Rinku Uthan Singh, who completed his BTech in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering from Vimal Jyothi Engineering College at Chemperi in Kannur.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
By day, Rinku Uthan Singh carried heavy loads of laterite stones at construction sites in Kannur. At night, or whenever he found a few free hours, he pored over books. The migrant labourer from Odisha, with no financial security and little knowledge of Malayalam, has now completed his engineering graduation in Electronics and Instrumentation from Vimal Jyothi Engineering College, Chemperi, Kannur.
For Rinku, the degree is not merely an academic qualification, it is the result of years of labour, family sacrifice, and the support of teachers and friends who refused to let him abandon his dream.
“I had nothing. There was no one to financially support me. I had to work and study at the same time. But I felt if I stopped studying after 12th, I would remain in the same situation for years,” he said.
Rinku hails from Kandhamal district in Odisha. His father died when he was in Class 5, leaving his mother to raise four sons. She worked as a daily wage labourer to keep the family going. His three brothers also had to leave their studies early and take up construction and other manual labour. They migrated to Kannur, Kerala, in search of work, bringing Rinku to the district in 2020.
Rinku Uthan Singh receiving his engineering graduation certificate from Thalassery Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
After completing Class XII in the Science stream with with over 70% marks, he felt he would have to stop studying because of the family’s pressing financial situation.
“I came to Kerala because there was no financial support for me to continue my studies. My brother was already here. I thought I could also come, work, and somehow continue studying,” he said.
In Kerala, he initially worked in construction and later in loading work, including carrying laterite materials. For nearly a year, his life revolved around physical labour.
“But I always wanted to study. I thought this was the only way I could change my life,” he said. He enrolled in a PGDCA course and divided his days between work and classes. It was almost like half the day at work before rushing off to attend his classes.
His search for higher education took him to several institutions and eventually led him to Vimal Jyothi Engineering College.
Rinku said he arrived at the college without knowing much about the institution or the admission process. He approached the office and explained his circumstances.
The college officials guided him through the admission process and asked him to prepare for the Kerala Engineering, Architecture, and Medical (KEAM) entrance examination. Rinku returned to work while preparing for the entrance examination.
The college provided online classes, which he attended from workplaces and even while travelling on buses. His teachers noticed his determination and later offered him an opportunity to stay and study with support from the institution. However, due to document issues he did not get the KEAM result, and the college provided him admission under the NRI quota.
The college provided full scholarship support for his tuition from the third semester. He said the assistance of the faculty and Father Sony Vadasseril, who was then the assistant manager of the institution was crucial in helping him overcome the financial barriers that stood between him and an engineering degree.
His brothers pooled the money they had earned through construction work to help him meet the expenses required for admission.
Language was another challenge. But his friends and teachers helped him learn Malayalam.
Rinku chose Electronics and Instrumentation for his engineering degree after initially hoping to study artificial intelligence. Financial constraints and the availability of seats influenced his decision. He completed the four-year course with first-class marks.
Today, Rinku remains in Kannur and is attending a three-month placement course in industrial automation. His immediate aim is to secure a job so that he can earn enough to support his family and particularly his brothers who stood behind him.
Published – August 20, 2026 07:00 am IST
