New Delhi:

After 29 years of marriage, music maestro AR Rahman and his wife Saira Banu have decided to separate. The couple shared the news on their respective social media handles on Tuesday. Saira’s lawyer Vandana Shah said in a statement, “After many years of marriage, Mrs. Saira has taken the difficult decision to separate from her husband Mr. AR Rahman. This decision comes after significant emotional strain in their relationship. Despite the deep love they have for each other, the couple has found that stress and difficulties have created a great distance between them, which neither party feels able to bridge at this time, Mrs Saira said during this challenging time. Privacy and understanding from the public Requests.

Here’s everything you need to know about Saira Banu:

1. Saira Banu was born in December 1973 in Kutch, Gujarat. He reportedly belongs to an upper-middle-class family with a rich cultural heritage. He is famous for his charity and social efforts. According to reports, she frequently donates to nonprofits that support community development, health care, and education. News18.

2. Saira Banu and AR Rahman met in an arranged marriage setup. Rehman revealed in an interview that his mother and sister saw Saira for the first time at the Dargah of Sufi saint Moti Baba in Chennai. “My mother did not know Saira or her family, but since they lived just five houses away from the temple, she went there and talked to them. Everything happened very naturally,” he said.

3. Recalling his first meeting with Saira Banu, AR Rahman said that he met Saira on his 28th birthday. “She was beautiful and gentle. We met for the first time on January 6, 1995, on my 28th birthday. It was a brief meeting. After that we mostly kept talking on the phone. Saira speaks Kutchi and English and I asked her in English if she wanted to marry me. Saira used to be very quiet in those days. Now he is anything but calm,” he said.

4. The former couple married on March 12, 1995. Saira is about seven years younger than Rehman.

5. Saira Banu and AR Rehman have three children – daughters Khatija and Rahima and son Amin.