Anandiben Patel urges men to honour marriage promises

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Thursday, October 22, urged men to keep promises of marriage and asked young people to achieve financial independence before starting a family. Speaking at the seventh convocation of a private college in Lucknow, she said having a girlfriend was not itself a problem, but commitments made in a relationship carried responsibilities, India Today reported.

Patel raised concerns about girls becoming mothers at 13 or 14 and then being left by their partners. She said government measures alone could not address such situations and called on society to take responsibility as well. Her appeal to young people was to weigh the consequences of their choices before making promises about a shared future.

The governor also described marriage as a responsibility extending beyond the couple. Young people, she said, should first be self-reliant and capable of supporting a family.

Earlier remarks on education and domestic expectations

The address followed earlier statements by Patel on family life, including advice to young women against live-in relationships.

At the 41st convocation of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University in Kanpur in July 2026, she had placed emphasis on preparation for motherhood alongside ambitions to become civil servants or teachers. She also said women should learn cooking and household management while continuing their studies and careers.

In that address, Patel urged women to continue their education after marriage and put their learning to use for society and the country. Her emphasis on domestic duties nevertheless drew criticism from opposition leaders, student activists and commentators, who argued that it reinforced gendered expectations and gave insufficient weight to women's professional ambitions. Supporters defended her focus on family and parenting responsibilities.

Gujarat nutrition initiative recalled

At Thursday's convocation, Patel also recalled a welfare initiative from her time as a minister and chief minister in Gujarat. She said interactions with people had led her to consider redirecting money spent on such engagements towards social welfare.

According to her account, the initiative supplied gram and jaggery to children from poor families at anganwadi centres. Workers boiled and seasoned the gram before serving it to the children.