The Chapters of Us
Sidhi Raina, born and raised in California to Satish and Shilpa Raina, and Romit Ganjoo, born and raised in Jammu to Maharaj Krishen and Sunita Ganjoo, grew up worlds apart—one amidst the bustle of the Bay Area, the other in the heart of Jammu. Though separated by continents, their journeys were always meant to cross.
Here’s how they met…
Unexpected
KOAY Speed Dosti - August 4, 2022
In the summer of 2022, Sidhi and Romit crossed paths in the most unexpected way, a KOA Youth virtual event called Speed Dosti. Sidhi, newly minted as Youth Director and interning in NYC, had only joined to introduce herself and pitch a Kashmiri dating app, nothing more.
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But curiosity had other plans.
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“Who here is from Zone 9?” she asked. A few replies came in, including one from someone with their camera off. “Who said that? Turn your camera on!” she teased. Romit, a new face in the Bay Area and a first-time attendee, turned his camera on... and just like that, her quick exit turned into a full evening.
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Romit had briefly stepped away during intros but came back, thinking, “This is how you build community.” Good thing he did or there might never have been a Sidhi weds Romit.
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What was meant to be a one-hour call turned into something much more. They landed in three of four breakout rooms together...coincidence? Maybe. Destiny? Possibly. Sidhi half-joked to herself that she might’ve just met her future husband... but with no way to contact him after, that call was all she had.
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Or so she thought...
Spontaniety
First Date- August 19, 2022
After Speed Dosti, Sidhi and Romit exchanged social handles, unsure of what would come next. Romit messaged her on Instagram two days later, casually asking about her internship.
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Their schedules were packed, Romit had just started a master’s program and part-time job, and Sidhi was heading back to San Francisco to finish her degree. They figured they’d try meeting sometime after September.
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But a craving changed the plan.
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Shortly after landing in the Bay, Sidhi was suddenly in the mood for Sam & Curry. On a whim, she messaged Romit. To her surprise, he was free after work. Perfect. Except... she fell asleep.
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Phone dead, alarms off, she woke up to a call: “Hey, I’m done with work. Have you left yet?” Half-asleep, she blurted, “Yeah, I’m in the car!” (She wasn’t.) Cue the mad dash: red summer dress, cardigan, kajal, lip gloss, and out the door.
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Rangisari played on repeat as she drove over. A slightly awkward one-armed hug, and then, their impromptu first date began.
Over lunch, Sidhi ordered tacos. Romit teased, “Who gets tacos on a first date?” She laughed, and quietly noted the word date. No one had said it out loud yet.
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Afterward, unsure of what to do next, they headed to Sierra Vista Reserve. At one point, Sidhi asked him to block the sun, a tiny moment he still remembers.
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They ended the day at Starbucks. Sidhi got her usual (iced vanilla latte, light ice), Romit an Americano. He peeled the sticker off her cup and tucked it into his wallet. It’s still there.
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She dropped him off. Rangisari looped again on her drive home. No labels, no big talk... but in her head, she may or may not have already planned their wedding. Just in case.
Turns out, that just in case wasn’t so far off. Because here we are today.
She Said Yes!
The Proposal - August 17, 2025
The year before, Sidhi and Romit had already celebrated a traditional ceremony in India. They exchanged rings there so their families could witness the moment and celebrate alongside them, especially since they live so far away. It was beautiful, meaningful, and filled with love, but anyone who knows Sidhi knows that the filmy romantic in her was never going to let things end there. A proposal was always going to be in the cards. She had even joked, only half-seriously, that she would not step into a mandap without one.
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Still, as time went on and the engagement party in California drew closer, there was no proposal in sight. Sidhi started to believe that maybe it just was not going to happen.Romit, of course, had been quietly planning. He told Sidhi they needed to attend a baby shower once they got back. Since so many of their friends were expecting, it seemed completely believable. He even mentioned, very casually, that it was a boy, so she should wear blue. Sidhi never thought twice about it.
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On the day of, as they got into the car, Romit entered a location into CarPlay for directions. It showed up as being more than an hour away, but with only a street name and no other detail. Sidhi sat there completely clueless, happily vibing to the music, with no idea what was about to happen.
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When they arrived, the surprise revealed itself. With the Golden Gate Bridge rising behind them, in the city where they had spent the first year of their relationship, Romit gave a heartfelt speech that brought tears to Sidhi’s eyes. At the end, he asked her to spend every lifetime together with him. Sidhi’s answer was simple and certain: it was always going to be yes.
