Shruti Gangopadhyay & Udit Patadia

How and when did you meet (in relation to your time as an MRSD student)?

We of course met at the start of the program, but started hanging out and eventually dating towards the end of the third semester.

Was it love at first sight, or were you too busy with homework to realize until later?

Definitely too busy with homework and FVD to realize it!  But after rescheduling our first date at least a few times due to deadlines, we finally made it to the start of our relationship.

Did you get a chance for any off-campus dates, or was studying the main activity?

We did not leave a 1-mile radius from NSH for the dates, but we did have some lovely late night walks around the beautiful campus, and dinners at most restaurants on Craig St.

Was anything about your proposal and/or wedding especially relevant to MRSD or CMU? 
We look forward to celebrating with some of our MRSD classmates who are flying across the world to celebrate us.

How has life together been since MRSD?

It has been absolutely wonderful! We have been traveling together, getting back to our old hobbies, learning each other’s hobbies, as well as discovering new hobbies together! But the best part is how much more fun and peaceful the everyday routine has become, especially now that we get to go through it together. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, watching TV, everything!

What did the program teach you about each other that you wouldn’t have known otherwise (or at least not as clearly or early)?

Shruti: One quality in Udit I noticed very early on (in our dating timeline), and due to MRSD, is that he will do whatever he can to help others, regardless of his situation. It was maybe a couple days before FVD when everyone was stressed to the peak. Despite the situation, I saw him help a few teams, including mine. He didn’t get caught up with his own work and problems (who doesn’t have everything go wrong before FVD right?). He tried his best to help everyone he could. It is actually one of the first qualities about him that made me think that he would make for a great life partner. 

Udit: 2 things I learnt about Shruti during the program were that she is very patient and empathetic. These 2 qualities were very important to me in a partner, and they really helped me in our relationship, especially since this was my first relationship. During MRSD, I noticed her lend an ear to all her friends, and always be there for them. And while studying with her during MRSD, I noticed how she took her time while studying, understanding concepts thoroughly and patiently.