CV and BiodataHow to write family details in a marriage biodata
The other family wants to know what kind of home you come from. A few plain lines about the people in it are enough.
What to include
- Father: name and occupation. If retired, from what. If he has passed away, "Late Shri ..." with his former occupation.
- Mother: name and occupation, or homemaker.
- Brothers and sisters: how many, elder or younger, married or not, and what each does. Names are optional.
- Native place: the town or village the family belongs to, and where it lives now if different.
- Family type: joint or nuclear.
- Community details, such as gotra or sub-community, only if your tradition asks for them.
Examples
A nuclear family
Father: Shri Ramesh Gupta, shop owner (general store), Kanpur
Mother: Smt. Sunita Gupta, homemaker
Sister: One younger sister, studying B.Com
Native place: Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Family type: Nuclear
A joint family
Father: Shri Harjit Singh, farmer and transport business
Mother: Smt. Gurpreet Kaur, homemaker
Brothers: Two; elder married, works with father; younger in Canada on a work permit
Grandparents: Living with the family
Native place: A village near Ludhiana, Punjab
Family type: Joint
When a parent has passed away
Father: Late Shri K. Narayanan, formerly a school headmaster
Mother: Smt. Lakshmi Narayanan, retired teacher
Brother: One elder brother, married, software engineer in Chennai
Native place: Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
Short form
Father retired from state government service; mother a homemaker; one elder sister, married and settled in Jaipur. Educated, middle-class family from Ajmer.
All names here are invented.
How much detail
Enough to place the family; not a family tree. Uncles, aunts and cousins need not appear unless there is a reason, such as the contact person being an uncle. If relatives are well known in the community, one line is sufficient: "Maternal uncle: Dr ..., physician in Bhopal".
Describing the family's standing
Phrases such as "middle class", "upper middle class" and "well settled" are common. Use them honestly. It is better to state facts (own house in the city, a family shop, agricultural land) only in general terms and without figures. Never list bank balances, plot numbers or vehicle numbers.
Sensitive matters
- A parent's death, separation or illness: state the plain fact briefly. The details are for a later conversation, when trust has grown.
- A sibling's inter-community marriage or divorce: there is no need to explain it in the biodata. "One elder sister, married" is true and enough.
- Financial difficulty: do not disguise it with grand words, and do not dwell on it. Describe occupations truthfully.
What to keep off the page
A biodata is forwarded freely. Leave out the full home address (city is enough), the family's other phone numbers, employers' exact office addresses of women in the family, and any identity or financial numbers. See sharing a biodata safely.
Titles and respect
Use the forms of address customary in your language and community: Shri and Smt., Sardar and Sardarni, Janab and Mohtarma, Mr and Mrs. "Late" before the name of a person who has died is usual.
Contact person
Name the one family member who will take calls, with their relationship: "Contact: Shri Ramesh Gupta (father)". If the person concerned prefers to be contacted directly, say so and give that number instead.
Enter these details in the marriage biodata maker; you can add your own rows for anything particular to your family.
Questions people ask
Do I need to list uncles and aunts in a biodata?
No. Parents and brothers and sisters are enough, unless a relative is the contact person.
How do I mention a parent who has died?
Write "Late" before the name, with the former occupation, for example "Late Shri K. Narayanan, formerly a school headmaster".