"I need to get married in three months. Please help me. I need to find a wife.”This is one of the many requests that Malaika Neri, a professional matchmaker based in Europe gets on a regular basis. Highly qualified Indian expatriates — working as engineers, IT professionals, in finance, consultants or project managers — all come to her in search of their suitable partner. But an approaching deadline doesn't fit with Neri's model. Instead, she prefers committed individuals looking for matching lifestyles, values and mindset in their partners. (Also read: Woman refuses to marry dark-complexioned man in U.P.’s Etawah)
In 2022, this is how some expatriate Indians are trying to organize a marriage for themselves, taking a step further away from traditional matchmaking.
Mind the gap: Between tradition and modernity
The idea of having a marriage set up by a third party — family, friends or neighbors — has been the norm in India and South Asia. However, arranged marriage is losing popularity as dating without parental involvement is becoming more socially acceptable and intercultural marriages become less of a taboo.