No compromise on choosing bridegrooms, women have choice

After 74 years of Independence are women in this country able to choose their own destiny, their life paths or even their own life partner? While matchmaking is still a family affair in India, matchmaking platform Shaadi.com has seen that singles are increasingly taking control of this journey. 70 per cent profiles are created on the platform, are by the users themselves and only 30 per cent are created by parents.

The new survey reveals that 83 per cent of women assert finding the right match is about compatibility and not compromise. Indian matchmaking has evolved amidst changing times to a more organic "arranged marriage" system, wherein women call the shots.

The age-old beliefs that in a marriage a woman must compromise and adjust no longer holds and women expect their partners to compromise and adjust and adjust as well. Compatibility ranks highest in their list of must-haves.

User data from the platform also showed that 65 per cent of the interests sent by women are to people who match their preferences and what they are looking for. In fact, women today know what they want and would like to marry someone that meets their preferences. 82 per cent women also said that they are willing to wait it out, as that they would like to give the matchmaking process its due time and avoid rushing into it.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Adhish Zaveri, director – marketing, of one such matrimony service said, "The ground realities of Indian Matchmaking are a lot different from what meets the eye. Matchmakers cannot just bring matches that they think are right for them. Singles are deciding for themselves and the decision usually comes down to compatibility. Matchmaking in today's context is about empowering people with the right information & providing them with a platform to have meaningful conversations."