Arya Rajendran is a young politician from Kerala and the sitting mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation from Communist Party of India (Marxist). She was appointed as mayor at the age of 21 years, equalling Suman Koli’s (elected as mayor from Bharatpur Municipal Corporation in 2009) record of becoming India’s youngest mayor.
Wiki/Biography
Arya Rajendran was born on Tuesday, 12 January 1999 (age 23 years; as of 2022) in Mudavanmugal, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She completed her schooling from Carmel Girls Higher Secondary School, Trivandrum and the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Cotton Hill. She is currently pursuing BSc Mathematics from All Saints’ College, Trivandrum (2019-present). After taking reigns of the city administration as the mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, Arya is determined to take up her political responsibilities while equally focusing on her studies.
Family & Caste
Her father, Rajendran (electrician) and mother Sreelatha (insurance agent) have been loyalists of Communist Party of India (Marxist) for nearly three decades. Her elder brother, Aaravind, works as an automobile engineer in Abu Dhabi.
Arya Rajendran with her parents
Relationships/Affairs
She is in a relationship with Sachin Dev who is considered the youngest MLA in the Kerala assembly. They became good friends as SFI activists.
Political Career
Arya became associated with CPI (M) at a tender age when she joined Balasangam, a children’s organisation of CPI (M), in class 5. After reaching college, she joined the Students Federation of India (SFI), students’ wing of CPI (M). She is currently the state president of Balasangham and the state office bearer of SFI. She successfully contested the 2020 Kerela Civic body election on the ticket of CPI (M) and went on to be elected as the Municipal Councillor from Mudavanmugal ward and mayor from Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation. She received 54 votes from the 100 members of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, defeating BJP candidate Simi Jyothish, who garnered 35 votes in the mayoral election. It is believed that the CPI (M) entrusted her as their Mayor candidate from Thiruvananthapuram on the basis of her performance record as the state president of its children’s organisation, Balasangham.
Arya Rajendran waving her hand to the onlookers while campaigning for CPI (M) before Kerela Civic Body Election 2020
Facts/Trivia
- Arya spends a lot of her free time listening to music, poetry, and reading books. Malayalam author K. R. Meera is one of her personal favourite authors.
- She is the third women from CPI (M) to helm an urban local government as a mayor.
Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, Arya Rajendran, sitting in her office