Ramachandran’s life has been strewn with many trying circumstances: a love marriage that both families objected to, a perpetual struggle to provide for his family of four, and a pressing need to seek alternate employment when his ancestral occupation of fishing became unsustainable. “But today, everything seems worth it,” says the forty-two-year-old.
For, his son, Gokulnath, who studies at Santhome Higher Secondary School, came State second in the SSLC examinations, having scored 498 marks.
It was exams season in this household this year, with both Gokulnath, and his sister, Manimegalai, having appeared for their SSLC and class XII exams, respectively. “No one in our family is educated and it is a joyous moment for us to see our children do well,” says Sumathi, their mother. “My son was very disciplined in his preparation and I am so proud of him,” she adds, tears of pride welling up.
However, it is not just all tears for this small family. “We laugh a lot in our family. Yes, we are not well off, but I’ve not had much to complain,” Gokulnath says. For the cheery teenager, who had to give up boxing classes to concentrate on his studies this year, his family is the support system. “They gave me plenty of freedom, but I ensured I did not misuse it,” he says.
Rev. Bro. Johnson, the headmaster of the school, says that Gokulnath is an enthusiastic member of the school’s National Cadet Corps programme. “He has scored 98 in Tamil, and centum in maths, science, social science and English,” he says.
Gokulnath wants to join the Navy. A good swimmer, he cannot imagine doing anything else. “I want to serve the nation,” he says in a muffled voice, enveloped in a hug from his father.