Karnataka's young panchayat leader gets Republic Day invite
Thriveni Pallatharu, 38, President of Olamogaru Gram Panchayat in Dakshina Kannada, has been called as a special invitee for the Republic Day program to be held in New Delhi on January 26.
She's one of just five panchayat leaders from Karnataka picked for this honor, thanks to her standout work on clean water and sanitation projects in her village.
Why does it matter?
Pallatharu has led big changes—her team has been collecting waste from the houses and segregating it, and over 75% of households have declared they will hand over segregated waste and have a toilet in their houses.
Her "Swachha Mane Swachha Goshane" campaign got over 75% of families on board with better hygiene habits.
She's also delivered new water connections, a solid waste facility, and even lake upgrades—all while keeping things transparent and efficient.
For young people who care about real impact at the local level (or just want proof that change is possible), her story is worth a scroll.