The marriage of a German-origin woman professor and a specially-abled man in Odisha reaffirmed the popular maxim that true love transcends all boundaries.<\/p>\n
The love story of the couple — Ulrik Jason and Shivaji Panda — has caught the attention of people of Subarnapur district of Odisha.<\/p>\n
“I like the village life, which is full of nature. I like the Mahanadi… the cows. I was surprised by the way his family welcomed me. We have a school nearby and I work with the teachers there. I am now the daughter-in-law of Odisha and will spend most of the time here,” Ulrik Jason said in Odia.<\/p>\n
Shivaji, who is deaf and mute, hails from Sindurpur village in Subarnapur district.<\/p>\n
Ulrik, a sign language professor at a university in UK, came in contact with Shivaji, who also used to teach at the same university, around a few years ago.<\/p>\n
Later, Shivaji returned to his native place, after quitting his job at the university in UK in 2016.<\/p>\n
He opened a sign language school in Subarnapur district and set up an “eco-village” on the banks of the Mahanadi river near his village.<\/p>\n
However, love re-united both Ulrik and Shivaji despite living thousands of km apart.<\/p>\n
Ulrik, draped in a Sambalpuri saree, looked like a typical Odia bride when she married Shivaji at a court in UK on June 17, 2023, in the presence of close friends and family members.<\/p>\n
The couple later returned to Odisha where Shivaji’s family welcomed them.<\/p>\n
Both have been living happily at their eco-village, growing trees, plants, and shrubs.<\/p>\n