If you haven’t heard of Shaadi.com, congratulations, you’re living under a rock. I am no fan of matrimonial platforms and arranged marriages, but we have to admit, that it’s an extremely common practice in our country. And it looks like the practice is going to become more inclusive now.
The portal is going to launch two more products. The company is looking forward to entering the matchmaking area for LGBTQ+ community, or people living abroad. While gay marriages are not legal in India, this looks like a good beginning.
The company’s founder and chief executive Anupam Mittal told Business Insider–
We see ourselves as a platform for companionship and matchmaking…That could mean for different markets, different regions, different countries, different sexes. We don’t have a problem with that. But we will significantly expand the kind of things that we do from a matchmaking context.
The company had earlier launched ‘Wedding From Home’ and video calling feature ‘ShaadiMeet’ last year to enable more users to find their matches online during the pandemic. However, the portal has made it clear that it will not venture into casual dating.
While it’s a step worth applauding, let’s hope that soon, the regressive, casteist, classist, and prejudiced practices of matchmaking and arranged marriages prevalent in our society, will also fade away into oblivion.