UDUPI: Bheemavva, the president of Tallur gram panchayat in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district, is a daily wage worker. 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, 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, 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.
