Leaving
the city behind to administer her place of birth.
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Ambition often results in
people leaving their hometowns and seek out employment and better prospects in
other metropolitan cities of the country. While many political parties have
publicised this issue, overlooking the gaping urban-rural divide, there are
some among us, who have decided to go against the tide, in order to genuinely
do something about the issue.
Meet Chhavi Rajawat, sarpanch
of the Soda village, 60 kms away from the bustling metropolis of Jaipur in
Rajasthan. Chhavi was born in Jaipur and completed her education from
prestigious institutions including Mayo College and Balaji Institute of Modern
Management (Pune). Following a stint working for reputed institutions like The
Times of India, Carlson Group of Hotels and Airtel among others, she got into
the administration of her village, when she was elected as the village’s
youngest sarpanch ever.
Chhavi has brought about a
novel style of administration to the traditional structure of the village
panchayat, a traditionally non-partisan executive council. In her stint as the
elected representative of her village, she has been working tirelessly for the
upliftment of its citizens. She has since brought solar power, paved roads,
clean water and even a bank to her once backward village.
In a noteworthy feat, a campaign that predates even the much feted
Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, Chhavi had worked with the residents of her village to
build toilets through community participation. She has also facilitated the
construction of close to 40 proper ‘pukka’ roads, bringing a whole new level of
connectivity to her constituency. Non-affiliation to a political party has also
worked out in her favour, enabling her to make swifter, executive decisions and
helping spur the belief of the people in her, in a notoriously patriarchal part
of the country.
Chhavi has been recognised for her efforts with a felicitation by late
President APJ. Abdul Kalam. Her efforts have also been lauded at the World
Economic Forum and she has been called to speak at several national and
international forums. In an interview with NDTV, she laid her views about
social progress and development, “If India continues to make progress at the
same pace as it has for the past 65 years since independence, it just won’t be
good enough. We’ll be failing people who dream about having water, electricity,
toilets, schools and jobs. I am convinced we can do it differently and do it
faster!”
A true story of sacrifice, efficiency and excellence. We salute our
#TrueDiamond Chhavi Rajawat.
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