KOZHIKODE: The gold medal is hers, but the dream of a safe home remains a distant reality. For G. Akshaya, who stormed to victory in the senior girls’ 3,000-metre race at the 68th Kerala State School Sports Meet, her triumph on the track brought immense pride to her family and school, yet little has changed about the harsh living conditions awaiting her in Palakkad.
Last year, when Akshaya secured silver in the same event, the achievement raised hopes that her family would finally secure a decent house to live in. The promise of a proper home brought a ray of hope to her family struggling to make ends meet in a dilapidated, single-room hut. Twelve months later, she returned to the state meet in Kozhikode, surged past her competitors, and upgraded her silver to gold. Yet, the house she hoped to return to remains elusive.
“Winning gold was a moment of immense happiness for me. I had hoped that our living situation would improve after last year’s medal. My teacher also encouraged me to keep working hard and stay optimistic that things would get better, which gave me the motivation to push myself further,” Akshaya said.
Her family resides on a 6.5-cent plot at Kosakkuzhi, Panangattiri, in Elavancherry panchayat, occupying a fragile, single-room thatched hut without electricity. With barely enough indoor space to accommodate the family, they frequently sleep outside on cots. That same cramped space, offering minimal protection from the elements, is where Akshaya’s journey as a runner first began, navigating the narrow confines around her home.
Today, the teenager stands as her family’s strongest pillar of hope. With her father, mother, elder sister, and younger brother all battling severe health issues, Akshaya carries the weight of expectations for a family that has little else to rely on.
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