Who Is Nikita Vanjara?
For most, Nikita Vanjara’s name first surfaced in whispers, linked to a scandal that upended two cricketing careers and severed a long-standing friendship. She became a headline before the public really knew who she was, making it easy for people to dismiss her as a side note in a larger drama. That was always an unfair assessment. While she first entered the public eye through her marriage, she has remained relevant because of the life she built afterwards. Her journey from a silent upbringing in Maharashtra to becoming a business owner in Chennai holds far more importance than any tabloid story could capture.
Key Takeaways:
- Birth: 6 December 1984 in Manor, Palghar District, Maharashtra.
- First Marriage: Married cricketer Dinesh Karthik in 2007; the couple divorced in 2012.
- Current Family: Married to Indian cricketer Murali Vijay since 2012.
- Business Ventures: Co-founded the fitness studio Tattva — The Studio (2020) and runs the children’s clothing label, Label Eva.
- Children: Three children together: sons Nirav and Aarav, and a daughter, Eva.
Early Life and Education:
Nikita was born on 6 December 1984 in Manor, Palghar District. Her father, Deepak Vanjara, was a key figure in her early life and in the events that would later shape her public profile. She spent a portion of her childhood in Kuwait before moving back to India, an experience that gave her a broader perspective than many of her peers at the time.
She grew up with a brother, Kunal, and a sister. After returning to India, she focused on her education and earned a degree in commerce from the University of Maharashtra. While a B.Com might seem standard, it provided the practical, grounded foundation she eventually needed to navigate the business world as an adult.
Nikita Vanjara and Dinesh Karthik:
There are few stories in Indian cricket as bittersweet as the marriage between Nikita and Dinesh Karthik. They were childhood friends because their fathers, Deepak Vanjara and Krishna Kumar, were close, so close that the families eventually decided to turn that friendship into a formal union. At the time, it seemed like a natural step for two families who had trusted each other for decades.
They married in 2007, when Karthik was only 21, in a small, private ceremony. For a few years, life seemed stable; Karthik was a rising star in the Indian team, and Nikita was a frequent fixture in the stands. However, the marriage eventually began to fall apart.
In 2012, during a Vijay Hazare Trophy match, Karthik learned of Nikita’s relationship with his teammate, Murali Vijay. The fallout didn’t just end a marriage; it broke a bond between two players who had shared dressing rooms for years. The turmoil took a visible toll on Karthik’s career, and he was away from the ODI squad for a significant period during the height of the personal crisis. These were real-world consequences for everyone involved.
Life with Murali Vijay
Following the divorce in 2012, Nikita and Murali Vijay married later that year in Chennai. By then, Vijay was a staple of the Indian Test side, a technically gifted opener who would go on to play 61 Tests for his country. Though their relationship started under intense public scrutiny, their life together since has been relatively quiet and domestic.
The couple has three children: a son, Nivaan, born in 2013; a daughter, Eva; and their youngest son, Aarav, born in 2017. While Vijay has been away from international cricket since 2018, the family remains settled in Chennai. Nikita often shares glimpses of their life on Instagram with her 71,000 followers, portraying a lifestyle centred on fitness and family, a sharp turn from the chaos of their early years together.
Career and Entrepreneurship:
This part of Nikita’s life is often overlooked by the media, which usually focuses on the athletes she’s associated with. However, her professional path is quite distinct.
She works as a casting artist at Impressions Forever, a Mumbai-based firm that uses 3D technology to create keepsakes of hand and foot impressions for families. It’s a niche field that blends art with a very personal kind of emotional value.
Beyond that, Nikita has moved into the business world. In 2020, she launched Tattva — The Studio, a fitness venture co-founded with designer Ram Krish. Inspired by her husband’s athletic background, the studio avoids the big-box gym feel, focusing instead on movement-based wellness practices like aerial yoga, animal flow, and dance.
She also founded Label Eva, a premium clothing brand for young girls named after her daughter. These businesses represent an identity she has built for herself, independent of the cricket world or her husband’s fame.
The Story the Headlines Missed
Nikita Vanjara is in a strange position, highly recognisable yet often misunderstood. Most people still view her through the lens of a single event from 2012, which is still debated in cricket forums today. But that’s a lazy way to look at a person’s life. She is someone who grew up internationally, earned a degree, raised three children, and launched two businesses during a pandemic. The woman who was supposed to be living in the shadow of famous cricketers actually built a life that stands entirely on its own.
Nikita’s journey has covered a lot of ground. Since 2012, she has focused on her family and her businesses, managing her public presence on her own terms, no apologies and no controversial interviews. Her story forces us to ask: Do we value what a person builds as much as we value the gossip once written about them?
If you found this look at her life interesting, feel free to share it or leave a comment below. Which part of Nikita’s professional journey surprised you the most?
