Malampuzha: Radhika Madhavan, a first-year MA Malayalam student, on Wednesday elected as the president of the Malampuzha grama panchayat. The 23-year-old is the daughter of daily-wage worker Madhavan and Shantha.
She lives at a one-room house, with no bathroom, at the Elavuthanpara tribal colony near the Malampuzha dam in Palakkad district. She made money for her studies by rearing goats.
A CPM candidate, Radhika won from the Manthakad north general ward 10. She resides at the first ward of the panchayat.
The 27 tribal families at Elavuthanpara colony do not have pattayam (title deeds). Nor do their houses have bathrooms.
Radhika was leading the attempts to secure these, when she won the election.
Even when she gets busy with panchayat duties, Radhika plans to pursue her MA studies through distance learning. She aspires to be a journalist.
Radhika is the first graduate from the colony. Her house got the power connection only recently. She also takes tuition classes for the children at the colony for free.
In the 13-seat Malampuzha grama panchayat, LDF has 6 members, BJP 5 and Congress 2. If there is no major upset, Radhika would head the grama panchayat.
