Pune | July 29, 2025 | In a country known as the Diabetes Capital of the World, some couples are defying traditional matchmaking norms and choosing partners who understand their chronic condition from the inside out. Their shared diagnosis — Type 1 diabetes — becomes not a limitation, but the very bridge that connects them.

In the chaos of Mumbai, amidst traffic snarls and skyscrapers, a love story unfolded not in a romantic café or a chance meeting at work, but in a diabetes support group.

Aarav and Isha (names changed), both in their twenties, met at a patient forum organized by a leading diabetologist. They connected over shared experiences — insulin pumps, carb counting, and midnight alarms. Aarav’s humor lightened the gravity of managing glucose, while Isha’s calm precision balanced their conversations. When Aarav landed in the hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis, Isha stayed by his side — literally and metaphorically.

“I don’t want to be your diabetes buddy anymore,” she told him during his recovery. “I want to be your everything.”

They married in 2018 and have since marked each anniversary with a visit to Dr. Rajiv Kovil, the diabetologist who first brought them together. Dr. Kovil, who heads Zandra Healthcare and co-founded the Rang De Neela Initiative, says the two had nearly given up on love before they met.

“Both had faced rejection in arranged setups because of their condition,” Dr. Kovil shared. “They’d begun to wonder if love was even possible for people like them. Now they share bolus calculators and a beautiful life.”

Diabetes in India: A National Health Challenge
India is home to over 100 million diabetics, with a large share being children and adolescents affected by Type 1 diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation. In this form, the body produces little or no insulin due to an autoimmune reaction, requiring lifelong insulin therapy.

Dr. Pranav Ghody, consultant endocrinologist at Wockhardt Hospitals in Mumbai, explains, “Type 1 typically begins in childhood or adolescence and is unrelated to lifestyle. Type 2, more common in adults, often stems from insulin resistance and can be managed with oral medications or lifestyle changes — at least initially.”

While treatment options are expanding, so is stigma — particularly in India’s deeply traditional matrimonial landscape.

Arranged Matches That Prioritize Health and Empathy
For Vaishali and Neel Vakil, diabetes was the main factor when considering marriage. The couple, both living with Type 1 diabetes, met in an arranged setup in 2003. “For us, diabetes wasn’t a hurdle — it was the filter,” Vaishali shared.

She later became a certified diabetes educator and helped Neel learn self-management. “After our engagement, he got serious about blood sugar monitoring and insulin management. That was love, in our language.”

The two also share a passion for physical activity — Neel is into cricket, Vaishali prefers yoga and long walks. “Having diabetes doesn’t mean we stop living,” she said. “It means we live smarter, together.”

The shared condition also enhances emotional support. “If one of us has a hypo (low blood sugar episode), the other knows exactly how to help,” she added.

Beyond Shaadi.com: The Rise of Diabetic-Only Matrimony Platforms
When conventional matchmaking fails, some are turning to diabetic-specific matrimony platforms.

Harsh Shah, who lives with Type 1 diabetes, founded Diabliss Matrimony in 2023 after facing repeated rejections while searching for a life partner. “People don’t understand what it means to live with diabetes — the costs, the care, the 24/7 nature of it,” he said. “So, I created a space where people wouldn’t have to explain themselves.”

What began as a WhatsApp group now boasts over 400 members and 350+ active profiles on its website diabeticmatrimony.in. The platform charges a nominal fee for contact access and uses KYC verification for safety.

That’s how Rinkal Patel (26) met Virag (28). Both have lived with diabetes for most of their lives. “I was rejected so many times,” Rinkal recalled. “People worry about medical complications, fertility, costs — but when both partners have diabetes, there’s more empathy and less judgment.”

Their story is one of 16 successful marriages facilitated by the platform so far — with many more budding connections in the works.

Redefining Romance in a Chronic World
For these couples, love isn’t built on perfection — it’s grounded in shared monitoring apps, insulin routines, hypo snacks, and unspoken understanding. It’s not roses and chocolates, but HbA1c levels and late-night blood sugar checks.

And while society may still struggle to accept chronic illness in the context of marriage, these couples are rewriting the script — proving that with empathy, knowledge, and a little insulin, love truly can thrive.