The Yadav Parivaar: Who Are Lalu And Rabri’s 9 Children And What Do They Do?

Last Updated:November 17, 2025, 12:36 IST

RJD’s poor showing in Bihar has triggered an unprecedented rupture inside the Lalu–Rabri family. Here’s a look at the 9 children, their lives, and where they stand amid the crisis

Lalu and Rabri Devi got married on June 1, 1973. (PTI)

For decades, the Yadav family operated as a political unit, with Lalu and Rabri raising seven daughters and two sons after their arranged marriage on June 1, 1973. Their wedding came despite reservations from Rabri’s family, with her uncle initially reluctant due to Lalu’s modest background; her father’s approval prevailed after he was impressed by Lalu’s intellect.

Both went on to become chief ministers of Bihar, and together they shaped the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) rise. But after the party won just 25 seats in the 2025 Bihar assembly polls, the family’s internal balance ruptured. Their daughter Rohini Acharya publicly accused Tejashwi Yadav’s close aides of mistreatment, announced her withdrawal from politics, and walked out of the Patna home. Several sisters reportedly followed, Tej Pratap Yadav entered the fray in Rohini’s defence, and a private rupture became a national spectacle.

Amid this unfolding crisis, here is a detailed look at the nine children of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi — who they are, what they do, and where they stand today.

The Seven Daughters

The Eldest: Misa And Rohini

The eldest child, Misa Bharti, was born in 1976 while Lalu was jailed during the Emergency, her name inspired by the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). An MBBS graduate from Patna Medical College, she briefly assisted Rabri Devi in governance when Lalu was imprisoned in 1998. Over the years she emerged as one of the family’s most visible political faces, contesting from Patliputra and now serving as its Member of Parliament. She is married to Shailesh Kumar, a computer engineer turned businessman.

Her sister Rohini Acharya, 46, also an MBBS doctor, lives in Singapore with her husband Samaresh Singh, a software engineer. She became widely known in 2022 after donating a kidney to Lalu. She contested the recent Lok Sabha election from Saran and was drawn into the storm following the RJD’s defeat. Accusing Tejashwi’s close aides of humiliating her and mishandling party affairs, she announced her exit from politics and left the Patna home.

The Middle Daughters: Chanda, Ragini And Hema

Chanda Singh, a law graduate, has largely stayed away from public politics, appearing mainly at family events. She is married to Vikram Singh, a pilot.

Ragini Yadav initially enrolled in an engineering course at the Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, under a chief ministerial quota but did not complete her degree. Married to Samajwadi Party-linked businessman Rahul Yadav, she has mostly remained outside formal politics, though the couple has been involved in business activities. The two have a son.

Hema Yadav, believed to have a BTech background, has kept an even lower public profile. According to Moneycontrol, she is married to Tej Yadav. Hema is noted as largely focused on her family life, without active political involvement.

The Youngest: Anushka And Raj Lakshmi

Anushka “Dhannu" Rao has pursued interior design and is also said to have studied law. She is married to Chiranjeev Rao, MLA and the son of former Haryana minister Ajay Singh Yadav, linking her to another prominent regional political lineage.

Raj Lakshmi, the youngest daughter, is an engineering graduate. Her marriage further expands the family’s political network: she is the wife of Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, former MP and grand-nephew of the late Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The Two Sons

Tej Pratap Yadav

Born in 1988 in Gopalganj, Tej Pratap studied up to Class 12 before entering electoral politics in 2015, winning from Mahua and later serving as Bihar’s Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. His personal and political journey has been turbulent.

Formerly married to Aishwarya Rai, granddaughter of a former Bihar chief minister, he separated soon after their 2018 wedding. In 2025, Lalu expelled him from the party and the household for what was termed “irresponsible behaviour." Tej Pratap went on to launch his own party, the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD).

During the current feud, he has taken a strong stand in support of Rohini, calling her alleged humiliation “intolerable."

Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi Yadav, 35, the younger son, left formal education after Class 12 and briefly pursued cricket professionally before entering politics. He rose swiftly to become Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister and later the Leader of the Opposition, and he served as the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial face in the 2025 election.

Married to Rachel Godinho (now Rajshri Yadav), he is the father of two children.

Much of the present crisis centres on allegations directed at him and two close aides, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav and former cricketer Rameez Nemat Khan, whom Rohini has accused of influencing decisions and creating divisions within both the family and the party. His silence since the feud began has been widely noted.

Where The Family Stands Now

The rift inside the Yadav household mirrors the uncertainty inside the RJD after its electoral setback. The coming months will reveal whether the family can reconcile or whether this rupture permanently alters the RJD’s internal power equations.

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...

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