Love stories are a culmination of a few inevitable things – timing, compatibility and yes, destiny. You never know when ‘the one’ will be right around the corner. You don’t even know if they are in the same city, state or even country. So when Bita and Bhagwan bumped into each other online, little did they know that they had found ‘the one’.
Bita Naghibi, a professional karate practitioner and instructor from Iran, and Bhagwan Kamble, a post-graduate from IIT Bombay—an interracial and intercultural couple—are one of those who found extraordinary love in their ordinary lives.
A love story with an unforeseen beginning
Credit: Bita Naghibi & Bhagwan Kamble
Gone are the days when people found dates in the real world – like at a cafe or a grocery store or the gym. The age of modern dating is defined by online romance. There are countless dating apps available at your fingertips, equipped to match you with your soulmate. But Bita and Bhagwan’s fates had something else in store for them.
The Indo-Iranian couple met in early 2022 on an English learning app. They were partnered to talk everyday for practice. In a short span, the duo cemented a connection that they would go to cherish forever.
Bita said, “After some weeks of talking, we decided to meet in person. We met first in May 2022, when Bhagwan was in IIT Bombay campus. It was such a good time, we explored a lot of places. Later on, Bhagwan came to meet me in Iran in August 2022.”
An extraordinary first love
Credit: Bita Naghibi & Bhagwan Kamble
They say first love is always unforgettable. But there are a few lucky ones who spend their whole lives with their first and last love. Never having fallen in love before, Bita and Bhagwan were two such lucky ones who would go on to commit, for the first time, to each other for life.
They said, “We don’t know exactly how to define love. People always ask, ‘What does love mean to you? ‘But we feel we cannot define love. Our love is the same from beginning to now. Only it is getting stronger and stronger every day. For both of us, this is the first and last relationship. Trust, adaptability and simplicity are the main things in our relationship.”
Bita and Bhagwan on navigating familial issues
Credit: Bita Naghibi & Bhagwan Kamble
Within a few weeks of talking to each other, Bita and Bhagwan grew close and decided to take their relationship ahead. After meeting twice in May and August of 2022, the intercultural couple decided to tie the knot in December 2022 in a court marriage.
As anyone would surmise, it was not an easy task for Bita and Bhagwan to navigate their respective familial issues. While Bita’s parents accepted Bhagwan after spending quality time with him, Bhagwan trusted his decision to commit to Bita and did not feel the need to convince his family.
He said, “I am a straightforward person maybe because of my education and the type of books I read in my life. I didn’t convince my parents. I decided whom to marry. I told them that I love Bita and want to marry her. They know I will not listen to anyone. They were not that happy at that time, but later on they understood and became witnesses in our court marriage.”
On living with Bhagwan and his parents, Bita said, “At first, I was a little bit scared of them, as they were not that happy with us. Once they understand our true love, they are so good with me. I am really grateful to have Bhagwan’s parents. I like Bhagwan’s mom so much; she is so simple and pure of heart.”
Bita and Bhagwan on finding acceptance in the society
Credit: Bita Naghibi & Bhagwan Kamble
Bita and Bhagwan admitted that they were taken aback by the mentality of a few sections in the society. Since Bhagwan hails from a village in Maharashtra, the couple stayed there for sometime, where they were readily accepted by everyone. But things looked a bit different in Pune where they faced the inevitable questions and objections.
Bhagwan said, “Maybe people don’t want to see new changes in society. At the start people were asking about the Bita’s caste and how your parents allowed you to get married. The shocking thing is people in Pune city were asking these questions. We stayed in the village for a few months during marriage, no one asked us about these things. We navigate negativity by focusing on our love, trust and the deep connection we share. By sharing our story and dispelling misconceptions, we hope to contribute to changing perceptions about intercultural relationships in society.”
Bita and Bhagwan on the most liberating thing about their relationship
Credit: Bita Naghibi & Bhagwan Kamble
When two people are in loveand vow to make it work, there’s no stopping them. A simple act of determination, commitment and courage led Bhagwan and Bita to find soulmates in each other. Their upbringing, contrasting cultures and dissimilar backgrounds did not matter when they found out that they share the same values. They found the liberty to be with each other in their genuine and candid selves.
They said, “The most liberating thing was finding acceptance and support in each other despite our cultural differences. It allowed us to be ourselves without fear of judgment.”
Social and lead images credits: Bita Naghini and Bhagwan Kamble
