BENGALURU: It was an assemblage of widows, widowers and divorcees from across the country, all gathered for a senior citizens’ matchmaking event in Bengaluru on June 6. It reflected a quiet but growing reality among older adults -- the loneliness after loss and search for companionship in later part of life.
For many participants, the gathering was not just about remarriage alone, but about finding an emotional connection, care and another person to share everyday life with after years of living in isolation or within shrinking family circles. While some arrived alone, others were accompanied by their children, relatives or close friends, hoping to find love that they lost, denied and forgotten.
Organised by the Anubandh Foundation, the Bengaluru event marked its fourth edition and drew attention to a growing emotional need often spoken about only in private.
The initiative is the brainchild of Natubhai Patel, the foundation president, who started it after witnessing the devastating impact of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake on individuals. While serving as a superintendent with the Union Ministry of Planning in Kutch district, he saw people left alone after losing their spouses and that impacted him deeply.
“The hotel where I was staying collapsed. I met many people who lost their spouses and were left alone. That experience stayed with me,” Patel said.
The foundation has been working across India since 2002 to help senior citizens find companionship, maintaining a database of over 12,000 individuals and facilitating 225 marriages.
Inquiries increased significantly after Covid as many elderly people lost partners and were left isolated. “After a certain age, if you lose your partner, your children are often busy with their own families.
According to Rao, it restores a sense of shared living where even routine moments such as walking or conversation carry added meaning. Padmashree, 53, a divorcee from Karnataka, represents a similar yet distinct reality of long years spent searching for companionship while balancing parental responsibilities. Limited awareness and low participation in such events were noted as key gaps, affecting opportunities for meaningful connection.
Many said that while ageing often brings reduced social circles and increased dependence on routine family roles, the need for someone to talk to, share time with and rely on emotionally remains unchanged.
Many participants showed a clear preference for in-person interaction over digital meet-ups. Concerns around authenticity, incomplete information and lack of transparency in online dating systems have led to a stronger trust in face-to-face meetings, where personality, behaviour and compatibility can be assessed more directly.
These experiences point to a gradual but visible shift in how companionship in later life is being approached. The elderly are moving from silence and social hesitation to more open and structured spaces that acknowledge emotional needs beyond age and a reminder that life and love don’t stop until you decide to.
