Women Leaders in Village Panchayats

I believe that service to humanity is akin to service to god. Therefore, I chose

to contest the Panchayat elections. Before I stood for elections, I did extension

work as a teacher in Child Development and Family Relationships. I am fifty-

eight years old and a Masters in Science and also hold a Bachelor’s in Education.

This is the first time I have contested. My constituency was reserved for women

and there were seven contestants in total. The total number of votes, cast, were

920, out of which I obtained 532, my nearest contestant obtained 300. This is

the first time in our Panchayat that there has been such a big margin between

the first and second place.

The total population in my Panchayat area is 3,265. The break up according to

gender is 1662: 1603. The majority of the population belongs to the Scheduled

Caste.

Coming from the field of education, it is not surprising that my priority area

is education. I personally visit the three Primary Schools in my Panchayat and

motivate the teachers and students to ensure quality education. I emphasize

the practical way of learning (Leaning by Doing) in these schools. I ask the

teachers to go beyond the formal way of teaching and help the children to

think for themselves. I speak to the children and stress the need to have self-

confidence, patriotism, truth, love, justice, good habits, personal hygiene, and

environmental protection etc.

I insist that the schools hold monthly parent-teacher meetings to discuss

ways of improving the school and the education imparted thereof. I made

the children and teachers to take up an education awareness campaign during

their holidays to enrollment of all the children in schools.

I ensure health camp in all the schools to take care of the health of the children.

Toilets have also been provided in these schools.

I have facilitated the cementing of the road from Kamarajapuram to Beratty,

so that the children can walk safely to school. I have ensured that the children

studying in government Schools do not feel discriminated against and have

Rajeswari Devadoss
President
Panchayat: Beratty
Block: Coonoor
District: The Nilgiris