Inside Tarun Tejpal’s Family: Know About His Wife Geetan Batra, Daughters Tiya and Cara, and Son-in-Law Actor Arjun Mathur

Journalist and former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal was convicted on August 6, 2026, by the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court in a 2013 sexual assault case and sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. He has indicated plans to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court. The development has renewed public interest in his personal life and family.

Tejpal has been married to Geetan Batra since 1985. The couple, who first knew each other during their college years, largely kept their private life out of the spotlight for decades. Batra has maintained a low public profile throughout her husband’s high-visibility career in investigative journalism. She has been involved in social work and has served on the board of trustees of the Salaam Baalak Trust, an organisation that supports vulnerable children, particularly those living and working on the streets. Her public associations have centred more on charitable efforts than on media or political circles.

The couple has two daughters, Tiya Tejpal and Cara Tejpal. Neither followed their father into mainstream journalism. Tiya works as a production designer in film and has credits on projects including The White Tiger, Raman Raghav 2.0 and Karwaan. She has also worked earlier in production and as an assistant director. Production design involves creating the visual environment of a film through sets, locations, props and overall aesthetic.

Cara Tejpal has been linked to writing, reading and wildlife conservation. She maintains a more limited public presence compared with those active in film or mainstream media.

Tiya is married to actor Arjun Mathur, known for his role in the series Made in Heaven as well as appearances in other Hindi and English-language films and web projects. Mathur has publicly confirmed that the two were together for several years before marrying in a small, private ceremony. The couple has generally kept their relationship low-key and separate from the public controversies surrounding Tejpal, focusing instead on their respective careers in film, design and acting.

On Tejpal’s wider family, available accounts note that he was born into a household with military ties. His father, Inderjit Tejpal, served in the Indian Army, and his mother was Shakuntala Tejpal. He has a brother, Kunwar Tejpal, and a sister, Neena T. Sharma.

Tejpal rose to prominence through investigative journalism and later became closely identified with Tehelka, the publication known for high-profile sting operations and stories in the early 2000s. His public standing shifted significantly after the 2013 allegations by a former colleague, which led to a criminal trial in Goa. A sessions court acquitted him in 2021, a decision that was later challenged and overturned by the High Court in the latest ruling.

The family members have largely stayed away from the media glare surrounding the case, with their professional and personal lives centred on creative work, social causes and private spheres rather than public commentary on the legal proceedings.