Against the Current: Decoding Love with Mansi Choksi

Why does the concept of a love marriage remain taboo, especially within the South Asian community?

The struggle for the right to choose one’s partner, the right to love freely, and the right to carve our destinies persists. Today, we will peel back the layers of this intricate issue, exploring the cultural nuances, societal pressures, and personal anecdotes that shape our perceptions of love, marriage, and autonomy. My guest is Mansi Choksi, a writer and journalist based in Dubai. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and National Geographic—to name a few.

She is also the author of “Newly Weds,” which came out last year. It is an exploration of Love marriage in modern India. Most recently, she’s been a guest host on the final season of NPR’s Rough Translation. This most recent season is titled “Love Commandos,” which explores the risky territory of love marriages in India, where about 95% of marriages are arranged.

Pew Research about Intermarriage in the US

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Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Michaela Strauther & Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson Other Music: Epidemic Sound

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com

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