Princess Daisy Martekie Abla Akita ‘10 was recently the subject of a piece in the New York Times detailing her international wedding plans that spanned cultures, countries, and continents. PD (as she is widely known today) met her future husband Harish Srikar Vemuri while studying at Harvard Law School.
Ravi Parashar recalls her as a shining student in his Econ class. “Princess, as I called her,” Ravi explained, “took Econ and was brilliant in class, sharply insightful in discussions, ever smiling and with a lively spirit.”
The article about PD and her husband describes four different wedding ceremonies on three continents that were designed to share their joy with their families and friends. PD is from Ghana, Harish’s family is from the south Indian state Andhra Pradesh, and they live in California.
PD and Harish recognized the vast cultural differences between their families and felt that honoring their cultural heritages as they began their life together was setting the right foot forward. ‘“It was a core concern of mine from the very beginning … that our families and upbringings were so different, I didn’t see how we could do this seamlessly. A regular marriage has so many challenges, and with us, we’re layering on social and religious and racial challenges.”’
The article, titled “Four Cross-Cultural Celebrations on Three Continents” appeared in the New York Times on January 20, 2023.
Photo Credit: Samson Kosana Photography via the New York Times