Meet Aarti Chandak, wife of ex-cricketer Dinesh Mongia who joined BJP recently

Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Mongia is beginning a new innings of his life as he joins the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Assembly elections in Punjab to be held next year. Mongia, 44, took a primary membership of the ruling party at the centre to start his political innings. 

The cricketer-turned politican said that he wants to serve the people of Punjab by joining the BJP. He added that the Bharatiya Janata Party is working for the country's development. The BJP is contesting the Punjab Assembly polls in alliance with former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's newly-formed Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa's Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt).

The former cricketer who played limited over internationals for India hails from the northern state of Punjab. Former cricketers joining political parties before election is not new. Earlier, before the 2019 general election, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir joined the BJP and contested the election.

Here we take a look at the personal life of Dinesh Mongia and also learn about his better half.

Who is Aarti Chandak

Dinesh Mongia married 23-year-old Aarti Chandak in April 23, 2003 at a resort in Chandigarh.

The pair was supposed to get married a year before, but the ceremony got postponed as Mongia was selected to play the tri-series tournament.

Cricketer Dinesh Mongia met his bride Aarti Chandak at a multi-gym in Chennai a year before they tied the knot.

Dinesh Mongia and Aarti made their first public appearance together a month after marriage at the reopening of Reebok store in Chandigarh.

The Chandigarh cricket star Dinesh Mongia and his wife Aarti Chandak have a daughter named Muskaan.

Dinesh Mongia's stints

Dinesh Mongia dabbled in acting and played a parody of Amitabh Bachchan in the movie Kabab Mein Haddi which was not a commercial success.

He played in Holland and Canada after his career in India was over. He did selection trails for the Chandigarh Administration and started his academy.

Mongia launched his own cricket kit brand called DM. A shop in the college premises sells DM products, which a number of cricketers use.

Before getting into coaching budding cricketers full-time Dinesh Mongia would turn up for club games on weekends.

It was in 2012 that DAV College offered Dinesh Mongia an honorary coaching role for their team.

Dinesh Mongia earned his spurs as a coach when DAV emerged Inter-College champions for three years.