CHENNAI: As a Class-12 student at a Tamil-medium school, Arun Mozhi Varman, from Kankoduthavanitham in Tiruvarur, knew that the burden of running the family had fallen on his shoulders. His father, a farmer, had just passed away. His mother, who worked as a household labourer, could not make ends meet by herself. He had no option but to drop out of school and start working at a private company, for meagre wages.
The next chapter of his life began when he visited Arignar Anna Library in 2015, around a decade after he started working. There, he stumbled upon a Tamil translation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali and was awestruck by the brilliant quality of poetry.
The library seemed to serve as a motivation for him, as he began visiting the library quite frequently, delving deeper and deeper into the world of literature. “When I went inside the library, I felt as if the environment provoked me to read a lot of books,” Arun says.
As fate would have it, Arun’s encounters with UPSC aspirants frequenting the library further fuelled his passion for pursuing education and he went on to study Bachelor of Arts in history from Annamalai University when he was 25. Subsequently, he earned his Master’s degree in history, all the while preparing diligently for the highly competitive UPSC examinations.
The first graduate in his family, he aimed to serve the country. Recognising the role of English to achieve his ambitions, he embarked on a journey to learn spoken English. His unwavering determination led him to break free from the shackles of language.
Despite the fatigue associated with a full-time job, Arun’s pursuit of his educational and career goals was unrelenting. He sat for the UPSC examination interview, even though age restrictions posed a challenge.
Now, the 36-year-old Arun has written 10 books, all in English, thanks to his voracious reading.
His first book, “Reflection on Human Relations,” marked a significant milestone in his life, as it instilled confidence in his ability to transcend the limitations of a school dropout. Arun attributes his proficiency in English to his regular perusal of newspapers as well, including The New Indian Express.
He has also emerged as a motivational speaker and has shared his inspirational story across nine states and seven countries. Arun’s efforts have garnered him recognition from public figures and IAS officers alike. Arun hopes to pursue a PhD in history in the future.
(Edited by Ashutosh Acharya)