Dikrah2019

My name is Haaris Pradhan and I feel like I’ve known Danish Pradhan my whole life. Over this lifespan we’ve come to grow close, some may even say he’s like a brother to me. Others may say that I’m a slightly less attractive version of him (even though we are nothing alike). Either way, I feel we’ve had a special relationship because we feel comfortable talking to each other about anything and we trust each other with our secrets. For example, many of you may not know that Danish was the president of a fraternity in college. He tends not to tell many people but as a brother, I knew.
I’ve always been able to rely on Danish to guide me, be understanding, and protect me. One of the most important traits I value in our relationship is the ability for self-improvement and growth. Although our growth stopped when we were teenagers, we still strive for self-improvement. I now value my relationship with Danish not only because we push to improve each other but also because I’ve seen a desire in him to give back to others and act selflessly after he met Ikrah.

Danish and I met 13 years ago in our freshman year of college. Since then, we’ve played poker and basketball, joined a fraternity, learned how to talk to girls, been roommates, and participated in too many late night shenanigans to count. I’m so happy you have found a woman who can not only keep you grounded, but also build your furniture! I’ve always told Danish "if it happens, it happens"... well, congrats man! It’s happening!

Danish, we’ve had our share of competitions over the years. I was born on August 7, 1988, you were born on August 7, 1988 (a few hours before me); I got Gold in I-Star, you got Silver in I-Star; you were chubby, I was skinny; you totaled my car, I totaled your car; you had a best friend, that best friend became my best friend; you had your girlfriend stolen by one of your groomsmen, but I defended your honor and stole that girlfriend from him; you were an all-star in mock trial, I was your understudy; you went to law school for one semester, I finished law school; you got skinny, I got chubby; you have "coached” the Titans to many victories, I have coached my fantasy football teams to many titles, and so on.
Cheers to the good old years and for many more to come, but more importantly, kudos to finding someone who compliments all aspects of you so perfectly.

To be brutally honest growing up I didn't like Danish at all. It's just really hard to like a dude that straightens his hair and thinks he's Aladdin ya get what I mean
However as years went by our relationship took a turn for the better as we joined forces to beat a common basketball enemy. After our first of many championships in Dallas we became closer and I started to see who he really is. To most, he's the best President that his fraternity DELTA EPSILON PSI ever had. However to me Danish is a very caring, humble, and surprisingly very intelligent individual that always is looking out for his friends and family. He is a person of honor and respect which I can tell was instilled in him from his parents. I am blessed and honored to be one of his groomsmen and very excited to share this momentous occasion with him, Ikrah and his family and friends.

"I don't know what is tighter, our jeans or our friendship"
Danish and I have shared every single type of experience you can or can't think of... from Boy Scouts, AKYSB lock-ins, Saturday's at Rosemeade recreation center, Ismaili basketball, high school homecoming, prom, birthdays, Alistar, Delta Epsilon Psi, Al-Ummah(s), vacations, FOI, Indo-Pak tournaments, and other unique/weird experiences.
Danish, our friendship has way too many milestones for just one short paragraph, but I want you to know that I cherish every single one of those experiences with you. I'm proud of the human you've become and I hope you continue to be that bright star that lights up Ikrah's heart for many years to come.
I look forward to celebrating your wedding weekend in Seattle!

Danish,
I am so incredibly happy for you and Ikrah. We have been friends for almost 15 years now and I am so proud on how far we have come. We started our friendship in our teenage years in Boy Scouts and now here we are getting married this year (not to each other). We have gone through many ups and downs throughout the years and I am very grateful to have a friend like you to help get through it all. Wishing you and Ikrah many more years of happiness and success. I’ll be right here if you need me.

I have a ton of pictures of just Danish and I that are great, but this one in particular has always stood out. This picture illustrates what makes Danish one of the best men I know; his ability to bring people together.
So many of us have been brought together by his relentless push for pregames, brunch, or just a lazy Sunday basketball game. Despite my antisocial excuses, he’s made Seattle a better place for myself and everyone that is lucky enough to call him a friend.
Danish I hope your celebration brings you as much joy as you’ve brought to the people that are trapped in at least one of your group chats.

So DP and I are cousin-brothers. We have a bond like cousins, but we also have a bond like brothers, so cousin-brothers. DP and I had to forcefully hang out when we were young. He would take me to 24 hour fitness, so I could watch him do 400 crunches. Then we would go to the basketball court, and I would watch him do lay-up drills for hours. Thank God I stuck around and watched him do all these things because now he’s an International Ismaili Basketball Champion.
In 2013, DP and I became roommates and started to hang out voluntarily. We've made many many great memories during that time and since then. There are A LOT of stories that have not surfaced yet, but you’ll have to wait for the wedding to hear these

Danish and I first became close when we were asked to co-emcee our cousins wedding. After that experience, I realized Danish was the 2nd best emcee I know

Like most brown Ismaili kids living in Dallas, Danish and I met at REC, scouts and other youth programs. We were acquaintances, but we weren’t tight. This dude was always trying to knock off the Shocktarts (unsuccessful in all attempts, might I add). It pissed me off. I thought to myself - damn, DP. When are you going to give up? He didn’t.
Truth is, deep down, I wanted him on my team. He got sh*t done. He knew basketball. He was shrewd and savvy. In some instances, he could match me stat for stat. He was and still is the ultimate connector.
I’ll save the long version for chapter 7 on our Book of Ismaili Basketball a la Bill Simmons, but everything changed at the turn of the decade (2009-2010). Ismaili basketball in Dallas was flat and needed a jolt. The timing was perfect. The stars aligned. Danish Pradhan and I were finally on the same team. The Dallas Titans. Never thought it would happen. But boy am I glad it did. He may not be the best basketball player. But find me someone who’s more passionate when it comes to tournaments and Titans. There’s not. He was able to continue the Titan legacy and put it over the top. And for that - I am eternally grateful.
Outside of basketball, I have the great fortune of being Danish’s friend. Though we can annoy everyone around us by defaulting to Titans talk whenever we’re hanging out (sorry AB

Danish, you’re one of my best friends of all time. After 15 years of knowing you and becoming adults we can still call each other at any hour and pick up right where we left off. We mostly get on the line to quickly talk about something, but mostly it turns into hilarious descriptions of our current lives, debating personal values, reminiscing on old stories, a guaranteed lecture from you on risk vs reward, and whether or not we stopped at 12 Imams. I thought it was normal...but now writing this I cant think of many other people who go absolutely out of their way to stay in touch, call you when they’re in town, and stilllll drag you out to uptown after you haven’t seen each other in over a year, and truly care about how you’re doing. I value this quality because I’m like this. And it’s a challenge to find this kind of reciprocation. But it’s not just to me, it’s to everyone you know. Don’t get it twisted, you’re definitely marrying up bro. But Ikrah must know she’s pretty damn lucky too.

For those of you that don't know, Danish and I are cousins (who could miss the height resemblance). Through the years we have become very close by living next to each other in Carrollton, playing basketball together, and going to The University of Texas at Austin together. Our adventures have taken us across the world (see the picture of us winning USA nationals that qualified us to go to the International Jubilee games in Dubai which we also won)! I will always look down (uh, I mean up) to Danish as an older brother and wish him and Ikrah the best of luck.

For those of you that don't know, Danish and I are cousins (who could miss the height resemblance). Through the years we have become very close by living next to each other in Carrollton, playing basketball together, and going to The University of Texas at Austin together. Our adventures have taken us across the world (see the picture of us winning USA nationals that qualified us to go to the International Jubilee games in Dubai which we also won)! I will always look down (uh, I mean up) to Danish as an older brother and wish him and Ikrah the best of luck.

My bromance with Danish has blossomed ever since Shahzil connected us last year. Ikrah says Danish and I are two versions of the same person -- we’re both Eagle Scouts, perennial emcees, and always about to start that new healthy diet tomorrow.
When Danish and I met last summer, weekly Dua & Dinner gatherings were just starting up in Seattle. Danish was and is the greatest hype man -- he expanded the D&D WhatsApp group from 15 people to over 120 in a matter of weeks! Ikrah proactively took on the role of volunteer captain and group photographer while Danish enlisted several families in Seattle Khane to provide us dinner every week. Who else could bring a community together like this?
It’s been inspiring to watch Dikrah’s relationship flourish now that they both live in the same city. They use positivity, compassion, and humor to not only make each other better but also to improve the lives of those around them. I feel immensely fortunate to have been a beneficiary of the Dikrah magic.

I’m confident that Danish, Ikrah, and I were BFFs in our previous lives when we were rocks, plants, or chimpanzees; it’s the only explanation for how we became so close in less than a year.

We’ve had some unforgettable memories like…
- unintentionally rolling down backwards from the top of an icy hill in my car (this is why everyone stays home when it snows in Seattle)
- learning that Danish and Ikrah are always joking with each other (even if everyone else around them is confused!)

Danish and Ikrah are the kind of friends you don’t need to make plans with - you just show up, hang out, chat, and 6 hours later you realize you’ve eaten hummus, chips, salsa, pistachios, and cheese for lunch and dinner. Cheers to more fun, unplanned, snacks-for-meal times!

Family and friends,
Anybody that KNOWS Danish and Ikrah... truly knows how irreplaceable their relationship is. Danish and Ikrah have a relationship that cannot be copied or mimicked. They each have their own unique, quirky, personality and together they make a wonderful pair! I honestly think these two young individuals were meant to be soulmates- they are like two peas in a pod! Over the past few years I’ve gotten to know them a bit more- individually, and as a couple. I can definitely say that they have created a power couple... Ikrah does all the handy work, while Danish is in the kitchen working on meal prep!