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MIBS Class of '77 Members Marvel at Marriage Fit for a Maharajah

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Seated in front: the bride and groom, Rajita Shah and Hanish Arora.  Standing (L to R): Toshiko, Shigeru, and Sara Sekine; Rajen and Mita Shah -parents of the bride; Bob and Lucie Stricker; Del and Ted Burgess; Nancy and Kevin Corrigan.

Five graduates of the class of '77, along with their spouses and a niece, made the trip of a lifetime to the subcontinent to attend the marriage of Rajita Shah, daughter of Rajen Shah, also a member of MIBS Class of '77. 

Way back in 1977, Rajen Shah was headed home to India after MIBS graduation to get married, and he was kind enough to invite his MIBS classmates to attend the ceremonies.  At that time, most of us were either starting new jobs and/or couldn't afford to make the trip.  Only one of our classmates, Shigeru Sekine, actually attended Rajen’s wedding.

Fast-forwarding to April 2007, our class held a 30th year reunion in Columbia, SC.   Rajen Shah not only came to celebrate the occasion but also invited us to attend the wedding of his daughter, Rajita, in Surat, state of Gujarat, India.  A few additional e-mails attested to the sincerity of the invitation, and five classmates were suddenly busily making plans for the big trip:  Ted Burgess (MIBS’77) and

Hanish, the groom, arrives on horseback for the Sunday wedding ceremony.

his wife Del; Kevin and Nancy Corrigan (MIBS’77 merger); Shigeru Sekine (MIBS’77) and his wife Toshiko and their niece Sara; and Bob Stricker (MIBS’77) and his wife Lucie.  All found themselves applying for visas and buying air tickets to India from Atlanta, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Detroit.   As Ted Burgess commented, "Who would have thought we would be drinking beers in a Mumbai hotel one night!"

Rajen Shah, proud father of the bride.

The wedding was quite a lavish affair, consisting of five events over the first three days of February, 2008.  The hospitality of Rajen’s family and friends was o verwhelming, and we all were completely taken care of during our wonderful stay in Surat.  All enjoyed experiencing the Hindu traditions and taking part in the lunches, dinners, and receptions.  At the Mehendi Dinner, the ladies got their hands decorated with henna.  We all danced and enjoyed the dance show at the "Bollywood-

Mehendi decorations modeled by Lucie Stricker.

style" Saturday night party.  The men wore kurtas and the ladies wore saris to the traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on Sunday.

Most of us, as well, were able to visit Mumbai, Agra (Taj Mahal), Jaipur, and New Delhi.  We all gained a great appreciation for the culture and the history of India, but the most overwhelming part of all was the graciousness of the people.

-- Nancy Corrigan (MIBS ’77)