For a generation that grew up swiping right and left, meeting someone across a table might sound old-fashioned. Yet speed-dating events are finding a new audience in Bengaluru, where young professionals are looking beyond dating apps to meet people face-to-face and see where the evening takes them.For 28-year-old banking professional and storyteller Sudhanshu, who has attended speed-dating events, the appeal lies in meeting people without the pressure of defining the outcome. “I feel when you meet someone, it’s not always about finding out what you want in life. Sometimes you learn what you don’t want in life,” he says.Unlike dating apps, where conversations can stretch for days before two people actually meet, speed dating puts people in the same room and gives them a limited window to connect. Games and activities are often used to make first conversations less awkward. “You get to know multiple people in two hours. There are games and even blindfolded conversations. That way, you get to know the real person,” says Sudhanshu. Riya, an IT professional who has attended a speed-dating event, points out how the format offers a break from the predictability of dating apps. “On a dating app, you can spend so much time deciding whether to swipe right. Here, you just meet the person and see if you click. It feels more spontaneous,” she says.Sudhanshu believes the format works because it does not necessarily come with a fixed end goal. “You don’t always go on a date with finding a partner as the only end goal. Sometimes, you meet someone just to get to know each other. Later, it can become a relationship, a marriage or a partnership,” he says.For young professionals in a city where work schedules and busy social lives can make organic connections difficult, such events also offer a structured way to meet strangers. “Bengaluru has a lot of people who are new to the city or are busy with work. An event gives you an excuse to actually step out and talk to people,” says Riya. Sudhanshu, who recently moved to Bengaluru from Delhi, agrees. “Events like this really help us socialise with many people because someone is there to lead the activity. You get to know different perspectives and become more empathetic,” he shares.
