Immigration help, 10-year romance and Guruvayur wedding: Malayali woman marries Scottish politician

For Scottish politician Martyn Day, a relationship that began at the UK Parliament has now reached a deeply personal milestone in Kerala.

Day married Nidhin Chand, a native of Pampakuda in Ernakulam, at the Guruvayur temple on Tuesday, August 18. The wedding was held on Chothi in the Malayalam month of Chingam.

The couple had known each other for around 10 years before deciding to marry. Nidhin’s 22-year-old son, Vedik Shankar, and other relatives witnessed the ceremony.

A long-held wish at Guruvayur

For Nidhin, Guruvayur was not simply a wedding venue. It was a long-held wish.

Speaking to Mathrubhumi.com, she said she was a devoted follower of Guruvayurappan, or Lord Krishna, and had long prayed that her marriage would take place at the temple.

When the couple decided to marry, she told Day about her wish. They had visited Guruvayur together before, but had not been able to hold their wedding there.

The preparations were completed within a short period.

Day’s parents and his sister Susan, who live abroad, could not attend the wedding. Nidhin said their health concerns and fear of flying prevented them from travelling to Kerala.

A meeting at the UK Parliament

Nidhin moved to the UK on a student visa in 2008. After completing electrical and electronics engineering, she went to the UK to pursue a master’s degree in IT management.

She first met Day at the UK Parliament when she approached him seeking help with an immigration-related issue.

Nidhin told Day that she was divorced and the mother of a child. The two later developed a relationship and eventually decided to marry.

Nidhin is the only daughter of K N Chandran of Pampakuda, a retired veterinary field officer, and Rajamma, a former Pampakuda grama panchayat member.

Day’s return to Scottish politics

Day returned to Scottish politics in May 2026 after winning the Falkirk East and Linlithgow constituency for the Scottish National Party (SNP).

He secured 14,465 votes, or 38.4 per cent of the votes cast. Scottish Labour candidate Siobhan Paterson finished second with 9,030 votes, followed by Reform UK’s Amanda Bland with 7,906.

Conservative candidate Lewis Stein received 2,861 votes, while Liberal Democrat candidate Paul McGarry secured 2,501. Independent candidate Ian Wallace El-Paget received 759 votes.

The constituency recorded a turnout of 55.26 per cent, with 151 ballot papers rejected.

After his victory, Day thanked SNP supporters and activists and paid tribute to his predecessors, Michelle Thomson in Falkirk East and Fiona Hyslop in Linlithgow, who both stood down at the election.

Day said the goal was “to make this country independent”, adding: “The work starts here.”

Nidhin also congratulated her partner on his victory.

Learning Malayalam and Kerala traditions

Day has also been making an effort to learn Nidhin’s language and understand her traditions.

Nidhin said he has picked up a few Malayalam phrases, including “namaskaram”, “food kazhicho” and “vellam venam” — asking whether someone has eaten and whether they need water.

She said Day was also trying to learn about Kerala’s customs.

At Guruvayur, those efforts became part of a significant moment in their lives — the culmination of a relationship that began with a meeting at the UK Parliament and continued for nearly a decade before their wedding in Kerala.