JUDGMENT

K.R. MOHAPATRA, J. - These two Matrimonial Appeals have been filed assailing the judgment and order dated 16.03.2015 passed by learned Judge, Family Court, Bhubaneswar in C.P. No. 295 of 2010. Learned Judge, Family Court, Bhubaneswar, disposed of C.P. No. 295 of 2010, with the following orders:

“The petition of the petitioner is allowed on contest. A decree of divorce is passed and the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent is hereby declared dissolved with effect from the date of decree subject to payment of Rs. 60,00,000/- (Rupees sixty lakhs) only to the respondent towards permanent alimony. The parties are directed to exchange the goods given to each of them and while taking steps for exchanging of goods, parties to show their honesty and sincerity to that effect. “

2. MATA No. 73 of 2015 has been filed by one Sri Santosh Kumar Senapati (for short ‘the husband’) assailing the quantum of permanent alimony directed to be paid to Smt. Aradhana Tripathy (for short ‘the wife’). Matrimonial Appeal bearing MATA No. 75 of 2015 has been filed by the wife assailing part of the decree granting prayer for dissolution of marriage between the parties by a decree of divorce.

As both the appeals arise out of the same judgment and order, the same are taken up together for disposal for convenience.

3. Facts in nut shell relevant for proper adjudication of these appeals are that marriage between the parties to these appeals was solemnized on 03.05.2009 at Puri as per the Hindu customs and rites. Due to dissension between the parties, they are living separately since 23.08.2010. They are not blessed with any child. As would reveals from the rival pleadings of the parties before learned Judge, Family Court, Bhubaneswar that there arose difference of opinion between the parties after few days of their marriage and they had never led a happy conjugal life. Lot of allegations and counter allegations had been made in their respective pleadings. Fact remains that, at the time of marriage, the husband was Assistant Professor of Veterinary Medicines in OUAT. Before marriage, the wife was working in a private firm and had an independent source of income. As there was no hope for leading a happy conjugal life, the husband filed a petition under Section 13 (1) (i-a) of Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (for short ‘the Act, 1955’) praying for a decree of dissolution of marriage between the parties by a decree of divorce in Civil Proceeding No. 295 of 2010. The wife contested the proceeding by filing her written statement. Learned Judge, Family Court, Bhubaneswar, holding the husband being treated with cruelty, granted the relief of dissolution of marriage by a decree of divorce and further directed that the husband would pay a sum of Rs. 60.00 lakh to the wife towards permanent alimony. Accordingly, both the parties being aggrieved by the judgment and order dated 16.03.2015 passed in Civil Proceeding No. 295 of 2010 have filed separate appeals, as aforesaid.

4. In course of argument, learned counsel, Mr. Santunu Kumar Sarangi along with Ms. Aditi Hota appearing for the wife, submitted that they would not press the appeal in MATA No. 75 of 2015 filed by the wife against the part of the decree granting relief of dissolution of marriage by a decree of divorce. As such, the dissolution of marriage by a decree of divorce granted by learned Judge, Family Court, Bhubaneswar is confirmed. Thus, the only question that remains to be decided is with regard to the quantum of permanent alimony.

5. Mr. K.P. Mishra, learned counsel for the husband strenuously argued that learned Judge, Family Court, Bhubaneswar, while assessing the quantum of compensation, did not at all take into consideration the essential factors like educational qualification of the wife, family pension entitled to be received by the wife, inheritance of ancestral property by the wife as well as the ability of the wife to earn etc. It is his submission that the wife is a highly edu