It is not often these days that a college romance fructifies into wedlock. Corporate Citizen unlocks the story of love that has culminated into marriage, for we believe in the stability of a relationship and family unit. We bring to you real-life romances that got sealed in marriage
Chandigarh-based corporate professionals Saurabh Chaudhary and Misha Kapalia are the quintessential childhood sweethearts. At 27, they've been married three years and go back 16 years. And you thought steadiness in matters of the heart is not a strong point with the young?
How young is too young to know one's mind anyway? Saurabh Chaudhary was in Std. VII, but the 11-year-old kid knew he liked his classmate, the pretty and quiet Misha. She of the few words and a serious head for numbers. She, who hardly spoke to anyone but managed to strike a chord with him.
It was quite the case of opposites attract. Saurabh was and is an extrovert, social and makes friends easily. She, on the other hand, had few friends and spoke sparingly. Still, he liked her enough to decide instantly that she was ‘The One’ for him.
Very seriously, he proposed to her. And equally seriously, she accepted. As they progressed through school the teachers got to know of their equation and were far from amused. Here were two good students with better things to do than to hang out together perpetually, or so they thought. Their parents were duly summoned and told about the budding romance. They weren't amused either.
A series of lectures followed, mostly revolving around the permanent importance of good grades and the transient nature of 'chocolate romance.' “It's not as if our parents were conservative or narrow-minded. It was just that we were way too young, and they hadn't heard of any such thing before” reminisces Saurabh.
“I am highly thankful to the convent school that brought us together. Hence, without a fail every Christmas as a tribute to our love story, we visit the school and light a candle in the church, and ask God to shower his blessings on us, as always”
-Misha Kapalia
With a great deal of tact, using the oldest trick in the book they were able to explain to both sets of parents that they were nothing more than good friends.
But considering the positive effect of their respective personalities on each other, it wasn't a bad thing after all. Being career oriented both respectively went on to pursue their Post Graduations. While he came to BIMM Pune for his degree in Marketing management, she chose to stay back and complete her MFC from Panjab University, Chandigarh. “It was the first time that we had been separated since school,” says Misha. “But I guess we both needed the space to pursue our career goals.”
Tough though the separation was, Saurabh had heard great things about Balaji and was convinced it was the right choice for him. “I thought it was a good time for him to study well, and get a good job so we could present our case before our parents,” says Misha.
Sure enough, he was one of the first ones to be placed during the placement season with Bajaj Allianz-first in Pune and then on request to Delhi. The transfer allowed him to spend weekends at home with Chandigarh and Misha, of course.
It was now that Saurabh gathered the courage to speak to his father. “Dad decided to pull my leg a bit, and said NO, but looking at my earnestness, he gave me his blessing”, he adds.
On her part, Misha's mother had always liked the affable and good-natured schoolboy who would drive his bicycle, come home for meals and visits every now and then. Perhaps she understood (with the instincts typical of moms) that the pleasant and caring young man was the right spouse for her very quiet daughter; perhaps she knew he would keep his word.
Turns out he did. And the duo was duly wed in a traditional ceremony in November 2016.
“Life is too short for arguments, I say sorry and there it ends. Whatever the problem, it must not fester. Solutions can be found and egos must not be allowed to rule”
- Saurabh Chaudhary
In sync and in step, a walk across foreverDespite having known each other for several years, before marriage, they soon discovered provided a different set of challenges. “It took some time to get used to living together,” says Saurabh. “Little things add up. We don't eat very spicy food-neither my parents nor brother nor I, but she loves her chillies. Also, the rhythms of both households are different,” he shares.
“Once I tried to cook something from scratch, but ended up summoning a demon,” he laughs. “On the other hand, Misha has great culinary skills. Dad calls her the “Kitchen Queen”. Both of us are big time foodies and a firm believer in the adage that if nobody sees you eating, it doesn’t contain calories. Seriously, abs are cool but have you tried stuffed crust pizza?”, he says.
According to Saurabh, Misha also has a serious Obsessive Compulsive Disorder especially when it comes to cleanliness and getting things done in a particular way. “ Sometimes it is very difficult for me to match her expectation but at the end of the day if it makes her happy, I am happy to say, oh yes, ma'am,” he smiles.
But slowly and steadily, with love and patience, trial and error, it got easier. “As things stand, my parents adore her,” says Saurabh. “They tell me that they couldn't have chosen any better for me, nor asked for more from my spouse. Misha is loving and respectful, and family-oriented in spite of being a serious career girl,” he says.
Misha says, “I am highly thankful to the convent school that brought us together. Hence, without a fail every Christmas as a tribute to our love story, we visit the school and light a candle in the church, and ask God to shower his blessings on us, as always.”
For the moment, Misha is between jobs-having quit her last profile at an Australian real estate firm but is looking for something to do her talent due justice. Also, there is a creative side of her that loves to experiment with new clothing designs. As she always says, “You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.
While Saurabh is employed with a Canadian company M Square Media, a profile that requires him to recruit students to study at various institutions abroad. Even though he's travelling throughout the week, weekends are for Misha and his parents. “Dinners, movies and outings together-family time is very important to us,” he says. “Yes, we both are ambitious and both want to do well in life. But it is possible and necessary to take one’s family along at every stage.”
Amidst all this, Misha makes it a point to visit her mother-a single parent since her father passed away. “She lives close by. I understand our responsibility towards our mother, we never let her feel alone” says Saurabh.
So, what according to them, are the pillars of a marriage? “Trust and commitment,” says Saurabh. “You need to be committed enough not to give up on each other at the first whiff of trouble and be stubborn enough to stick it out through thick and thin,” he elaborates. “Trust comes next. I travel frequently, but we both trust each other's decisions and intentions completely. When you have this understanding between the two of you, everything else falls in place.”
Conflict management is easy enough for the two of them, given their longstanding friendship. “Life is too short for arguments, I say sorry and there it ends,” grins Saurabh. “Whatever the problem, it must not fester. Solutions can be found, and egos must not be allowed to rule”, he rounds off.
By Kalyani Sardesai
