MEERUT: A retired judge in Meerut welcomed his daughter home with drums, garlands and sweets after her divorce, in a public show of support aimed at challenging the stigma surrounding marital separation.Gyanendra Kumar Sharma celebrated the return of his only daughter Pranita Vashistha after a family court granted the divorce on Saturday. Relatives welcomed her with garlands and distributed sweets. Many family members wore black T-shirts emblazoned with the message "I Love My Daughter," expressing their unwavering support.According to her counsels Rajeev Giri and Naseeb Saifi, Pranita had married an Army Major from Shahjahanpur on Dec 19, 2018, but the marriage soon turned sour, with allegations of mental, physical and emotional harassment at her matrimonial home.

Despite the birth of a son, the relationship between the husband and wife did not improve, prompting her to seek legal separation.If my daughter is unhappy in her marriage, it is my responsibility to bring her out of that environment. Her dignity matters more than social expectations," Sharma said, adding the family chose not to seek alimony. Pranita, a postgraduate in psychology and finance director at a judicial academy in Tejgarhi, said that she had become mentally fragile during her marriage but found strength through her family's support.

"No woman should suffer in silence. Stand up for yourself, be independent and value your self-respect," she said. "This is a bold and much-needed step in our society. Instead of treating divorce as a stigma, the family has shown that a daughter's happiness and dignity come first." said Ritu Tomar, a resident of Bulandshahr who got divorced in 2022. She added that such examples will encourage more families to support their daughters rather than force them to suffer in silence.