Shanaz Khan is the youngest and first MBBS Sarpanch in Bharatpur district, Rajasthan. The 24-year-old has been elected as the Sarpanch of Kaman Panyachat. She won the Sarpanch election securing 195 votes. While talking to the reporters Khan said: “I am happy that I have got the opportunity to serve my people. My priorities will be the education of girls and sanitation. I want to set an example for girls on how education can help in so many ways.” Interestingly, Khan would be succeeding her own grandfather who was the Sarpanch before her.
Last year in October the elections were cancelled as Khan’s grandfather was accused of giving certificates of fake academic qualifications during the Sarpanch elections.
Following this, Khan herself decided to contest the elections. To contest the elections for the post of Sarpanch in Rajasthan, the nominee should at least be matrix pass. Khan comes from a political family with her grandfather holding the post of Sarpanch for 55 years while her father is the head of the village. The 24-year-old’s mother has been MLA from Rajasthan.
While speaking to Times of India, Shahnaz said that people still do not send their daughters to school and so she wants to work for educating girls. It will set an example to all those parents who have neglected their daughter’s education.
Khan is currently pursuing MBBS from the Tirthankar Mahavir Medical College in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. She is in last year of her graduation. The 24-year-old Sarpanch did the majority of her schooling from Shriram School, Gurugram and did her 12th from Delhi Public School, Maruti Kunj.
This is not the first time a young person has been elected as the Sarpanch in Rajasthan. Before her, Chavi Rajawat had gathered a lot of headlines for being elected as the Sarpanch. She was the first MBA holder to win the Sarpanch election.