The Hindu : Karnataka News : He feels politics can bring about change

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Karnataka

Karnataka

He feels politics can bring about change

Firoz Rozindar

The BJP candidate for Chitradurga, Janardhana Swamy, is a cartoonist too

Janardhana Swamy

Chitradurga: After spending nearly a decade in California, U.S., 41-year-old software engineer Janardhana Swamy is back to his roots in Chitradurga.

Mr. Swamy is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Chitradurga (SC) reserved constituency.

Leaving behind his lucrative profession, he has decided to enter into politics as earnestly believes that this is one platform which can bring about change in the lives of millions.

Born to a school teacher in a tiny village, Kallihatti of Chitradurga taluk, Mr. Swamy studied till his graduation in Chitradurga before leaving for Bangalore for his Masters in Electronic and Communication from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bangalore.

After working for software giants such as Sun Micro System and Cadence Design System as research engineer in the U.S., Mr. Swamy today is seen extensively travelling to the remote corners of the constituency on his campaign trail.

Asked what inspired him to quit a lucrative profession and join politics, he replied: “I had long been having concern for my hometown. I wanted to contribute a small share of help for the district which is widely known for its backwardness. For which, I found politics is the best medium I could adopt.”

Recalling his experience when he first landed in the U.S. in 1996, he said: “The first sight of one of the most advanced counties, failed to amaze me, instead I felt sad why our country is not like this.”

In his a decade of experience in the U.S., he found that India could also be made advanced in vital sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and basic infrastructure, if the available resources were properly utilised.

“Americans invent and apply technologies for the growth of sectors such as agriculture, the same could be done in our country since agriculture is its backbone. Having spent years in research and development, I wish to incorporate that in our country”, he said.

Expressing his opinion about politics, Mr. Swamy feels that it is a pivotal sector whose decision affects even to the poorest of poor in society.

Asked if he was aware of the intricacies of politics as he was a novice to the field, he said he may not be fully aware of it, “but I am sure people will understand my concern, and that is all finally counts,” he asserted.

Mr. Swamy believes that people need young, educated leaders who have vision and concern for society. Besides computers, he has got flair for cartoons too as he has drawn number of sketches on various humorous aspects of life.

Asked what plans he had to develop the district in the event of his victory, he said he would emphasise on irrigation. “I also wish to generate employment facilities for the local youth here, that would be my primary objective, because that is how I feel the district would be made prosperous.”

He claimed that he had full faith in the public and in his party that he will win the election.

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