New Delhi
It was in November last year that V. Sripathi, hailing from Puliyur village near Jawadhu hills in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvannamalai district, travelled more than 200 kms to Chennai to write her examination to become a civil judge. What was unique in her travel was that she had become a mother just two days ago (Sripathi is first tribal civil judge) . Her’s is a story of grit and determination.
The eldest child of Malayali tribals S. Kaliappan, a farmer, and K. Malliga, who did household chores to sustain the family of five, Sripathi was clear about her goal about becoming a judge. She pursued a degree in law from Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College “to provide legal aid for the people of her community as they are not aware of their legal rights”, the media in Tamil Nadu quoted her as saying.
A student of St. Charles Higher Secondary School in Athanavoor village, Sripathi was a studious child, her school principal said adding “she scored above 75% in her school examination and visited the school even after completing her schooling to share her ideas”.
Her marriage to S. Venkatesan, an ambulance driver, did not divert her from her determination to achieve her goal.
Her joy knew no bounds as news poured in about her having cleared the examination conducted by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC). She had achieved her ambition. And her picture with her baby girl in arms just outside the TNPSC office in Chennai has since gone viral.
Chief Minister MK Stalin lauded the achievement the tribal woman from the hills of Tamil Nadu. “I am delighted to see a young woman from a tribal community in a mountain village, without much amenities, achieve this status. I am proud to learn this and extend my congratulations to her mother and husband for their unwavering support. For those in Tamil Nadu who hesitate even to utter the word social justice, the success of individuals like Sripathi is Tamil Nadu’s response!” Stalin posted on X.
The government order (G.O.) in 2021 that prioritised employment for persons studying in Tamil medium schools, first-generation graduates, and for youth who lost both their parents due to COVID-19 provided her an opportunity to achieve this feat under the Dravidian model, Stalin further said.
State Sports Minister and DMK’s youth wing leader Udhayanidhi Stalin said that the exam was scheduled just two days after the birth of her child. “Her determination to risk her life and travel a long distance to attend the examination is commendable,” he said.
