A woman and her 91-year-old father-in-law once again created history by winning the two top posts in Chanol panchayat of Sundernagar development block in Mandi district during the first phase of the elections to panchayati raj institutions on Tuesday. Neelam (53), who had earlier served as the pradhan of Chanol panchayat, was once again elected to the top post in the elections on Tuesday. At the same time, her father-in-law, Shankar Singh, retained the post of up-pradhan for the sixth time at the age of 91. Shankar had been contesting panchayat elections since 1973. He had been elected pradhan several times and had also remained the up-pradhan of Chanol panchayat continuously for the past 16 years.
His dedication to grassroots-level governance and public welfare had earned him immense respect in the region.
Neelam began her political career in 2010 when she first won the panchayat pradhan election. Later, in 2015, she was elected a Zila Parishad member. Though she lost the panchayat pradhan election in 2021, she made a strong comeback this year by reclaiming the post. With this victory, the unique political partnership of Neealm and her old father-in-law would continue to dominate the panchayat administration.
Interestingly, Neelam and Shankar follow different political ideologies. Neelam is associated with the BJP while Shankar follows the Congress’ ideology. However, local people say that their political differences had never affected their commitment towards development and public service.
Even at the age of 91, Shankar’s enthusiasm and active participation in public life continue to inspire the younger generations. Villagers admire his energy, dedication and years of experience in serving the community. The victory of this family duo has become a major talking point in the area, symbolising experience, continuity and commitment to grassroots-level democracy.
