Speech and hearing impaired singles, here's a match-making service for you

Nithya is deaf-mute, but her smile is bright enough to light up a room. And why not? She's opening a new chapter of her life with Manojan, a man she likes.

Despite being a software engineer, Nithya's disability puts her among the 42% of  people   with disability, who pretty much end up single. Swayamvaraa Trust, a 17-year-old matching making and matrimonial service, came to her rescue.

Founded and managed by C N Vijayraj, Swayamvaraa runs a match-making service exclusively for speech and hearing impaired singles across the country.

Over 4,000 deaf-mute couples have found each other through a two-day annual gathering held by Swayamvaraa. Singles interact with each other on the first day of the event, get to know each other's personality and zero-in on their significant other.

Once the individuals make up their minds about the person they want to marry, Vijayraj takes up the onus to talk to their parents and organises their marriages the next day.

In 2000, Vijayraj was invited to inaugurate a function organised by the Association of Hearing Disabled Citizens of Karnataka. Little did he know then that it would be life-changing. There, he came across the struggles the speech and hearing impaired individuals go through to find a life partner.

Soon, he sold his property and invested the money - along with his life savings - to set up Swayamvaraa. "These are like my own children," Vijayraj said, pointing to a group of speech and hearing impaired individuals. "It feels as if I'm watching my own children getting married."

He talks like a proud father about his brainchild. "This has become a great platform for the speech and hearing impaired to gather and find life partners, pretty much the way I envisaged," he said.

The organisation has some simple rules for the brides, grooms and their families: no dowry, all the marriages should be registered with the sub-registrar and anyone from across the country can take part in the match-making process.

"Today, I have 1,400 daughters and sons-in-law and over 1,450 grandchildren. This must be the biggest family in the world," said a proud Vijayraj.

Registration and selection of couples for the 17th exclusive hearing impaired matrimony event will take place on January 9 and the marriages will be performed the following  day.

Wedding ceremonies are performed according to the religious traditions of the brides and grooms. Besides the wedding attire, the trust also donates everything the newly wedded couple need to begin life together.

The weddings will be conducted at the Sri Raghavendra Swami Mission Choultry, Indiranagar.

About the trust  

* Swayamvaraa trust has been holding annual match-making events for deaf-mute singles for 17 years

* Founder C N Vijayraj invested his savings, proceeds from his property to run the trust

* Registration, selection of couples  on Jan 9