There is something about fairy tales that evokes the inner princess in many of us. Yet, this real-life princess had her fairy tale come true when she married her knight in shining armour during a global pandemic. Seherinder Kaur of the erstwhile royal family of Patiala had known Aditya Narang, a businessman based in New Delhi, since childhood. Their love, however, bloomed when the world was forced into lockdown.
“We started dating each other in 2020 during the first lockdown and spent a lot of time getting to know each other. Six months later, it became clear to both of us that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, so we decided to get married,” recalls the still smitten Seherinder when we meet the young couple at their new home in South Delhi.
She adds, “Addy and I drove 16 hours to the Indo-Nepalese border to formally ask my father for my hand in marriage (and my father did not know we were coming!).” Fortunately, the assent was given, and their romantic courtship was followed by a beautiful and intimate wedding marked by the presence of loved ones. One wonders if the restrictions of a pandemic wedding put a dampener on the celebrations? Aditya responds, “It was stressful but we also appreciated the intimacy of a smaller celebration. Honestly, we chose to make the most of the circumstances and it ended up being a beautiful day.”
Culinary Dreams And Tech Triumphs
Petite and charming Seherinder spent her growing years in boarding school in Kodaikanal — a period she believes shaped the person she turned out to be. Later, while living in Paris, she discovered her calling quite by accident. “I have always been fascinated by good food, and fortunately have grown up in homes where the standard for what is cooked and served has always been very high. I further developed my palate by travelling across the world over the years. This drove me to explore other cuisines and eventually, I developed a passion for good food. The first time I cooked, however, was when I was living alone in Paris and was craving home food. I’ve never looked back since,” she smiles.
To pursue this passion, she completed a six-month programme at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in London. Both husband and wife moved lock, stock and barrel to the city for the entire duration of the course and enjoyed their time there as newlyweds. Armed with her chef ’s diploma, the young lady is now preparing for her foray into the culinary world.
Aditya, on the other hand, is the practical and enterprising half of this duo. After graduating from the famed boarding school Millfield in the UK, he studied at Northeastern University in Boston. He now channels his interests and expertise into running SafeHouse, a cyber security company. This innovative tech company works to provide safety in the digital sphere against identity theft, harassment and predatory online behaviour through a mobile app. In 2021, his business venture raised a seed round of $9 million in investment and earned him a spot on the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 List for Consumer Technology.
That this young man is passionate about his work is clear, but he also pursues other interesting hobbies. An avid fitness buff, his day begins as early as 6.30am every morning with a workout and a session at the infrared sauna. “After long days at work, I enjoy unwinding in the evenings and indulging in my other passion — red wine,” he says.
Creating A Home And Savouring Moments
Seherinder is currently busy with the demands of her new home. “I’m very creative and since we have moved into a new home there is always something to do. We also love entertaining and I cook for my family and friends who come over quite often,” she shares.
The stylish fashionista names her favourite designers as Adarsh Gill, Charu Parashar, Ragaza Ye Ye, Tarun Tahiliani and Rahul Mishra for Indian fits and Magaschoni, Zadig, N Peal, Elie Tahari, Gucci, Ralph Lauren and YSL for western ones.
As a couple, their favourite activities include exploring new restaurants, watching horror movies, going on long road trips and doing up their home together. “We enjoy cooking together in the kitchen we built, and creating things is such fun. Doing up every part of our home was a process that we enjoyed thoroughly and it’s still ongoing,” says Aditya.
The greatest shared passion of all, however, is travel. Some of their most memorable trips include their first one as a couple to Aman-i-Khas, Ranthambore, a visit to New York, a stay at Jalakara on Havelock Island in Andaman & Nicobar and numerous culinary adventures in Bangkok, Thailand.
In an age where marriages and relationships break faster than you can say “Hello!”, one wonders what their secret to success is. Smiling, they both respond, “Trust, honesty, friendship, and lots of good wine and food!”
Photos: Abhishek Khandelwal, Hair & Make-up : Lg & Jap From Anu Kaushik’s Studio, Creative Direction & Styling : Amber Tikari
This interview has been adapted for the web from our February 2024 issue. Grab your copy here.
