What Bongs look for in their life partners

Team L&M

Do you know that The most eligible Bengali woman is a finance professional while the most eligible Bengali man is a judge, that men in the tech and IT sectors are 144% more desired vs. average and women in aviation are 33 per cent more desired vs. the average or that the age bracket of 28 to 31 years is the golden window when Bengalis are most likely to find a life partner. 

Well, we are not saying this. These are the wishes of Bengali men and women expressed explicitly on the matrimonial website Shaadi.com, which conducted an year-long study (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023). The study is based on Bengalis residing in India who used the matrimonial website during the specified time. Of the user base, 33 per cent are women and 67 per cent are men. The study titled India’s Most Eligible Bengalis explores what Bengalis look for while choosing a potential life partner, and also highlights valuable insights and statistical findings on the matchmaking preferences of Indian Bengalis.

The study, done by the matrimonial website, is based on per-day data and was conducted on a user base of over one lakh members (both men and women) who have been active on Shaadi.com for the past year. Further, these members are Bengali men and women living in India who have been active members on the platform for at least a week in the last 12 months, making the research findings specific and relevant. The parameters include income, profession, age, and educational background among other factors that significantly impact the matchmaking process. BengaliShaadi.com has created this study after meticulous data collection and analysis and effectively covers Bengalis residing across the length and breadth of the country.

Key Highlights:

• Bengalis’ No.1 most desirable – The No.1 most desirable man is a judge and the most desirable woman is a finance professional.
• Professions that are desired – Men in tech are 144 per cent more desired than the average, whereas women in the airlines/aviation industry are most preferred and are 33 per cent more desired than the average.
• Age hits men harder – Contrary to the popular narrative, men find it hard to find a match after 34 years of age, while for women it does not seem to matter as much.
• Giving love a second chance – There are more than 300 Bengali-speaking members who are above the age of 60, and looking for a partner on the platform. They are a mix of singles, widowed and divorced.
• Working is cool- Unemployed men and women are seen as the least desirable. They are 87 per cent and 21 per cent less desired vs the average respectively.
• The desirability of a Master’s Degree in men – Men holding a Master’s or doctorate are 1.8x more desirable than those with a Bachelor’s degree.

“This study indicates that as a nation, while we’re moving in the right direction for gender equality in marriages, we still have a long way to go in terms of truly balanced relationships. Who we find desirable is the first point of establishing what this equation would really look like after marriage. The insights we’ve uncovered in this study are an honest reflection of Bengalis’ view on desirability in the context of finding a life partner. Aspects such as higher desirability for working women are strong indicators that the Bengalis are setting an example for the rest of the nation to follow,” says Adhish Zaveri, VP – Marketing, Shaadi.com.