From caste & salary to ‘vibe check’: How India’s marriage biodata is evolving

Every year, India witnesses a familiar wave - the marriage season. Wedding halls fill up, families revive old contacts, matrimonial apps see a surge, and somewhere between the “ladka kya karta hai?” and “ladki ko kya pasand hai?”, the search for a perfect match begins.India records approximately 10 million marriages a year, or roughly 30,000 weddings a day, according to BiodataPlus.in.Amid the rituals, celebrations and matchmaking conversations comes a quieter ritual: the biodata.What looks like a simple one-page profile is, in fact, a snapshot of a changing India, reflecting what families still look for, what young Indians now expect from a partner and how the idea of a “good match” is being rewritten.The old marriage checklistFor years, a marriage biodata followed an almost predictable template: age, height, complexion, caste, salary and family background.For women, descriptions such as “fair”, “homely” and “well-mannered” were not unusual.