so different."
#2 Suresh Raina reveals story behind his proposal to Priyanka
Suresh Raina narrated a story of how he proposed Priyanka after taking a break from tri-series in 2014 in Australia, ahead of the 50-over World Cup. Raina went from Perth to London, while Priyanka traveled from Amsterdam, where she was doing her job. Raina said:
"In 2014, I took permission from Ravi bhai and Dhoni bhai. There are five days off, I have to go and get married. I was feeling something different. I said, 'Let me go, If I don't go, I will regret it for the rest of my life." (6:55)
"So, I took a flight from Perth to Dubai and then to London. It was a long flight of around 30-32 hours. We both had a UK visa, so we met in London. I bought a ring for her and we went to Oxford," he added.
#3 Couple reflect on what they mean to each other
The celebrity couple also answered questions on what they like about each other. As per Priyanka, she likes Suresh Raina’s discipline and respect for other people. She said:
"To me, he's my best friend of course, the most important thing in any relationship. But, beyond that, as a human being, I'd day he is very kind, and that really impresses me. He's very compassionate and he's very respectful towards everybody.(9:50)
"No matter where the standing in their social setting, he's always extremely respectful. Be it our staff at home, our parents, our family members, even the kids, and that is something that really means a lot to me."
Meanwhile, Raina feels Priyanka gives him “freedom” and he feels safe with her. He said:
"I think, with her, I feel safe. I feel protective. She's my best friend. She also gave me the freedom to explore myself, who I really am. With her, I can be the same kid, and she knows that." (14:20)
#4 Priyanka on support from family on managing her business and kids
Priyanka launched her brand Maate in 2017, which offers mom and baby care products. However, before starting a business, she worked extensively in the corporate field.
On being asked by Harbhajan about how she managed business and family, Priyanka thanked Suresh Raina and her brothers for helping her out. She said:
"I come from a long corporate journey. I worked with many big firms, before I started my own business. I had no background in business, as I don't even come from a business family. I made mistakes and learned forward. I also had the best people guiding me along the way, which made a big difference. I never hesitate asking for help or learning, which is a very important process." (43:30)
"Then, having the biggest support system (Raina) when it comes to handling everything. He's always supported me and never made me feel like you're so focused on your career and neglecting the kids. Then, I had my brothers working with me, that backed me up. So collectively, we've made good progress," she added.
#5 Suresh and Priyanka on how they named their kids
Suresh Raina and Priyanka welcomed their first child, Gracia in 2016 and son, Rio, in 2020.
During the interaction, the couple shared a funny story of how they named their child. Priyanka said:
"So, Gracia was born in Europe. I think at that time, we were quite influenced by global names. I just really liked the name Gracia, which means beautiful or graceful. So, I chose the name of course with approval of him." (27:10)
"With Rio, he was born in India. We were living in India for the last 3-4 years by then. I thought, if we chose the Indian name, it woul be too contrasting to Gracia. So, the name should have been little global. Also, Gracia used to like this name a lot," she added.
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