Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu:

While high-decibel campaigning by tall political leaders grabs the headlines in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Padma Shri awardee, who is contesting as an independent candidate from Tiruchirappalli Lok Sabha constituency, is making a comeback with Vegetable vendors interact, make garlands and sell vegetables for campaigning.

S Damodaran, 62, from Tiruchirappalli, who is contesting the election under a gas stove symbol, was seen seeking votes from people and vegetable vendors at the city’s Gandhi Market.

“I am an independent candidate from Trichy constituency. I am a son of the soil. I belong to Trichy Municipality. I have been working in the health center as an assistant service volunteer for more than 40 years. I started my career at the age of 20. 21. I am now 62 years old. At 60, I received the Padma Shree Award from the then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, for my work in the health sector.”

#watch | Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu: Independent candidate for Trichy Lok Sabha seat Padma Shri S Damodaran indulges in making garlands and selling vegetables as part of election campaign pic.twitter.com/9iARbrat1O

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2024

Elaborating on his career, Mr. Damodaran said: “I have been working as an assistant service volunteer at a health center for over 40 years. I started my career at the age of 21. Now I am 62 years old. 60 When I was young, I received the Padmashri Award from the then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, and I was involved in providing water and sanitation in rural and urban areas.”

Mr. Damodaran said he started working in social services at the age of 21 and served as nine prime ministers in his life.

“I started doing social services at the age of 21, when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. I have met nine Prime Ministers in my life. I worked in all centrally funded rural health projects to make every village a model village,” He said.

Talking about his unique campaign, Domdaran said, “Today I started my campaign in Gandhi Market area, which falls under my parliamentary constituency. Wherever I go, I get a warm welcome.”

“We need to work towards making Trichy a clean, green city,” Mr. Damodaran said of the important projects he hopes to take forward in Tiruchirappalli if elected. People are demanding a road for the city. Ring Road, as it is centrally located in Trichy city, many buses and transport vehicles are passing through Trichy… We are also constructing flyovers in important areas of Trichy city.”

The central government awarded Damodaran the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in the Padma Shri series of awards, in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field of social work.

The award was in recognition of his services as “a social worker who devoted his life to the promotion of sanitation in villages and slums in southern India.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)