Anandiben Patel’s daughter, now president of Gujarat’s powerful Khodaldham Trust: Who is Anar Patel?

Anar first joined the organisation as a trustee in 2023 and was the only woman to hold the post. The Khodaldham Trust is currently present in 31 of the 34 districts in the state, with an official saying the organisation was absent from Chhota Udepur, Dang, and Vav-Tharad “because there is almost no Leuva Patidar population there”. As president, Anar, who is in her fifties, will oversee the presidents, district conveners, and co-conveners in 11 zones.

BJP leaders did not rule out Anar’s entry in active politics, pointing out that one of the Trust’s current trustees is Ramesh Tilala, the BJP MLA from Rajkot South.

“I believe that there could be substance in the speculation about her backdoor entry into politics through this appointment in Khodaldham Trust,” said a senior BJP leader. “Nepotism is there in politics. Her caste background, coupled with association with Khodaldham, makes her profile very strong.”

Another BJP leader said in the absence of any significant Opposition, Naresh Patel has been leaning towards the BJP for some time now. “And the appointment of Anar as president of Khodaldham (organisation) may benefit both of them.”

In 2014, Anar had formally joined the BJP’s Ahmedabad district unit and was even mentioned in the list of celebrities who became BJP members during an enrolment drive at the time.

While multiple attempts to reach Anar did not elicit a response, a close family member said she was more into social work and “does not like politics”.

A social entrepreneur

Born to Anandiben and Mafatbhai Patel in 1971 in Ahmedabad, Anar developed an interest in the arts quite early on. A close family member said that she is also fond of designing and decorating homes on heritage themes. She completed her BSc in Mathematics from St. Xavier’s College in Ahmedabad and also holds an MBA from Nirma University.

Anar’s husband Jayesh, with whom she has a daughter, belongs to the family of the late Ishwarbhai Patel who pioneered the development of low-cost village sanitation and toilet designs — later adopted by many developing countries — and was awarded the Padma Shri. While the Khodaldham Trust was set up primarily to strengthen the organisation of the Leuva Patidar community, Anar’s in-laws are from the Kadva Patidar sub-caste group of the Patidar community.

For close to three decades, she has been a social entrepreneur who either founded, co-founded, or is associated with organisations such as Manav Sadhna, Gramshree and Craftroots while working with slum children and rural artisans, especially women.