India, June 30 -- Every generation inherits traditions. Every generation also reshapes them.

The recent tragedy involving a young engaged couple has understandably generated public debate. While the courts will determine the legal responsibility, the incident compels us to ask larger questions. Are we trying to preserve an old institution without recognising how dramatically the people entering it have changed?

Marriage in India is undergoing its most profound transformation in decades.

For centuries, marriage was not merely a personal relationship. It was an alliance between families. It preserved lineage, strengthened communities, consolidated property, and, in many business families, expanded commercial networks. Individual preferen...