Dance for democracy: CEO, collector groove to get Gen Z to vote

In an energetic push to encourage young voters to head to the polling booths, Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Anu Kumari and Chief Electoral Officer Rathan Kelkar appeared in a dance video alongside officials and interns from the collectorate.

The group grooved to Ithu Ninte Vote — a track that blends rap, swag and classical moves — in a bid to connect with Gen Z and boost youth participation in the state elections today.

'We are stressing that every vote counts'Anu Kumari says the idea was born out of a concern about low youth turnout. “It is a fact that youth representation in voting is quite low compared to the district’s overall average. So, our aim was to attract young voters to the booths with something that feels relatable to them,” she says. “That’s how we came up with this Gen Z song and decided to groove to it.”

She adds that the core message was simple. “People often ask what impact one vote can make. We are stressing that every vote counts and urging everyone to step out and vote,” she explains.

'We all had great fun shooting it'What made the initiative special, she notes, was the participation of the entire team. “The instruction came from the CEO’s office. Everyone — from the CEO to the BLOs — came together to send out this message,” she says.

Speaking about Kelkar’s appearance in the video, she shares, “He was very supportive and carried a natural swag. I told him I’m always smiling in the video while he’s dancing with swag. We all had great fun shooting it.”

And her own classical dance moves? “I’ve danced in school and college, so it wasn’t difficult at all. I thoroughly enjoyed it,” she says.

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