Second Innings In Life: Matrimonial meet held for elders in Hyderabad

Tarnaka: Everyone needs a second chance in life, especially single senior citizens who are abandoned by their children. City-based NGO Thodu Needa organised a matrimonial meet / interactive session at Satyodayam here on Sunday.

As even single elderly people need a companion who can support them emotionally in the rest of their life, to fill this need and make it a reality, the voluntary group with over a decade of service has helped 250 elderly couples tie knot.

"The event got a good response and around 100 people got registered. The meeting helped people interact openly with one another to find the right match. An elderly single citizen Ramesh (name changed) had found a right match in his 70 years in a women Swathi (name changed) who is also of same age," said N M Rajeswari, the president of Thodu-NeedaSewa.

Every year, the NGO organises the matrimonial meet for those who want to marry irrespective of caste and religion. Apart from being non-discriminatory, the meeting also allowed the elderly to choose a live-in partner.

Marriages are not mandated for those who seek a companion instead of a spouse. As per the Supreme Court judgment of 2011, such relationships are legally accepted. Most participants of the meeting were those whose partners had died, For this, two passport size photos, photo copy of the spouse death certificate are need for registration," added N M Rajeswari.

A couple shared their experience: "So, how did it all start? After my wife passed away.For the past five years I stayed alone. It was depressing as my children stayed in different places. At one point I was depressed.

To give a second chance in my life and with encouragement from my near and dear, once I agreed to look for a companion. After attending two sessions with ThoduNeeda, I found Vijaya Reddy and tied knot in November 2020, " said R Reddy, aged 60.