It's hard to achieve the perfect work-life balance and more so for a top government official.?Making time for personal affairs can get tricky at times, especially around elections.?IAS Tushar Singla of the 2015 batch of Bengal cadre was busy election duty and also with preparations?for his big day.
IAS Tushar Singla, and IPS officer Navjot Simmi from the 2018 batch of the Bihar cadre, got married to each other in the former's office.?Both Singla and Simi are from Gujarat and have been together for some time. Simi travelled from Patna to Bengal for the wedding.
Speaking to India Today, State Minister and Howrah district president Arup Roy said, "There is nothing wrong in this. The registry of the marriage is also a legal process. Therefore, there should be no dispute regarding the marriage being held in the government office."
?"Both of them have just signed. No banquet has happened there. There is no question of dispute in this situation. I don't think there is any problem with the two people getting married in a government office. It is nowhere an offence for me. Perhaps he was on duty, as a result of which he did it in office. The two of them just signed the papers. But there has been no celebration. Hence I don't find it to be offensive," he added
According to a report in Times of India, Singla had been trying to go to Punjab for the wedding but was unable to due to heavy workflow, causing the wedding to get repeatedly postponed.
The process of the registry of their marriage was completed in Tushar Singla's office on Valentine's Day.?After the wedding, the couple promised a grand reception?for all those present, but only after the 2021 state assembly elections in Bengal were over.
There are a lot of lessons to be learnt from their example - an important being that marriage is about two people committing to each other, and you do not necessarily need a grand celebration for that. By putting their duty above their personal egagements - elections are arguably the most important event in a democracy - they have shown what honesty and dedication look like. Several thousand families plunge themselves into debt every year, just to get through a marriage, this couple has put some important things into perspective.?
They might have a grand reception for their relatives and to enjoy to their day - and they have all the right to - but that does not take away from the fact that they have set an example we could all try to emulate.