Former India opener Virender Sehwag and his wife Aarti Ahlawat are reportedly heading towards separation after nearly 20 years of marriage, according to a report by Hindustan Times. The report states that the couple, who married in 2004, have been living separately for several months, and a divorce could be on the cards.
While neither Sehwag nor Aarti has made any public statement, their recent absence considered together in public and on social media has fuelled speculation. During Diwali celebrations last year, Sehwag shared pictures with his mother, Krishna Sehwag, and elder son Aryaveer, but made no mention of Aarti or their younger son, Vedant. The silence stood out, given Sehwag’s usual openness about his family.
Further adding to the rumours, Sehwag has unfollowed Aarti on Instagram, while Aarti, who has a verified account with over 1.7 lakh followers, has made her profile private. Sehwag last shared a picture with Aarti in April 2023, and notably, there was no public post on their 20th wedding anniversary on April 22, 2024. However, Sehwag has not deleted any earlier photos featuring his wife.
Sehwag and Aarti share a long personal history. Their association began in the late 1980s through family connections — Aarti’s aunt was married to Sehwag’s cousin. They grew up as friends before Sehwag proposed to Aarti when she was 21. The couple tied the knot on April 22, 2004, in a grand ceremony held at the residence of former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Born on December 16, 1980, in New Delhi, Aarti Ahlawat has largely stayed away from the public eye. She studied at Lady Irwin Secondary School and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan before graduating from Delhi University’s Maitreyi College with a diploma in computer science. Throughout Sehwag’s playing career, she maintained a low profile while supporting him behind the scenes.
Since retiring from international cricket in 2015, Sehwag has taken on several roles, including serving on the National Anti-Doping Agency’s Anti-Doping Appeal Panel. Though the couple were long seen as close, recent developments suggest possible strain in their relationship.
As of now, neither Sehwag nor Aarti has confirmed or denied the reports, leaving the matter firmly in the realm of speculation.
