glamorous Chhavi Rajawat

OFF BEAT

Chhavi Rajawat tells Sumita Chakraborty what made her ditch her high roller’s life as a corporate executive to become the sarpanch of a village.

H

ip, glamorous and extremely charming, Chhavi Rajawat, the sarpanch of Soda, a tiny hamlet in Rajasthan, redefines the very image of the prototype sarpanch. This dynamic lady studied at the prestigious Rishi Valley School, and then topped her education with a degree from Lady Sriram College in Delhi. Further armed with an MBA degree, Chhavi also worked with topnotch corporates.

...Until one fine day, when she left her moolah-raking job to return to Soda, her place of birth.

CALL Of MY VILLAGE

Curious about this vibrant lady, we touched base with Chhavi in Soda. Getting into introspective mode, Chhavi starts off in her soft, cultured voice, “Though I loved the city life in Delhi where I worked, I realized I wasn’t feeling completely fulfilled. I hungered for the simple life of my village. In fact, returning to Soda was not pre-planned. One fine day, I just decided to pack my bags and return to Soda. My parents live in Jaipur and we have a home in Soda too. So I thought I’d shuttle between Jaipur and Soda, and seriously work for my village’s development.” 

RUSTIC CHARM

She adds, “Luckily, my family has been very supportive more so because they too have their roots firmly entrenched in social service. My father Narendra Singh Rajawat gave up a thriving export business to get into active social service. My paternal grandpa, Brigadier Raghubir Singhji, was awarded the Mahaveer Chakra for his bravery, which also earned him the title of ‘Saviour of Punjab’. Post retirement, the villagers unanimously made him the sarpanch of Soda for three consecutive terms.”

CHILDHOOD MEMOIRS

She adds, “As a child, during my vacations, I used to visit my grandpa in Soda often. I remember being very pampered by the elders in the village who would carry me around on their shoulders. The other kids would receive me with peacock feathers and the ladies would make my favourite traditional sweets/ snacks. In fact, I’ve always been a desi girl who loved everything in the village, especially the desi grub.”

DAUGHTER OF THE VILLAGE

However, when Chhavi realized that the conditions in her beloved village were deteriorating, she was really perturbed. “I’d returned to work for the village but once here, the villagers forced me to become a sarpanch. At first, I was taken aback, but later, I thought it would be a good platform for me to do something for my village. Yes, I still walk around in jeans and tees or kurta - that’s the way they’ve seen me. Being the daughter of the village, they have accepted me as I am. Outside the village, however, there are moments when I do sense a little resistance. But I find that there are always helpful people around.”

RURAL TALE

Chhavi says, “I am committed to my work in Soda. My first task was to bring change to the status of women in the village. At first, I noticed that our lady ‘panch members’ were always accompanied or represented by their husbands. So I started educating the husbands of these women on the importance of letting their wives stand on their own feet. In time, they understood and started letting the women make their own decisions.”

She adds, “Honestly speaking, here my management training has helped me manage, prioritize and organize better. I already have a master plan which will certainly help implement things better. The villagers aren’t used to documentation, working systematically or planning, but they are beginning to understand the importance of it. Now I have regular meetings of the panch committee so that we can get the ball rolling.”

What changes does Chhavi aspire for Soda? “Drinking water is our topmost priority. I am also trying to introduce water harvesting, initially at the community level. For this, I have been running around for funds. Besides this, we are striving to get proper sanitation for women, build roads, get electricity and improve the education system. In our village, all the kids (including the girls) go to school. I am also motivating the women to get educated - irrespective of age. Also, I am in the process of reviving ‘self help groups’ which would bring additional income for the women.”

PERSONAL BYTES

But what about her personal life? What happens after marriage, will Chhavi’s ties with the village still remain? “The ties with my village are from my heart and soul. As of now, I am single, but yes, when I do get married, nothing will change. I will be there for the village always,” she says.

FOOT NOTE

Chhavi sums up with, “If I were to compare my corporate avtaar with my life here, financially I am at a loss simply because I end up spending from my own pocket. But when I see the results and the relief my work is bringing to the needy people, the satisfaction is immense and incomparable. My village has always been close to my heart and I want it to have the best.”

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