Anitha’s Grieving Father Says She Wanted To Serve The Poor

Anitha’s father is a daily wage worker and a widower, who would carry sacks to save money to educate his daughter.

Anitha and her grandparents. 

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook)

T Shanmugan lost his only daughter on Friday. He was a Dalit and a daily wage worker who would carry sacks to save money to educate his daughter.

S Anitha was a 17-year-old Dalit student who had taken the fight to the Supreme Court, impleading herself as a respondent, demanding an exemption to NEET for Tamil Nadu. She lost the fight at the SC and also her life when she couldn’t crack the exam, for not being able to afford NEET coaching.

In spite of the fact she had secured seats in Madras Institute of Technology and Veterinary College at Orathanadu, she lost her will to live and committed suicide on Friday.

Mourning her death, Anitha's grieving father, who is a daily wage labourer, said said she had studied for the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) under extreme circumstances, under the strains of financial difficulties.

Speaking to ANI, Anitha's father said:

Despite facing financial difficulties, we still put her through school. She wanted to become a doctor. We thought she’ll get a seat because we are scheduled caste. But they implemented NEET and she failed it. She always told me she wanted to become a doctor and serve the poor. Outsiders are studying in Tamil Nadu. What kind of country are we living in? How is this fair? How is this just?

In an interview with TNM, Shanmugan informed: "She was upset, but looked normal. On Friday morning, she was smiling. I got her a roti for Rs 5 and went to the field to work with my wife. At 2pm, I came to know that she was dead."

Video Editor: Vivek Gupta

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