by Sanjana Yugan

In a world where relationships often face numerous challenges, lasting love stories are treasures to be cherished and celebrated. Recently, I had the pleasure of talking to Mr. and Mrs. Solanki who have recently celebrated their 19th anniversary. While I sip on chai and demolish onion pakoras, they share with me the secrets of their enduring love and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Q: How did you two first meet?

Kuldeep: Well, we first met in school. We were schoolmates sometime in 1994-1995. That was the first time we met each other, back in grade eight.

Tina: Yes. I had been in the school for 2 years prior, and he joined in grade eight. Ironically, we didn’t even have a single conversation for a good two years!

Q: What were your first impressions of each other?

Kuldeep: When I first saw her in class, I thought she was quite arrogant, maybe even haughty! In all honesty, I had never really spoken to her at that point, so this impression was merely based on observation, I guess. In retrospect, I may have even felt quite intimidated by her, because she was, and still is, very beautiful.

Tina: (Laughs) Honestly, when I first saw him, I could sense that he was smitten, so it was almost like that kept him from me! 

Kuldeep: (Nudges her) That explains the haughtiness, doesn’t it?

Q: Who made the first move? 

Kuldeep: Oh, I made the first move. Several, in fact.

Tina: Well, I don’t think Kuldeep is telling the complete story here. We were good friends for quite a while before we started dating. As fate would have it, we ended up in the same 10th-grade class. We were appointed class monitors, so we would have to coordinate quite a bit with one another. We were rather cordial with one another at first, discussing nothing more than what concerned the class. Yet, as time went on, we found ourselves starting to feel quite protective of one another. If anyone teased me, he was always there to diffuse the issue.

Q: How would you describe your first date?

Tina: Our first date wasn’t a proper date per se. Rather, it was an outing with friends, as we weren’t too sure of our feelings for each other.

Kuldeep: We just wanted to be in a non-regimented atmosphere of sorts, without the confines and boundaries one faces in school.

Q: What are the qualities you admire most in one another?

Tina: I admire his commitment to all endeavours he sets foot in. He always finishes what he starts, and never tries to shy away from challenges. He’s also a very punctual person because if that was not the case, I would be late to every event! He is also an aspirational person, which is very admirable.

Kuldeep: I love her honesty and her sincerity, and I truly admire her self-confidence and the way she truly believes in herself.

Q: How did you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year? 

Tina: Normally, I don’t make these days into something where I need to frantically look for the perfect gift because I am the most valuable gift he’ll ever get! (They laugh) Nonetheless, this year he did get me a few presents, like a bag from Coach, and some jewellery from Pandora!

Kuldeep: Well, Tina did take us to a restaurant for lunch that day. It was one of the top 50 Instagram-able restaurants in the world for sure! The ambiance was truly immaculate! Yet, this Valentine was quite a bittersweet one for us indeed. Tina had to travel to India on 14th February itself to tend to a family emergency as well. So to cheer her up, I shipped some flowers, chocolates, and brownies to her place in Delhi.

As I left their home with a box full of more onion pakoras, and a plethora of thoughts, I realised that their love story is not just about the passage of time, but about the depth of their connection, and the resilience of their commitment. In a world where relationships can be fleeting, theirs is a beacon of hope, reminding us that true love knows no bounds. Here’s to many more years of love, laughter, and endless adventures for the Solankis!