Sagar and Ashika both were looking for a serious relationship – something neither of them were finding in their encounters with people around in real life. An added Quarantine didn’t do anyone any favors, and so they both independently jumped onto Dil Mil to try their luck. For Ashika, she wasn’t entirely convinced with the idea of dating apps in the beginning – she had sworn she would try Dil Mil for 3 days on VIP trial and if it didn’t work out, she would delete the app.
Ashika was in Calgary, Canada about 2000 miles away from Sagar, who was in Tolland, Connecticut when they matched. With the newly enforced COVID-19 restrictions on travel, and Canada-USA border being shut indefinitely, it became impossible for the both of them to be able to meet up. They ended up having to talk virtually for 4 months.
When restrictions eased up slightly, Ashika had the opportunity to visit her brother in Houston. Sagar had finished his school’s semester at the time and was able to coordinate with Ashika to meet her there. So, Sagar and Ashika flew into the city and met for the first time at the arrivals section of the airport. They were both nervous to know whether their compatibility over FaceTime would be consistent face-to-face. However, these reservations quickly melted away when Ashika finally met Sagar. She immediately felt at home. They decided to keep their first in-person date super chill, driving home and getting Taco Bell along the way. Despite how basic a date it was, Ashika already knew that Sagar was her person.
After this, it was back to the regularly scheduled programming of long distance.. Planning when they’d see each other next was still extremely hard because of continued COVID restrictions. Nonetheless, they thoroughly enjoyed moments together virtually – from getting take out simultaneously, to binge watching Grey’s Anatomy together, they truly made the most of it.
Ashika’s experiences with dating in the past led her to believe that she had to lose at least a part of herself to make a relationship work. When she matched and met with Sagar, she realised that this was the first time a potential relationship allowed her to be her most authentic self – unapologetically. For Sagar, he was looking for a genuine connection and he found that in Ashika. She was passionate, friendly, kind, and just like him, put 100% into everything she does.
About 2 years into their relationship, Sagar proposed to Ashika during a visit to Calgary in a way that matched their unwavering commitment. Unknown to Ashika, Sagar had already received her brother and parents’ blessing to propose a few months prior to the day and bought a beautiful ring. He suggested she wear a beautiful dress and shoes to match for a dinner date but despite Sagar’s investment in her outfit, Ashika was completely unaware of what he was planning and didn’t get suspicious because they always planned a fancy date night during every trip so this was nothing unusual. This, combined with the fact that he spent 4-5 months throwing Ashika in different directions all led to it being quite a successful surprise. Until the Uber was taking some random turns that Ashika knew didn’t lead to the restaurant, she continued to stay unaware.
When he blind folded Ashika and took her into a room, that’s when she got suspicious and knew something was up. Suddenly, she was hearing a familiar melody – it was a song that Sagar had used for a video he had sent Ashika for her birthday that they’d celebrated after just a month of dating. He had found the perfect intimate venue in an Art Gallery, tracked down her favorite photographer from the city, and even found a decorator to help set up the proposal with all her favorite flowers. To top it off, Sagar flew in Ashika’s cousin and best friend for the proposal, and he had all of their friends and family on a Zoom call to celebrate with the couple. Talk about a beautiful dream come true!
Despite the constant uncertainty that surrounded their relationship due to logistical issues and border closures, in their hearts they knew – good things are worth the wait! Now, Sagar and Ashika are looking forward to planning a wedding in 2024! They both took a giant leap of faith downloading Dil Mil to find their happily ever after and we are so glad they did!
