KOCHI: Velayudhan is the favourite teacher for the students, but for Velayudhan the students are his eyes.

The students take their teacher's hand when he gets off the bus in the morning and take him to school. In the evening they make sure that he boards the right bus as well. Children will be on guard from the staff room to class and back. Velayudhan is receiving all this care from the students of Perumbavoor Govt. Girls High School.

This 46-year-old blind man sold lottery for 11 years for a living before becoming a teacher. Born in a poor family in Angamaly Karukutty Edakkunnu, Velayudhan lost his sight completely at the age of eight but he did not give up. He attended Mount Assisi School for the Blind in Kottayam and learned to read and write in Braille. Passed 10th class with first class from Kunnamkulam Model High School. Completed his studies from predegree to MA from Thrissur Kerala Varma College and B.Ed from NSS Training College, Ottapalam.

Velayudhan knocked on the doors of many private schools to become a teacher but to no avail. Some asked for lakhs to give him a job. Following this, Velayudhan started selling lottery to earn a living. Meanwhile, he taught at the Bridge School in Attapadi for a few days, with the help of Kudumbashree. Took up lottery sales again after that.

Velayudhan made Beena, a visually impaired native of Chalakudy, his life partner. When the natives and his friends joined hands, they became the owners of a small house built on four cents at Edakkunnu.

1st rank for PSC

Velayudhan topped the PSC High School Assistant Rank List in 2017. On 21st April 2018, I was appointed as a Social Science Teacher at Govt High School, Aluva Muppathadam. The one-and-a-half-hour Angamali-Thirtytadam journey was a challenge for Velayudhan. That is why he took a transfer and reached Perumbavoor school.

Children are giving me irreplaceable love-Velayudhan

Mash is cool. He teaches and sings well- Isha, Ameesha;students