‘Over the moon’: Indian woman gets lunar land as gift from husband

A man in Indian state of Rajasthan has been in the media’s spotlight after he gifted his wife three acres of land on the moon on their eighth wedding anniversary.

Dharmendra Anija said he purchased land on the moon because he wanted to do something special for his wife, Sapna Anija.

"It was our wedding anniversary on December 24. I wanted to do something special for her. Everyone gifts earthly possessions like cars and jewellery, but I wanted to do something different. Therefore, I purchased land on the moon for her," Dharmendra Anija was quoted by ANI as saying.

Anija, who 'bought' the land through Luna Society International, said the whole process took about a year to complete.

"I'm happy. I think I'm the first man in Rajasthan to buy land on the moon," he added.

His wife, Sapna, said she never expected to receive such a special "out of the world" gift from her husband.

"I'm extremely happy. I never expected he would gift me something so special. The party was organised by professional event organisers, and the setting was surreal," the overjoyed woman said.

She added: "It felt like we are literally on the moon. There during the ceremony, he gifted me a framed certificate of the property document."

According to the Lunar Settlement Initiative’s website, “Under the terms of the LSI, property claims on Lunar may be offered to private entities to finance the exploration, settlement, and development of the Moon and its resources".

Earlier in September, a Pakistani man had gifted his wife an acre of land on the moon.

The man, identified as Sohaib Ahmed, is a resident of Rawalpindi. He apparently bought the lunar land in the region called the ‘Sea of Vapour’.

The land was bought for $45 (7,442 Pakistani Rupees) from the International Lunar Lands Registry.