Filmy Duniya

V. Sripathy with her daughter.

When V. Sripathy walked into an examination hall in Chennai in November 2023, she was carrying more than a pen and admit card. She had given birth just two days earlier. Her newborn daughter was back home, her body was still recovering, and the journey from her village had taken over 200 kilometres. But the then 23-year-old was determined not to miss the civil judge examination. Months later, her determination would make history and turn a young mother’s extraordinary decision into an inspiring story of grit and hope.Today, her story is not merely one of academic success

A childhood spent in the hills

As per various media sources, V. Sripathy was born in Thuvinjikuppam, a remote village in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu. The village lies inside reserve forest areas, where basic infrastructure remains limited. There are no proper roads, schools are far away, and the nearest bus stop is located nearly 15 kilometres away in Paramanandal village.Her father, S. Kaliappan, worked as a farmer, while her mother, K. Malliga, took up household work to support the family. Seeking a better future for their children, the family later moved to Athanavoor village in the Yelagiri Hills.The couple raised three children: Sripathy, Saranya and Suriyaprakash, often struggling to make ends meet. Yet education remained a priority.From Class 1 to Class 12, Sripathy studied at a private school in Athanavoor. She later took Pure Science in higher secondary school and completed her studies in 2016-17.Teachers still remember her as a quiet but determined student.“She was a studious student. She scored above 75 per cent in her school examinations. Even after completing her schooling, she used to visit the school to share her ideas,” her school principal recalled to The Indian Tribal.

A dream shaped by her community

For Sripathy, becoming a judge was not an accidental ambition. Growing up, she saw members of her community struggle with legal issues and a lack of awareness about their rights. The experience shaped her career choice. “I did my entire schooling in Yelagiri Hills before pursuing law. The idea to do a law course was to provide legal aid for the people of my community as they are not aware of their legal rights,” Sripathy said in an interview.She pursued a Bachelor of Laws degree. Throughout her college years, she prepared for competitive examinations while keeping her larger purpose in mind. She wanted to return to her community not merely as a lawyer, but as someone who could represent their aspirations within the justice system itself.

Marriage did not stop the dream

Like many young women in rural India, marriage arrived early in Sripathy’s life. She married S. Venkatesan, an ambulance driver. But marriage did not alter her goal. She continued her studies from her in-laws’ home in Puliyur village near Chengam. Books, notes and preparation materials became part of her daily routine. The support of her husband and family proved crucial. Even as responsibilities increased, she remained focused on the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission’s civil judge examination.Then came motherhood. And with it, perhaps the greatest test of her determination.

The journey that captured the nation’s attention

In November 2023, just two days after giving birth to her daughter, Sripathy travelled approximately 200 kilometres to Chennai to appear for the civil judge examination. Her husband accompanied her. Most women would still be recovering in hospital beds. Sripathy was sitting inside an examination hall. Her newborn daughter remained at home while she completed the examination.The image of the young mother later standing outside the TNPSC office holding her infant daughter went viral across social media at that time. But behind the photograph lay days of physical pain, emotional sacrifice and unwavering focus.

Creating history at 23

At just 23 years of age, Sripathy cleared the Tamil Nadu civil judge examination. The achievement made her the first civil judge from the Malayali tribal community in Tamil Nadu. For her village, the success was deeply personal. Residents organised a grand welcome upon her return. There were drums, garlands and processions. People gathered to celebrate one of their own who had reached a position that few had even imagined possible.The then Chief Minister of the state M.K. Stalin had also congratulated Sripathy on social media.For many young women in tribal and rural communities, professional careers often appear distant and unattainable. Sripathy’s journey challenges that belief. From a forest village without proper roads to the courtroom, from a farmer’s daughter to a civil judge, her life reflects the power of education and persistence.But perhaps her greatest achievement lies beyond her designation. She has become proof that dreams can survive poverty, geography, marriage and even the physical demands of motherhood. The young woman who once studied in the hills of Yelagiri is now a civil judge. That alone is inspiring to say the least.Her story is also a reminder that extraordinary achievements are often built through quiet acts of courage that rarely make headlines in the moment. Sometimes, history is written not in grand speeches or dramatic victories, but by someone who simply refuses to give up despite every obstacle. Somewhere in that journey remains the image that moved thousands: a mother holding her newborn child outside an examination centre, unaware that she had already begun making history.