Upasana Kamineni Responds to Criticism Over Her Egg-Freezing Advice, Says She Welcomes the Debate

Hyderabad | November 20, 2025 Upasana Kamineni Konidela, businesswoman and wife of actor Ram Charan, has become the centre of a heated national conversation after her comments about egg freezing at IIT Hyderabad went viral. During a talk with women students, she suggested that freezing eggs could help them focus on their careers and choose motherhood on their own timeline. What she thought was simple advice quickly turned into a countrywide debate. A clip of her speech spread across social media, drawing criticism from doctors, entrepreneurs, influencers and everyday users. Many argued that her suggestion seemed out of touch with the emotional, financial and medical challenges involved in fertility treatments. The discussion grew so intense that Upasana stepped in to clarify her thoughts. In her response on X, Upasana said she was “happy to have sparked a healthy debate” and thanked people for engaging respectfully. She said her intention was to talk about choice, personal agency and how women could take control of their timelines. She also asked people to look at the facts she had shared along with her post. Upasana then opened up about her own journey, saying she married at 27, froze her eggs at 29 for health and personal reasons, had her first child at 36 and is now expecting twins at 39. She said her point was simple: women should be free to decide the order of their life choices without being judged. She added that her path was not about privilege but about having the right to choose. Her original comment — calling egg freezing the “biggest insurance for women” — had triggered strong reactions. Many doctors reminded the public that egg freezing and IVF are expensive, emotionally exhausting and not guaranteed to succeed. They said it was important for public figures to acknowledge these limitations. One doctor argued that such advice sounded easier for someone with wealth and access to top medical facilities. Another pointed out that older women may still face health challenges during pregnancy, even with frozen eggs. On the other side of the debate, some public figures offered completely different advice. Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu encouraged young people to consider marriage and parenthood earlier, calling it a responsibility to society. Others questioned whether Upasana’s views reflected her family’s connection to a major healthcare chain. Despite the criticism, Upasana thanked those who participated in the conversation and said she hoped employers would work with her to create workplaces that support more women. The debate sparked by her remarks continues, touching on personal choice, privilege, affordability, fertility rights and changing attitudes toward marriage and motherhood in India. Upasana Kamineni Responds to Criticism Over Her Egg-Freezing Advice, Says She Welcomes the Debate Many conversations fade fast, but some hit a nerve. Upasana Kamineni’s recent talk at IIT Hyderabad did exactly that. Her suggestion that young women consider freezing their eggs to plan life on their own timeline sparked a nationwide debate. Some called it empowering, others felt it ignored the emotional and financial realities of fertility treatments. In her response, Upasana said she was glad the discussion opened up. She shared her own journey, explaining how she married at 27, froze her eggs at 29, had her first child at 36 and is now expecting twins at 39. For her, it was about choosing her own timeline, not about privilege. The conversation online continues, with people talking about access, affordability, health, personal choice and the pressure women face while balancing career and family. Whatever side you stand on, one thing is clear: the debate has made many rethink how we talk about women’s options and what real choice looks like.