Marriage mantras
Dr Mini Rao is a psychologist, Shyam Rao the vice-president of a recently established music college, who gave up a flourishing career in the USA and returned to India. Shyam and Mini Rao, who have been married 16 years, say what makes them tick.
The balancing act
Mini: I’ve started working again recently after my Ph.D, and right now, I’m being pulled in many different directions professionally. My in-laws are most helpful.
Shyam: ‘Work while you work’ and ‘play while you play’ is my motto. Being VP of a new music college, my work tends to happen throughout the day, but I work from home on Fridays which is my ‘easy ‘day.
Children and animals
Mini: I spend time with my children (and dog, Buzz), even if that means playing video games with them, watching 3D movies.
Friends forever
Mini: We have friends from school, college and work friends, and we make sure we meet them regularly.
Shyam: We just get out there, be ourselves and be non-judgmental. That leads to lots of new friends and more social occasions.
Marriage mantra
Mini: It was a love marriage, my family was completely against it. My husband is completely broad-minded, gives me freedom in every aspect, never interferes in my life, is very respectful towards my family and is highly supportive of my career. We never act like husband and wife, but like boyfriend and girlfriend. We don’t try to control each other, we give each other lots of space, we respect each other’s families and we compromise according to situations.
Shyam: We met at a resort. She was mysterious, hip, but not too crazy, and fabulous looking. I love her for the person she is in totality. Sometimes that trait of indecision of a Gemini can be frustrating. Since she’s a psychologist, she doesn’t get in the other’s space. And we don’t take anything for
granted.
All about unwinding
Mini: We love hanging out with close friends at home, sometimes we like to go clubbing as we both love to dance. Since Shyam is a musician, I also love to hang out at his gigs as he plays my kind of music (1980s pop/ rock). We vacation thrice a year, and our vacations abroad are just us. My husband thinks we need the time alone, away from family, to reconnect with each other.
Shyam: We try to get out of the city every few weekends. With the Chennai live music scene picking up, I’ve been trying to support as many bands as I can by turning up at their gigs, playing a song or two as a guest and making sure I spend some money.
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