A counter tale for India’s big fat weddings: Andhra IAS officer gives son’s marriage for Rs 18k only

Hyderabad, Feb 10: Indians have seen some big, fat weddings in recent times - featuring cricketers, actors, industrialists and other celebrities. These marriages have been in the headlines for days, thanks to their grandeur. But there have also been marriages that have earned the focus for a reason that is an exact opposite and it is about their simplicity.

Ace badminton player Saina Nehwal's marriage has been one example of the simplicity. In fact, the revelation of her marriage was sudden and the scale was moderate enough to attract a lot of attention.

Another such marriage which has made the headlines is that of the son of P Basanth Kumar, Metropolitan Commissioner at Visakhapatnam Metro Region Development Authority (VMRDA), Andhra Pradesh. The top-ranked bureaucrat, despite his stature, decided to hold a simple wedding for his son which is scheduled on Sunday, February 10.

The groom, Abhinav Manas Patnala, who works as a manager (probation) in Andhra Bank, was marrying Lavanya Nidamanuri, a doctor by profession and their conjugal ceremony was to take place in Vishakhapatnam.

The hosts also requested the guests not to come to the ceremony with gifts or bouquets and mentioned it in their invitation card. What was even more surprising was that the boy's family was spending just Rs 18,000 for the marriage.

Basanth Kumar, however, is not holding a simple marriage for his children for the first time. In 2017, the IAS officer spent just Rs 16,000 for his daughter's marriage. Kumar's own marriage in 1988 saw an expenditure of just Rs 2,345, said a Times of India report.

The Twitterati praised the IAS for holding a simple marriage for his son:

An IAS officer is setting an example. Decides to spend a paltry of Rs.18000 only for his son's wedding.

— Raveendran P (@Pragit) February 7, 2019