Her name is Arya Rajendran and she believes that left is always right…
By Sudheer Goutham
It is a balmy afternoon and more than a month has passed away since the B Sc Maths second-year student of All Saints College donned the role of Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram. What has changed and how people perceive you, I ask. “People were not expecting this change in Thiruvananthapuram. People have lot of expectations from me and being young they see hope. A number of women look up to me and I have a responsibility on my shoulders. I assure many Arya’s will emerge.” She adds, “My friends knew I was contesting but when I got elected they were surprised.
For a 21-year-old, Arya is mature beyond her years. On what is the major change she wishes to see, she says better waste management. “The city bagged 11 awards for best municipal corporation in waste management but there are issues in the main part of the city. We are adding to the campaigns. There are many educated people too who do not know how to manage waste.
” How will she bring about change? “I can now directly interact with resident welfare associations, Lions Club and other organisations and make an impact.” Arya knows very well that Mayorship gives her the power to address issues and all the experience as state president of Bala Sangham and state committee member of SFI is helping her. She says, “I have watched my father as a child who was CPI (M) branch committee member and he has influenced me a lot. Working for the needy comes naturally to me and since childhood I believed that left is always right.
” How does Arya balance work and studies? Pat comes the reply- “At times I sit at office and attend classes and then my friends share notes with me. I also catch up with studies while travelling.
” Arya had an ambition of becoming an IPS officer. Is she still harbour the feeling? “Not anymore. I want to be among people. A police officer cannot do what a politician can and by the way protocol wise, the Mayor is on top,” don’t you agree she says as she signs off.
Arya Rajendran is a second-year B Sc Math student who believes studies and politics can go hand in hand. She loves being among people and wants to be a role model for women Meet Arya Rajendran, the youngest mayor in the country. The 21-year-old was recently sworn in as the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the largest urban body in Kerala. Arya Rajendran, a B Sc Maths second-year student at the All Saints College in Thiruvananthapuram, had won the local body election from the Mudavanmughal ward of the city corporation representing CPI(M). In Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, LDF won with a majority of 53 out of the 100 seats, followed by NDA. She will be the third woman, all from the CPI(M) to head the urban local government in the capital city of Kerala.
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