THE 65-YEAR-OLD WHO RECLAIMED HIS LIFE WITH GOVERNMENT AID

The life of Unnikrishnan, a 65-year-old from Thirunavaya, Malappuram in Kerala is nothing short of a family drama movie. One day, he was an expatriate; from there, he fell into neck deep destitution. The life of Unnikrishnan, whom locals call as 'Unniyettan', is full of eventful turns, having climbed out of that state by holding onto the lifeline of the Extreme Poverty Eradication Scheme (EPEP) initiated by the Kerala government.

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Unnikrishnan, who worked in Qatar and Dubai for 25 years, returned to Kerala in 2002, ending his expatriate life. After building a house in his hometown, he used his savings to start a gold shop called 'Thrupti Jewellery' in Kadanangadi, thus becoming a jewellery owner. While living well with his wife and four daughters, problems arose with his family members. There was a dispute over the ownership of the house and 20 cents of land, which led to a court case. In 2006, Unnikrishnan had to leave the house. Having left empty-handed, he started living alone in a house registered in his mother's name in nearby Purathur.