From celebrities to entrepreneurs, wishes poured in for Arya Rajendran, the 21-year-old who is set to become to youngest Mayor in India. Arya won from an LDF ticket in Thiruvananthapuram and is the Mayor-elect of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation.
On Sunday, Thiruvananthapuram MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter to wish the 21-year-old. “Warmest congratulations to the 21-year-old student and the newly-elected Councillor, Arya Rajendran, upon becoming India's youngest Mayor by leading the city corporation of Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram. Time for a representative of the 51% of India's population that's under25 to lead!” he wrote.
Gautam Adani, chairman and founder of the Adani group, also took to social media to wish Arya. “Congratulations to Thiruvananthapuram's and India's youngest Mayor, Arya Rajendran. Absolutely stunning and India's demographic dividend at its best. This is how young political leaders shape paths and inspire others to follow. This is Incredible India!” tweeted Adani, who is developing India’s first transhipment port, the Vizhinjam International port in the Thiruvananthapuram coast. The Adani group has also won the tender to develop the Thiruvananthapuram airport, though the Kerala government has opposed it.
Congratulations to Thiruvananthapuram's and India's youngest Mayor, Arya Rajendran. Absolutely stunning and India's demographic dividend at its best. This is how young political leaders shape paths and inspire others to follow. This is Incredible India!https://t.co/a0NI2gGbZI
— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) December 27, 2020
Meanwhile, actor Mohanlal, too, wished the young Mayor-elect. On December 26, Mohanlal called up Arya. The actor is a voter from the Mudavanmugal ward from where Arya was elected to the Corporation Council, and wished her good luck on her new position. "Thiruvananthapuram is one of the most liked cities in the state. It is an ideal opportunity to make it more beautiful," the actor told Arya, promising to extends all support. Incidentally, Mohanlal's ancestral house is situated in Mudavanmugal ward.
WATCH: What Mohanlal told Arya Rajendran
The 21-year-old got active with the work of the Balasangam, which is the children’s organisation affiliated to the CPI(M) party. She was its state president. In college, she became a worker of the Students Federation of India (SFI) – CPI(M)’s student party. She is now a state committee member of the SFI and a CPI(M) member at the party’s Kesavadev Road branch. “The organisational experience and the work for it has proved very useful during the election campaign. I could meet people and communicate our ideas very clearly,” Arya had earlier told TNM.
She also added that waste management would be the first and foremost focus of her ward as well as the rest of the city.
“Importantly, I also intend to set up a primary health centre (PHC) in Mudavanmugal. It is important that there is a PHC at ward level, especially in the times of COVID-19. Many people are reluctant to go to hospitals, primarily those with other diseases and those with children. So a 24-hour PHC, which is accessible for everyone, is very important. There will also be programmes focussed on youth, on women and on students,” Arya added.