Weddings don’t often make the headlines — but that’s just what’s happening in India as a community celebrates the marriage of Vignesh Krishnaswamy and Ananya Sawant, who both have Down syndrome.
The three-day celebration included traditional ceremonies, music, dancing, and feasting. One woman, who also has a daughter with special needs, described the celebration as particularly noteworthy because it is not common for people with Down syndrome to get married.
“Even in the US, such weddings are not common,” she said. “There are dating services for those with special needs but even those are limited. It is a very neglected aspect for young adults with special needs.”
Vignesh’s father, Viswanathan, said that his son initially expressed an interest in marriage after watching his friends getting married. Vignesh’s sister, Janani Viswanathan, and Ananya’s sister, Ashni Sawant, set the couple up. After meeting, the two kept in contact over the course of the year through email and WhatsApp.
“And the bond they have developed was visible for all to see at the wedding,” said Vignesh’s mother Veena.
Ranjini Ramnath, director of the Al-Noor Training Center for People with Disabilities, where Vignesh attended as a child, stressed the importance of creating opportunities like these for people with disabilities.
“It was so warm and charming. The parents had made all that effort to make it a special and memorable day for their children and for the family,” Ranjini said. “This is a big aspect of inclusion. Like any other couple, Vignesh and Ananya are entering into marriage with expectation and excitement. Ultimately our work is aimed at improving quality of life and inclusion. We don’t want those with special needs to be on the sidelines. They matter and must be counted. So the parents went about the wedding like they would for any other neurotypical child, and that made all the difference.”
