Battling all odds, a 25-year-old from Ranipet in Vellore district, topped the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) examination among the Scheduled Caste candidates, now, her main aim is to help the marginalised section of the society.
Ilakkiya had been ranked 298 in the UPSC exams.
Ilakkiya’s inspiration has been her aunt Vedhanayagi, who works for a non-government organisation. “She was the one who asked me to take up English Literature for under-graduation and then asked me to do masters in social work to understand the problems of the people. She envisioned this for me,” said Ilakkiya.
Ilakkiya completed her graduation in English Literature from Auxilium College and then finished her Master’s in Social Work from Madras School of Social Work in 2014.
When she was in Class VII, she lost her parents in a car accident, after which, her aunt, took care of Ilakkiya and her two siblings. “I have seen my aunt working for the empowerment of women and child, she works for the marginalised sections of the society. I also want to do the same but in larger number, I want to help the marginalised section of the society,” she said.
It was not easy for Ilakkiya. “My father was in the army and we did not get his pension till I was 18-years-old, the government procedure took very long. We had financial problems, it was difficult to manage with only my aunt working, but she took care of us like our mother would have,” said Ilakkiya.
Battling all odds, a 25-year-old from Ranipet in Vellore district, topped the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) examination among the Scheduled Caste candidates, now, her main aim is to help the marginalised section of the society.
Ilakkiya had been ranked 298 in the UPSC exams.
Ilakkiya’s inspiration has been her aunt Vedhanayagi, who works for a non-government organisation. “She was the one who asked me to take up English Literature for under-graduation and then asked me to do masters in social work to understand the problems of the people. She envisioned this for me,” said Ilakkiya.
Ilakkiya completed her graduation in English Literature from Auxilium College and then finished her Master’s in Social Work from Madras School of Social Work in 2014.
When she was in Class VII, she lost her parents in a car accident, after which, her aunt, took care of Ilakkiya and her two siblings. “I have seen my aunt working for the empowerment of women and child, she works for the marginalised sections of the society. I also want to do the same but in larger number, I want to help the marginalised section of the society,” she said.
It was not easy for Ilakkiya. “My father was in the army and we did not get his pension till I was 18-years-old, the government procedure took very long. We had financial problems, it was difficult to manage with only my aunt working, but she took care of us like our mother would have,” said Ilakkiya.