GAZHIPUR: People meet their life partners in strange ways. Sometimes it’s a chance encounter that blossoms into something meaningful. Sometimes old friends reconnect after years and their relationship matures into a romantic one.
IAS officer Sanjay Khatri similarly garnered attention after marrying a woman who initially came to him with a complaint. Khatri, a 2010-batch IAS officer, married Vijayalakshmi in 2017. She had approached him with a complaint at a Jan Samvad (public hearing) when he was the District Magistrate of Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. The marriage was widely appreciated, and visuals of the simple ceremony went viral online, with many applauding the IAS officer.
However, it later emerged that Vijayalakshmi was not a stranger but an old friend. They had known each other in Delhi during their UPSC preparation days. Due to certain circumstances, their friendship in Delhi did not flourish at the time. Years later, after Khatri’s transfer to Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, their bond was rekindled, eventually leading to marriage.
In 2017, Sanjay Kumar Khatri was the District Magistrate (DM) of Ghazipur. During this time, Vijayalakshmi approached him with a complaint at a public hearing. While listening to her, Sanjay recognised her from their time in Delhi. After addressing her complaint, they spoke again, leading to a series of meetings. Over time, their friendship blossomed into love, and they decided to get married. On 19 November 2017, Sanjay and Vijayalakshmi were married.
Sanjay Khatri hails from Barmer in western Rajasthan. He studied in his village until the eighth standard before moving to Jaipur with his family. After completing his BA, he pursued an LLB from Rajasthan University. Later, he moved to Delhi to prepare for the UPSC exams. Vijayalakshmi, hails from Ghazipur, completed her intermediate studies at Luders Convent Inter College. Following her father’s passing, she moved to Delhi for further education, where she met Sanjay during their UPSC preparations.
After three unsuccessful UPSC attempts, Vijayalakshmi returned to her hometown. Sanjay, after completing his training, was posted to Ghazipur. Seven years later, when Vijayalakshmi approached him with a complaint, they recognised each other and this meeting led to their wedding in Delhi.