New Delhi: In a society where women are told to compromise and live with her husband no matter the treatment she receives, an incident of a family in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut welcoming their daughter back home after her divorce has become the talk of the town.
A retired judge and his family celebrated his daughter’s return by dancing to the beat of drums and distributing laddoos to people. A video of the incident has been widely shared on social media.
Retired judge Dr Gyanendra Kumar Sharma welcomed his daughter, identified as Pranita, with drums, flowers and celebrations after she received her divorce papers from a family court.
Vineeta got married in 2018. The marriage soon turned bitter and didn’t last long. After 7 years, divorce was formalized recently and Vineeta’s parents celebrated it with Dhol, dance and sweets in the court premises in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Attendees were seen wearing T-shirts… pic.twitter.com/L4JAVH4jxx
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) April 5, 2026
Video of incident goes viral
The video shows the family wearing black T-shirts printed with Pranita’s photo with the text: “I Love My Daughter. My Heart, My Soul.” The woman was also wearing a matching T-shirt that read: “My Family, My Life.”
Dr Sharma described the moment not as a setback, but as his daughter’s “freedom” and a fresh start.
According to the family, the woman had been married to an Army major around eight years ago, but the relationship deteriorated due to alleged harassment and differences. After years of legal proceedings, the divorce was finalised on Saturday.
“I got my only daughter married eight years ago, but she was not happy in her marital home and faced harassment. If my daughter was unhappy after marriage, it is my duty to ensure her happiness. I did not take any alimony or belongings; I have only brought my daughter back home,” Dr Sharma said.
The videos and images of the celebration have gone viral on social media, with many praising the father’s progressive mindset while others criticising him.
Netizens divided over the incident
A social media user wrote, “Although divorce not to celebrate but it is good if both separated mutually and lived happily now.” Another wrote, “You did a good thing by doing this; it will further elevate the power of women.”
A third criticised the judge, “This is your personal matter, why are you turning it into a public spectacle? In Indian culture, marriage is considered a ‘sacred sacrament,’ not some contract. Why are you promoting the breaking of families? What kind of joy is this in the disintegration of society and family?”
Another questioned if alimony was involved, “Celebration after getting 10cr alimony.”