Mumbai: Rediffusion’s Bharat Lab, in partnership with Lucknow University, has launched a unique research-driven book titled ‘Mera Pehla Pyaar’, exploring the evolving dimensions of love, romance, and marriage in contemporary Indian society.
The book was officially released over the weekend by the Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Smt. Anandiben Patel, and Lucknow University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Alok K Rai.
‘Mera Pehla Pyaar’ is the culmination of over 18 months of in-depth research. “Mera Pehla Pyaar has taken us over 18 months of hard work and research. A team of nearly two dozen professors and consumer analysts met young couples, interviewed them, collated and analysed their responses. The stories in the book are first-hand narratives. The book has been published as a bilingual to preserve the authenticity of narrations and so as also not to lose the flavour of what was being conveyed,” said Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Co-Chair of The Bharat Lab.
The bilingual publication features 20 real-life stories that examine how love—romantic, platonic, familial, spiritual, and self-love—plays a crucial role in personal development. Through a mix of sociological, anthropological, and consumer insights, the book captures both the joys and sorrows of love in modern India, weaving together narratives from different cultural perspectives and emotional lenses.
The stories reflect how relationships are transforming in a rapidly digitizing society. “The book offers many interesting insights on how love, romance and marriage are getting re-shaped in an era where individuals are time-scarce and old-world concepts like love-letters are almost extinct and romances are initiated and most times terminated on WhatsApp. We already have a lot of interest from many brands who want us to share our research and analysis on the new Bharat and its younger generation,” noted Carol Goyal, Executive Director at Rediffusion.
The publication has been edited by Prof. Avanindra Chopra, with support from Prof. Keya Pandey and Dr. Ansh Sharma, and published by Stature. It represents a rare collaboration between academia and the advertising industry, offering fresh insights for brands, researchers, and general readers alike. The book will soon be available for purchase on Amazon and Flipkart.
