Man Proposes to Girlfriend with a Piece of Cheese Next to Dumpster: ‘Everything About This Day Was Perfect’

Mar. 15, 2025

Yash Punjabi proposes to Maithili Appalwar.Photo:Kevin Nguyen/@kevinbtdubs

Maithili Appalwar, Yash Punjabi

Kevin Nguyen/@kevinbtdubs

A cheesy love story!

“18-year-old me wasn’t really thinking of this as my proposal location, so I did it right next to a dumpster,” Appalwar remembered about the January 2015 moment outside of Smith Residence Hall.

Appalwar, an industrial engineering major, and Punjabi, a computer science major, continued dating before they graduated from Georgia Tech, completed their MBAs at Wharton in Philadelphia and moved to India to start their careers in the industrial packaging industry.

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The piece of cheese Yash Punjabi used to propose.Kevin Nguyen/@kevinbtdubs

Maithili Appalwar, Yash Punjabi

Then, they recently returned to Georgia Tech, where Punjabi surprised Appalwar with a cheesy — and fitting — marriage proposal.

The campus visit “was all part of Yash’s plan to surprise the love of his life 💍💛,” theGeorgia Tech LinkedIn pagewrote alongside a photo of the happy couple posing with the university’s yellow jacket mascot Buzz, who was on hand to witness the proposal.

Georgia Tech mascot Buzz celebrates with Yash Punjabi and Maithili Appalwar.Kevin Nguyen/@kevinbtdubs

Maithili Appalwar, Yash Punjabi

Appalwar proclaimed it is “every over-enthusiastic alum’s dream” for Buzz to show up for important student events or alumni milestones.

“Everything about this day was perfect — the walk, our families and friends being there to celebrate after, and Buzz showing up,” she concluded.

source: people.com