Rivaba Jadeja: From Karni Sena Activist to Gujarat Cabinet Minister - Profile of Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja's Wife

Rivaba Jadeja, previously affiliated with Karni Sena, has now formally transitioned into politics. (File)

On Friday, Rivaba Jadeja, the spouse of renowned cricketer Ravindra Jadeja and current MLA representing Jamnagar North, was officially inducted into the Gujarat Cabinet.

During the ceremony, Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi took his oath as the Deputy Chief Minister, marking a significant restructuring ahead of upcoming local body elections and the 2027 Assembly polls.

In a strategic move, all cabinet ministers, with the exception of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, submitted their resignations on Thursday, allowing leadership full autonomy in reorganizing the cabinet.

Rivaba Jadeja was born in Rajkot on November 2, 1990, to parents Hardevsinh and Prafullaba Solanki. She hails from a prestigious Rajput family with royal heritage and shares familial connections with veteran Congress leader Hari Singh Solanki.

She completed her academic credentials in Mechanical Engineering at Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad. Demonstrating her commitment to social causes, Jadeja established the Shree Matrushakti Charitable Trust, an organization dedicated to advancing women's welfare and empowerment initiatives.

In 2016, she entered matrimony with cricket star Ravindra Jadeja, and together they have welcomed a daughter.

Before her political career, Jadeja was actively involved with the Rajput organization Karni Sena. Her formal entry into politics occurred in 2019 when she joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), focusing her activities in the Jamnagar-Saurashtra region.

During the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections, she contested as the BJP candidate from Jamnagar North constituency and emerged victorious with an impressive margin exceeding 50,000 votes. Her husband, Ravindra Jadeja, played a crucial role in her campaign, helping to draw substantial public support.

In the electoral contest, her primary opponent, Karshanbhai Karmur of the Aam Aadmi Party, secured approximately 23 percent of votes, while Congress candidate Bipendrasinh Chatursinh Jadeja finished third with 15.5 percent of the total votes cast.