Anandiben Patel to complete 7 years as longest-serving UP governor
India
Anandiben Patel is about to complete seven years as Uttar Pradesh's governor on July 29, 2026, making her the longest-serving in the state's history.
At 84, she's only the second woman ever in this role after Sarijini Naidu.
Anandiben Patel oversaw public health campaigns
Patel has focused on fighting violence against women and boosting health awareness.
She helped distribute 67,643 Anganwadi kits, rolled out 153,997 HPV vaccines to fight cervical cancer, and supported treatment for more than 400,000 tuberculosis patients in Uttar Pradesh.
Under her watch, 18 state universities earned top national rankings.
Before this, she was Gujarat's first woman chief minister and also served as governor of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.