Hukkeri, Karnataka, saw a heartwarming event on February 8. Mehboob Hasan Naikwadi, a retired KSRTC driver, and his wife Noor Jahan held the wedding of their adopted son, Somashekar Pujeri, with Poonam. The ceremony followed Veerashaiva Lingayat rituals, with a family friend performing religious duties. The Naikwadis warmly welcomed guests from streets nearby and managed the arrangements. Community leaders, including Basavaprabhu Vantamuri, joined with joy and praised the couple's actions. Mr. Vantamuri said, "the Naikwadis’ act is a model for the society, which has been witnessing spurts in incidents of communal violence." Twenty years ago, the couple adopted Somashekar and his younger brother Vasant after they lost their parents in a road accident. Mr. Naikwadi was friends with their late father, Shivanand Kadayya Pujeri. When no relatives could be found, he and his wife decided to take care of the boys. Despite having their own children, they raised the orphans with love, giving them education and support. Somashekar, who holds a BSc degree, now works at an aviation firm in Belagavi. When it was time for him to marry, the Naikwadis arranged an alliance with Poonam from a Veerashaiva Lingayat family in Tanwad village, Maharashtra. Mr. Naikwadi, in his 70s, told reporters, "I do not think there is anything special in what my wife and I have done. I believe that all the people in this country are brothers and sisters. I am happy that these children grew up in my house, got educated, and found jobs on their own. I will leave this world, satisfied that I have done my job." He looks forward to the wedding of his other adopted son, Vasant, soon.