In 1998, created a caste neutral community through a housing programme meant for all communities thus inspiring the “Samathuvapuram” idea in government.
About
R.Elango
R. Elango, born on 12/11/1960, is the son of S. Rangasamy and R. Kanagammal. His life's journey encapsulates the essence of a harmonious existence in the vibrant tapestry of Kuthambakkam.Kuthambakkam was one of the very backward villages around Madras city. It is only 30 kms away from Chennai, on the Chennai – Bengaluru National Highway.The land is very fertile and three time cultivable and mostly owned by the so-called upper caste people.Elango’s father was a Government employee and also a farmer cultivating paddy and peanuts. He also owned a diary with cows and bulls.
Though the family was an affordable one but they were not much interested in sending the children to school and were showing interest to send the children behind the cows and the cattle.
It was the pain for the young Elango and was managing the elders and concentrated in education. He was one of the top students in the school and this attracted his father slowly in putting efforts to support Elango’s higher education. He passed his school final exams with distinction 1n the year 1977. His interest was to become an Engineer. He continued his pre university course in Chennai city.
The poor English knowledge and the very poor support from the family lead him to get middle level marks in PUC and was not able to pursue the degree in Engineering but was able to get a Diploma in Chemical Engineering and also Post Diploma in Automobile Engineering. With distinction in these Technical Education, he got well paid Petroleum Processing job but discontinued that for want of more time to spend with the poor communities. Later he joined as a researcher in a CSIR laboratory and continued as a scientist in the field of Electro Chemical Engineering with the specialisation in Batteries and Electro chemicals. He has obtained in higher level training and qualifications. He continued there for about 9 and half years.
It was the pain for the young Elango and was managing the elders and concentrated in education. He was one of the top students in the school and this attracted his father slowly in putting efforts to support Elango’s higher education. He passed his school final exams with distinction 1n the year 1977. His interest was to become an Engineer. He continued his pre university course in Chennai city.
The poor English knowledge and the very poor support from the family lead him to get middle level marks in PUC and was not able to pursue the degree in Engineering but was able to get a Diploma in Chemical Engineering and also Post Diploma in Automobile Engineering. With distinction in these Technical Education, he got well paid Petroleum Processing job but discontinued that for want of more time to spend with the poor communities. Later he joined as a researcher in a CSIR laboratory and continued as a scientist in the field of Electro Chemical Engineering with the specialisation in Batteries and Electro chemicals. He has obtained in higher level training and qualifications. He continued there for about 9 and half years.
R.Elango
This was the time when USSR was dismantled; India was facing huge trouble because of its too much dependence on USSR for many of its defence applications.
He happened to work closer with the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and was attracted very much in the initiatives of the PM’s Panchayat Raj programs and the evolution of new Panchayat Raj system.
From scientific temper he switched to social work and started understanding the possibilities of panchayats in achieving the social and economic development for masses in the villages.
This gave him the opening and he started working more closer to the village communities and became the ardent promoter of grassroot democracy. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in May 1991, Elango took a long leave from CSIR research activities and worked with the team promoting the new panchayat raj system and 73rd constitutional amendment in 1992. He had also worked closely with movements for strengthening the implementation of 73rd amendment in Kerala, like KSSP and Peoples Plan campaigns. This became the opportunity to learn about the gramashabas, ward shabas, village plans and block level planning process. With these learnings he started working with Kuthambakkam village and also in the surrounding villages. When the panchayats elections were announced in 1996, he resigned his job and contested for Panchayat president post of Kuthambakkam and won.
In one month, time after elected, he understood the Panchayat system, the grassroot democracy and bureaucracy. He was the first panchayat president brought the anomalies to the then government in the state and opened the practice of preparing the village level plan and validating the plan in the Gramashaba. The Kerala experience had helped him a lot and this made him to go to the village community in raising support for partnering the village panchayat’s programs. Kuthambakkam was the first panchayat for preparing an integrated five year development plan and started implementing by effective prioritisation with 100% community participation.
This gave him the opening and he started working more closer to the village communities and became the ardent promoter of grassroot democracy. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in May 1991, Elango took a long leave from CSIR research activities and worked with the team promoting the new panchayat raj system and 73rd constitutional amendment in 1992. He had also worked closely with movements for strengthening the implementation of 73rd amendment in Kerala, like KSSP and Peoples Plan campaigns. This became the opportunity to learn about the gramashabas, ward shabas, village plans and block level planning process. With these learnings he started working with Kuthambakkam village and also in the surrounding villages. When the panchayats elections were announced in 1996, he resigned his job and contested for Panchayat president post of Kuthambakkam and won.
In one month, time after elected, he understood the Panchayat system, the grassroot democracy and bureaucracy. He was the first panchayat president brought the anomalies to the then government in the state and opened the practice of preparing the village level plan and validating the plan in the Gramashaba. The Kerala experience had helped him a lot and this made him to go to the village community in raising support for partnering the village panchayat’s programs. Kuthambakkam was the first panchayat for preparing an integrated five year development plan and started implementing by effective prioritisation with 100% community participation.
Innovative approaches
in 1996 to 2006
Samathuvapuam
Hutless villages
He has built over 1100 pukka houses in the village. Dignified toilets: Over 1500 toilets, with bathing facility were built for the people.Over 1500 toilets, with bathing facility were built for the people
Social Development
Eliminating illicit arrack in his village and finding livelihoods for hooch producing families; Prevailed over vested interests that sought to remove him as president but sought it out with people support.
Village Development
Elango started a Rural Technology Resource Centre at Kuthambakkam that seeks to use appropriate technologies to train rural youth, women and farmers forlivelihood.Several micro enterprises were developed to make the village self dependent.
High School Project
Elango took a tireless effort and brought the high school by upgrading the elementary school to middle school and then the middle school to high school in the year 2011 and it was further up graded to a higher secondary school in the year 2016.
Ashoka Fellowship
Ashoka Foundation for Social Innovations is a US based International Organisation promoting social innovators across the world. R.Elango and his idea of promoting model panchayats by organising the federation of demonstrating panchayats as platform to share good practices.