On family farmland, brothers nurture rural youths’ dreams of government service
Two brothers, both police officers, have established a free training academy in their native village in Tamil Nadu to help rural youth prepare for government service exams. The initiative, called Pudhiya Siragugal, provides both physical and academic coaching to bridge the gap for students without access to paid tutoring.
Why it matters
It showcases grassroots efforts to improve social mobility and employment prospects for rural youth in India through community-led educational initiatives.
Aspirants taking part in endurance tests at the Pudhiya Siragugal training academy in Kappur in Villupuram district on Thursday. | Photo Credit: KUMAR SS
Once a source of livelihood for a farming family, a two-and-a-half-acre plot in Kappur, a nondescript village in Villupuram district, is now nurturing the ambitions of rural youngsters.
Meet R.J. Tholkappiyan Sivaraj, a head constable and his brother R.J. Sathyaraj, a constable with the Tamil Nadu Police who established Pudhiya Siragugal, a free training academy to help young aspirants to prepare for police recruitment and the Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission (TNPSC).
Drawing on their experience in the police force and their academic qualifications, the brothers combine classroom teaching with physical training, handling both aspects themselves. Sivaraj holds an M.Phil in Economics and is posted at Tirukoyilur, while Sathyaraj, a postgraduate in Physics, serves at Ulundurpet.
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