INDIA, May 2011 (Manorama): The craze for a foreign bride is not new in India, especially among those who have lived abroad. Most of the older ‘white wives’ came from Europe or the US. And a majority of them were college sweethearts. Many an Indian mother has admonished her son: “Study abroad, but come back alone.” Liberalization has softened the stance across India, and, now, a number of videshi bahus (foreign brides) come from the Commonwealth of Independent States–the erstwhile USSR.
Dr. Amitesh Tomar, hailing from a conservative Thakur family in Bhopal, and his Russian wife, Natalia, said they have never faced any social problem. Instead, Tomar’s social stature has gone up a few notches after Natalia adjusted to Indian conditions and accepted the traditions.
Earlier, the men would marry a foreigner to gain citizenship of her country. But the new crop want to bring the wives home. Interestingly, Russian girls, too, are on the lookout for Indian boys. Russian writer and TV moderator Maria Arbatova, who married an Indian businessman, has been a strong advocate of Russian girls marrying Indians.
In her recent book, Tasting India, Arbatova wrote that Indians and Russians share many traits, especially the love for family and children. Also, Indians and Russians are Indo-Europeans; many Sanskrit and Russian words have the same roots.