Parents rescued from bonded labour, 4 Irulars chase dreams in city college

IN a big leap of faith for a community that has remained on the margins for thousands of years, four Irular tribal students including three girls who are daughters of rescued bonded labourers have joined undergraduate courses at Madras Christian College this year.

- SUBASHINI VIJAYAKUMAR

The community, traditionally involved in snake and rat catching and honey collection, is one of the six particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG) in Tamil Nadu and is among the most backward in education and employment.

Nandhini, Ramya, and Priya are 17 years old; Rajkumar is 21.

Nandhini's father died when she was young and her mother Vijaya worked as a bonded labourer at a brick kiln in Tiruvallur until she was rescued in 2014. "I used to live in different hostels till my mother and I shifted to the Irular smart colony in Tiruvannamalai district three years ago. Though my mother was rescued from bonded labour in 2014, it took a long time for her to mingle with us again," said Nandhini, who joined BA Tamil this year. Ramya too has joined BA Tamil. Rajkumar is enrolled in BA History and Priya has chosen BA Social Work.