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Aakar Patel Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 15, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth1970

Age52 Years

BirthplaceSurat, Gujarat

ProfessionJournalist, Activist and Author

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseTushita Patel

FamilyFather - Anil; Sister - Ashleshaa Khurana (author)

Aakar Patel Biography

Aakar Patel is an Indian journalist, activist and author from Surat, Gujarat. Known for his columns critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minin-

Early life and background

Aakar Patel was born in 1970 and grew up in Surat, Gujarat. He attended Sir JJ English School and Metas Adventist School in Surat before pursuing higher studies at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. Patel comes from a family that he has described as Krishna-worshipping Vaishnavites and practices Hinduism.

Career

Patel began his journalistic career as a trainee sub-editor at the Asian Age. He rose through editorial ranks to become editor of the Mumbai edition of the Asian Age. Over the years he worked with several publications, including the Deccan Chronicle and Dorling Kindersley, and held roles such as deputy editor at the Deccan Chronicle and editor-in-chief at Mid Day Multimedia Ltd.

In 2002, Patel co-authored the Editors Guild report "Rights and Wrongs" on the 2002 Gujarat riots. After a period working in Mumbai, he returned to his hometown and took on the role of editor-in-chief of the Gujarati newspaper Divya Bhaskar.

Patel is also a translator and writer. He translated Saadat Hasan Manto’s Why I Write into Hindi in 2014. As an author, he published two books in 2021: Our Hindu Rashtra, which looks at comparisons between India and Pakistan and discusses media perspectives, and Price of the Modi Years, which examines Narendra Modi’s re-election and political appeal.

In 2015 Patel became head of Amnesty International India. His appointment was presented by the organization as bringing a journalist and writer with a demonstrated commitment to human rights into a leadership role for the country office.

Public profile

Patel has written columns critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Those views have made him a highly visible and often polarizing figure in public debate. During his time with Amnesty International India the organization faced raids by Indian authorities, and the office was the focus of legal and political controversy.

Patel has said in interviews that he follows Hinduism. He knows Urdu and has spoken about learning dissent after attending a protest in 2017 following the death of journalist Gauri Lankesh.

Personal life

Patel married Tushita Patel on 14 December 1998. His father is named Anil, and he has a sister, Ashleshaa Khurana, who is an author. He is known to enjoy reading, including translated texts from the classical Greek and Roman traditions, and is an avid dog lover.

Latest updates

In 2022 Patel was stopped by immigration authorities at Bangalore airport while boarding a flight to Boston. Authorities cited a Central Bureau of Investigation look-out circular connected to a Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act matter. Patel said he had court permission from a Gujarat court to attend foreign assignments and a lecture series in the United States through May 30, but he was nevertheless prevented from boarding.

Physical appearance and other notes

Patel’s hair is described as salt-and-pepper and his eyes as black. He is frequently present in public discourse on political and human rights issues and has published both journalism and books engaging with those subjects.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Aakar Patel, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Our Hindu Rashtra

A book comparing India and Pakistan and discussing media perspectives.

2021
Price of the Modi Years

A book examining Narendra Modi’s re-election, appeal, and political management.

2021
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Career Highlights

  1. Editor of the Mumbai edition of the Asian Age
  2. Deputy editor at Deccan Chronicle and editor-in-chief at Mid Day Multimedia Ltd.
  3. Co-author of the Editors Guild report 'Rights and Wrongs' on the 2002 Gujarat riots
  4. Head of Amnesty International India (appointed 2015)
  5. Translated Saadat Hasan Manto’s Why I Write into Hindi (2014)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Aakar Patel born?

Aakar Patel was born on 1970.

What is Aakar Patel known for?

Aakar Patel is known for journalist, Activist and Author.

What is Aakar Patel’s marital status?

Aakar Patel's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Aakar Patel married to?

Aakar Patel is publicly listed as married to Tushita Patel.