Prasad met Shakhista at his workplace in an oil company

Love knows no boundaries. V.S.D. Prasad, a native of Vijayawada, entered into a wedlock with his sweetheart, Shakhista, a pretty young girl from Kazakhstan, who loves India and its culture besides her hubby dear, of course.

The marriage was solemnised according to traditional Andhra rituals at Amaravati Convention hall above the Vijaya Krishna Super Market on Bandar Road, on Sunday.

The beaming couple were the cynosure of all eyes, not just because they were the bride and the bride groom, but also the fact that Ms. Shakhista comes from a foreign land and is alien to Telugu culture raised the interest of many among the guests.

“Though we come from completely different backgrounds, marriage was quite a smooth affair, thanks to the broad-mindedness of both our parents who went out of their way to understand our emotions and accept our bond happily,” Mr. Prasad told The Hindu, hours after the marriage.

The two met in 2016 at their workplace in Kazakhstan. After his education in Vijayawada, Mr. Prasad moved to Iraq for a job and from there, he shifted to Kazakhstan, where he works as deputy manager (QAQC) in an oil field at Atyrau province since 2015. Ms. Shakhista also works in the same firm as HSE administrator.

“I first saw her in February two years back in the office canteen and fell for her beautiful long hair,” he admits.

Persian poet Rumi has said it best: “What you seek is seeking you.” While sharing with a women colleague of his department about how attractive he found Ms. Shakhista to be, he discovered that his colleague and his muse were both roommates. He pleaded with his colleague to introduce him to her roommate and when the two finally met, Ms. Shakhista told him that she was equally eager to meet him!

Sparks flew and love blossomed. “When I informed my parents about it, all they asked me is if the girl was good-natured. Fortunately, there was no hassle from her parents’ side also,” he says happily, adding: “Here we are tied in a bond forever.”

Mr. Prasad will soon return to Kazakhstan and work there to finish his current project, while Ms. Shakhista will stay in Vijayawada with her in-laws and wait for him to join her permanently. “Organic farming is what I intend to take up once I come back home,” says Mr. Prasad.