TNN, Gandhinagar :
Anandiben Patel (73) is set to become Gujarat’s first woman CM when Narendra Modi relinquishes office for the country’s top job. As the chairperson of the group of ministers, which runs Gujarat while Modi is away, 73-year-old Anandiben Patel’s elevation was a foregone conclusion. If ‘Saheb’ stands for Modi in the corridors of power here, ‘Ben’ refers to what many see as his alter ego.
Currently the minister for revenue, urban development and roads and buildings, she has come a long way from being a teacher at Mohniba Kanya Vidyalaya in the city in the 80s.
Right from her teaching days, her image remains that of a tough woman. In 1987, she had jumped into the Sardar Sarovar reservoir during a school picnic to save two girls from drowning. The act of bravery won her state-wide acclaim and a gallantry award from the governor.
