Even though India and Pakistan are at loggerheads, the story of Daniel Henry Devanur, a resident of Hubballi in north Karnataka, and his Pakistani wife Silvia Noreen who are united now with the help of Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has an interesting bonding. It was a major struggle for Daniel who wanted his Pakistani wife to come to India to join him at his home town Hubballi. He struggled for over a year and frustrated, he sought the help of Sushma Swaraj by tweeting his ordeal. It worked and the Minister helped his wife to get the Visa and she has landed in Delhi to join him.
The Minister in her reply to his tweet promised all help and retweeted his request.
Silvia was advised to meet the Deputy High Commissioner of India in Pakistan, and after following the due procedure, she got the visa and flew from Islamabad to New Delhi on April 19.
Daniel thanked Sushma Swarj and said he was grateful to her for her help in getting his wife to India. He said “I am excited my wife is back in India after nearly nine months of marriage. After a retweet by Sushma Swaraj, my wife got a visitor visa.”
Daniel, who works for a mobile company, married his distant relative Silvia Noreen on June, 25, 2016, at the United Pentecostal Church at Youhana Colony, lahore. Silvia’s family had settled in Pakistan before partition. Daniel got his marriage registered and a certificate issued by the Government of Pakistan.
According to Daniel, Silvia was given a visa for three months, and told to keep extending it for the next two years, with valid documents. “After that, we have to apply for Indian citizenship,” Daniel said.
Daniel who had fallen in love with Silvia, who stayed in lahore before partition, married her in 2016 and his parents could not attend the marriage as they did not have passports.
Silvia told the media that she was excited to unite with her husband and land in India. She also said she doesn’t want to go back to Pakistan and wants Indian citizenship.
“Silvia has seen her in-laws for the first time and got really emotional,” said Daniel.
The union of Pakistani national Silvia and Daniel, a Kannadiga boy, has gone viral in the social media and great appreciation for the Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her effort in helping them to unite.