Payal Nath, also known as Payal Abdullah, is the former wife of Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. The couple married on 1 September 1994 and have two sons, Zahir and Zamir. They had lived separately since 2009, and on 31 July 2026 the Supreme Court of India dissolved their marriage by mutual consent after a mediated settlement.
Why Payal Nath Is in the News
On 31 October 2026, Omar Abdullah announced on X that he had married journalist Nidhi Razdan the previous day (“A new journey began yesterday”). PTI, quoted by the Daily Excelsior, reported that the marriage was solemnised under the Special Marriage Act on Friday, 30 October. As the Deccan Herald noted, it came three months after the Supreme Court dissolved his marriage to Payal by mutual consent, and coverage of the wedding brought renewed interest in her.
Payal Nath: Quick Facts
| Personal Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Payal Nath (also Payal Abdullah) |
| Father | Ram Nath, a retired army officer (per Wikipedia) |
| Date of Birth / Age | Not publicly confirmed |
| Residence | Delhi |
| Former Husband | Omar Abdullah (married 1 September 1994; marriage dissolved by the Supreme Court on 31 July 2026) |
| Children | Two sons, Zahir and Zamir Abdullah, both lawyers |
Payal Nath (right) with Omar Abdullah (centre) and Governor N. N. Vohra at the Republic Day celebrations in Jammu, January 2010.
Photo: Vishal Dutta / Flickr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Family and Marriage to Omar Abdullah
According to Wikipedia, Payal is the daughter of a retired army officer, Ram Nath. She married Omar Abdullah on 1 September 1994. Omar went on to become the youngest Chief Minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in January 2009, and on 16 October 2024 he took oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The couple’s two sons, Zahir and Zamir, are lawyers by profession, the Deccan Herald reported in November 2024. While Omar remained in Jammu and Kashmir, Payal stayed in Delhi with their sons.
Separation and Court Proceedings
The case below is summarised only from court outcomes as reported by news and legal outlets, with dates.
- September 2011: Omar Abdullah publicly confirmed that he and Payal had separated after 17 years of marriage. In his statement he said that “while it is true my wife and I have separated, the speculation about motives and about my future course of action are unfounded, untrue and deeply hurtful to all concerned”. Later reports on the case note that the two had been living separately since 2009.
- August 2016: the Delhi High Court asked Payal to vacate the 7 Akbar Road bungalow in Delhi; in January 2017 it dismissed her appeal on the accommodation issue.
- 30 August 2016: the family court at Patiala House, Delhi, dismissed Omar’s divorce petition, holding that he had failed to substantiate his allegations.
- September 2016: Payal asked the family court for monthly maintenance of Rs 10 lakh for herself and her two sons, plus Rs 5 lakh for new accommodation. In April 2018 the trial court ordered interim maintenance of Rs 75,000 a month for her and Rs 25,000 for their son.
- 31 August 2023: the Delhi High Court (Justice Subramonium Prasad) raised the interim maintenance to Rs 1,50,000 per month and directed Omar to pay Rs 60,000 a month towards the education of both sons, LiveLaw reported.
- 12 December 2023: a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court (Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Vikas Mahajan) dismissed Omar’s appeal and upheld the family court’s decision.
- July 2024: the Supreme Court issued notice on Omar’s petition seeking divorce. He told the court the two had been living separately for the last 15 years. In August 2024 the court directed both to appear at the Supreme Court Mediation Centre.
- 22 July 2026: the couple placed agreed terms of settlement before the court.
- 31 July 2026: a bench of Justices P. S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe was informed that all disputes between the parties had been amicably resolved through mediation, and the Supreme Court dissolved the marriage by mutual consent, Bar & Bench and ETV Bharat reported. The two share custody of their sons.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Payal Nath?
Payal Nath, also called Payal Abdullah, is the former wife of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the mother of his two sons, Zahir and Zamir.
Is Payal Nath still married to Omar Abdullah?
No. The Supreme Court dissolved their marriage by mutual consent on 31 July 2026, after a settlement reached through mediation. Omar Abdullah married journalist Nidhi Razdan on 30 October 2026.
Who is Payal Nath’s father?
Wikipedia names her father as Ram Nath, a retired army officer.
What is Payal Nath’s age?
Her date of birth has not been confirmed by a reliable public source, so we do not give an age.
How many children do Payal Nath and Omar Abdullah have?
Two sons, Zahir and Zamir Abdullah. Both are lawyers by profession.
When did Payal Nath and Omar Abdullah get married?
They married on 1 September 1994.
