Nicholai Sachdev moves between two entirely different worlds with complete ease. By day he directs Gallery 7, one of Mumbai’s most celebrated contemporary art institutions. Outside the gallery walls, he is a competitive powerlifter with national medals to his name. His marriage to South Indian actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar in 2024 brought him into the national spotlight, introducing a wider audience to a man who had quietly built an impressive legacy across art, fitness, and entrepreneurship.
Nicholai Sachdev Biography, Wiki
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Arunov Nicholai Sachdev |
| Date of Birth | March 23, 1983 (source conflict — see notes) |
| Age (2026) | 42 years old |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste or Community | not publicly confirmed |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Height | 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm) |
| Weight | not publicly confirmed |
| Eye Colour | not publicly confirmed |
| Hair Colour | not publicly confirmed |
| Profession | Art Gallerist, Entrepreneur, Competitive Powerlifter |
| Known For | Director of Gallery 7, Mumbai; marriage to Varalaxmi Sarathkumar |
| Father’s Name | Arun Sachdev |
| Mother’s Name | Chandra Sachdev |
| Siblings | not publicly confirmed |
| Marital Status | Married |
| First Wife | Kavita Sachdev (m. 2006, divorced 2019) |
| Current Wife | Varalaxmi Sarathkumar (m. July 3, 2024) |
| Children | Kasha Sachdev (daughter, from first marriage) |
| School | not publicly confirmed |
| College or University | not publicly confirmed |
| Degree or Qualification | Bachelor of Arts; MBA (institutions conflict across sources) |
| Political Party | N/A |
| Current Position or Role | Director and Partner, Gallery 7, Mumbai |
| Net Worth (estimated) | $10 million (approx. Rs 83 crore) |
| Monthly Income (estimated) | not publicly confirmed |
| Twitter/X | not publicly confirmed |
| @nicholaisachdev (activity level not publicly confirmed) | |
| not publicly confirmed | |
| YouTube | not publicly confirmed |
| Official Website | www.gallery7.com |
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1979 | Gallery 7 founded by parents Arun and Chandra Sachdev in Fort, Mumbai |
| Early 2000s | Nicholai joins Gallery 7 as partner and director |
| 2006 | Marries fitness trainer and model Kavita Sachdev |
| 2010 | Kavita Sachdev crowned Mrs. Gladrags |
| 2019 | Divorce from Kavita Sachdev |
| 2021 | Competes in Open Powerlifting Championship |
| 2023 | Wins gold (bench press) and silver (deadlift) at Open Powerlifting Championship |
| March 2024 | Engagement to actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar |
| July 3, 2024 | Marries Varalaxmi Sarathkumar in dual South Indian and Christian ceremony |
Nicholai Sachdev Awards
| Year | Award or Achievement | Given By | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Mrs. Gladrags (wife Kavita) | Gladrags | Associated recognition |
| 2023 | Gold Medal, Bench Press | Open Powerlifting Championship | Category winner |
| 2023 | Silver Medal, Deadlift | Open Powerlifting Championship | Category runner-up |
| not confirmed | Recognition for art promotion | India Art Fair, Art Mumbai | Exact award details not confirmed |
Nicholai Sachdev Early Life and Family
Growing up inside one of Mumbai’s most respected art families left an unmistakable mark on Nicholai Sachdev. His childhood home was Gallery 7 in spirit long before he formally joined it. Surrounded by canvases, collectors, and conversations about contemporary Indian art, he absorbed a creative sensibility and entrepreneurial discipline that most people spend years trying to acquire.
His parents built a lasting institution, and Nicholai was paying close attention.
Nicholai Sachdev Father
Arun Sachdev co-founded Gallery 7 in 1979 alongside his wife, bringing to the project his experience as writer and editor of Z magazine. His understanding of cultural discourse helped shape the gallery’s voice and critical reputation in Mumbai’s art world for decades.
Nicholai Sachdev Mother
Chandra Sachdev is a trained fine artist who studied at the J.J. School of Art and The Kala Bhavan in Santiniketan, where she was schooled under renowned artist Somnath Hore. She remains an active presence at Gallery 7 today and continues to work alongside Nicholai in running the institution.
Nicholai Sachdev Siblings and Family Background
Nicholai has at least one sibling, though details about them are not publicly confirmed. The family’s roots in the Indian art market stretch back over four decades, with Gallery 7 having relocated from the commercial Fort district to the heritage precinct of Rampart Row, Kala Ghoda, where it now stands as a landmark on the south Mumbai cultural map.
Nicholai Sachdev Education
Nicholai Sachdev received a formal education that reinforced his dual interests in culture and commerce, though multiple sources give differing accounts of the specific institutions he attended. The most frequently cited information places his schooling in Delhi, followed by a Bachelor of Arts degree and a postgraduate business qualification.
Multiple sources credit him with an MBA from the University of Edinburgh, a credential that aligns well with the strategic direction he has brought to Gallery 7 since taking over its leadership. His academic training, combined with over two decades of hands-on gallery experience, has helped position him as one of the more business-minded figures in Indian contemporary art.
Nicholai Sachdev Career
Nicholai Sachdev has spent the better part of his adult life building on the foundation his parents laid when they opened Gallery 7 in 1979. His involvement with the gallery began in earnest in the early 2000s, and he has since grown it into a nationally recognised platform for contemporary Indian art.
Nicholai Sachdev and Gallery 7
Gallery 7 was originally established in the Fort district of Mumbai and later relocated to Kala Ghoda, where it now sits in one of the city’s most culturally significant neighbourhoods. Under Nicholai’s direction alongside his mother Chandra, the gallery has featured a wide range of exhibitions and participated in major art fairs including India Art Fair and Art Mumbai.
His ability to identify emerging artists and build long-term relationships with collectors has been widely noted in Indian art circles. The gallery’s official website describes him as bringing “strong business acumen and an in-depth knowledge of the Indian art scene” to the project. The gallery has also publicly stated plans to expand to multiple international cities in the future.
Nicholai Sachdev as Powerlifter and Fitness Coach
Away from the gallery, Nicholai has built a parallel life as a competitive powerlifter. He competed in the 2021 Open Powerlifting Championship and returned in 2023 to win gold in the bench press and silver in the deadlift. He is also an active coach, working with young athletes including his daughter Kasha, who has won a gold medal in powerlifting at the state level.
Nicholai Sachdev Business Ventures and Art World Contributions
Nicholai Sachdev has extended his influence beyond the physical walls of Gallery 7 by developing a digital strategy for the gallery, helping bring Indian contemporary art to global online audiences. His curatorial approach balances established and emerging artists, and he has received acknowledgment at India Art Fair and Art Mumbai, though the specific nature of those recognitions has not been officially documented in verifiable form.
He has also been associated with wellness and entrepreneurial ventures outside the art world. The details of those investments are not publicly confirmed.
Nicholai Sachdev Religion and Community
What is Nicholai Sachdev Religion
Nicholai Sachdev practises Hinduism. This detail is consistently reported across multiple sources covering his background and personal life.
What is Nicholai Sachdev Caste or Community
Nicholai Sachdev’s caste or community affiliation is not publicly confirmed.
Nicholai Sachdev Personal Life and Relationships
Nicholai Sachdev’s personal life attracted widespread public interest in 2024 when he married South Indian actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar. The two had known each other for approximately 14 years before their relationship deepened following his divorce from his first wife.
Is Nicholai Sachdev Married
Yes, Nicholai Sachdev is married. His first marriage to Kavita Sachdev, a fitness trainer and model who went on to win the Mrs. Gladrags title in 2010, began in 2006 and ended in divorce in 2019 after what reports describe as irreconcilable differences. He married actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar on July 3, 2024, in a ceremony that featured both South Indian and Christian wedding rituals.
Nicholai Sachdev Wife
Varalaxmi Sarathkumar is an Indian actress known for her work across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam cinema, including a prominent role in the 2024 film Hanu-Man. The daughter of Tamil actor Sarathkumar, she had known Nicholai for over a decade before they announced their engagement in March 2024. Their wedding reception in Chennai was attended by prominent film personalities and public figures including actor Rajinikanth and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Nicholai has publicly expressed his intention to add her name to his own and be known as Nicholai Varalaxmi Sarathkumar Sachdev.
Nicholai Sachdev Children
Nicholai has one daughter, Kasha Sachdev, from his first marriage. Kasha has followed her father into competitive powerlifting and has won a gold medal at the youth state level. Nicholai actively coaches and mentors her athletic career.
Nicholai Sachdev Height, Weight and Physical Appearance
Nicholai Sachdev stands at 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm), a height that tends to make him the tallest person in most rooms. He is widely recognised for his extensive tattoos, which cover considerable portions of his body and have attracted regular media commentary over the years. His weight and other physical measurements are not publicly confirmed.
Nicholai Sachdev Net Worth and Earnings
| Source | Estimated Figure |
|---|---|
| Multiple media estimates (2024 to 2026) | $10 million (approx. Rs 83 crore) |
| Wife Varalaxmi Sarathkumar net worth | approx. $5 million |
| Combined couple net worth | approx. $15 million |
Nicholai Sachdev’s estimated net worth of $10 million is primarily attributed to his two-decade association with Gallery 7, where art sales, exhibitions, and the gallery’s brand equity form the core of his earnings. His powerlifting coaching, fitness work, and potential sponsorships represent additional income streams.
He is reported to reside in a well-appointed Mumbai home with contemporary interiors. Details about specific properties, vehicles, or endorsement deals are not publicly confirmed.
Nicholai Sachdev Social Media
| Platform | Handle | Followers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| @nicholaisachdev | not publicly confirmed | Profile exists; follower count not confirmed | |
| Twitter/X | not publicly confirmed | not publicly confirmed | No verified presence found |
| not publicly confirmed | not publicly confirmed | No verified presence found | |
| YouTube | not publicly confirmed | not publicly confirmed | No verified presence found |
Nicholai Sachdev is notably private for someone married to a high-profile actress. Multiple sources confirm that he keeps a low social media profile by choice. His wife Varalaxmi Sarathkumar is far more active online, and most publicly available images of Nicholai appear through her posts and media coverage of the couple.
Nicholai Sachdev Controversies
Second Marriage and Public Scrutiny
When the engagement to Varalaxmi Sarathkumar was announced in March 2024, the couple faced a degree of negative public commentary about the fact that it was Nicholai’s second marriage. Both addressed the criticism publicly and received strong support from Varalaxmi’s family and colleagues in the film industry.
Media Attention on Personal Style
Nicholai’s tattooed appearance and lifestyle choices have attracted critical media commentary at various points in his public life. He has not responded to such coverage in any verifiable public format.
Lesser Known Facts About Nicholai Sachdev
- Nicholai’s full name, as listed on the Gallery 7 official website, is Arunov Nicholai Sachdev, a detail most media coverage leaves out entirely.
- Gallery 7 was established in 1979, which means Nicholai inherited an institution that predates his own birth by several years.
- His mother Chandra Sachdev trained under Somnath Hore, one of India’s most respected modern artists, at the Kala Bhavan in Santiniketan.
- Nicholai has publicly stated he wants to formally include Varalaxmi’s name in his own, which would make him Nicholai Varalaxmi Sarathkumar Sachdev, an uncommon gesture in Indian public life.
- His daughter Kasha is a state-level gold medallist in powerlifting and is actively coached by Nicholai himself, making them a competitive father-daughter athletic pair.
- Gallery 7 has publicly stated plans to expand to cities outside India, with the goal of giving Indian artists a global platform to show their work.
- His former wife Kavita Sachdev won the Mrs. Gladrags title in 2010, giving the family a presence across both the Mumbai art world and the fitness and modelling industry.
Nicholai Sachdev stands as a genuinely multi-dimensional figure in Indian public life. An art professional with over two decades of gallery experience, a competitive powerlifter who coaches the next generation, and a man whose willingness to publicly embrace his family and personal choices has made him a name worth following well beyond the confines of Mumbai’s art world.
Nicholai Sachdev FAQ
Who is Nicholai Sachdev?
Nicholai Sachdev is an Indian art gallerist, entrepreneur, and competitive powerlifter based in Mumbai. He is the director and partner of Gallery 7, one of the city’s most respected contemporary art galleries, founded by his parents in 1979. He came to national prominence through his marriage to South Indian actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar in July 2024.
How old is Nicholai Sachdev?
As of 2026, Nicholai Sachdev is 42 years old. His date of birth is most frequently reported as March 23, 1983, though some sources cite 1986. The 1983 date is used here as it is cited by more sources and is consistent with his confirmed two-decade career at Gallery 7.
What is Nicholai Sachdev’s net worth?
Nicholai Sachdev’s net worth is estimated at approximately $10 million, around Rs 83 crore, as of 2026. His wealth is primarily attributed to Gallery 7 and his various entrepreneurial activities.
Is Nicholai Sachdev married?
Yes. Nicholai Sachdev married actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar on July 3, 2024, in a ceremony that combined South Indian and Christian traditions. He was previously married to fitness trainer and model Kavita Sachdev from 2006 until their divorce in 2019.
Who is Nicholai Sachdev’s wife?
His current wife is Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, a well-known Indian actress who has appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam films. She is the daughter of Tamil film actor Sarathkumar.
What is Nicholai Sachdev’s religion?
Nicholai Sachdev practises Hinduism.
How tall is Nicholai Sachdev?
Nicholai Sachdev is 6 feet 6 inches tall, which is 198 cm.
Who are Nicholai Sachdev’s parents?
His father is Arun Sachdev and his mother is Chandra Sachdev. Both are established art gallerists in Mumbai and the co-founders of Gallery 7, which they opened in 1979.
What is Nicholai Sachdev known for?
He is known for directing Gallery 7, one of Mumbai’s foremost contemporary art galleries; for his achievements in competitive powerlifting including a gold medal in bench press at the 2023 Open Powerlifting Championship; and for his marriage to actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar.
Does Nicholai Sachdev have children?
Yes, he has a daughter named Kasha Sachdev from his first marriage. Kasha is a gold medal-winning powerlifter at the youth level and is trained and mentored by Nicholai.
What is Gallery 7?
Gallery 7 is a contemporary art gallery in Mumbai, founded in 1979 by Arun and Chandra Sachdev. It is currently located in the Kala Ghoda heritage precinct of south Mumbai and is led by Nicholai Sachdev alongside his mother Chandra. It is widely regarded as one of India’s leading platforms for contemporary Indian art.
What are Nicholai Sachdev’s powerlifting achievements?
He competed in the 2021 Open Powerlifting Championship and won gold in the bench press and silver in the deadlift at the 2023 Open Powerlifting Championship. He also coaches competitive powerlifters, including his daughter Kasha.
Sources
Gallery 7 Official Website — https://www.gallery7.com/about.php
India TV News — https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/news/nicholai-sachdev-husband-of-hanu-man-actor-varalaxmi-sarathkumar
Wikipedia (Varalaxmi Sarathkumar) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varalaxmi_Sarathkumar
OpenPowerlifting — https://www.openpowerlifting.org/u/nicholaisachdev