Murugavel Janakiraman on Trust, Tradition & the Modern Indian Consumer

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Murugavel Janakiraman emphasizes that building a trusted matrimony platform in India requires replicating the deep cultural nuances of real-life matchmaking within a digital environment. Since marriage is one of the most significant decisions in an individual's life, the platform prioritizes trust by rigorously filtering profiles and collecting sensitive personal data such as horoscope information before adding them to the site. This approach ensures that the online experience mirrors traditional offline processes, including community verification and cultural alignment, which has allowed the company to grow from a single brand into a network of over 300 specialized sites catering to various communities, professions, and linguistic groups. The dynamics of the Indian consumer have shifted dramatically over the last two decades, moving from a parent-led decision-making process to one driven primarily by the individuals seeking marriage. While parents remain involved as supportive passengers rather than the primary drivers, young people now take charge of shortlisting potential partners based on evolving criteria that extend beyond traditional metrics like age, height, and occupation. Although the majority of marriages still occur within specific communities or sub-communities, there is a growing segment of users who seek matches based on shared hobbies, interests, and personal "vibes," reflecting a modernization where professional status and socioeconomic factors are weighed alongside cultural preferences. Artificial intelligence plays a significant role in shortlisting potential partners by analyzing vast amounts of data, yet Janakiraman argues that algorithms cannot fully replicate the magical, intangible connection that leads to a successful marriage. He illustrates this with the example of doctors who often prefer marrying other doctors regardless of community lines, suggesting that certain professional bonds transcend traditional social boundaries. Ultimately, while technology can assist in filtering options, the final decision rests on human intuition and what is often described as divine will, acknowledging that among billions of people, finding that single, perfect match remains a unique journey that cannot be entirely predicted by data alone.

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There are 8 billion people on this earth and you're going to get married one person. >> They say that matches are made in heaven. That's what for the longest we believed in. >> Get only one match. [music] >> That one match has to best match. >> How do you actually build that trust? >> People don't want to go outside of India. You know which I call it the collaborative matchmaking technology [music] >> help people to find the right life partner. >> So what does it take to build a brand which people trust with one of the most important decisions of their life and that's marriage. So to discuss more on it, I'm joined by Mr. Murugville Janaki Raman. Thank you so much, sir. And you know, thank you so much for taking our time for this conversation today. >> Thanks for having me. Yeah. >> Yeah. So sir, my very first question to you is that you know, matrimony is a category built very heavily on trust because that's how marriage as a constitution in India works. So my question to you is that how do you actually build that trust of the scale I would say? >> So we've been doing for so almost like two and a half decades. >> Sure. So right from the beginning uh we are very clear we want to build the most trusted matimony platform because >> as you rightly said when it comes to marriage trust is one of the important things >> and also and no other platform take so much of personal information like matimoney platform we take horoscope information also >> so we take so much of personal information so that being the case also people trusting our platform for the most important decision of their life which is marriage. Yeah. >> So in order to build the trust right from the beginning I'm talking way back in 2000 we to ensure that each and every profiles are you know filtered then added to the platform. You can't just like that you create a profile on mat many money platform not only profile photos to ensure that the platforms built on the trust also that we have built a cultural nuances uh you know into that online platform what's happening in the real life world we're able to bring it to the online. So like you know autooscope matching and you want to add a verification service and allowing parents use the platform. So basically and again finding a match between your cultural preference like community sub community. So basically everything was revolved around how to build the most trusted matimony platform replicating what's happening in the offend world into the online platform. So that helped us to build the most trusted matimony platform also the approach what we took that helped to that that helped us to have the strong connect with the consumer we not a single brand so today we run 300 plus matrimony site so while bat matimony is a flagship brand you have tamil matimony marathi matimony then a community site as well based on the cast and also a special site like you know doctor's matimony defense matrimony specific specific things so what happened these combination of these the individual brands specific speak to the particular community combined with the the the future what he implemented helped us to apart from the brand building the investment what you done and all the thing helped us to build the the most trusted matimony brand also over a period of time the millions of people got married >> that's added to the trust and credibility so so what publicity and incidentally I got m service so >> that's so that's so lovely good to hear that >> yes yeah >> yeah and um I think you're the right person to kind of um you know help us and understand the changing dynamics of the >> you know Indian market right now I'm speaking from your uh perspect you know what has changed most about the Indian consumers and their approach towards relationship as it's no longer same as it was you know say 25 years back today youngsters their approach towards marriage has changed drastically they're looking from their partner what they're basically looking for their partner is no longer same what same our parents were looking >> uh so your take on that >> thing is that couple of things uh one is that uh you know as the country progresses the average age of people getting married that would increase. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> And while there are people still want to marry within the community which is still there in India majority of marriage happen within the community that has not changed. >> Again the people are beyond the community and the cultural preferences. There are people look for you know you know people matching their maybe hobbies or interest or you know that having that vibe. Okay. That's also people look at whether this person you know I'm I'm I'm able to kind with the person also. Yeah V is a thing. So there are people talk about okay whether to have the vibe with other person. So we are also able to address some of the changing preference of the customer. You know it was not the case when you started the platform. We didn't have the hobbies and interest. So today we can find uh you know you know alliances based on even hobbies and interest as well. Yeah. >> So we are trying to bring that apart from the cultural nuances try to help people to find matches based on the preference as well beyond that cultural preferences or beyond socioeconomic preference. Normally people want to look at know age, height, education, occupation then the community. Now you also have the features like okay we can find matches based on obies and interest or though that percentage is small I wouldn't say large percentage because still as I told majority of marriage happens on the this cultural preferences but again these are some of the changes which you are adopting with those changes as well. Yeah, >> I want to know like how much of a professional um say when there is a professional person who is looking for a partner there >> is what what do you understand from the data perspect how [music] is it if the particular professional is looking for in specific directions you know is is that is also something which is calculated because I believe culture part is something which which is equally important as you were mentioning as it was before >> not much have changed there isn't it >> yeah that not much change we're still there largely But having said that look at you know what kind of there is thing people look at you know 40 years ago what kind of job what kind of people would have preferred you know people would have preferred the government job or bank employee >> and late '9s or early 2000s it was IT guys in the US you know they are prefer today is the other way around >> what is it >> people people don't want to go outside of India they're not muchuh the interest towards and the girls want to go in fact today I feel that people outside of India they're finding difficult to find the aliens and all that because not many girls want to go outside of India because today the country is progressing many things are available in terms of uh as a country you know uh facilities and other thing so as they know as depends on how the country progress or certain certain uh jobs gets preferred and all the things okay >> so definitely 1.8 it was it okay today all jobs are getting paid very well there's no more you know it enjoys that kind of elevated preference as like in the past >> but having said that uh uh as I told the country is one thing but things like doctors is one thing very very unique doctors prefer doctors >> okay that's the reason we have doctor's matrimony it is not the case with lawyers >> it is not the case with the other professions okay so so while you are taking matrimony but doctor is very interesting that you The preference of doctors is to find >> just a doctor >> doctors because they think the doctors understand other doctor better. So it's even beyond other communities okay as long as the person is doctor the people are willing to go over that the community they know more it's not confined to the community when it comes to doctor they're okay to similar communities or even other communities as well. >> Okay. Okay. And how about you know um how do you actually balance tradition with the expectations of youngsters these days more you know now digital consu customers also coming up. Earlier the platform was very different now digital >> and of course I would want to add the AI perspects also into this question itself but with artificial intelligence which is so much you know talk of the town these days. How has basically metrimony and the way it process have changed from say traditional media to the digital now and of course now with the emerging uh artificial intelligence. >> So let's talk about how the the matrimony uh such as change were a period of time. So when he started almost 25 years ago, it was it was parents. >> Okay. >> And parents were in the driver's seat. >> Yeah. >> In the sense that they are the one taking decision you know and sort of uh and the son or daughter were largely you know accepting the decisions of the parents and all the because the parents were the one helping the boy or girl to the life partner. Today is not the case. Today more than 70% of the profits are created by the individuals. Also the country has changed. The parents are no more in the driver's seat. They are in the passenger seat. Yeah. >> So it is the youngsters on the driver because parents do understand it is the boys or girl going to you know get married and it's their life. So they know more you know largely I'm talking about at [snorts] least you know majority of the cities or major or good personal population they understand okay it is youngster they need to take a decision but me as a parent I support the entire matchmaking process. So I would say that from parents and driver seat it's become like more like youngsters or the boy or girl in the they are taking decision this and that know whom they want to get married or they are shortlist in the alliances parent do get involved in the matchmaking process at a certain stage >> so they want to be part of the matchmaking process but no more they are driving the decision okay the decisions are largely driven by the youngsters I think the shift is happen thanks to movies thanks to the country okay people also understand it is individual decision okay I think that shift has happened Okay. >> So, and parents are happy as long as >> me being that that you know the entire process fine as long as I'm not eliminated and unlike incess unlike in the west. >> Okay. At least at least you know it's I call it the collaborative matchmaking. >> Okay. So it's not that you know so parent choosing or youngsters choosing it's you know it's marriage happening with the concern of all the you know the people parents and youngster but youngsters are the one driving the agenda by and large at least in majesties and all that. >> Okay. And speaking of artificial intelligence >> yeah sorry yeah I forgot that that's okay. So you know um speaking of artificial intelligence they say that matches are made in heaven. That's what for the longest we've believed in. So has you know with the emergence of um artificial intelligence has algorithm taken over the whole concept or how's it like >> see basically definitely marriage a marina you know we facilitated through platform like us >> I think that look we can definitely le artificial another know technology we need to leverage a technology help people to find the right life partner one thing when it comes to I was just sharing it also what makes two people click it's something magical which you kind of no algorithm can predict. >> Sometime we think these are two best match and they don't get connected with each other. >> Sometime relationship manager sins profile hesitantly. >> Mhm. >> Okay. But they get connected. >> Yeah. Because you know what get transferred you know what makes the two people that's what you know that's something like you know there is a >> element what you talk about god's edition you know marriage made in heaven now thing >> because I sometime wonder okay oh these people are want to get married okay great >> okay because you know so you know when you talk to relationship manager so >> it's very very interesting that you know how this whole thing happened because look at know there are 8 billion people on this earth and you're going to get married one person >> and who is that person you So what makes while we can definitely give all these algorithm you know all those things >> but finally what makes people click >> and choose and which one to >> yeah yeah it's very very interesting while algorithm >> can help to short list but al cannot set in fact I remember we used to talk in the past >> it's not a thousand of matching pro you got to get only one match okay >> that one match has to a best match >> and no matter what be the algorithm a and all the thing we cannot tell this alliance is is a right alliance no other it won't happen like that >> okay >> it can give some preferences but individually when people meet they have to decide okay they want to get married but only god's grace and god's decision all >> on that note thank you so much sir it was lovely talking to you and for all those insights uh thank you so much >> thank you so much okay thank you thanks for having