Pakistan Born Woman Neeta Kanwar Elected Sarpanch In Tonk, Rajasthan

Neeta Kanwar, Pakistan born woman was elected sarpanch for Natwara gram panchayat, Tonk district, Rajasthan on January 17, 2020. Neeta became a citizen of India in September 2019. She came to India in the year 2001 to pursue her education. After living in the country for 18 years, she received Indian citizenship. She was born in Sindh in Pakistan.

Key Takeaways:

• The 36-year-old woman won and defeated her rival, Sonu Devi by 362 votes. Besides Kanwar six other women contested for the post of sarpanch for Natwara gram panchayat, Tonk district.
• Kanwar's father-in-law, Thakur Laxman Singh Karan was elected sarpanch three times in the past. Neeta said while campaigning “Now, my father-in-law is guiding me to contest these polls.”
• She aims to work for women by forming self-help groups. She also wants better education and health facilities in the village. Kanwar also aims to serve the panchayat like a daughter-in-law serves her family.

About Neeta Kanwar and her aim for the village

Before marriage, Kanwar lived with her mother, Mohan Kanwar in Jodhpur. Whereas her brother and father, Rajwant Singh and Swaroop Singh respectively, who are farmers, live in Pakistan. The 36-year-old woman won and defeated her rival, Sonu Devi by 362 votes. Besides Kanwar six other women contested for the post of sarpanch for Natwara gram panchayat, Tonk district. Kanwar got 1,073 votes out of 2,494 votes that were polled, as per Hindustan Times.

“I am thankful to the people of the village who have elected me as their sarpanch. I will serve them with honesty and work hard towards the panchayat’s development.”

On winning, she said, “I am thankful to the people of the village who have elected me as their sarpanch.” Further, she added, “I will serve them with honesty and work hard towards the panchayat’s development.” Kanwar did BA from Sophia's College, Ajmer and married her husband in 2011. Neeta's husband is in the field of travel business.

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Kanwar's father-in-law, Thakur Laxman Singh Karan was elected sarpanch three times in the past. Neeta said while campaigning “Now, my father-in-law is guiding me to contest these polls.”  Further, she added “When the seat was declared general and reserved for women, my father-in-law told me to contest. He has served this panchayat for such a long time and he wanted the family to continue serving people here.” She aims to work for women by forming self-help groups. She also wants better education and health facilities in the village.

“I was bahu of a family, now I am bahu of the village."

The people of the village often refer Neeta as ‘Kanwrani Saab.’ Neeta campaigned hard for several weeks before the elections. Kanwar also aims to serve the panchayat like a daughter-in-law serves her family. She said, “I was bahu of a family, now I am bahu of the village.”

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Mansi is an Intern at SheThePeople.TV