Slice Of Life: ‘I have not regretted giving up studies’

I come from a village in Tirunelveli district. My father passed away when I was 16 years old and I live with my mother. Even though I live in my village, I go to other places if I get work and stay at the construction site till the work is completed. Now, my friends and I work at a college in Nungambakkam. Since I could not pass Class 9, I quit school after which I started to work as a construction worker. With 13 years of being in this field, I am well trained in this profession. 

I even started to accept contracts for construction works in Coimbatore and led a team of construction workers three years ago. But I was defrauded by my employers and that forced me to stop taking contracts. I am relegated from the position of giving jobs to fellow construction labours to working under others. We have a piece of land in my village and I cannot take up farming due to water shortage. Despite the amount of physical labour involved in my job, I like my occupation and enjoy doing it. Not even once have I regretted in my decision to quit education. I have a skill and I earn enough for me and my mother.