Dubai: Woman proposes to her long-time boyfriend mid-air

She says: "I wanted to have the best of both worlds: Do something special for the love of my life, while also treating our parents to a special ride.”

A Staff Reporter

Published: Sat 23 Apr 2022, 3:38 PM

Last updated: Sun 24 Apr 2022, 7:28 AM

Love was in the air for a Dubai-based couple who got engaged after the woman popped the question to her long-time boyfriend on a helicopter ride.

Nidhi Kamani surprised Keyul Thadesar with a ring above the stunning views of Palm Jumeirah in the mid-air ride, which had both their parents on board.

“He unconditionally cares about me and goes out of his way to make me happy. I wanted to make him feel special, so I decided to propose,” Nidhi told Khaleej Times.

In a video of the proposal, Keyul is thrilled to see his girlfriend holding the ring as he says yes before their parents break out in tears of joy and excitement.

Nidhi, a media analyst in Dubai, had planned the trip as a surprise to both their parents and Keyul. “They all arrived at Atlantis the Palm in the afternoon without knowing what’s coming next.”

Nidhi added, “I wanted to have the best of both worlds: Do something special for the love of my life, while also treating our parents to a special ride.”

While Nidhi’s parents knew about the proposal and supported the gesture throughout, the man’s parents were left in awe.

“We went in as girlfriend and boyfriend, and came out as fiancés. It felt different and beautiful to get off the plane holding hands for the first time as fiancés,” said Nidhi.

The couple in their twenties had a colourful engagement party earlier in April with their families and friends.

The long-time UAE residents, who met through mutual friends in Dubai, are yet to set their wedding date.

‘Normalize unconditional love’

For Nidhi, it is important to normalize the concept of unconditional love. “The rising discussion of equality needs to include love. We need to break stereotypes and shatter the terms that define the rituals we take to express love.”

Taking the step of proposing also needs to be done the right way. Nidhi said the bond established between both families gave her the confidence and courage to make the step.

“His parents knew me, and I had my family’s blessings and support. There was that level of comfort, which made the engagement a natural next step.”

She added, “Being together for a long enough time helped us establish trust and know each other well. Keyul has a heart of gold, and we cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives together."

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