UP Governor as matriarch: Anandiben Patel’s takes, from non-veg food to live-ins

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with Governor Anandiben Patel at Jan Bhawan in Lucknow. (Express photo) 6 min readLucknowAug 15, 2026 07:23 AM IST First published on: Aug 14, 2026 at 10:53 AM IST When she took over as Chief Minister of Gujarat, she was filling the very big shoes of predecessor Narendra Modi. Now, at 84, she has entered the seventh year of governorship of Uttar Pradesh, making her the longest-serving occupant of one of the hottest seats in the country’s politics. And, Anandiben Patel, shows no signs of flagging. In recent months, Patel, who is the Chancellor of state universities by virtue of being the Governor of UP, has been in the news for dropping in at the institutes, with a critical eye on everything from mess and hostels, to what students eat and how they lead their lives.