Two people who were convinced they were not looking for love found themselves planning their wedding a few months into knowing each other. Sometimes forever arrives when you least expect it, and that’s the story of Sushmitha Singh Jodha and Harsh Jodha. Their love story began with a family introduction that neither was particularly enthusiastic about, followed by a few days of secret Instagram stalking, an unexpectedly charming first conversation and a coffee date that changed everything.
He was certain she was the one within hours of meeting her. She, on the other hand, had arrived prepared to politely turn him down. But between long conversations, stolen glances, a romantic getaway to Darjeeling and a spectacular proposal overlooking Hyderabad, their relationship blossomed into something neither had quite anticipated.
By July 2026, barely three months after their families first brought them together, the couple were exchanging vows at Taj Deccan in Hyderabad. With heartfelt family performances, fun celebrations and a wedding ceremony that stretched into the early hours of the morning, their union was a celebration of love, spontaneity and finding certainty in the most unexpected person.
In conversation with Manifest, the newlyweds revisit their whirlwind romance, the moments that brought them closer and the celebrations that marked the beginning of their forever.
Manifest (M): How did the two of you meet, and what were your first impressions of each other?
Sushmitha Singh Jodha (SSJ): Our story began in the most unexpected way. On April 26, 2026, my Bhabhisa, Pushpa Di, met Harsh at his brother’s housewarming in Pune. She thought we would make a good match and showed him my Instagram profile and paintings. Apparently, he initially said no because he assumed I would be a very traditional Rajput girl. But curiosity got the better of him, and he spent the next three days secretly looking through my Instagram, terrified of accidentally liking a photograph!
Meanwhile, I had absolutely no idea he existed. When Bhabhisa called to tell me she had found someone, I was ready to refuse. My sister convinced me to give him a chance.
Our first phone conversation made me even more nervous. He was so confident and articulate that I remember thinking, I came here planning to reject him. Why am I suddenly worried he might reject me?
Harsh Jodha (HJ): I had almost given up on finding love. But once I discovered more about Sushmitha, I became curious. When we finally started talking, there was something about her that made me want to know her better.
M: Your first date happened during a five-hour airport layover in Hyderabad. What do you remember most vividly about that meeting?
SSJ: Everything! It was May 2, 2026, and I had barely slept the previous night. I wore a yellow top and waited for him at the airport. I still remember him walking towards me at pillar number two, wearing a dark blue polo shirt, light blue jeans and sunglasses. My first thought was, Oh my God, he’s hot!
We went to Roastery Coffee House because I knew he loved coffee and hot chocolate. I was trying to have a sensible conversation about our families, expectations and what we wanted from life. Meanwhile, he kept looking into my eyes!
A few hours later, he held my hand and told me he was absolutely certain he wanted to marry me. I was shocked! I had come to decide whether I wanted a second date, and here was this man already planning our future. I told him we needed time to date and understand each other.
HJ: I remember thinking how beautiful she was and wondering how someone like her was sitting across from me. I felt an immediate connection. I told her, “You take your time, baba. But I’m 100 per cent sure about you.”
M: When did you realise that this connection was turning into something serious?
SSJ: When we said goodbye after that first date, I didn’t want him to leave. We held hands on the way back to the airport, and I asked if I could kiss him on the cheek. He kissed my forehead, and we shared the longest hug. We were video-calling soon afterwards because we already missed each other.
Before leaving, Harsh told me he would return from Riyadh in 20 days to spend time with me. I couldn’t believe someone was making that kind of effort after meeting me just once.
Our first trip together to Darjeeling really changed things. I picked him up at the airport with carnations, my favourite flowers, and we spent two nights in Hyderabad before travelling to the mountains. There were endless coffees, beautiful views, romantic walks and so much laughter. Even when we were stuck in terrible traffic, we found reasons to laugh.
I planned a surprise in our hotel room with flowers and a cake to ask him to be my boyfriend. That trip made me realise we were consciously choosing each other.
M: Your relationship moved rather quickly from dating to wedding planning. How did your families react?
SSJ: Initially, we thought we might get engaged around July. Suddenly, we were planning a wedding for July itself! It was overwhelming because everything was happening so quickly, but our families were incredibly supportive.
Harsh’s family welcomed me with so much affection. His father even called me personally to ask me to say yes to the wedding. My friends and cousins adored Harsh, too.
There were moments when I felt nervous about the pace of everything, but Harsh always made me feel secure. Between shopping for his sherwani, selecting outfits, planning functions and organising invitations, our future was taking shape before we could quite believe it.
M: Harsh, you planned a rather spectacular proposal at Taj Falaknuma Palace. Tell us about that evening.
HJ: I wanted to create a moment Sushmitha would remember forever. On June 19, I took her to Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. She thought we were going out for dinner and had no idea what I had planned.
At the Gol Bungalow, overlooking the city, I got down on one knee with a rose and a five-carat diamond ring. I wanted the proposal to feel as special as she was to me.
SSJ: I was completely stunned! I genuinely thought he had come for wedding shopping. Suddenly, there he was, on one knee, asking me to marry him. There were tears, kisses and this overwhelming feeling of happiness.
We celebrated with dinner, dancing and qawwali. Everything about the evening felt like a scene from a royal romance. If I could relive a few minutes of my life, that proposal would certainly be one of them.
M: Tell us about your wedding at Taj Deccan in Hyderabad. What was the atmosphere you wanted for your celebrations?
SSJ: We got married in July 2026 at Taj Deccan, Hyderabad, surrounded by our families and closest people. With everything happening in such a short time, we wanted our celebrations to be filled with love, laughter and moments we could cherish.
We had mehendi, sangeet and haldi ceremonies, along with family performances that made everything feel so personal. It was wonderful watching everyone come together to celebrate our relationship.
More than anything, I remember the happiness of being surrounded by people who had supported us from the very beginning. There was so much dancing, laughter and emotion throughout the festivities.
M: Was there a particular moment during the pre-wedding festivities that completely stole your heart?
SSJ: Harsh’s solo dance at the sangeet! Dancing isn’t exactly his thing, so watching him perform to my favourite songs was the sweetest surprise. I knew how much effort he had put into making me happy.
We also danced together to songs that had become special to us during our relationship. Those little moments were incredibly meaningful because they reminded us of how far we had come in such a short time.
HJ: I wanted to surprise her and make her smile. Seeing her happy made every bit of preparation worthwhile.
M: Take us through the wedding ceremony. What was the most emotional moment of the night?
SSJ: The wedding ceremony was delayed until around 3 a.m., but I remember the moment I finally saw Harsh standing there as my groom. He was smiling at me, and suddenly, nothing else mattered.
After the baraat, the celebrations and all the excitement, seeing him waiting for me made everything feel real. This was the same man who had told me on our first date that he was certain I would become his wife. And now, just a few months later, we were actually getting married.
It was an overwhelming feeling, but in the most beautiful way. I felt happy, emotional and incredibly grateful.
M: What happened after the wedding, and how did it feel to begin this new chapter together?
SSJ: The very next day, we flew to Jodhpur for the home-entry rituals with Harsh’s family. Everything still felt like a beautiful dream.
Somewhere between the wedding celebrations and being welcomed into my new family, it finally struck me that this handsome man with the beautiful eyes and kind heart was now my husband.
What makes our story so special to me is how unexpectedly everything happened. He initially said no, and I was prepared to say no. He was certain about us long before I was, while I needed time to understand what I was feeling.
But he never made me feel rushed emotionally. He gave me the reassurance I needed, and we found our way to each other.
M: Looking back, what has this whirlwind love story taught you about finding the right person?
SSJ: That love doesn’t always arrive according to your plans. Sometimes, the person you least expect becomes the person you cannot imagine your life without.
I had convinced myself that I would take things slowly and carefully evaluate everything. Harsh walked into my life with complete certainty, and somehow, we met in the middle.
From that first coffee date to Darjeeling, the proposal and our wedding, everything happened faster than I could have imagined. But every experience brought us closer.
HJ: When you find the right person, sometimes you just know. I was sure about Sushmitha from the beginning, and I’m grateful that she gave us a chance.
SSJ: We began as two people who almost said no to each other. Today, we get to spend our lives saying yes to each other. And I think that’s the most beautiful part of our story.