P. Viswanathan, a member of the Paniya tribal community, has made history by becoming the first municipal chairman of Kalpetta Municipality in Kerala's Wayanad district. A former watchman and CPI(M) worker, Viswanathan won a general seat in the recent local body polls. He aims to inspire his community, which he notes is still lagging behind mainstream society. His election to the top post, reserved for the ST community, is seen as a significant milestone for the Paniya people.