UDUPI: Bheemavva, the president of Tallur grama panchayat in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district, is a daily wage worker. Bheemavva, in her 50s, hails from Katageri of Bagalkot district and migrated to the coastal district with her husband Mariyappa and first son Rangappa 25 years ago. Bheemavva, who studied up to class 2, is known for sincerity while attending to others issues and that alone gave her the required push to be the president.
Bheemavva, though working as a labourer to eke out a living, has a concern for the society. A localite, Karun Poojary, former member of Kundapur taluk panchayat, who used to engage her in construction works, observed her simplicity and made her contest in the panchayat election in December 2020.
As she is from ST community, as per reservation matrix, Bheemavva got an opportunity to become the panchayat president.Bheemavva said that she had experienced difficulties in getting ration cards and understood many poor people suffered like her on various issues.
‘’But today as a president, I make sure that people do not face red-tapism. I help people in whatever way possible,’’ she says without any ego. Bheemavva has four children. Her second son Shivananda is a soldier who is deputed on the China border.
She wants her other two children to study well and secure a good job. Asked what made her agree to contest a panchayat election, Bheemavva said it is her sheer interest to help others in whatever way possible. ‘’Today I am happy as people in Tallur consider me as their own daughter. Once a year, I visit my village in Bagalkot to participate in the village fair,” she said.