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Nirvaan

Wednesday, 15 February 2023 Global IT Convention Centre, Bengaluru

‘I travelled the world but came back home to you, my mother, my homeland!’

A s I touch down in the beautiful city of Bengaluru, I cannot believe that I’ve made it through the last few days which have been nothing short of an absolute nightmare. When Asmitha called to tell me that they might have to reboot AILENA, for the first time since I became an entrepreneur, I was not worried about the money I would lose but about the fact that rebooting AILENA would erase all the data related to Kiana, which, in effect, could mean that I’d never be able to find her again.

I hired the best brains in the tech world in the hopes of taking care of the situation, and we had a strict deadline within which to turn things around: two weeks. Fortunately, we were able to find a new successful pair, and they’re ready to share their experience with the world at large. Unfortunately, we lost all the data related to the previous couple, me and Kiana, that is.

But I have a plan of sorts in place. As a part of my speech at the launch event, I’m going to announce that I’m also thinking of signing up on the app under the name ‘Neer’. While I can’t obviously talk about exactly what happened, lest it affect AILENA’s investment prospects and also reveal my private identity in public, this announcement should be enough for Kiana to get a clue about me, because I’m pretty sure that she’ll be watching the launch broadcast via Facebook Live. And if she doesn’t, well, then I just have to book tickets to Chicago and comb through the downtown area to find her like they do in Hollywood romcoms. And this is all that I’ve been able to come up with, given all the sleepless nights in Mumbai that have contributed to my dysfunctional brain! I used to be quite an intelligent guy, and it would not be an overstatement to say that love has made a fool of me too! While I know that all of this was AILENA’s fault, Kiana doesn’t. She’s under the impression that it was me. I need to meet her once and explain everything.

When I arrive at the convention centre a little later, I’m immediately struck by its breathtaking futuristic design. The entire structure is a striking blend of towering steel columns, a sleek glass facade and vibrant green accents that evoke the lushness of a tropical rainforest. Inside, the atmosphere is charged with anticipation and excitement. A diverse mix of tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, investors, government officials and media representatives mingle in the dining hall, and the only chatter is about the unveiling of this revolutionary app tomorrow.

I rush through dinner and try to catch some sleep. But it’s one of those nights where even though you want to sleep early and wake up fresh because it’s a big day tomorrow, you can’t because you’re constantly worrying about things not falling into place. For me, the stakes are even higher, and I am plagued by questions and doubts: What if Kiana doesn’t tune in to the launch event tomorrow? What if she doesn’t reach out to me? What if she never learns the truth about what happened? What if I never find her again like I never found Kiranjeet? What if …

Lost in these troubling thoughts, I don’t realize when I finally fall asleep, but I wake up a little later than usual the next morning. I get ready hurriedly and grab a quick breakfast before rushing to the main event hall where the launch will take place. The air is literally crackling with electricity, and a sense of thrill washes over me as I take my seat in the front row with a sea of spectators spread out behind me.

In another fifteen minutes, the lights in the hall are dimmed and the massive screen on the stage comes to life with a dazzling multimedia display heralding the arrival of the AILENA app. Then Asmitha walks on stage. Dressed in an ultramarine business suit and pearls, her confidence and charisma are palpable as she approaches the mic and starts the presentation. As she talks, I can see that the audience is captivated by this vision of the God-woman, aka the creator. She touches on every relevant topic, from revolutionizing dating and matchmaking to empowering individuals and shaping the future of technology keeping sustainability in mind. I feel a sense of pride, for I’m part of the history she’s making right here in the heart of Bengaluru.

But my heart is also pounding, because she’s approaching the end of her presentation and then it’ll be my turn to speak as AILENA’s very first investor. Although, truth be told, it’s not the speech that is making me anxious, it’s the possibility of connecting again with Kiana.

When Asmitha finally ends her presentation, the entire hall is filled with applause. The event emcee walks on stage and announces that they’ll take a few questions from the audience before moving on to my keynote address. People immediately raise their hands, ready to ask whatever burning questions they have in their hearts.

‘Hello Asmitha!’ shouts a young reporter with a digital notebook in her hand. ‘Can you tell us what inspired you to create the AILENA app?’

Even from this distance, I can see Asmitha’s eyes sparkling with passion as she answers the question, ‘As a data scientist and an AI enthusiast, I’ve always been fascinated by the complexities of love and compatibility. I wanted to create a tool that could help people find their perfect match in a world where traditional methods of matchmaking are often a hit or miss. And as a mother, I want this world to be a place full of love and meaningful relationships.’

The reporters waste no time, firing off questions like arrows aimed at unravelling the mysteries behind this groundbreaking technology.

Another reporter chimes in, ‘But isn’t it possible that relying on artificial intelligence for something as deep as love could lead to shallow connections?’

Asmitha nods thoughtfully. ‘I understand the concern, but our app is designed to go beyond surface-level compatibility metrics. We’ve developed advanced algorithms that take into account not just interests and hobbies, but also values, personality traits and emotional compatibility. Our goal is to foster meaningful connections that have the potential to last a lifetime.’

A sceptical voice pipes up from somewhere in the back of the hall. ‘How can a robot truly understand matters of the heart? Isn’t there a risk of it getting things wrong and causing more harm than good?’

Asmitha’s expression softens, but her gaze stays steady as she addresses the concern head-on, ‘I won’t deny that there are risks involved, but we’ve taken every precaution possible to minimize them. Our app undergoes rigorous testing and is constantly being updated based on user feedback. Our ultimate goal is to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their love lives with the support of our technology.’

As the press conference draws to a close, Asmitha is about to step down from the stage when the emcee points towards another audience member who still has their hand raised. Asmitha agrees to take one last question. I turn around and see a beautiful girl dressed in a yellow dress, standing a little away from the chaos and clamour of the media, gently take the mic from one of the event volunteers and ask, ‘Could an AI-based matchmaking app help us find a lost partner?’

‘It actually can!’ says Asmitha. ‘If this lost partner signs up on our app, and our app finds you and this person to be compatible, then it can match the two of you. Whether you two end up together or not will be your choice, of course. The app can simply help facilitate your journey towards love.’

‘And if we find a partner successfully on the app, but they decide to walk off, can we find them outside the AILENA-verse?’ She sounds really concerned.

‘No, the app is designed in such a manner that you can’t find them outside the app if they reject the relationship. We don’t share real-life details of either user until they both agree. Also, if one party decides to walk off, we don’t see it as a successful match.’

‘But human relationships are complicated. What about the nuances of feeling something and saying something else? Can your app navigate these?’ she asks.

It’s almost as if she’s done in-depth research about the app beforehand. And she’ll make the perfect addition to the AILENA team. I make a mental note to suggest this to Asmitha later.

‘We’re continuously working to make our app better,’ Asmitha replies. ‘And we’re constantly on the lookout for bright young minds like yours to help us in this journey. May I know your name?’

I love how my thinking as an investor matches with my entrepreneurs’ thought processes. It makes for a great combination.

‘Kiana. But you know me as Kiranjeet Kaur, back from our time together in the university.’

My blood freezes. What? Kiranjeet is Kiana? Is this my Kiana, from the app?

‘Kiranjeet!’ Asmitha exclaims. ‘I can’t believe it’s you. Let’s meet up properly after the conference!’

‘Sure,’ Kiranjeet replies, and before I can even get my thoughts together, she turns around and starts walking towards the exit.

‘Kiranjeet, wait!’ I shout at the top of my voice. I cannot let her go, not again, not like this. I jump out of my seat and push my way past the people towards her. The entire hall is abuzz with anticipation now, and I see people turning in their seats as they watch me run up to her.

When I reach her, it feels like I’m in a dream. I cannot believe she is real. I look deep into her eyes, unable to find the words to break the silence between us. After God only knows how many minutes have passed, I say, ‘I’m Nirvaan, but you know me as Neer.’

I can see the shock and the disbelief in her eyes as she struggles to accept this piece of information.

‘Why did you leave?’ She finally demands an explanation.

‘I did not! The app cut us off due to a software update that found us incompatible.’

‘What? But why? How? Everything went so well during our virtual tour.’

‘We need to leave right now, Kiranjeet. Trust me, I’ll explain everything, but not here!’

‘No, wait. Are you an investor in the app? Do you know Asmitha? What are you doing here?’

‘I’ll explain everything, I promise, but let’s just get out of here,’ I whisper in her ear.

We stand side by side, our eyes locked in a silent exchange that speaks volumes about the emotional upheaval both of us are going through. The unspoken words, the longing to be with each other after all the years of despair, I can see it all.

Someone in the audience claps just then and inadvertently breaks the silence that had threatened to stretch on until the end of time. More people from the audience join the applause. They’ve probably assumed that we are the app’s ‘success story’ that’s to be presented to them.

The emcee’s voice cuts through the applause like a knife, breaking the spell that had enveloped the entire room. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to introduce to you the two individuals whose love story has captivated us all,’ she announces. ‘Please join me in welcoming Cheryl and Dino.’

The lights go out for a bit. Asmitha and a bunch of people from her team approach us hurriedly and escort us out to the green room behind the stage. They don’t want to confuse the audience about what’s happening. As we leave the hall, I request Asmitha, ‘Please cancel my keynote. Say that we were running out of time or something.’ She nods and hurries back.

Kiranjeet and I make our way to a small balcony attached to the green room. There’s a staircase that leads up from the balcony. We sit on one of the stairs, and I suddenly realize that we’re holding each other’s hands tightly, as if we don’t intend to ever let go. In the background, we can hear the emcee talking to Cheryl and Dino.

‘Cheryl, Dino, how does it feel to finally meet in person?’

‘It’s … overwhelming, to say the least,’ Cheryl admits, her voice trembling with emotion.

‘But it feels like I’ve always known you,’ Dino confesses.

As we listen to them speak, it’s as if their words are giving life to our feelings, like we’re watching a movie about our own selves.

I muster up all the courage I have and turn towards Kiranjeet. ‘Sitting here with you after all these years, it’s like stepping back in time and reliving all those moments when we sat on the staircase behind the science lab and shared lunch.’

She nods as she leans against my shoulder. ‘It’s been quite a journey.’ Her voice is barely above a whisper.

‘But the two of us, and this moment here, it’s all a reminder of the power of love to endure even the greatest of trials.’ I smile.

‘We always wanted to be together, but somehow, fate managed to keep us apart for so many years …’

‘But I guess everything happens only when the time is right. And our meeting again via AILENA is proof that maybe this time, fate wants us together,’ I say, sounding more hopeful than ever.

‘I’m sorry for leaving you, Nirvaan. I have always loved you. I left for the US because of my toxic family situation, and although it’s been more than nine years, there hasn’t been a day when I haven’t thought of you. Even while I was talking to Neer on the app, it felt strange because it would remind me of you … but I could never have guessed that it was actually you.’ With that, she breaks down.

I wrap my arms around her and gently rock her back and forth. ‘I’m so relieved to know this, Kiranjeet. I’ve been in a few relationships after you left me, but I never felt the same way about anyone else. I’ve missed you so much. It’s a miracle that we found each other through AILENA. Before anything else though, I want you to know that I’m one of the investors in the app. They’ll be making it public later today. Also, and more importantly, I did not refuse to be with you on the app as you might’ve assumed. It was a system update error, a glitch,’ I tell her everything in a rush.

‘So that makes us even.’ She laughs.

‘It certainly does!’

As our conversation continues, we delve into the depths of our past, sharing stories of love and loss, of triumphs and trials. With each word, we close the distance between us and relive memories that stretch across the years.

‘What made you travel all the way to India?’ I ask her.

‘I was persuaded by my Pakistani neighbour to fly back and attend this event!’

‘What? A neighbour? From Pakistan?’ I laugh. ‘Finally, Pakistan did something great for India. Tell me more.’

‘Ahh! It’s a long story. I’ll share it with you some other day.’

I nod. Taking a deep breath, I reach out to hold her hands in my trembling ones. ‘Kiranjeet, from the moment I first met you in school, my life has been filled with more love and happiness than I ever thought was possible. You are my best friend, my soulmate, my love,’ I confess.

‘Nirvaan, I love you more than I can put into words,’ she replies.

I smile, my eyes shining with tears. And then I ask her hesitantly, ‘Kiranjeet, will you marry me?’

Tears stream down her cheeks as she nods. ‘Yes, Nirvaan, yes! I will marry you, in this and in every other timeline, every other life.’

This time, I don’t want to waste a single minute looking for the perfect time or the perfect place to begin the next chapter of my life. This, now, here, it’s the best time and the best place.

‘Will you move to India or do I move to the States?’ I ask her bluntly. ‘For me, home is wherever you choose to be!’

‘We live in the twenty-first century; we can pursue our careers from anywhere we wish to. But honestly, I have no problem moving back, not anymore. I can resign from my position at Beta and join Asmitha, if she’ll have me, that is!’

‘All right, but let’s meet your parents today! I need to take their permission before we get married. And you need to meet my family as well!’ I’m running ahead at breakneck speed with everything that has to be done.

‘Okay! Okay! You’re an old-school guy, huh? Who asks for parental permission in today’s day and age? But maybe we’ll get to it in a few days? Let me at least savour this moment I have with you first,’ she says with a smile.

‘Okay!’ I hug her tightly before kissing her.

A little later, we step out into the warm Bengaluru night, surrounded by the glow of neon lights and the hum of the city, and we know that it has all been worth it. For here, in this bustling metropolis where the old meets the new, anything is possible and the future is ours to shape.

‘I travelled the world only to come back home to you, my mother, my homeland! Nirvaan, never leave me. You are my home .’

‘Never, Kiranjeet, never!’

Will we live happily ever after?

That only time will tell. But deep in my heart, I know that on a long enough timeline, everything makes sense! And that the stars will guide you home , always!