And they live happily ever after

It was a red-letter day for Urmila, 23, an orphan who was raised by various government authorities since the last 13 years, when she tied the knot with Shivalingayya Mathapati, 27, here on Monday.

The simple wedding was organised by the district administration on the premises of the State Home for Women here, where she was presently living.

Deputy Commissioner Ujjwalkumar Ghosh, member secretary of the District Legal Services Authority S.R. Manikya, Deputy Director for Women and Child Welfare Department Srikant Kulkarni, and social activist K .Neela were present.

Hailing from Ghattaragi in Afzalpur taluk, Ms. Urmila lost her parents and subsequently got into the Government Girls’ Home in Kalaburagi in 2013. She spent her childhood and continued her education from different State-run homes. She recently completed her BA from Gulbarga University and now wants to pursue postgraduation in Sociology. Ms. Urmila remembers her father’s name as Bhojappa, but cannot recall her mother’s name. “I will never forget the orphanages that have raised me as their own daughter,” she said. It was love at first sight for Ms. Urmila and Mr. Shivalingayya a few months ago. Mr. Shivalingayya, a resident of Brahmapur here, works as a manager in a book store for the last 12 years and earns around ₹10,000 per month. After proper verification and counselling, the couple got the nod.

“My dream of marrying an orphan girl has been realised. My family wholeheartedly supported my decision to marry a resident of the State Home for Women,” he told presspersons who attended the marriage.

Shilpa Hiremath, Superintendent of State Home, stood in the bride’s mother’s place and performed the rituals. “The State Home girls’ relationship with us does not end with their marriage.We remain in touch with them and submit yearly report to the government,” Ms. Hiremath said. She said Ms. Urmila is the 15th girl to get married in the State Home for Women here in the last 10 years. Officials in the home said that the government provides ₹25,000 for the marriage of a resident. Also, ₹5,000 is be spent on the marriage and the remaining amount deposited in the joint bank account of the couple.