| K.D.Raju, Anavilasom, Idukki |
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As students of St.Mary’s High School, Vellaramkunnu, Idukki, Raju had walked 5 km from his village Anavilasom to the school every day. Now he jokingly remarks that the distance thus covered by foot could be less than the distance to USA where he will be going presently to do research with Fulbright Scholarship.
A young man fired by the desire to learn, he had struggled hard to come to this level. Son of estate workers, Damodaran and Haimavathi of Idukki, Raju had done his graduation in Zoology from MG University in 1990. Owing to financial constraints, he joined as a manager at an estate in Tamil Nadu. In 1992, he became a sales representative at a pipe fitting company in Chennai and soon managed to get a transfer to Kochi. The real intention of the sales representative was to learn law as a part time student, and this the company soon discovered with predictable consequences. Bereft of job, he supported himself with a small time job at Kizhakkambalam and graduated in law with first class in 1997. Besides practicing as a junior under noted advocates, he completed the post graduation in law from MG University with 2nd rank in 2000.
The same year he joined M.Phil at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Though a rank holder from Kerala, languages – both Hindi and English - became stumbling blocks for him in Delhi. But his self study of grammar books coupled with his teaching and learning assignments at Delhi soon made up for that.
His thesis has been accepted by Columbia and Illinois Universities of USA. And Raju would be going to one of the two, to be chosen by the American Foundation. His only regret is that since the topic of his study is in the domain of international affairs, he may not be able to contribute directly to the soil of his birth.
Courtesy: Malayala Manorama, November 22, 2004
Contributed by: Administrator
