Omar Abdullah announces ‘New Journey’ in life, shares pictures with Nidhi Razdan

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has hinted at a new chapter in his personal life by sharing pictures with journalist Nidhi Razdan and stating that a "new journey" has begun. The development comes months after the Supreme Court dissolved Omar Abdullah's marriage with Payal Abdullah by mutual consent.

Srinagar: J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on Saturday, announced that he has begun a new journey of life as he posted pictures of himself and noted journalist Nidhi Razdan.

Omar Abdullah posted on X, saying, “A new journey began yesterday.”

Nidhi was attired in a beautiful bridal ‘Lehenga’ and Omar, as usual, wore an immaculately stitched suit.

Responding to Omar’s X post, Nidhi Razdan said, “It’s done bro @OmarAbdullah.”

Omar Abdullah’s intention to marry Nidhi was no secret in J&K after he became estranged from his wife, Payal. Omar could not marry Nidhi since he had not been legally released from the wedlock with Payal.

The Supreme Court dissolved the marriage between Omar Abdullah and Payal by mutual consent on July 31, 2026.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe heard and disposed of the matter. The Court had exercised its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India to dissolve the marriage after a mediated settlement.

The couple had married on September 1, 1994, had been living separately since 2009, and have two sons (Zahir and Zamir).

Omar Abdullah’s earlier pleas for divorce on grounds of cruelty and desertion had been dismissed by a family court in 2016 and upheld by the Delhi High Court in December 2023.

After court-directed mediation, both parties agreed to part ways amicably, with senior counsel Kapil Sibal telling the bench they had settled all pending disputes and would withdraw all related litigation.

49-year-old Nidhi Razdan was the executive editor of NDTV. Nidhi Razdan is a Kashmiri Pandit and the daughter of senior journalist Maharaj Krishan Razdan.

She studied at Apeejay School, Sheikh Sarai, New Delhi. She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College and later pursued a Post-Graduate Diploma in Radio and TV Journalism at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi (1998–99).

She is originally from Budgam district in central Kashmir, J&K.