Daughters-in-law are our greatest wealth: sons to take symbolic 8th phera against female foeticide at weddings.

Hisar: Naresh Poonia, former sarpanch of Satrod Kalan village in Hisar, conducted the ring ceremony of his two sons for a token amount of just Rs 1, sending out a message of simplicity, dowry-free marriage, respect for daughters, and environmental conservation. He said that daughters who come into a family as daughters-in-law are its greatest asset.

The ceremony was held on Wednesday at Royal Paul Resort on Hisar-Tosham Road, where Poonia set an example for society by completing the engagement of his sons, Ajay and Vijay, in a simple ceremony for a mere Rs 1. During the event, both sons pledged to protect the environment and appealed to people to plant more trees and safeguard nature.

A large number of villagers, friends and relatives attended the ceremony and showered blessings on the newly engaged couples. Former sarpanch Naresh Poonia and his wife Sushila Devi were seen joyfully celebrating the occasion along with family members.

Poonia said, "The daughters who are coming into our home as daughters-in-law are our greatest wealth. There can be no dowry bigger than this. We don't need any gifts or tokens — all we want is respect and dignity."

He added that when his sons eventually get married, the family will not accept any form of dowry or gifts that could encourage ostentation or financial burden in society. His aim, he said, is to convey the message that respecting daughters is the highest form of honour.

Poonia said that a family which raises a daughter and instils values in her deserves the utmost respect. "We need to move away from wasteful spending and focus on empowering our daughters. They should be made so capable, educated and self-reliant that society realises daughters are in no way inferior — rather, they are the greatest gift to a family and to society," he said.

He mentioned that the wedding dates for his two sons have not yet been finalised. Once fixed, both sons will take a symbolic eighth "phera" (ritual round) in addition to the traditional seven during their wedding ceremonies, as a mark of protest against female foeticide and to spread the message of "Beti Bachao" (Save the Daughter).

Naresh Poonia appealed to society to celebrate weddings with simplicity, stay away from practices like dowry and unnecessary extravagance, and empower daughters through education, respect and equal opportunities. He said this would be the greatest gift to society and future generations.

Poonia's initiative is being widely praised across the region, with many hailing it as an inspiring and exemplary step towards dowry-free marriages, respect for daughters, environmental conservation and social awareness.