Gourav Rakshit is the business head of shaadi.com, India's leading online matrimonial service.
What are the reasons for the rapid growth of India's e-matrimony business?
One of the main reasons is the growing internet penetration in India. And two, our ever-increasing popularity itself has propelled growth. We are completing 15 years of operation this October. Our service has resulted in more than 2 million marriages around the world. We have been listed among India's most innovative companies. With 20 million subscribers, we are one of the largest online matrimonial portals in India.
How does shaadi.com tackle concerns among customers about online safety and data confidentiality?
We provide Shaadi SEAL, a free profile attestation service. If your profile has the stamp of Shaadi SEAL - screened, examined and attested label - it means that we have checked your details and obtained documentary proof for key information like telephone number, residential address, educational qualifications, profession. Also, we place a watermark across photographs displayed on profiles, so that they are not used for anything unethical.
Given that subscription to an e-matrimonial site may end upon finding a partner, are there new products or services you are exploring to offer customers to ensure greater length of subscriptions?
Our mission is to get people married - shaadi.com is all about helping you connect with a partner so you can live happily ever after. Currently, we aren't considering going beyond the marriage space, but we are weighing options of entering the post-wedding market to offer services like wedding planning, catering, and cards distribution.
