A survivor of the 2004 tsunami, Vasuki Vinothini, now runs a free coaching centre for students from coastal and tribal communities, helping them prepare for Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) exams.
At 15, Vasuki was inside her hut when the tsunami, which caused havoc in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar, struck. “I heard a loud sound and stepped out to see a huge wave approaching. When I regained consciousness, I saw people drowning and floating around me. Another wave came, but the elders pulled me to safety.”
For two years, her family relied on aid. “We lost our home, boats, and nets. We stood in line daily for food,” she said. Determined to change her future, she focused on studies and became a top student.
Her village, Akkaraipatti in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district, is surrounded by a river on three sides and the sea on one. Many in her community lost parents due to poor health or sea accidents. “Girls were expected to marry at puberty. I convinced my father to let me study,” she said.
Through scholarships, she completed her B Tech and MS from IIT Madras, becoming the first woman from her community to do so. On returning home after six years, she saw little change.
“When I was young, I was told to light a lamp when my father ventured into the sea and keep it alive until he returned. This is where we come from. Everyday was a struggle and education was an expensive commodity to us which I’m struggling to change”, stated Vasuki
She started a coaching center in a 400 sq ft room with nine students. Today, it serves 200 students. She also launched ‘Muthu Chipigal’ (Pearls and Seashells) to support coastal students. “Literacy rates in coastal areas are low. So far, 52 students have cleared the Group 4 TNPSC exam.”
She aims to help students clear UPSC but acknowledges challenges. “They come from nothing. Education was a luxury for us. I am trying to change that.”