Single in the city

Single in the city and looking for company? You would have been advised by friends—in their desperate attempts to hook you up with that special someone—to visit online dating sites or attend a dance class, where you just might bump into ‘the man or woman of your dreams’. Well, if those tried-and-tested methods haven’t borne fruit, perhaps it’s time to visit www.facebook.com/mixandmingleforsingles. Set up by Jemma Antia (36) and Reemma Dalal (39), Mix & Mingle is a platform for singles, especially 35 and above, to meet the traditional way.

“It is easy to meet people but difficult to meet the right people you can connect with. That’s where we step in,” says Antia. Mix & Mingle, which came into being in June 2013, hopes to fill the vacuum and create an opportunity for singles to meet new people and expand their social network—something that can be challenging for those who have a demanding job, are new to the city or are simply introverts. Over a series of cosy evenings, the group lets you connect with eligible singles in a comfortable and friendly setting. Mix & Mingle currently organises exclusive and mixed events for the following age brackets: 25-35 years, 35-50 years and 50 and up.

In a city, which has no singles clubs or bars, these events come as a blessing in disguise for someone like Dhruti Parekh, a 30-year-old interior designer. “While I do attend parties at popular nightclubs with my friends, the fact that they have their hubbies and boyfriends tagging along with them while I’m all alone can be a bit annoying at times, especially on the dance floor. Mumbai doesn’t have a culture, which promotes events for singles, where you can meet like-minded people and connect with them. At most parties, if you do happen to bump into someone interesting, at the most you exchange numbers! There’s no way you can get to know a person better in a noisy crowded place. That’s why events like the ones organised by Mix & Mingle work!” 

New-age cupids
Close on the heels of Mix & Mingle is Footloose No More, a new-age platform for well-educated, urbane and independent people who want to meet single people with similar attitudes, lifestyles, values and education. This group encourages people to find their potential soulmates for the purpose of marriage. The four-year-old group has more than 2,500 followers and are active in Mumbai and Pune.

They recently launched in Delhi too. Founders of the group, brother-sister duo, Varsha Agnihotri Vadhyar and Abhishek Agnihotri met their respective spouses through Footloose No More. Be prepared for a rigorous round of verifications to gain entry into the group. “Often the only place we meet people is at work. And many of us don’t want to go out and date someone at the work place for professional reasons.

Our group lets people come together for marriage,” says Vadhyar. While most perceive singles events to be meant for people under 30, both these groups give singles over 50 years of age a chance to meet interesting people. You don’t need to put up with the smell of cigarettes and body odour at a sleazy suburban nightclub. All it takes is the right mind-set and great company, according to Antia, “We’ll be organising our first event for people over 50 very soon and we’re quite excited about it! On an average, we get around 60 guests for our regular events, so we are expecting at least 30 guests to turn up for the over 50s event,” quips Dalal. 

Antia is of the opinion that there are plenty of events for singles under 30, but none for singles over 50. That’s when she and Dalal decided to fill the vacuum! “There are plenty of over 50 singles, who are single, divorced, separated and looking for companions. This event is for them,” she adds.

No secrets here
All guests are screened at every Mix & Mingle event—the organisers reveal the venue post the screening process, which also includes a brief telephonic interview. Same is the case with Footloose No More, where your request can be rejected if you’re not really single. The idea is to ensure that they provide opportunities to like-minded people. “I speak to the members personally.

Members also need to submit a photo identification,” adds Vadhyar, who was recently in Delhi for the marriage of a couple who met through Footloose No More, “We encourage our members to bring their families and friends.