This article is about Dr.Jothi, who became a Doctor and also a first graduate from a tiny village. Kadaieeratti is a village located five kilometers from Bargur in Anthiyur taluk, Erode District. A typical hilly village, it lacks many facilities including a proper hospital. Jothi’s father C Peran belongs to Oorali tribe. He had studied till Class 5 and working as a farmer on his own farm; Mother Palaniammal is a housewife. The farm was the only source of income for the five member family which lived in a small house.
Not many children would venture beyond the primary school in Kadaieeratti village. But Peran was determined to educate all his three daughters.He admitted them to a government school in Anthiyur, 25 kilometers away. But bus facilities to the school from his village were erratic. So, he rented a house in Anthiyur and lodged his girls and wife in that house. He stayed back in the village taking care of the farm for livelihood.
After all the hard work by Jothi and her family’s, She secured 485 out of 500 in SSLC and was a topper in school. The rank helped her to study in Adarsh Vidyalaya, a residential school in Paruvachi near Bhavani. Jothi did everything to top in this school as well. “I would wake up early morning to study. After school hours, I would study till 11 pm. The medical education admission used to happen based on cut off marks secured in Class 12 then. So I realized the value of my marks,” she says.
She secured 1187 out of 1200 in 2014. Jothi scored 200 out of 200 in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Her cut off was centum. She could apply for engineering as well as medical and she opted for medical studies.
Though she was entitled for Scheduled Tribe quota, she got her seat in the general category because of her marks. She got her medical seat at Chennai Medical College on the first day of counseling. Impressed by her feat, Erode District collector gave her Rs 20,000 prize. She also secured a government scholarship.
Agaram Foundation is also been part of her success. They have taken care of her hostel fees till the completion of her graduation. Jothi also had a problem when switched to English medium from Tamil medium of like many of us. “I struggled for one year and used to take the help of my friends in studies. Then I picked up the subjects gradually”, she added. But now Jothi Peran become a Dr.Jothi Peran. Yes, she have completed MBBS with 75% in 2020 and credits to her father for all the hard work!