Fact Check: Was Poonam Gupta’s Wedding the First Ever at Rashtrapati Bhavan?

The recent wedding of CRPF Assistant Commandant Poonam Gupta has been widely reported as a historic first, with claims that this was the first wedding ever held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. But how accurate is this claim? Our fact check dives deeper into the truth behind these reports.

The Claim

Several prominent news outlets reported that Poonam Gupta’s wedding at Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 12, 2025, was the first marriage ceremony ever hosted at the prestigious venue. According to media reports, Gupta, an Assistant Commandant in the CRPF and currently posted as a Personal Security Officer (PSO) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, was given special permission to hold her wedding at the Mother Teresa Complex within the presidential estate.
This event was widely seen as historic, with claims that no such wedding had ever taken place before in Rashtrapati Bhavan’s long history. The ceremony gained attention due to its unique venue and its connection to an officer serving in the security forces.

reports could be found here and here.

India.com reported:
“Poonam Gupta is going to tie the knot at the Mother Teresa Complex of the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises on February 12, 2025. Poonam Gupta is an assistant female commando of CRPF and is currently posted as a Personal Security Officer (PSO) in Rashtrapati Bhavan.”

Following this, several media outlets echoed the claim that this was the first wedding ever held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, giving the event even greater significance.

Fact Check

To verify the claim, the DFRAC (Digital Forensics, Research, and Analytics Centre) team conducted an investigation. They examined official records, reviewed Rashtrapati Bhavan archives, and analyzed media reports to determine whether Poonam Gupta’s wedding was truly the first of its kind.
Upon reviewing the official Rashtrapati Bhavan website, the fact-checking team discovered archived wedding photographs dating back to previous presidencies. These photos confirmed that weddings had taken place at Rashtrapati Bhavan during the terms of former Presidents Ram Nath Kovind and Pranab Mukherjee.
Thus, the claim that Poonam Gupta’s wedding was the first at Rashtrapati Bhavan is factually incorrect. While it is true that her wedding took place within the presidential premises, she is not the first person to be married at this venue.

More photos are available here and here.

Further investigation revealed that Rashtrapati Bhavan has, on several occasions, been used for private events and celebrations, including weddings, for those connected to the presidential establishment. This contradicts the media narrative that no wedding had ever been hosted at Rashtrapati Bhavan before Poonam Gupta’s.

Conclusion

While the news of Poonam Gupta’s wedding at Rashtrapati Bhavan is factually accurate, the claim that it was the first wedding at Rashtrapati Bhavan is misleading. Previous marriages have been held at the venue, proving that such an event is not unprecedented.
This fact-check highlights the importance of verifying historical records before making claims of a “historic first”. While Poonam Gupta’s wedding remains a significant event, it is not the first marriage at Rashtrapati Bhavan, contrary to widespread media reports.