THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Latha V N, mother of Dr Renu Raj who bagged second rank in the UPSC examination, was all smiles when she said that their efforts didn’t go in vain.
“We used to shift to places where she studied. First, we moved to Thrissur where she did her plus two.
“Then, when she got admission in Kottayam Medical College, we moved again and came to Thiruvananthapuram, where she took her civil service coaching,” she pointed out.
Her father, M K Rajakumaran Nair, a retired KSRTC conductor, said that it was tough to teach his two daughters amid financial strain.“It has been months since I have received my pension. My second daughter is doing her fourth year MBBS in Ernakulam Medical College at Kalamassery. All along, we have been trying to make ends meet. We had no one to guide. Still she achieved it,” he pointed out.
Dr Renu Raj’s husband Dr Bhagat L S is currently pursuing his PG in Mangalapuram. Her optional subject for the UPSC examination was Malayalam. “I was strong in CSAT. So I did not waste any time on it. We just got a short period of two months after cracking the prelims. For mains, I did self-study and worked on focused writing, for it was important if you have to clear the mains.
We had a mock interview which was very helpful,” she pointed out. Dr Renu Raj is currently working at ESI dispensary at Kalluvathukkal in Kollam. Asked what she would do as an IAS officer, Dr Renu said: “Since I am a doctor, I would like to do something for the health sector. We know that funds which have been allotted for the health sector is been squandered away. Hence, I would like to do something for the betterment of this sector.”