Kalpana Chauhan

A 24-year-old student from Vadodara’s Dumad village is now a beacon for rural leadership and bringing significant change as the youngest sarpanch in Gujarat.

Kalpana Chauhan, a master’s in social work (MSW) student, assumed the Sarpanch role for Dumad at just 22, becoming one of the youngest to hold such a position.

Kalpana’s career in politics took off in December 2022, when she contested and won the village election with over 1,000 votes. She officially took office on January 17, 2020, shortly after completing her Bachelor’s in Commerce (BCom) studies.

Reflecting on her path to village leadership, Kalpana shared, “My father, Kanti Chauhan, has been a member of the gram panchayat for 25 years. He, along with inspiration from PM Narendra Modi, encouraged me to take up the role. With their support, I decided to make a difference.”

Since stepping into the office, Kalpana has been the reason for several impactful changes in the village.

As her priority, she has boosted the panchayat’s income and strengthened the community’s financial base by resolving prolonged revenue issues. Her efforts have increased Dumad’s panchayat fund to ₹75 lakh.

Under her leadership, the village has executed infrastructure projects worth ₹14 to ₹15 crore, including road construction, pond beautification, and new buildings for local anganwadis and primary schools.

As part of her social welfare efforts, Kalpana organised a camp to aid over 260 widows in securing monthly financial assistance and helped more than 50 families gain access to food through the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

Her commitment to cleanliness was inspirational, as she went door-to-door encouraging residents to adopt healthier practices. She also held numerous street meetings to raise awareness in this regard.

In recognition of her contributions, Kalpana was invited as Gujarat’s sole representative to the Swachh Bharat event in Delhi on October 2, which was held in the presence of the President of India and the Prime Minister.