Tamil Nadu: Daughters of incarcerated men turn Corona warriors

CHENNAI: Three daughters of incarcerated parents after completing one-year diploma as health assistants, joined duty at the Corona isolation ward of Ahana Hospitals in Madurai on Monday. While their fathers face life term for murder in the Madurai central prison, the daughters bring in hope through their choices.
Though the three women completed their diploma, they couldn’t write the exam due to the pandemic.“My friend joined duty today morning, I will join the evening shift. I just came home to see my mother, two brothers and a sister. I am happy that I got an opportunity to serve society at a time like this,” said Kavya M*.
Deepa S*, a native of Sivagangai, who joined duty on Monday, sent her family a photograph of herself wearing a PPE kit at the hospital. K Mathi*, of Theni, will join duty with Kavya. After completing their diploma course at MS Chellamuthu Institute of mental health and rehabilitation centre in Madurai, the three were helping in the psychiatric rehabilitation centre of the institute. “Since Covid cases are on the rise, we were asked to help the main team. We got all the necessary PPE kits, health insurance and health screening as per government guidelines ,” said Kavya.
The violent past of their parents or the absence of their father has not deterred these girls from making a mark for themselves. “My father killed a drunkard after a scuffle with him. He is serving a life term in the Madurai central prison now. I don’t know whether he is aware of my new role. I am not able to visit him because of the pandemic restrictions in the jail,” said K Mathi.
It was during the time when the trio were studying for XII that psychiatric counselor K R Raja got to know about their ambition to pursue higher studies. “I was looking after the studies of children of incarcerated parents in and around Tirunelveli. When I moved to Madurai a year ago, I found these three girls who were struggling to pursue their higher studies. We advised them to go for the diploma course which they did,” said Raja, co-founder of Global Network for Equality (GNE), an NGO based in Tirunelveli. Fortunately, Raja managed to get the three students a scholarship and fee concession at the institute. “The children can’t be stigmatized anymore as prisoner’s children. They are going to redefine themselves by doing good for others,” he said.
(*Names changed)