Who is Nila Vikhe Patil? Maharashtra BJP minister’s niece elected to Sweden Parliament
Who is Nila Vikhe Patil? Sweden’s New Riksdag MP
Indiadailyupdate.com – Who is Nila Vikhe Patil? The 41-year-old Green Party politician has been elected to Sweden’s Parliament, the Riksdag, from the Stockholm City constituency. She will join the 349-member legislature after Sweden’s national election on September 13.
Her election has attracted attention in Sweden and India because of her connection to Maharashtra’s prominent Vikhe Patil family. She is the niece of Maharashtra BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and has family roots in Ahmednagar.
After her victory, Nila Vikhe Patil said she was eager to begin work in the national legislature.
“It feels nice to be a part of the 349-member Parliament. I am looking forward to contributing to the city and the country.”
Priorities in Sweden’s Parliament
As a Green Party representative, she has highlighted the need to speak for people who cannot vote, improve opportunities for children and protect the environment. Her stated priorities include clean water, living nature and reducing human-caused natural disasters.
“I would like to be voice for those who cannot vote. I want to contribute to a society where every child gets a chance for a good future. We need a habitable planet with clean water, living nature and as few human-caused natural disasters as possible.”
The election resulted in a closely divided Riksdag. The Social Democrats, Left Party, Centre Party and Green Party together secured 176 seats, while parties that formed or supported the outgoing conservative-led government won 173. The Social Democrats became the largest individual party with 99 seats.
Family roots in Maharashtra
Although she was born in Sweden, Nila spent part of her childhood in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district. She is the daughter of educationist Ashok Vikhe Patil, chairman of the Vikhe Patil Foundation, which runs educational institutions in Maharashtra.
Her grandfather, Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, was a former Union minister. Her great-grandfather, Vithalrao Vikhe Patil, founded Asia’s first cooperative sugar factory. The family is widely associated with education, agriculture, public service and the cooperative movement in Maharashtra.
She has spoken about the lasting influence of her grandfather, including his encouragement for her to understand public finance from an early age.
“I hope to make my grandfather proud. He made me read the state budget when I was 15.”
She has also described feeling closely connected to India and to the family relationships she has maintained there.
“I love India dearly and I feel very connected. I have lots of close Indian friends. I miss my grandfather a lot. He used to call me almost weekly during his last years.”
Education, politics and professional work
Nila Vikhe Patil studied economics and law at the Gothenburg School of Business, completing a bachelor’s degree and an MBA. She also studied at the Complutense University of Madrid in Spain.
Her experience in Swedish politics spans around 25 years. She has held positions within the Green Party and its youth organisations, worked in campaigns and party structures, and served in municipal politics.
She previously worked as a political adviser in the Swedish prime minister’s office during Stefan Lofven’s administration, with responsibilities involving finance, taxation and housing. Before her election to the Riksdag, she also served on Stockholm City Council and remained involved with the Stockholm Green Party’s election committee.
Alongside politics, she has worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers since 2020. In April 2025, she became an authorised public accountant.
FAQ: Nila Vikhe Patil’s election to the Riksdag
Who is Nila Vikhe Patil related to in Maharashtra? She is the niece of Maharashtra BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and the daughter of educationist Ashok Vikhe Patil.
Which party does Nila Vikhe Patil represent? She is a member of Sweden’s Green Party.
Which constituency elected her? She was elected from the Stockholm City constituency to Sweden’s 349-member Parliament, known as the Riksdag.