Ethiraj College grants free admission to daughters of two sanitation workers

Chennai: As sanitation worker Vinoth watched his daughter walk into Ethiraj College for Women on Tuesday, it marked more than just the beginning of her college life — it was the first big step towards breaking the cycle of financial struggle their family has endured for years.A first-generation student, V Bhavana scored 532 marks in her Class XII exams. And now, through the Edu Bridge Initiative by Urbaser Sumeet, she has got free admission into Ethiraj. “Over the years, I have seen my parents struggle to pay my school fees to support my dreams,” says Bhavana, who opted for the BCom stream. She tells TOI how her mother quit her sales job during the exam season to help her prepare and adds, “I want to become a chartered accountant and support my family financially.”Her mother, Malathi, says Bhavana balanced studies with household responsibilities every day. “She helped with cooking and washing clothes, then stayed up all night studying.”Another beneficiary J Kanishka, who scored 420 marks and has also opted for BCom, says her father’s hard work motivated her. “Every day, my father leaves for work at 5am and returns late at night. Even when he is sick, he never rests,” she said. “He always tells me that education is the only way to succeed in life.”Kanishka says she hopes to become an auditor and make her parents proud. “I want to prove that being a driver’s daughter will not stop me from achieving my goals.”Through the Edu Bridge Initiative, both students received guidance and support in accessing higher education opportunities, eventually securing free admission into the college.Officials from Urbaser Sumeet say 118 students from sanitation worker families were identified this year, and 95 of them cleared board exams. The organisation has also been conducting induction programmes, and has, so far, signed 12 MoUs (memorandum of understanding) with colleges.At the event, Mohamood Sait, chief executive officer of Urbaser Sumeet said, “Supporting higher education of sanitation workers’ children is not only an investment in individual futures, but also a significant step towards ensuring inclusion,and long-term social upliftment. We will continue with this venture and help as many as possible.”Chairman of Ethiraj College for Women V M Muralidharan said the institute was elated to support students every year.