Anandiben Patel is an Indian politician and the current Governor of Uttar Pradesh and former Chief Minister of Gujarat, a western state of India. She was the first woman chief minister of the state. She is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 1987. She was the Cabinet Minister for Education from 2002 to 2007. She was the cabinet Minister of Road and Building, Revenue, Urban development and Urban Housing, Disaster Management and Capital Projects in the Government of Gujarat from 2007 to 2014. In January 19, 2018, she became the Governor of Madhya Pradesh replacing Om Prakash Kohli who was holding additional charge since September 2016. Patel's entry into politics began with an accident during a school picnic in 1987, when she jumped in the Sardar Sarovar reservoir to save two girls who were drowning during a school picnic, for which she received a president's bravery award. Impressed by Patel's heroism, BJP top cadre suggested Anandiben Patel to join the party. She joined BJP as the Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Morcha President in 1987. Patel was elected to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in 1994. As an MP, she participated in the Fourth World Women's Conference in Beijing (China) in 1994–95, representing India. Patel resigned from Rajyasabha in 1998 and contested her first assembly election from Mandal assembly constituency. She won and became a cabinet minister for education under the Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel. Patel contested her second and third assembly elections in 2002 and 2007 from Patan assembly constituency and was elected. She continued as a cabinet minister for education in her second term and was assigned to Roads & Building and Revenue in her third term. In 2012 elections Patel contested and won from Ghatlodiya constituency. She continued as the cabinet minister of Road and Building, Revenue, Urban Development and Urban Housing, Disaster Management and Capital Projects. On 22 May 2014, Patel took oath as the 15th Chief Minister. Patel was the first female Chief Minister of Gujarat. She continued to hold the office until her successor Vijay Rupani took over on 7 August 2016. In January 2018, she became the Governor of Madhya Pradesh replacing Om Prakash Kohli who was holding additional charge since September 2016. On July 20, 2019 she has been appointed as Governor of Uttar Pradesh replacing Ram Naik.