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Ram Charan’s wife and Apollo Hospitals’ Vice Chairperson of CSR, Upasana Konidela, has issued a detailed statement after facing sharp criticism for telling IIT Hyderabad students that women should consider freezing their eggs to avoid rushing into marriage. The businesswoman took to X to clarify her stance, asserting that her choices were driven by personal conviction, not privilege.

Upasana Konidela addresses controversy

Sharing a note on her social media, Upasana said she is glad the conversation has sparked “a healthy debate,” urging people to read her statement for clarity on her career and personal decisions. She questioned the backlash directed at her, writing, “Is it wrong for a woman to marry for love instead of giving in to societal pressure? Is it wrong for her to wait until she finds the right partner? Is it wrong for a woman to choose when she wants to have children based on her own circumstances? Is it wrong for a woman to set her goals and focus on her career rather than only thinking of marriage or having children early?”

“I wasn’t 23 — I was 27,” Upasana clarifies

Responding to social media claims about her age at marriage, Upasana corrected the widely circulated misinformation. She wrote that she married Ram Charan at 27, froze her eggs at 29, welcomed her first child at 36 and is now expecting twins at 39.

“Fact check. I married for love and companionship at 27 – a choice I made on my own terms. At 29, I decided to freeze me eggs for personal and health reasons, something I’ve always spoken about openly to encourage other women to explore their options (for the record it wasn’t at Apollo). I welcomed my first child at 36 and am now expecting twins at 39,” she wrote.

She further explained that both her professional and personal commitments have always mattered equally to her. “Through my journey, I have given equal importance to building my career and nurturing my marriage, because a happy, stable environment matters deeply when raising a family. For me, marriage and career are not competing priorities – they are equally meaningful parts of a fulfilled life. But I decide the timeline! That’s not privilege it’s my right!!!”

What triggered the backlash

The criticism began after a session at IIT Hyderabad where Upasana said, “The biggest insurance for women is to save your eggs. Because then you can choose when to get married, when you want to have kids on your own terms, when you are financially independent. Today, I stand on my own two feet, I earn a living for myself.”

Many doctors and social media users argued that her comments came from a place of “privilege,” considering the high cost and uncertainty associated with egg freezing. Read more here

Upasana and Ram Charan, who got engaged in 2011 and married the following year, welcomed their daughter Klin Kaara in 2023. The couple is now expecting twins.