When Mahua Moitra met Pinaki Misra

India Today

07-06-2025

In a country where political affiliations often harden into personal barricades, the quiet marriage of Mahua Moitra and Pinaki Misra has offered a rare moment of grace—where lives intersected not just across parties, but personal histories, geographies and generations.The two members of Parliament—one still in active office, the other a seasoned legislator who did not recontest in 2024—tied the knot in a private ceremony in Berlin on May 30. It was a deeply personal affair, far removed from the usual pomp of political unions. The news broke only on June 5 when Moitra shared a photograph of the couple on social media, captioned: 'Here's to new beginnings.'advertisementThe story of how Moitra, the fiery Trinamool Congress MP from West Bengal's Krishnanagar, came to marry Misra, the erudite former parliamentarian from Odisha's Puri, is not one of grand declarations or ideological convergence. It is a story of lives lived in parallel, then increasingly in conversation.Though separated by age and background—Moitra was born in 1974 and educated at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts while Misra, born in 1959, studied at Delhi's prestigious St. Stephen's College and later at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi—the two shared an understanding of what it meant to navigate Indian public life on their own terms.
Both had experienced the vicissitudes of power and public scrutiny. Moitra, who began her professional journey as an investment banker in New York and London, left the corporate world for Indian politics in the 2000s, first with the Youth Congress and then Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. Known for her powerful interventions in Parliament and unflinching critiques of majoritarianism, Moitra is a polarising but widely admired figure, especially among younger voters and civil liberties advocates.Misra's trajectory was more classically establishmentarian. A four-time MP from Puri—first elected in 1996 on a Congress ticket and then thrice with the Biju Janata Dal—he built a career on his legal acumen and dignified parliamentary conduct. His legal expertise spans constitutional, corporate and environmental law, and his record in the Lok Sabha includes chairing the Standing Committee on Urban Development and serving as leader of the BJD parliamentary party.advertisementBoth had been married before. Moitra's former husband, Danish financier Lars Brorson, rarely made public appearances during her political career, and she has mostly kept that part of her life private—except when correcting misinformation on social media. Misra had married Sangita Misra, a respected judge of the Odisha High Court, in 1984. They have two children and later divorced amicably.Friends say the connection between Moitra and Misra grew gradually, based on conversation, shared values and a mutual appreciation of intellect and independence. Their interactions grew more frequent in recent years, and their bond deepened through a mutual understanding of solitude and resilience—qualities common to those who survive long in politics without surrendering their individuality.Theirs was not a union forged in haste. With both individuals having rebuilt themselves after complex personal journeys, it was a relationship grounded in maturity and companionship.The choice of Berlin for their wedding was telling. Cosmopolitan, historic and a city of reinvention, it offered them privacy and symbolic resonance. The ceremony was intimate—attended only by close friends and family. Moitra wore a pale pink Varanasi brocade saree with an off-shoulder blouse, striking a balance between classic tradition and modern elegance. Misra appeared in a simple, cream-toned kurta, understated as ever.advertisementThe photograph she later posted captured not just the joy of the moment, but also the ease and depth of a relationship that had grown out of the public eye.While speculation swirls about what this alliance could mean politically, neither Moitra nor Misra has offered comment. Misra, having not contested in the 2024 parliamentary elections, appears to be stepping back from electoral politics, though he continues to remain a prominent figure in legal and intellectual circles. Moitra, on the other hand, returned to the Lok Sabha in 2024 after a turbulent period that included her expulsion in December 2023.What's clear, however, is that theirs is not a political alliance but a deeply personal one—built on affection, shared experiences, and a willingness to step away from the din of public life when needed.In an age of performative relationships and curated public personas, Moitra and Misra have rewritten the script—proving that even in the most polarised of landscapes, connection and companionship can thrive. Their union reminds us that politics, for all its storms, is still inhabited by human beings—with hearts, histories and hopes of their own.Subscribe to India Today Magazineadvertisement