Who is Nihar Thackeray, the lesser-known grandson of Bal Thackeray now in Shinde camp?

In the ongoing Shiv Sena crisis, the Uddhav Thackeray factor faced a significant fresh blow after the former Maharashtra Chief Minister’s nephew Nihar Thackeray extended support to CM Eknath Shinde. 

“Nihar Thackeray, grandson of venerable Hindu heart emperor Balasaheb Thackeray and son of Bindumadhav Thackeray today announced his support to the coalition government. On this occasion, he was warmly welcomed and wished for his future social and political career," the Maharashtra CM tweeted on Friday.

 

वंदनीय हिंदुहृदयसम्राट शिवसेनाप्रमुख बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांचे नातू व बिंदूमाधव ठाकरे यांचे सुपुत्र निहार ठाकरे यांनी आज भेट घेऊन युती सरकारला समर्थन जाहीर केले. याप्रसंगी त्यांचे मनापासून स्वागत करित भावी सामाजिक व राजकीय कारकिर्दीकरिता शुभेच्छा दिल्या.#NiharBindumadhavThackeray pic.twitter.com/2Li3q70w8A

— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 29, 2022

 

Who is Nihar Thackeray?

Nihar is the son of Uddhav’s elder brother Bindumadhav Thackeray who lost his life in an accident in 1996. The lesser known grandson of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, Nihar is a Mumbai-based advocate.

The cousin former Maharashtra minister Aditya Thackeray, Nihar has been away from politics until now. As per his LinkedIn profile, Nihar is “involved in strategic legal advice, drafting of corporate and transaction documents and negotiations for domestic and multinational corporate clients.” He also practices “civil litigation, domestic and international arbitration and proceedings under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC).”

He pursued a course in International Commercial Litigation from the London School of Economics (LSE). He has a degree in LL.B from Government Law College (GLC) in Mumbai. 

Nihar also has a Bharatiya Janata Party connection by marriage. His wife Ankita is the daughter of BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil. He has a sister Neha Thackeray. Nihar looks set to launch his political career after joining the Shinde camp.

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