“This little one you see right here- she’s my entire world! Hailing from a small town in the interiors of Kumbakonam, my family didn’t really have the means to give me an education. They grew up as farmers and so I had to too, without any exposure to the outside world. Of course, I am grateful today, for it’s the same agriculture that aids my living but there’s still a lingering sense of regret on not getting the access or the choice to do something different.

So, having said that, I want to ensure that my daughter at least doesn’t have to go through this one day and, in fact, has the option of selecting what her life can be like. Therefore, all my hard work is naturally focused on just one thing- providing her with a quality education.

There are many in my village who question my move of spending so much to send her to school, given that she has to become a wife eventually, but that doesn’t thwart me. I want my daughter to be independent and never rely on a man for a living. My wife also is one-hundred per cent with me on this! She’s again someone, who was only educated till the eighth grade and thereby equally values studying!

And today, we work together as a unit today managing shifts between maintaining the crops and running our grocery shop. She had this established right after our marriage as an additional source of income. Now since microfinancing is costly, we’re giving away most of whatever we make in the form of rent to our landlord, but that’s okay! I’m sure we’ll climb up the ladder one day. Until then, I’ll do anything in my power to see my wife and daughter grow!”