Not able to understand the meaning of a particular sentence

"When she joined the organization, my mother was an 18-year old, fair and green-eyed plump girl with a ready laugh. Most men around her were older to her-coming from varied backgrounds, rural, poor, Dalit, Muslim. Many fell for her instantly and wanted to marry her. In fact, father would receive the proposal for her by some reticent young man, for her family background was intimidating."

I have written down the whole paragraph so that one can get the context. I’m unable to understand the meaning of the last sentence in the paragraph. Who would the receive the proposal, author’s mother or father and who is this reticent young man?