Sathiyamoorthi was born in 1993 in Solaicheri village, Rajapalayam. His early years were marked by a hostile environment, witnessing the trauma of domestic violence inflicted upon his mother. To escape these difficulties, his uncle(mother’s brother) relocated the family to Narayanapuram village, Sankarankovil. Though the Village in the 90s was entrenched in extreme poverty and relying predominantly on cultivation. Despite hardships, his mother toiled in the fields to sustain the family.
Early Education and Family Support
Sathiyamoorthi began his education at Karunai Illam, Thiruchendur. He progressed until the 3rd grade, before transitioning to a Government school in Alamanaickenpatti, Tirunelveli district. His commitment to education and support to the family was unwavering, evident from waking up at 5 AM to help his family by plucking Jasmine flowers from the field, before embarking on a long walk 5 KM journey to School. Over the years, his brother received a bicycle from the Tamil Nadu government initiative which eased their commute. This helps to reduce the travel time to school, thereby saving the minutes for helping the family at Jasmine cultivation. Towards the end of schooling coping with all poverty-stridden circumstances, as Sathiyamoorthi prepared for the crucial 10th public exam, an unfortunate event struck when his science book got soaked in the rain droplets falling from the thatched roof. The sight was shocking in the morning, but his friend helped him to revise the chapters while travelling together on the bus. Despite these challenging circumstances, he secured the school's 3rd position in the final board exam. Sathiyamoorthi would like to pursue Medicine that is set aside due to financial difficulties. Instead, he opted for a polytechnic course to secure a job within 3 years and support his family financially. He pursued Electronics and Communication at PAC Ramswami Raja Polytechnic College, Rajapalayam.
Simultaneously, Sathiyamoorthi’s brother Krishnamoorthi became the pillar of strength for the family, working diligently in a textile mill to support the family after completing his own school education. Understanding the importance of graduation, his brother pursued an English literature degree in distance education at Annamalai University. Concurrently, his brother dedicated himself to mastering Stenography aimed to secure government jobs. Fortunately, his brother wrote Group 4 and cleared the exam to get the first posting at Trichy Collectorate, which supported the family financially and also greatly contributed to Sathiyamoorthi’s aspirations. It was a crucial moment that strengthened their hopes and dreams for a brighter future.
UPSC Aspirations and Resilence
During his second year, Sathitamoorthi regularly visited the library for reading. His passion for learning took a turn when the librarian provided him with Former Chief Secretary Irai Anbu’s book “IAS Vetri Padikattugal” which ignited him to prepare for the UPSC exam and become an IAS officer. He secured 97% in Polytechnic and got a placement at an Electronics company. His brother encouraged him to pursue graduation to become eligible for writing UPSC civil service examination.
In 2011, he joined as a direct second year in Electronics and Communication Engineering at the Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli. Unfortunately, there was no conducive atmosphere in the college for UPSC preparations. Without losing any hope, he completed his graduation and started preparing for UPSC. Undeterred, upon graduation, he commenced UPSC preparation, cleared the entrance exam conducted by Bharathiyar University and cleared the exam to qualify for six months residential coaching with ₹2000 monthly stipend. The atmosphere at Bharathiyar University was conducive and encouraging for preparation but failed to qualify for the prelims stage, leading him back to his village for further preparation due to financial constraints. Again, he seized an opportunity at the All India Civil Service coaching centre in Chennai. The supportive atmosphere and serious aspirants within the institute propelled his preparation forward.
In 2016, he triumphed in the preliminary stage of the UPSC exam and proceeded to write the Mains in Tamil, opting to converse in Tamil language during the Personal Interview with the Board Members in 2017. Unfortunately despite his efforts, he couldn't get into the final list citing a low score in the final interview. He quickly reattempted the preliminary exam in 2017, successfully clearing it with renewed determination. He aced the Mains again, confident as he entered the personal interview in 2018. Expectations soared among those around him for the 2018 UPSC results, given his strong improvement. Although he notably improved his final interview scores by over 40 marks from the previous interview, he still missed securing a place on the final list.
Despite the disappointment of not clearing prelims in the 2018 attempt, his resilience remained unshaken. Undaunted, he continued his preparations, clearing the 2019 prelims and mains to face the interview in 2020. Unfortunately, he could feel the pain of not seeing his registration number on the final list. Faced with a recurring pattern of disappointments, he grappled with the familiar pain of unmet expectations. In the midst of this emotional turbulence, he moved ahead, choosing to tackle the prelims and mains 2020 with a positive outlook. Unburdened by lingering thoughts, he approached the following year's examinations with renewed determination.
Amidst this journey, a glimmer of opportunity emerged through RBI B-grade notification. He took a chance, applying and successfully clearing both the RBI prelims and mains. On August 4th, 2021, he appeared for the RBI final Interview in Chennai. Expecting a positive result for the given UPSC Interview in Delhi on August 24th, 2021, he typed his Name on the UPSC final result file, disappointment echoed once more with the disheartening phrase “Not found”.
A Beacon of Hope and Advocacy
On a fine evening, his friend phoned him and congratulated him that he cleared the RBI B grade examination. Throughout this tumultuous course, this result brought a breeze to his journey. He joined as a Probation in the Currency department and was among the batch only ones to be posted in the Thiruvananthapuram RBI regional office. He was involved in ensuring the smooth distribution of banknotes and retrieval of unfit notes from circulation. He used to inspect Bank Branches whether the banks ensured the distribution of new currency for the exchange of soiled notes(unfit notes).
On a surprise visit to Vanthanmedu in Idukki district, the wonderful village known for its cardamom plantations nestled amidst the towering peaks of the Western Ghats. Mostly the tribal members engaged in the cultivation of Cardamom. For their labour in the estate, they received their earnings in the form of physical cash. The moisture-ridden region often rendered the cash damaged and unfit for use. Amidst the backdrop, an elderly woman carried her hard-earned big money of ₹1500 physical cash (soiled notes) and made her way to the bank seeking replacement. To her dismay, the bank denied their request for new currency. Sensing the injustice, Sathiyamoorthi intervened and advocated for the old woman who had denied providing the new currency for the exchange of soiled notes. He urged the official at the bank counter to address her plight, but their initial refusal persisted. He approached the Manager and asserted his authority that he was coming from RBI for the inspection visit. The Bank Manager's demeanour shifted noticeably, informed about the denial of new currency which contradicts the ethos of the Central Bank. Sathiyamoothi took Swift action, imposed a fine on the bank and immediately ordered them to provide new notes/coins to the old woman in exchange for ₹1500 soiled notes. This act not only rectified the immediate issue but also served as a reminder of the importance of fairness and compassion in handling the financial needs of vulnerable members of society.
Sathiyamoorthi’s journey embodies perseverance, academic pursuit and a spirit of financial advocacy. Amidst the arduous journey in UPSC marked by repeated failures, an opportunity arose in RBI where he exhibited dedication and commitment to his role.
Sathiyamoorthi faced soaked books from rain on a thatched roof during school. Later, he helped an old lady with her damaged moist money at the bank. His journey defined his purpose of resilience and compassion.
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