Partners in life and work

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Karishma and Kanwal Kumar Mookhey engineered their fate together after their first meeting. While Karishma is founder director of the Institute of Information Security, her husband is the director of Network Intelligence Pvt. Ltd., which makes them partners, in life and business. Embracing parenthood, working together and finding time for quick getaways, this couple has been doing it all for 12 years now.

Of meeting & impressions

Karishma: Ours is an arranged marriage, so the very first time I met him was with my sister. He and my sister were getting along like a house on fire, and I was watching them talk! Then at the end of the lunch, my sis just got up and asked him if he will drop me home. I was in a shock as she is very protective of me. Needless to say, he is a charmer and such a gentleman. He is the guy who will open the car door for you, pull out a chair, etc.

Kanwal: We met for lunch. She didn’t get to talk much, as it was her elder sister and I who did most of the talking. But I found her really pretty. She was reading a Milan Kundera book, so that impressed me.

Dating and drama

Karishma: The second time we met, he told me he was going to meet some other girl and I told him to either break up with all the others or not to call me again. The next day he called to say that it’s just me and will always be!

Kanwal: After a few months of dating, she put her foot down and asked me “what’s the plan?”. I’ve never had a plan in life and I told her that. She said, this can’t go on forever, either I commit or we have to end the relationship. I realised the smart choice was to commit and thank God I did!

Making it official

Karishma: Talking about the day he proposed. He picked me up from my place, had You look beautiful tonight playing in his car, took me for a long drive, followed by dinner in a revolving restaurant. Then all of a sudden, the music stopped and he got on one knee and read a few lovely lines he had penned down for me in which he asked if I would marry him, of course, with a ring! Totally every girl’s dream proposal!

Kanwal: After the second or third meeting, movies and dinners followed. We saw each other for a few months before we made it official.

Marriage effect

Karishma: We all change with age, our priorities change and mostly everything changes after you have kids! But for us, it’s been all positive.

Kanwal: She’s become calmer and so have I. We used to fight a lot. Now, even if we fight, it is never too intense nor lasts for too long.

Living together

Karishma: Living together has sort of made us better versions of ourselves. We are more like friends, business partners who love each other immensely!

Kanwal: I have a lot of respect for her. For the commitment she brings to her role as a mother. As a business partner she puts in a lot of serious and sincere effort into it.

If I could change

Karishma: Make him loosen up a bit. He takes life too seriously at times.

Kanwal: Have her spend less time on social media.

Annoying yet loving

Karishma: He puts his wet towel on the bed after bath and this one habit hasn’t changed!

Kanwal: Her timing is really bad, though she’s gotten better at it over the years.

Wow factor

Karishma: Everything about us!

Kanwal: As I said, she’s a super committed person. She’s an awesome mother to our two lovely kids. She’s always there for them. At the same time she balances her work commitments as well.

Couple goals

Karishma: To achieve whatever we set our hearts on!

Kanwal: To keep the spark in our marriage alive for the coming decades.

For a happily ever after

Karishma: Respect each other. Talk and discuss everything.

Kanwal: One must keep reinventing oneself and the relationship by bringing new things that we can do together. Right now our goal is to eat at the top 20 restaurants in Mumbai.

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