Who is Nila Vikhe Patil? Maharashtra minister’s niece elected to Swedish Parliament

She previously served as a political adviser in the Swedish Prime Minister's Office during Stefan Lofven's tenure, working on finance, taxation and housing.

3 min readSep 21, 2026 07:14 AM IST First published on: Sep 21, 2026 at 07:08 AM IST

Nila was born in Sweden but spent her early years in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. (Source: LinkedIn/Nila Vikhe Patil)

Nila Vikhe Patil, a Green Party leader with deep roots in Maharashtra, has been elected to Sweden’s Parliament from the Stockholm City constituency. The 41-year-old entered the 349-member Riksdag as Sweden’s left-leaning opposition secured a narrow majority in the national election held on 13 September, PTI reported.

Born in Sweden, Nila spent her early years in Ahmednagar before eventually returning to Sweden to build her career in politics. She is the daughter of Maharashtra educationist Ashok Vikhe Patil, the granddaughter of former Union minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, and the niece of Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. Despite building her life abroad, she has spoken of staying closely connected to India, saying she feels “very connected” to the country and counts several Indians in her circle of close friends.

Who is Nila Vikhe Patil?

Nila was born in Sweden but spent her early years in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. She is the daughter of educationist Ashok Vikhe Patil, who heads the Vikhe Patil Foundation, a group that runs several schools and colleges across the state.

She is also the granddaughter of former Union minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, and the great-granddaughter of Vithalrao Vikhe Patil, who set up Asia’s first cooperative sugar factory.

‘Proud to be part of Parliament’, says Nila

Speaking to PTI after her win, Nila said “It feels nice to be a part of the 349-member Parliament. I am looking forward to contributing to the city and the country.” She added that she wants to speak up for people who have no vote and work for a future where children grow up with clean water and a safer planet.

Story continues below this ad

She also spoke about her grandfather, saying he shaped her early interest in public life: “I hope to make my grandfather proud. He made me read the state budget when I was 15.”

Nila studied economics and law at the Gothenburg School of Business in Sweden, and also studied at Complutense University in Madrid.

She has been active in the Green Party for around 25 years, and earlier worked as a political adviser in the Swedish prime minister’s office under Stefan Lofven, handling finance, tax and housing matters. She also served on the Stockholm City Council and has worked at PwC since 2020, becoming a chartered accountant last year.

Sweden election result

Sweden went to the polls on 13 September. The opposition bloc made up of the Social Democrats, Left Party, Centre Party and Green Party won 176 of the 349 seats in the Riksdag, giving them a narrow majority over the outgoing conservative-led coalition, which took 173 seats. The Social Democrats emerged as the single largest party with 99 seats.

The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More