India's BharatMatrimony Ushers In New Era Of Arranged Marriages

BBC.CO.UK - Apr 29 - Murugavel Janakiraman, the founder and CEO of one of India's largest matrimonial companies, BharatMatrimony, says he has married more than 2M people. "Love comes after the marriage," he says. He met his own wife through the service he had created, after he responded to a profile of her posted by his future father-in-law. "We got married in three weeks," he says. Mr Janakiraman says the way people marry in India has changed significantly. Parents are "more comfortable nowadays" with their children choosing their own partner "as long as they marry within the community". Murugavel launched BharatMatrimony in 2000. One big challenge was how to receive payments from customers. In India, credit card usage is still in its infancy. Mr Janakiraman's solution was simple: "We had to go to the doorstep and collect the money." "More than 60% of the revenue is coming from this doorstep collection mechanism in India," he adds. He is also examining the possibility of entering the wedding industry, which he says is a sizeable market. "Marriage in India is something - it's a once in a lifetime event… the most expensive event," he says.