This story is from July 11, 2016

Swaraj turns saviour for foreign bahu

The 'foreign bahu' of a village boy from Fatehabad of Haryana has found a friend in foreign minister Sushma Swaraj.
Swaraj turns saviour for foreign bahu
CHANDIGARH: The 'foreign bahu' of a village boy from Fatehabad of Haryana has found a friend in foreign minister Sushma Swaraj. Responding to a twitter appeal on Sunday, the minister has promised help in getting the Indian visa of Kazakistan national, Zahna, extended so that her new-begun married life is not interrupted.
In her mid 20s, Zahna had married her Facebook friend Teenu Jangra of Samain village of Fatehabad district on May 2.
Her tourist visa is valid till August 1. She would have been required to go back and apply again for Indian visa if it was extended before that. However, Swaraj's offer of help not only revived the hopes of Zahna but also turned her into a celebrity of sorts as several news teams descended on the village to interview her.
Teenu had discussed his worries with a blogger friend, who posted about this on Twitter tagging Sushma Swaraj, who was quick to reply. "Thaari bahu ne kaho visa badhaan khaatri arji dakhil kar de. Hum uski madad kar diyaange. (Tell your daughter-in-law to file an application for extension of visa. We will help her)," tweeted Swaraj, who had become the youngest ever cabinet minister of Haryana in 1977.
"This has come as major relief for us. We had been running from the pillar to post in New Delhi to get her visa extended. Though we have not got any further communication, now we shall visit the ministry of foreign affairs and apply for an extension," said Teenu, the eldest of the three siblings born to Raj Kumar Jangra, a farmer.
Zahna is a law graduate and was pursuing higher studies in Moscow when she came in contact with Teenu through Facebook. Teenu, an ITI passout, was working in Saudi ArAbia at that time. This year, he returned to India and Zahna too followed him. They got married in Tohana temple in accordance with Indian rituals.
Zahna says she is already a part of the village life. She even looks the part in yellow-coloured suit and dupatta, even though she stands at least a head taller than the tallest of local women. Like other women in her neighbourhood, she helps her mother-in-law in cooking and fetching water.

"Life is very smooth and simple here. People here are very good-hearted. There is no mad chase for wealth. Therefore, I feel like settling here. I am quite comfortable in this family and have asked Teenu to start some work in India," she says. Zahna can speak six different languages and is learning Haryanvi now.
"I was disheartened while thinking about visa extension. But following the assurance by the minister, I am hopeful of not being forced to go back to my country," she adds.
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