Second Innings, No Exit Poll: Omar Abdullah and Nidhi Razdan Begin a New Journey at 56 and 49

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By S. JHA

A politician and a journalist, both divorced and now remarried, have given middle age a rather interesting plot twist. As Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Nidhi Razdan start a new chapter, their wedding raises larger questions about second chances, companionship, public scrutiny and the possibilities of life after 50. And yes, when a politician marries a journalist, who gets the last word?

Mumbai, November 1, 2026 — At 56, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has discovered that not every new beginning requires an election notification. Sometimes, all it takes is a wedding ring. At 49, journalist Nidhi Razdan has joined him in what both describe as a new journey. And suddenly, middle age has acquired a rather interesting headline.

The couple announced their marriage on October 31, with Omar posting, “A new journey began yesterday”, alongside photographs. Nidhi’s response was characteristically brief: “It’s done bro.” If this is how a journalist confirms breaking news, there is little doubt that the newsroom has perfected the art of getting straight to the point.

The marriage, solemnised under the Special Marriage Act, is the second for both. Omar’s first marriage to Payal Abdullah was formally dissolved by the Supreme Court in July 2026 following a settlement. Nidhi was previously married to journalist and author Neelesh Misra. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2007.

Their relationship had been the subject of considerable speculation for some time, although neither had publicly confirmed the rumours before the wedding announcement. Now the speculation has given way to a marriage certificate.

There is also an interesting professional dimension. One is a politician who routinely deals with questions, criticism and political opponents. The other has spent much of her professional life asking questions, often uncomfortable ones. At home, will the Chief Minister face a daily press conference? And will the journalist occasionally agree to go off the record? One hopes the household will have a mutually agreed code of conduct.

More seriously, their marriage puts the spotlight on something society often forgets: life does not end with a failed marriage, a divorce decree or the passing of 50. People change, circumstances change and the desire for companionship does not necessarily retire with professional ambition.

There are precedents. In Pakistan, Imran Khan, then 62, married television journalist Reham Khan in 2015, his second marriage. It ended after ten months. In India, actor Kabir Bedi married Parveen Dusanj in 2016, just before turning 70, following several previous marriages. These stories are different, but they underline that there is no fixed age or prescribed script for starting again.

The Omar-Nidhi marriage also offers a curious case study in the relationship between politics and journalism. The two professions are often on opposite sides of the microphone. But perhaps the microphone can be switched off at home. Or at least placed on mute during dinner.

At 56 and 49, they are hardly beginning life; they are beginning another chapter with the experience of lives already lived. There may be fewer illusions, but perhaps more clarity about what companionship means.

Omar has promised a new journey. Nidhi has confirmed that it is done. For once, there is no need for an exit poll, a panel discussion or a prime-time debate.

The real test, as in every marriage, will begin after the photographs, congratulations and headlines fade. And unlike politics, there is no five-year term, no opposition benches and certainly no guaranteed majority at home.

Sometimes, the most interesting second innings begins when everyone assumes the match is over.