Former KBC news anchor and popular media personality, Shiksha Arora, has opened up about her rich family history and her views on arranged marriages.
Now part of TV47, Shiksha shared these insights during an engaging conversation with Dr Ofweneke.
The conversation provided a glimpse into her roots, her family’s journey to Kenya, and her thoughts on love and marriage.
Shiksha, who has roots in India, revealed how her great-grandfather ended up in Kenya, marking the beginning of her family’s deep connection to the country.
When asked about why she doesn’t have the strong Indian accent often portrayed in Bollywood movies, Shiksha explained the difference between Kenyan Indians and those living in India.
“A lot of Kenyan Indians don’t have the stereotypical accent that you see in Bollywood. Those are Indians who were born and raised in India. Most of us are third or fourth generation Kenyans,” Shiksha shared.
She went on to narrate her family’s history, saying, “My great-grandfather came here during the railway construction. My granddad was born here, and so was my dad. Although my mum was born in India, she moved to Kenya when she was just 18 years old after marrying my dad.”
This strong connection to Kenya has made Shiksha and her family feel deeply rooted in the country, even though they maintain ties to their Indian heritage.
Shiksha who married Salman Manji in 2021, also opened up about her parents’ marriage, revealing that it was an arranged union, something that many people might associate with traditional Indian culture and Bollywood movies.
“My mum and dad were in an arranged marriage. It wasn’t a love marriage,” Shiksha explained. “My dad got to see my mum, and she was told that my dad was coming to see her just to hang out. After he left, she was asked what she thought of him. My mum said she thought he was cool, and they told her, ‘I think you’re going to marry him.’ And that was it.”
The idea of marrying someone after just one meeting and moving to a different continent may seem daunting, but that’s exactly what happened to Shiksha’s mother.
“At that time, she didn’t really have a choice,” Shiksha continued. “And guess what? She ended up getting married and moving from Delhi to Kenya. And here I am today. Thank you, Mum and Dad.”
The topic of arranged marriages led to an interesting question: Would Shiksha consider an arranged marriage herself?
“No. Love is beautiful. I feel like in this generation that we live in, it’s very important to get to know a person in order to understand them,” Shiksha said thoughtfully.
“You need to spend time with this person, get to know each other’s likes and dislikes. Let me tell you, living with a man is not easy.”
