THE RESPECT I RECEIVE IS FOR THE POSITION OF THE MAYOR, NOT ARYA THE YOUNGSTER

IN CONVERSATION WITH MAYOR ARYA, WHO HAD WON AS A COUNCILLOR OF THE RULING COMMUNIST PARTY (MARXIST) FROM MUDAVANMUKAL WARD INTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Imagine attending college online from the chair of the Mayor of the capital city of a State. Well, 21-year-old Arya Rajendran is doing not just that; she recently created history by becoming the country’s youngest Mayor to be sworn in. — By Asha Prakash

BECOMING MAYOR OF THIRUVANANTHAPURAM CORPORATION AT 21. WAS THERE A HINT THIS WAS COMING? WHY DO YOU THINK THE PARTY CHOSE SUCH A YOUNG PERSON FOR THE POSITION?

Not at all! Also it’s not a post where you get to predict beforehand the possibilities of being chosen. I got to know about it from a channel reporter first, and immediately switched on the TV and saw the news scrolls. It sank in only when the party communicated the same to me later.

I don’t really think too much about my age at this point. The party has placed its trust on me with this position. I don’t think they will do it without seeing some merit in me. My only aim now is to fulfill that duty well.

HOW DID YOUR FRIENDS REACT ON HEARING THE NEWS?