From ragpicker to Chandigarh’s new Mayor, this is Rajesh Kalia’s journey to success

Life gives us an opportunity every day. In fact, each day is a fresh day for us. It’s up to us to decide whether we can make it or break it. Life also offers us plenty of chances to grow, it gives us chances to become rich and it gives us opportunities to succeed also.

Passion, smart work and hard work can surely take you places and the story of Rajesh Kalia is proof of the fact. His inspiring journey from being a ragpicker to being actively involved in politics speaks huge volumes.

Credits: The Indian Express

As per Tribune report, Kalia joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the year 1984. After this, the BJP gave him a chance to contest as a councillor in the MC elections in 2011 from Dadu Majra.

In the 2016 MC elections, Kalia was nominated as the councillor from Ward No. 7.

And now, he is the new Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation after he got the better of the party’s rebel candidate Satish Kainth.

In another interesting story, Chaiwala became a proud mayor of North Delhi.

From a Chaiwala to proud Mayor of historic North Delhi, Avtar Singh has come a long way to relish the taste of success. Avtar Singh, the councillor from Civil Lines has now been elected as the Mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

“Had a great interaction with Smt. Sunita Kangra, Shri Avtar Singh and Smt. Anju Kamalkant. They will be serving as Mayors of South Delhi, North Delhi and East Delhi Municipal Corporations respectively. My best wishes to them as they embark on their efforts to transform Delhi,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter.

The 54-year-old BJP leader coming from the Sikh Malhar community is, in fact, the first Dalit Sikh to have been elected mayor of North Delhi.

Avtar Singh who met Narendra Modi on Sunday has some similarities with the Prime Minister. Just like PM Modi, Avtar Singh too was a tea-seller for 10 years before becoming a councillor.

He started his career as a bellboy at a luxury hotel, where he worked hard for two years. In the year 1990, he along with his wife established a tea stall under a tree at Chabi Ganj in Kashmere Gate, which he continued till 2000.

On Monday, he was elected as the Mayor of North Delhi. FYI, the term of mayor is for one year and the third term of the five-year contract of the civic body is reserved for scheduled caste (SC) candidates to become the mayor.

The next time when you see a Chaiwala, you might be talking to one of the country’s bright minds!