Sandhya & Akarsh
“Ours wasn’t love at first sight, it was love that came later” laughs Akarsh.
Akarsh is an ambivert and is the definition of a closed book and he came across Sandhya, who is the complete opposite. “My first impression of her was that there is this idiot who has put up everything about herself, her family and friends on her profile on Aisle. I’m someone who pays attention to details. I felt that she’s a very open and energetic person. I needed that kind of energy in my life so I sent her an Invite” Akarsh says.
“The photos he had put upon his profile had distinct looks in each one which gave me an idea about what I thought would be his personality, which it actually isn’t by the way. In his Invite, he related some of the things I had written on mine with him and I thought to myself, why not!” recalls Sandhya.
They started chatting and both of them were shocked at how they were poles apart. “Because I don’t talk much it was difficult for her to get something out of me. She would ask a lot of questions. Honestly, if it was 4 years back I would’ve run in the opposite direction, but there was something about her, that I didn’t mind answering” laughs Akarsh.
After talking online for a couple of months, in August 2017 Akarsh flew down to Bangalore and they met for the first time. When asked about the first date Sandhya laughed and said, “It was horrible. I was in another mind space and he was not articulate about his feelings. He had just come back from a trek so he had that long hair and beard. I was honestly repulsed by how he looked. We just met, ate and left”. “Even though our first meeting wasn’t the best, I felt something. On my way back to Dubai I was constantly thinking about her” adds Akarsh.
Over time Sandhya and Akarsh became closer but the long-distance relationship wasn’t easy for them. “He was in Dubai and I was in Bangalore so talking on the phone was quite a big headache but I kind of pushed us to talk on the phone because I didn’t think just chatting was enough” says Sandhya.
Sandhya had told Akarsh about how he wasn’t opening up and he would be there chatting for 5 minutes and then he would disappear. And so finally Akarsh decided to get out of his comfort zone and give Sandhya a call. And that’s when the magic really started.
They decided to take a trip to Delhi, Agra and Nainital for their second date and see if things would be different. They met at the Delhi airport on January 26, 2018, and Sandhya describes this meeting as “fire and instant connection”. “From the time she hugged me at the Delhi airport and throughout the trip, I was amazed at how this girl who had just met me once was ready to trust me. She fell asleep on my lap on the cab and that moment I realized that this is it” adds Akarsh. “This trip was a test of our compatibility and it sealed the deal for us,” says Sandhya.
That year they made a trip to Guruvayoor and Kashmir. These trips were what brought them closer. “Every trip that we made and then the distance apart was what made us stick together because we would get a glimpse of how life would be like with the other person and then you’re separated. It was initially hard on our relationship but also made us stronger” says Sandhya with Akarsh readily agreeing.
“After a couple of months, Sandhya made a professional presentation with all my details as a joke to show her immediate family and friends” laughs Akarsh. The families met in October to familiarise themselves with each other since they were from 2 different communities and in January 2019 Sandhya moved to Dubai.
“We decided to live together for a couple of months before getting married because the dynamics change when you’re under the same roof. Both our families knew and were quite supportive. A month into living together we were sure that we can do this” laughs Sandhya. “Funniest thing is that I was doing okay in my career and the moment she stepped in Dubai my career took a huge hit and she had to deal with all that. And I have had my bad days and she handled all that and was always there for me” adds Akarsh.
In December 2019, they got married in Bangalore. They had a small, meaningful ceremony with just close family and friends.
“Initially I couldn’t accept how she was, super energetic and eccentric, and then I realized that this is what I need and what I needed for the rest of my life, I know that now,” says Akarsh.
Having lived together for about 10 months they don’t feel much has changed since marriage. Now Akarsh and Sandhya look forward to their days off work where they spend quality time with food, drinks, and music in their home.
Aisle wishes this adorable couple a lifetime of happiness!
