MAYOR Arya Rajendran was born on 12 January 1999. Elected in December 2020 when COVID-19 pandemic has arisen, Mayor Arya has shown good works and become a role model for female and young leaders in managing and leading a municipality. Elected at the age of 21, Mayor Arya of Thiruvananthapuram is the youngest mayor in the country. She broke the record of Sabitha Beegum who was elected mayor of Kollam at the age of 23.
Arya Rajendran herself has considerable experience in leadership, she is the president of Kerala’s largest children’s organisation named Balasangham, she is also a member of the Student Federation of India as a state committee and a member of the CPI(M) area committee in Chala. “I was into politics at a young age. If the party asks me to take up any role, I will be the happiest to accept it,” she said in one interview, talking about her passion for pursuing a career in politics.
Under her leadership, Mayor Arya Rajendran has shown good works in various fields. Regarding the Smart City Project initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Mayor Arya ensured its continuation and progress after being held sometime due to COVID-19. Included under the project is the renovation of Ponnara Sreedhar park, installation of mosquito density system, and multilevel car parking.
Mayor Arya also shared that “The current administration was committed to continuing the successful community-level waste collection and processing programmes that were implemented in the previous terms.” (www.thehindu.com).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she prioritised handling the virus and providing essential facilities for school and university students studying from home. When elected, primary health centre and inclusion of more women in agricultural activities and ensuring equal wages as men are part of her concerns.
Despite the pandemic situation, Mayor Arya has shown great concern and efforts in solving challenges faced by the municipality. It is only a matter of time for the local people of Thiruvananthapuram to see the result of her works.
Sources:
https://www.india.com/news/india/meet-arya-rajendran-21-year-old-girl-who-is-set-to-become-youngest-mayor-from-keralas-thiruvananthapuram-4289652/ https://indianexpress.com/article/india/arya-rajendran-thiruvananthapuram-mayor-7123283/
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/watch-meet-arya-rajendran-indias-youngest-mayor/article33478507.ece
https://www.newindianexpress.com/good-news/2020/dec/25/21-year-old-bsc-student-arya-rajendran-to-become-youngest-mayor-in-kerala-2241070.html https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/youngest-panchayat-chief-wants-empower-women
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2021/aug/03/smart-city-projects-nearing-completion-2339280.html
https://www.smartcitiescouncil.com/article/thiruvananthapuram-smart-city-projects-near-completion
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/mayor-promises-more-initiatives-to-manage-waste/article33643471.ece
Pictures:
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/21-yr-old-arya-rajendran-may-be-thiruvananthapuram-s-new-mayor-140290
https://unsplash.com/photos/IhQr1gXPwsw
