Abandoned girl raised in shelter to marry Surat engineer

Vadodara: A 22-year-old woman who was found abandoned at the Nizampura Bus Depot in 2012 is set to begin a new chapter in life as she prepares to marry a civil engineer from Surat.The woman, Vidya (name changed), was brought up at the Nari Sanrakshan Gruh after her parents or relatives could not be traced. Officials said she was the only woman of marriageable age at the facility.According to Hetaxi Champaneri, manager of the protection home, the biodata of a civil engineer from Surat was received and shared with Vidya. "She agreed to consider the proposal, following which we gathered more details about the youth. He was called for an interaction with the committee that manages the home, and several documents and certificates were sought for verification," Champaneri said. The youth also underwent medical tests and submitted the reports to the committee.A member of the committee said the prospective groom expressed his willingness to welcome Vidya into his family. The civil engineer earns around Rs 55,000 per month and is repaying some EMIs, but assured the committee that he would take care of her.The wedding ceremonies will begin on March 10, with the marriage scheduled for March 11 at the protection home's premises. Officials said all traditional Gujarati wedding rituals will be performed.Champaneri said the state govt provides financial assistance for such marriages. "The govt gives Rs 50,000 for the wedding ceremony, along with a National Savings Certificate worth Rs 50,000 and a fixed deposit of Rs 50,000 in the bride's name," she said.Officials at the home are busy making arrangements for the wedding. Sayajigunj MLA and former mayor Keyur Rokadiya will perform the kanyadaan at the ceremony.