This archive report was first published on 19 July 2019.
Kenyan billionaire and philanthropist Manu Chandaria has made history by formalizing his 64-year marriage with Aruna Chandaria, 85, at the Registrar of Marriages' office in Sheria House, Nairobi on Friday.
Manu and Aruna, who were born in Nairobi and Thika respectively, were brought together by family and business interests after their families moved to India in the 1940s.
They first tied the knot in 1955 in a simple informal wedding held at the Visa Oshwal Centre in Mombasa, but it wasn't until Friday that they acquired a formal marriage certificate.
According to Manu, he was 26 years old when he married 21-year-old Aruna, a decision they have never regretted to this day.
“64 (years) is a long time and the only thing is that how comes it has continued. It’s because of give and take from both sides and consideration for each other,” Manu said in a recent interview.
“Love drives off after a period of time, but consideration of each other always makes life a possibility. She (Aruna) is 85 and I am 90 but she has the last word,” Manu added.
The couple's union was formalized at a cost of Ksh9, 700, which is the standard fee for a wedding conducted at the Registrar's office in Kenya.
