Ballari: Until recently, she was like any other 16 –year- old , but today Mallamma is a celebrity in her village with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing her in his ‘Mann ki Baat,’ on radio and television on Sunday for her perseverance in building a toilet in her house in Danapur village, Gangavathi taluk. A class 10 student of a government school, Mallamma went on a hunger strike for a toilet in her house last month and succeeded in having it built. Her strike brought CEO of Koppal ZP R. Ramachandran to her house with Mr Mohammed Shafi, president of Danapur GP, and they ensured it had a toilet within a week. Said Mr. Modi in his speech: “In Karnataka’s Koppal district, a 16-year-old resorted to a hunger strike for a toilet in her house. As the family did not have the money, GP president Mohammed Shafi provided the fund and got the toilet built. See how the girl and Mr. Shafi found a solution to the problem.” Describing the episode as an example of people’s power (Janashakti), Mr Modi appealed to people to back his call for a Swachch Bharat.
Mallamma’s mention by Mr Modi has catapulted her to fame in the district where the social media is abuzz with audio clips of the PM ’s speech. Mallamma is herself thrilled that both she and her district were mentioned by him.
“I am thrilled and proud that the PM took my name and that of my village and district,” said the elated girl, who is now educating her neighbours about the need to have toilets in their houses and speaks about the issue during the school assembly every day.
