Bridging Dreams and Reality: Usha Ramakrishnan inspires Kallakurichi’s students

CHENNAI: When Usha Ramakrishnan stepped into a government school in Kallakurichi on October 13, she had no idea she’d be addressing hundreds of students within minutes of her arrival.

“The principal requested me, ‘Our assembly is about to begin—could you motivate our children for two minutes?’” She recalls with a smile.

The occasion was part of a three-day workshop held from October 13 to 15, organised in connection with International Girl Child Day, observed on October 11.
The initiative, led by the District Welfare Board under the Kallakurichi Collectorate, aims to empower schoolgirls through sessions on self-confidence and goal setting.

Tamil Nadu has long been recognized in promoting education for girls. With consistent government initiatives such as free education schemes, distribution of bicycles and laptops, and the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Ninaivu Marriage Assistance Scheme (Pudhumai Penn scheme), the state has worked to ensure that girls not only enroll in schools but also continue their studies through higher education.

It is here that programmes focusing on confidence building, life skills, and mentorship play a vital role in bridging the gap between opportunity and aspiration.

Usha, who describes herself as a Life Skills Catalyst, was invited by the district officials to conduct these sessions.

Working independently, she collaborates with institutions and local bodies across Tamil Nadu to build life skills among young people.

“This project was specifically meant for the girls of Kallakurichi,” she explains.
“The Collectorate wanted to strengthen opportunities for them, and this workshop was one of the measures taken in that direction.”

Her message to the students was simple yet powerful: life will not always be easy, but determination and clarity can light the way forward.

- Usha Ramakrishnan is a Life-skills Catalyst, Speaker, Author, Columnist, Humorist, Media Content Expert