Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Jul 16: Till a few decades back, the image of Koraga community was that of families living in secluded thickets or forests in unhygienic and poor conditions, which eked out a living by weaving bamboo baskets or rolling beedis. During that period, Koraga community members could not mingle with the mainstream and hence were deprived of educational, employment, and other opportunities.

Meenakshi from Boddody from Vorkady in the district has emerged as an exception to the above notion. She has secured M Phil degree, which has helped the community to get rid of a sense of inferiority complex. However, even after getting this degree, the woman continues to earn her livelihood by rolling beedis.

Meenakshi has won recognition as the first from among the Koraga community members to secure postgraduate degree. She had got this degree on the issues of language and culture. The then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, had invited her to the Republic Day programme in 2014 as the chief guest. But the life of Meenakshi, a talented lady who was treated like a celebrity for a few years, has now been relegated to the level of any Koraga community lady living in rural set up.

Meenakshi happens to be the daughter of Shekhar and Tukru couple from Boddodi in Vorkady. Although she faced lot of hardships and constraints early in her life, she bravely faced them and continued with her education till she secured postgraduate degree. She gratefully recollects that her father, who worked as coolie, looked after the family out of his meagre income, and at the same time encouraged her to continue with the pursuit of her educational ambitions with support of teachers.

The research thesis she prepared for the degree contains rare collection of colloquial Tulu language her community converses in, and projection of the cultural life of Koragas. Meenakshi, who once got a chance to participate in the felicitation organized at Rashtrapati Bhavan, wants to bag a government job.

Strangely, people's representatives, political leaders and officials, who are expected to recognize such people and support them, have failed in doing anything for Meenakshi. The government needs to offer a job to Meenakshi where she will get an opportunity to use her talent and do justice to the job.