A Rajeshwari’s journey to cracking the JEE Advanced is a strong testament to how sustained, grassroots educational support can change lives. The foundation for her success was laid by Vanavasi Seva Kendram (Tamil Nadu)—a social service organisation affiliated with Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram—which runs Shri Saraswathi Vidya Mandir, a school for vanavasi children in Karumandurai, a remote village nestled in the Kalvarayan Hills, about 65 km from Salem.
It was here, in this modest institution run with devotion and selflessness, that Rajeshwari received the early education, moral grounding, and encouragement that would become the stepping stones to her success.
Vanavasi Seva Kendram, much like Seva Bharathi, is known for its mission-driven approach to social upliftment—particularly of tribal communities—and for shielding them from aggressive proselytisation that seeks to exploit their vulnerabilities with monetary and material inducements. Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram is an RSS inspired organisation that works among the vanavasis across the country.
Rajeshwari’s achievement is a culmination of several crucial factors: receiving primary education in her mother tongue (Tamil), the formative mentorship at Vanavasi Seva Kendram, subject matter-based online coaching provided by the state’s education department, a supportive family, and her own academic brilliance. All of this led to her becoming eligible for admission to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
Rajeshwari, who belongs to the Malayali tribal community, scored 438/500 in Class 10 and 521/600 in Class 12. She chose the Maths–Biology stream to keep her options open. Her father, A Aundi, had studied only up to Class 8 due to poverty and seasonal migration but took up tailoring and worked tirelessly to provide an education for his children—a dream he was denied. Tragically, he succumbed to cancer in 2024, just before witnessing his daughter’s proudest achievement.
Speaking to Organiser, Sridhar Thillai of Vanavasi Seva Kendram recalled, “Aundi and his wife Kavitha ensured that their elder children completed undergraduate studies. Their elder son Sriganesh also took up tailoring to support the family. If Aundi were alive today, he would have seen his daughter crack one of the most difficult entrance exams in India.”
Rajeshwari said, “My siblings were good at studies but didn’t know about JEE. My teachers supported me. I’m thankful to them and the focused coaching programme launched by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department. Writing the JEE Main in Tamil helped a lot, but JEE Advanced was in English, which was harder for me.”
She is currently undergoing soft skills training in Kumizhi, near Chengalpattu. She studied in Tamil medium up to Class 12. After her Board exams, she was sent to a special training centre in Perunthurai (Erode) to prepare for the advanced exam. “I cleared it. I’m confident I’ll get a seat either in IIT Madras or IIT Bombay,” she added.
Her headmaster, D Vijayan, credited the daily online coaching sessions conducted by subject specialists from Chennai for enhancing student performance.
Officials noted that while several students from the state’s 28 Government Tribal Residential (GTR) schools have entered National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Rajeshwari is the first from this background to clear the JEE Advanced and qualify for an IIT.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin congratulated Rajeshwari, stating, “Despite losing her father, she fulfilled his dreams through hard work. It is no mean feat.” He assured that the state government will bear her educational expenses, adding that “the true pride of the IITs will be when more daughters like Rajeshwari join them. The Dravidian model of governance will continue to strive towards this goal.”
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