Preethi Madambi is a routine PhD scholar hailing from the Thrissur district of Kerala. Just a few days after completing her PhD from Calicut University Preethi wrote an emotional Facebook post thanking her parents for giving her the opportunity to receive an education that most others often miss out on. Her moving post has the internet bawling over it as she recounts her childhood, where it was difficult to make ends meet. She dedicated her degree to her father who had slogged effortlessly to educate her and her sister with the meagre resources of a daily wage labourer.
Preethi speaks about her father, Therath Madambi, who was a Dalit man, passed away four years ago. Preethi recalls how he worked tirelessly to make sure that she had a good life and ensured that she received a good education. When both his daughters grew up, he became worried about the growing expenses. Preethi was fortunate as she got admission in a Navodaya School. Her father supported Preethi despite warnings from those around him.
Photo Credit: Preethi Madambi
Every evening, a man would return home after work, with a hoe (gardening tool) on his right shoulder, and an old bag containing an empty water bottle dangling from his left. Wearing only a dirty red towel on his sweat-soaked body, he would walk up to me and give me Rs 150, damp from being held in his sweaty hand so long. ‘Go keep this in achan’s purse,’ he would tell me.
Preethi with her father. Photo credits: Preethi Madambi
Therath Madambi was having none of the mohalla-walas telling him: “What is the problem with you Madambi? If a girl child is sent away from home to study, won’t she go astray?” He would only smile and shrug away their unnecessary concerns.
Preethi goes on to write in her post how her father made endless sacrifices in order to give her a dignified life
The next seven years were amazing. It was there that I realised you could eat rice with other things besides yam, jackfruit, papaya and chutney powder. When other students complained that the curries or the rice were tasteless, I greedily gobbled them up. My father would not bring my mother and sister to see me, so that he could save the money that would otherwise be spent on their tickets. With this money, he would give me Rs 50 to donate for causes at school, so that I would not feel insulted in front of others.
Her father was still on the receiving end of the tirade of taunts as the society questioned him with: “Madambyetta, why educate your children so much? Are they going to take a doctorate?” But Preethi shut the gossip mongers with her Doctorate in Commerce and Management Studies from Calicut University.
She concludes her post as she writes proudly:
Go tell them Acha that your daughter has got her doctorate now.
Source: The News Minute
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