CHENNAI: As sun rays sliced into the wafting mist, tea-stained hands had already found their rhythm at work. A few eyes wandered to the group of unfamiliar faces that had stepped into hills combed with lush green estates, nestled in the deep hues of Nilgiris blue.
The students visiting from Madras Christian College in Chennai for a field trip were greeted by quizzical looks from the workers, all except one young woman in the hamlet. Her inquisitive eyes, eager to sit down with the team, were met with a new flicker of possibility that stretched beyond the boundaries of her small village. The students of the chemistry course and their inspiring tales of academia in a distant world were etched into M Seetha’s mind.
For the 120 Kurumba families living in Katachanakolli village, access to higher education is a distant dream as they struggle to arrange a square meal every day. Most residents worked in the tea plantations, and many children dropped out after primary or secondary school due to poverty and lack of infrastructure. But Seetha, a native of the Adivasi hamlet in the village, refused to tuck her dreams to sleep.
At 23, Seetha became the first person from her village to earn a postgraduate degree. When she cleared her Master’s in Social Work from the Madras Christian College earlier this year, more than a personal milestone — it was a historic moment for her community in Katachanakolli. Seetha narrates that her village is prone to human-wildlife conflict, and the nearest government higher secondary school (GHSS) is 12 km away at Devarshola.
“For primary education, we have a panchayat school, but from Class 8, we have to go to the GHSS in Devarshola. I managed to continue my studies as an NGO provided me with accommodation free of cost, in a hostel run by them. This made my commute to school easier,” said Seetha.
“It wasn’t easy. My mother, who works as a daily wage labourer in a tea estate, is the sole breadwinner for the family of six. My father has been afflicted by TB. Sometimes, we did not even have enough food. Whenever I came home for the holidays, I used to work as a labourer in the tea estates to assist my family,” Seetha added.
After completing Class 12, she enrolled for a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) course in the Government Arts and Science College at Gudalur.
“By the time I was able to convince my parents to send me to college, admissions for most courses were complete, except BSW,” she said. It was while she was doing her graduation that the team of students from Madras Christian College visited the village for their fieldwork, thus opening a door for her to learn about MCC.
“Convincing my parents to allow me to pursue a master’s degree in Chennai was a herculean task as it was taxing for them financially and mentally,” Seetha shared. However, her determination got the better of her family’s fears. After coming to Chennai, she immersed herself in learning and balancing her studies with part-time work to support herself.
“After getting to know Seetha, we provided her full support to complete the course. We have a special cell for tribal and differently-abled students to encourage them to pursue higher education in our college,” MCC principal, Paul Wilson, said. Seetha’s story is a testament to Paulo Coelho’s words —“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Now back in her village, Seetha is eager to give back as she currently works with local children and encourages parents to prioritise education. “As part of my project, I am raising awareness about the importance of education among my community members. I want to show them that it is possible to dream big, even for kids from a small village like ours,” she said. A postgraduate degree, a normal stepping stone to the world, meant the beginning of better hope for her village for this twenty-three-year-old.
(Edited by Rohith Sony)