Sandhira Chetty: the matchmaker on a mission to connect hearts and create love stories

In the confusing world of modern-day dating, Sandhira Chetty is making a difference by acting as a bridge to love.

Chetty recently launched a match-making service after years of unique experiences that led her to this career path.

Her journey began as a writer for an American company where her job was to vet people and write their biographies, but it soon turned into a passion for bringing people together.

It all started when Chetty returned to South Africa after a decade in South Korea. Upon returning, she faced challenges in finding a job.

For nearly two years, she searched for opportunities until she found a position at a match-making company based in the US. It was a leap of faith, but once she started, she discovered a deep passion for her work. 

"I fell in love, excuse the pun, but I fell in love with the job. I just really love bringing people together and listening to their stories - it is such a fulfilling feeling," she said. 

In just a year, she realised that starting her own service was her true calling, and after two and a half years, she finally took the leap and established her own match-making business in February.

Although her service is still new, Chetty has already used her extensive experience in the industry to help couples find love.

Her connection to social media has also played a role in her success.

Back in 2016, she began sharing her life through YouTube, and later, after encouragement from a fellow creator, she ventured into TikTok. 

"I did videos of my life in Korea, and for so long, I had been making long-form content on YouTube. Last year, a fellow content creator introduced me to TikTok. I was so scared of TikTok and making shorter videos.

"I didn't know how, but I took a chance, and the first video went viral, so it took off from there. 

"Content creation started way before the idea of the match-making service was born in my head, and it was purely just to make videos of my life. There are no monetary incentives for me. It's just a passion.

"Ultimately, having the following worked out for me, and really helped me to put my business out there."

Since starting, Chetty has noticed a growing number of people in their 30s and early 40s seeking long-term partners.

She understands the struggle of finding love, having faced her own challenges with dating apps.

"I got so tired of the apps and the people who didn’t have the right intentions. I kind of just stopped looking for love,” she admitted.

Her experiences shaped her approach to match-making, focusing on the importance of genuine connections rather than quick fixes. 

"For me, it's not just as easy as a CV swop, that's not what I do. The apps are a self-screening process ... I fill in that gap. Essentially, I find the person, and I screen them thoroughly.

"I do a video call and get to know them deeply and cut out that process for you, so you can just meet for coffee and enjoy the process after I've done all the nitty-gritty work," she said. 

When new clients come to her, Chetty conducts a comprehensive hour-long consultation at a cost of R500.

She uses a specially designed questionnaire to learn more about each person’s desires and needs.

Clients can choose from various packages, which are one-time fees without expiry. This flexibility allows individuals to work with Chetty until they find the right match.

She explains, however, that the responsibility does not solely rest with her. 

"I do a lot of work in the build-up to matching people. I can find two people who check each other's boxes so well, but once I match them, it's just completely out of my control.

"It is up to both parties, and how much work they put into it. It is up to the universe and whichever God they believe in. I can't guarantee that they will marry each other, because once I match them, it is out of my hands.

Chetty believes that dating should be enjoyable and encourages clients not to fixate solely on the goal of finding a partner. 

"For a long time, I was one of those people looking for love. I kind of just got tired and stopped. And I think, in the end, that's the key to the process. You just have to surrender it, and that's when love finds you.

"Even if you sign up for a match-making service, surrender! Don't focus on the result, don't focus on the match-maker finding you the person, you must just trust the process and let it go ... The more we focus on that result, it's almost as if we resist that process."

With a diverse clientele, Chetty said there is a balance between men and women seeking love, though men often appear more hesitant to seek help.

"Looking at my clientele and database, I can say that it's split 50/50. So everyone is looking for love, no matter who they are. I can say that males are much more hesitant to come forward, while women are much more ready," she shared. 

In a world filled with endless options due to social media, Chetty aims to highlight the beauty of real human connections. 

"Social media has taken us to this place where we are basically saturated with options. Because of this, we think that we can find the perfect person. Like, we can just keep swiping, but that's not how life works. No one is perfect, no one is going to check all the boxes ...

"People need to be open-minded. And it's not fair to base your decision on a picture. You can not feel a connection or spark just from a photo.

"It's human nature to connect, and I think that's where our sense of fulfilment comes from. I know that feeling, so I took it upon myself to connect people. I love nothing more than bringing people together and just feeling that love, which, I feel, the world is so deeply lacking at this moment.

"I think because it is my passion and what fulfils me, I put my everything into it and don't take shortcuts because I understand that I am dealing with very complex humans and emotions. I know what it means to people, so I give it my best," she ended.