Septuagenarian Kerala Man Takes Up His Dream To Study Law

Kozhikode: A 77-year-old retired physical education teacher from Perambra in Kozhikode is on a mission to enrol himself for the LLB course. TC Narayanan had completed his Class 12 only two years ago while working in his rubber plantation.

Popularly known in his locality as 'Narayanan Mash', he uses his mobile phone and internet data for study purposes. "While tapping rubber, he doesn’t listen to songs or read the news. He listens to the topics he has to study that day," said a native familiar with Narayanan's routine.

"After completing my Class 10, I joined a physical education course that I passed with excellent marks. There was no difficulty in getting a job. My first posting was as a physical trainer at Melangadi Government High School at Kondotty in Malappuram. After that, I served in many institutions. My last job was at GTTI at Mananchira in Kozhikode. I retired from there," Narayanan disclosed.

He had secretly nursed an ambition to become a lawyer one day right from the age of 20. "But the hustle and bustle of life and work hindered my studies. But even after a long time the desire stayed in my heart," he said.

Deciding to act on the long-standing goal, he approached the Kerala Literacy Mission. "When I reached there, the staff was curious to know what brought me there. I told them about the desire that I had been carrying in my mind for ages. The staff gave me a lot of support. All the other young people who came to study embraced my presence regardless of the age difference. I became a young man with them. What else do you need?" he shared.

To apply for LLB, Narayanan needed a Class 12 certificate. Though he had enrolled in pre-degree studies after 10th, he had not completed them due to early employment as a physical trainer. Following the Literacy Mission’s advice, he enrolled in humanities for Classes 11 and 12.

"They gave me full support in everything starting from studying and clearing doubts," he said. Narayanan cleared his Class 12 with excellent marks. The achievement gained widespread attention, and inspired several locals and friends who had previously dropped out of school to once again return to the classroom.

Narayanan is just a few steps away from becoming a first-year LLB student. He said that he relies heavily on mobile technology for his studies. "You don’t have to go to the class like you used to. All you need is a smartphone, a laptop and an internet connection," he said.

He listens to recorded lectures and YouTube classes during routine activities such as rubber tapping and driving. "Learning by listening is faster than learning by reading," he said. Narayanan is considered one of the most tech-savvy among his peers.

"I understand all these things now more than I could understand when I was young," he added. His academic ambitions are not limited to a law degree.

"After LLB, I want to pursue a degree and some other courses along with it. If you have desire and determination, you can achieve anything," he said.