Woman on a mission to make ‘immobile’ daughter degree holder seeks CM’s help
Again, in the evening, she will promptly go to the school to pick up her daughter at the closing hours.
Anitha seen carrying Gowrimani to school (file photo)
VELLORE: A woman from Bodiappanur village near Mordana in Gudiyattam taluk in Vellore district, who physically carried her differently-abled daughter every day to school until class 12, has appealed for help from the government for admission at a college in nearby Gudiyattam.
Anitha, a single mother and a daily wage labourer, who has been raising her four children single-handedly after her husband Vinayagam deserted the family, took it as her life’s mission to educate her daughter Gowrimani, who cannot walk or use her hands.
From classes I to V, Gowrimani studied at the elementary school in the village. Anitha used to physically carry her to the school located half a kilometre away from their house. When she moved to the Kottamitta Higher Secondary School, which is 12 km away, her mother continued her labour of love and carried her on the bus to reach the school. After this daily duty, Anitha will return home and then go to work. Again, in the evening, she will promptly go to the school to pick up her daughter at the closing hours.
The efforts of Anitha paid off as Gowrimani emerged school first scoring 425 marks in Class 12. It was not the end of Anitha’s battle. Though Gowrimani got admitted to the Government Arts College in Vellore, which is 55 km away, she had to take three buses (Bodiappanur to Gudiyattam, Gudiyattam to Vellore and from Vellore new bus stand to the college) every day reach the institution and vice versa to return home.
It really became a task for Anitha, who is the sole breadwinner of her family, as she could not accompany Gowrimani to the college and back. Now, she pins all hopes on Chief Minister MK Stalin to get admission in a private college in Gudiyattam town.
Living in a village where mobile connectivity is still hard to come by, Anitha is not even aware of the various benefits available to the Scheduled Caste community she belongs to or the support extended to physically challenged people.
“She is used to carrying her daughter daily to and fro without complaining a bit,” Anitha’s neighbour said.