‘Covid taught us long distance love’: 40% on dating apps look for pan-India matches now | India News – Times of India
Skype dates, frequent texts, shared playlists — it was the Covid relationship survival plan when the pandemic hit. In April last year, when Dinesh Mehra from Delhi and Sneha Kumar from Bengaluru “met” on a dating app, it was the only way. And now, nearly a year on, they have settled comfortably into the long distance mode.
“Long distance is what Covid taught us,” said Dinesh, a chartered accountant. This Valentine’s Day, the 26-year-old will open a bottle of wine, set the mood with some soft jazz and candles, and have dinner with Sneha, over a video call. Many like them will. The pandemic has changed how people look for partners — 40% of Indian users on dating apps have started looking for pan-India matches.
“Before Covid, about 31% of our users would choose pan-India options,” said Snehil Khanor, CEO and founder of TrulyMadly. “No, it has gone up to nearly 41%. It’s increasing every day.” On QuackQuack, 60% of matches are of people from different cities. “Connections and conversations across borders are up nearly 50% among singles, and people are setting their location preferences to ‘anywhere’ (instead of ‘nearby’) more than ever before,” said Anukool Kumar, marketing director, OkCupid India.
But is the lack of physical intimacy factored in? “In these difficult times, a lot of us wanted emotional support more than physical connection,” said Mahesh Kochchar, an animation professional from Jalandhar. He is dating a girl from Delhi he met on Bumble two months before the lockdown was imposed. They went out on a few dates but had to switch to long distance for the most part. “We call each other every day, first thing in the morning and last thing before we go to bed,” Mahesh said. “It’s difficult to maintain a long-distance relationship but in the given circumstances it’s better to be safe than be out dating every weekend.”
Besides, reservations about long-distance relationships have been centred on other aspects of getting to know a person as well. How does one know it’s not a ‘curated’ version of the person they are dating? What happens if there is a fight? How to work around technology fails? Yet, in 2021, about 40% of single Indians are projected to opt for virtual dating, according to a survey by Bumble.On Gleeden, there is a 40% rise in users who are connecting at inter-state level in India.
Dr Rachna Khanna Singh, resident relationship expert with OkCupid, said long distance may have its challenges but it can work. With increasing work pressure and mobile lifestyles, the ideas of partnership and being there for another person are changing. She said, “With the advent of technology, social media and creative ways of bonding virtually, long-distance relationships are not difficult anymore. There is a greater chance of building a strong emotional connection without the distraction of physical proximity.”
*Names of couples changed on request
“Long distance is what Covid taught us,” said Dinesh, a chartered accountant. This Valentine’s Day, the 26-year-old will open a bottle of wine, set the mood with some soft jazz and candles, and have dinner with Sneha, over a video call. Many like them will. The pandemic has changed how people look for partners — 40% of Indian users on dating apps have started looking for pan-India matches.
“Before Covid, about 31% of our users would choose pan-India options,” said Snehil Khanor, CEO and founder of TrulyMadly. “No, it has gone up to nearly 41%. It’s increasing every day.” On QuackQuack, 60% of matches are of people from different cities. “Connections and conversations across borders are up nearly 50% among singles, and people are setting their location preferences to ‘anywhere’ (instead of ‘nearby’) more than ever before,” said Anukool Kumar, marketing director, OkCupid India.
But is the lack of physical intimacy factored in? “In these difficult times, a lot of us wanted emotional support more than physical connection,” said Mahesh Kochchar, an animation professional from Jalandhar. He is dating a girl from Delhi he met on Bumble two months before the lockdown was imposed. They went out on a few dates but had to switch to long distance for the most part. “We call each other every day, first thing in the morning and last thing before we go to bed,” Mahesh said. “It’s difficult to maintain a long-distance relationship but in the given circumstances it’s better to be safe than be out dating every weekend.”
Besides, reservations about long-distance relationships have been centred on other aspects of getting to know a person as well. How does one know it’s not a ‘curated’ version of the person they are dating? What happens if there is a fight? How to work around technology fails? Yet, in 2021, about 40% of single Indians are projected to opt for virtual dating, according to a survey by Bumble.On Gleeden, there is a 40% rise in users who are connecting at inter-state level in India.
Dr Rachna Khanna Singh, resident relationship expert with OkCupid, said long distance may have its challenges but it can work. With increasing work pressure and mobile lifestyles, the ideas of partnership and being there for another person are changing. She said, “With the advent of technology, social media and creative ways of bonding virtually, long-distance relationships are not difficult anymore. There is a greater chance of building a strong emotional connection without the distraction of physical proximity.”
*Names of couples changed on request
