Process and Performance of Gram Panchayat Women and Dalit Presidents

About the Book :

This book brings to light the struggle and the success of the women and dalit leaders in Gram Panchayats, with special reference to Tamil Nadu. It analyses their socio-economic background, their recruitment pattern and process, their perception of governance and development and their actual performance. Adopting the case study method, it presents analysis of women and dalit leaders covering 31 Gram Panchayats. The book will be useful for Panchayat functionaries, development workers, policy-makers and researchers.

About Author :

Prof. Ganapathi Palanithurai, Rajiv Gandhi Chair for Panchayati Raj studies, Department of Political Science and Development Administration, Gandhigram Rural Institute – Deemed University, Gandhigram is an academic activist working with academic community, civil society, policy community and political community to impress upon them the importance and need of democratic local governance in India to enable the poor to lead a decent dignified human life. All his academic, research and outreach activities are being supported by an array of funding agencies namely the World Bank, the UNDP, the UNICEF, the Hunger Project, SDC, DANIDA, Action Aid International, the Ford Foundation, Population Foundation of India, the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Toolkit Foundation Netherlands, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and State Planning Commission. He was a visiting Professor in Cologne University, Germany. He has to his credit seventy three books, 126 research articles, 112 popular articles in popular newspapers, 83 monographs published in a span of three decades. He is the coordinator of UGC-SAP and UGC innovative programme. He held several administrative positions like Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Dean, Student’s Welfare, Member, Syndicate, Member Senate, Member, and Academic Council in Gandhigram Rural Institute. He was and is member of many advisory committees of the Government of India and Government of Tamil Nadu pertinent to local governance and rural development.