Hanu Karlapalem

The following candidate announcement was submitted by Hanu Karlapalem, a Democrat running for Limestone County Commission District 3. The News Courier will publish candidate announcements as we receive them and as space allows ahead of the Nov. 6 general election. They should be no longer than 700 words and emailed to adam@athensnews-courier.com. Announcements will be edited for length, grammar, style and content.

A man who previously ran for mayor of Madison is now running to unseat an incumbent Limestone County commissioner.

Hanu Karlapalem has qualified as a Democrat and will face District 3 Commissioner and Republican Jason Black in the Nov. 6 general election. Karlapalem is a resident of Madison.

“I was taught as child the concept of servant leadership – giving of one’s self to the development and growth of others, while providing direction and vision to those who need it so that we can all prosper,” he said in a release.

Karlapalem has been meeting with residents and voters throughout the district, “to share his message of trust, transparency and transformation.” His appearances have included coffee calls at the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives and the AMVETS center in Athens. There are two veterans serving on Karlapalem’s campaign committee.

His release said he plans to form a veterans support board to drive change for veterans services.

Karlapalem owns and operates a small business, Vinhamz Inc., which provides network solutions and cloud services. He has created and managed three other small businesses relating to air purification and ionization, industrial and commercial lighting and oil reclamation.

He was a part-time instructor and member of the graduate faculty at the University of Alabama in Huntsville for a short period. He taught courses in data communications and computer applications in business.

Karlapalem said he deeply cares about Limestone County, even though he was born in India. He added he became an American citizen through hard work and personal sacrifice.

“ … I have never regretted a single second of it,” he said. “I was taught as child the concept of servant leadership – giving of one’s self to the development and growth of others, while providing direction and vision to those who need it so that we can all prosper. I left India, my family, and the friends that surrounded me, because I had grown to love what these United States of America stood for — freedom, prosperity, the pursuit of happiness, equality, and justice for all. I studied my duties and rights as a citizen and swore my allegiance to this wonderful nation.”

Karlapalem said he and his wife, Vidya, recently visited the town of Karlapalem, where he grew up, to attend weddings in his family.

“We had a wonderful time reminiscing, then I left India again and came back here to my home, to the place that I love, the people I love and the community that has given me a sense of pride, belonging and endearment,” he said. “I am here because Limestone County, Alabama, is my home. It means more to me than I can express in this message.”

The release said Karlapalem has already proven his leadership and concern by being involved in charitable activities, community activities and sharing concerns on social media.

Personal

Karlapalem earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering and a master’s degree in management information systems from UAH. He has served as a board member and advisory council member of Global Ties Alabama, which is affiliated with the Department of State.

He has also served as lead for the Alabama Action Center of Child Rights and You America Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps marginalized communities to build sustainable futures for their children.

Karlapalem and Vidya have been married 23 years and have lived in Madison for the past 18.