Lucknow Man on Ventilator Marries Daughters in ICU

lucknow man on ventilator marries daughters in icu

Two sisters got married at a hospital in Lucknow after their father ended up on ventilator support – two weeks before their wedding. A Nikah was set up inside the intensive care unit (ICU) of ERA's Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, where Sufi Saiyad Junaid Sabri, 55, is on life support for a chest infection.

The brides, Dr Darksha Saiyad, 29, and Tanzila Saiyad, 26, were originally scheduled to get married on June 22 in Mumbai. However, following their father’s unexpected hospital admission on June 8, they decided not to wait that long and risk missing his presence and blessings.

“Special arrangements were made inside the ICU,” Dr Mustahin Malik, the ward’s in-charge, told The Times of India.

“Curtains and a separate room were set up to allow five people to attend the ceremony on a humanitarian basis.”

According to Dr Tariq Sabri, Junaid’s brother, the occasion marked the fifth time the patient was put on life support in the last 14 months. On each of the previous occasions, he recovered, but his health worsened this time, ruling out flying to Mumbai.

Both Dr Darksha and Tanzila wanted their father to be part of their big day, forcing their uncle to seek Dr Malik’s permission.

The administration at ERA's Lucknow gave the nod, with its Dean Professor MMA Afridi, authorising the wedding on the condition that only five people – including the groom’s side – would be let into the ICU and with precaution.

"Our father is our world, and we could not get married without his blessing,” Darksha said.

"We are extremely thankful to the administration for allowing this. Luckily, even on ventilator support, my father was conscious, and his eyes filled with satisfaction as the nikah was recited in front of him.”

Although the twin-marriages were solemnised with Islamic rituals on Thursday and Friday, the main event will still take place over the weekend.