Hyderabad boy met a Ukrainian girl, and it was love at first sight. They decided to get married and spend the rest of their life together, and the bride landed in Hyderabad to exchange vows. Prateek received his bride Lyubov in Hyderabad, and just the next day, Russia invaded Ukraine.

Sounds like a Bollywood story, right? But this one ain’t any reel story. This is a true story. Though Prateek and Lyubov married in Ukrainian style, they came to India to host a reception. And suddenly, Russia declared war on Ukraine. Son of Mallikarjuna Rao and Padmaja, the groom, happens to be an alumnus of Osmania University’s Biomedical Engineering Department.

Chilkur priests and select devotees from Lord Balaji temple arrived in Hyderabad to bless the groom. While praying for the war to end, they blessed the couple a long and happy married life. The priest who presided over the ceremony has already conducted special prayers at the 16th century Venkateshwara shrine, seeking an end to the military aggression by Russia.