His life was more than story of political heir or fitness icon

As in life, so in death, Prateek Yadav, 38, remained an enigma. The son of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and younger brother of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Prateek’s death came as a choking shock to many, for he was widely known as a fitness enthusiast and bodybuilder who had become a role model for countless young men in Lucknow and beyond.

Yet, the image by which the public came to know him was not how he had begun life. As I saw him during his younger years, Prateek was a chubby schoolboy, carrying little indication of the remarkable transformation that would later define his personality. But beneath that soft exterior was an unusual determination. As he entered high school, he developed a deep passion for physical fitness and athletic conditioning. I would often notice him running tirelessly along the Walking Plaza roads and through the Cantonment areas of Lucknow, sweating profusely yet remaining intensely focused upon self-improvement and endurance.

What struck me equally was his simplicity and warmth. Despite my knowing him only remotely during those years, he always greeted me with respect and affection. There was never any arrogance in his conduct, something uncommon in children belonging to politically influential families. He remained gentle, decent, and remarkably grounded.

His passion for fitness continued uninterrupted even when he left India for higher studies at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Student life abroad often distracts young people from discipline, but in Prateek’s case, exposure to international fitness culture only strengthened his commitment. Fitness had ceased to be merely a hobby; it had become central to his identity.

Prateek grew up amid political power, public attention, and organisational battles surrounding the Samajwadi Party. Yet unlike his elder half-brother Akhilesh Yadav, who inherited the political mantle and rose to become the UP CM, Prateek consciously remained distant from politics. Instead, he quietly pursued business interests, particularly in the real estate sector, while preserving a private and restrained public image.

A deeply personal chapter in his life unfolded through his relationship with Aparna, my daughter. Looking back today, it is difficult to say precisely when and how the two came emotionally close, but the beginning of their association remains vivid in my memory.

As I recall, it started during a birthday celebration organised for Prateek’s mother, Sadhna Gupta, at Clarks Avadh, Lucknow. Aparna had been invited to the family gathering, and I personally dropped her there. Though I too was warmly requested to stay, I excused myself and returned home. It was from that occasion that Prateek and Aparna’s friendship gradually developed and continued even after Aparna left for higher education at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

It was around mid-Sept 2010 that the issue of their marriage suddenly gathered momentum. Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji and Sadhna Ji (his wife) strongly desired that the alliance be formalised quickly. Our family then was occupied with preparations for Aparna’s departure to the UK in early October.

I vividly remember one exhausting day, probably Sept 18, 2010, when we had gone to the bank for formalities related to Aparna’s educational loan. We spent the day rushing between the SBI branch and its regional office in order to expedite approvals needed for her university fees.

By evening, however, the focus dramatically shifted from education to marriage. Calls from the Yadav family began arriving continuously regarding finalisation of the proposal. Around 6pm, while driving near Raj Bhavan through dug-up and congested roads, I received a call on my mobile phone. Pulling over to the roadside, I answered it, only to hear the unmistakable voice of Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji himself. In his characteristic direct manner, he informed me that it had now been finally decided that the engagement of Prateek and Aparna must take place the very next day — Sept 19, 2010 — by all means.

My wife and I exchanged silent glances, fully aware of the enormous challenge before us. The next day was Sunday, markets were closed, and arranging essentials for an engagement ceremony within hours appeared nearly impossible. Yet somehow, by the grace of God, everything fell into place. Purchases were hurriedly managed, tents erected overnight, and arrangements made for nearly 250 guests attending lunch. Despite the chaos and exhaustion, the engagement ceremony concluded beautifully and remains a cherished memory for both families.

In later years, however, life dealt Prateek a succession of painful setbacks. The first came during the Corona epidemic, when illness weakened him internally despite recovery. For someone whose identity had long been associated with physical strength and endurance, the episode marked a turning point.

The emotional shocks that followed proved even more devastating. The sudden death of his mother, Sadhna ji, deeply shattered him. Before he could recover emotionally from that grief, he suffered another crushing blow through the passing away of his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav. The cumulative weight of these losses gradually produced a visible wilting effect upon his personality. A profound emptiness appeared to enter his life.

I met him during one such difficult period at Medanta Hospital, where he had been admitted for lipo surgery. Even then, traces of his old obsession with physical fitness remained visible. After recovering, he travelled to London, perhaps seeking rest and emotional recovery away from public life. Yet the burden of grief continued to haunt him, and later he was again admitted to Medanta for treatment related to depression arising from these emotional setbacks.

Towards the end, those close to him increasingly sensed that life had begun losing its sweetness for him. The energy, enthusiasm, and vitality that had once defined his personality appeared dimmed by grief and emotional fatigue. Yet even amid suffering, he retained the gentleness, humility, and decency that had characterised him since youth.

Prateek’s life remains far more than the story of a political heir or fitness icon. It is the story of a sensitive and disciplined individual who consciously chose distance from politics despite belonging to one of India’s most powerful political families; a man who inspired youth through fitness and self-transformation, yet silently carried emotional burdens that ultimately overwhelmed him.

(Writer is a senior journalist and father-in-law of Prateek Yadav)