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A 23-year-old tribal woman Sripathi from Javvadumalai, next to Tiruvannamalai, has made a record by winning the civil court judgeship.
How did he overcome many obstacles like exam the day after delivery and poverty?
Break the barriers and achieve!
In Tamil Nadu, the tribal people have been achieving in many fields recently. Born in a poor family in a tribal village with no basic facilities, 23-year-old Sripathi has made a record by winning the law judge exam after many struggles.
Born in Kurinjikuppam village in Javvadu Hills next to Thiruvannamalai, Sripati currently resides with her husband Venkataraman in Puliyur tribal village.
Sripathi, who has completed Bachelor of Laws (BABL), has won the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) examination held last year and has been selected for the post of Jurisprudence Judge.
Following this, many political leaders and social activists are praising Sripati.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin said on his X page, “I am happy to see that a tribal girl from a hilly village with no major facilities has reached this level at such a young age. I am proud to know that Sripathi has been selected as a judge through the decree that our government has brought to give priority to government jobs for those who have studied in the Tamil way.
‘Happy’ – Sripathi
BBC Tamil contacted Sripathi about winning the contest.
Speaking to BBC Tamil, Sripathi said, “I am happy to have won the exam.” The judge declined to comment further on the matter pending a formal order of accountability.
Sripathi had appeared in person to write the examination held in Chennai in November last year. Sripati, who had traveled 250 km from her village, had just given birth two days ago. Sripathi who wrote the exam with determination passed it. After that, he participated in the interview in Chennai a few days ago and passed that too.
The villagers shared with BBC Tamil how Sripathi has overcome many obstacles such as life in a mountain village, poverty and exams the day after giving birth.
‘Sripati who won even in poverty’
Sripathi’s parents hail from Kurinjikuppam. His mother brought him up while working in a hotel in the hill country of Elagiri.
Sripati is living in Puliyur after marriage. Puliyur panchayat chairman Anbazagan while speaking to BBC Tamil said,
“He stayed in Elagiri and completed Plus 2 in the government school there, completed his bachelor’s degree through distance education, and then completed his bachelor’s degree in law in Chennai,” he said.
Anbazagan said that she got married while studying in college and has been living with her husband in Buliyur for three years and her husband works as an ambulance driver.
“Sreepati has brought pride to the tribal people and our village,” he said happily.
‘Sreepathi has made our village known to the world’
Like Sripathi, there are some first generation graduates in Buliyur. All of them are living their daily life in the middle of hardships and progressing by studying.
Yuvanraj hails from Puliyur and is currently working as an engineer in Chennai.
Speaking to BBC Tamil, Yuvanraj said, ‘Sreepati is married and lives in our village. I know about his family. Now he has achieved a great feat and has made our village Puliyur in a corner of Tamil Nadu and Javvadumalai tribal people known to the world. Our entire village is proud of this. “Sreepathi has completed his schooling and college studies despite many obstacles in the midst of poverty,” says Yuvanraj.
25 KM drive to High School
All those studying in Puliyur village, including Sripati, travel 25 km to go to the higher secondary school. “Puliyur village has only middle school. Students from our area go to Jamunamadathur, 25 km from Puliyur village, for their higher secondary education.” Says Yuvanraj.
Only two buses ply to reach the high school. “This is not just the situation in Puliyur, it is the same for 11 panchayats in Javvadu Hill. Sripati is selected as a civil judge, I have studied engineering and few others in our village have. If the government provides basic facilities, employment and educational opportunities to the tribal people, many others like Sripathi will achieve,” said Yuvanraj.