Writing
Family details in a marriage biodata: how to write them (with examples)
In an arranged marriage, families are meeting families. The family section is read carefully — often by parents first — so it should be accurate, factual and easy to scan. Here is what to include and wording for situations that people find awkward to write.
- Parents with occupations, siblings with work and marital status, native place.
- Write facts, not status: “Retired Deputy Collector” rather than “reputed family”.
- Use simple, respectful wording for late parents, retirement and separated families.
- Leave out property, income of relatives and addresses.
What to include
| Field | How to write it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Name, occupation, employer or business, retired or working | Suresh Patil — retired Deputy Engineer, MSEB |
| Mother | Name, occupation or homemaker | Anjali Patil — homemaker |
| Brothers | Older/younger, work, city, married or not | One elder brother, married, CA in Mumbai |
| Sisters | Older/younger, work or studies, married or not | One younger sister, studying B.Pharm |
| Family type | Nuclear or joint | Joint family |
| Native place | Town or district and state | Sangli, Maharashtra |
| Currently living in | City | Pune |
Writing parents’ occupations
Retired government employee
Retired Section Officer, Indian Railways
Private sector
Senior Manager, Tata Motors, Pune
Business
Owns a hardware wholesale business, Indore
Farming
Agriculturist — owns farmland in Solapur district
Homemaker
Homemaker
Professional
Doctor (general physician), own clinic
Be specific about the role but avoid titles that exaggerate. Families often verify details informally, and an accurate description builds trust.
Siblings
List each sibling with their position (elder or younger), what they do, and whether they are married. If a sibling is married, you may mention where they live. Do not name their spouses or in-laws unless your community expects it.
Example
Siblings: One elder sister, married, teacher in Nagpur · One younger brother, B.Tech final year
Only child
Siblings: None (only child)
Situations people find hard to write
| Situation | Suggested wording |
|---|---|
| A parent has passed away | Father: Late Shri Ramesh Gupta (was a Senior Accountant, UP Jal Nigam) |
| Parents separated or divorced | Mother: Kavita Rao, school principal (I live with my mother) |
| Single parent raised you | Mother: Sunita Verma, nurse, AIIMS Delhi — I was raised by my mother |
| Father retired early / not working | Father: Retired (formerly in private service) |
| Step-parent | Mother: Late Smt. Rekha Iyer · Step-mother: Meena Iyer, homemaker |
| Grandparents live with you | Family type: Joint — lives with parents and grandparents |
“Late” is the respectful and widely understood way to mention a parent who has passed away. No further detail is needed.
Relatives: include or not?
In some communities it is customary to mention the maternal uncle (mama), paternal uncles or grandparents, because the families may already know each other. In others it is unusual. Include them only if your family normally would, and keep it to one line each.
Example (Maharashtrian)
Mama: Shri Vijay Joshi, Pune · Kaka: Shri Anil Kulkarni, Satara
What to leave out
- Property, land holdings, cars or family income
- Relatives’ salaries or bank positions described as influence
- Full home address — the city is enough
- Phrases like “highly reputed”, “well-known”, “rich” or “status family”
- Details of family disputes
Family values: optional
Some biodatas include a line on family values — traditional, moderate or liberal. It can help families find a good fit, but one word is enough. If you include it, make sure it matches how your family actually lives.
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Last updated 20 September 2026 · Biodata for Marriage team
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