Indus Valley Times

KANNUR, SEPT. 1: Gopika Govind was just 12 when she dreamt of becoming an air hostess. However, for a girl hailing from Karimbala community, a Scheduled Tribe (ST) in Kannur, even nurturing such a dream required courage.

However, Gopika kept at it. And now, 12 years later, the 24-year-old from Kavunkudi ST colony near Alakkode has become the first ST woman in the state to be on board as an air hostess. She will soon join Air India Express. “I still remember watching an aircraft flying above my house and wanting to be in it. Even now, I feel excited as I go near an aircraft,” Gopika said.

Daughter of P Govindan and Viji, Gopika had a relatively colourless childhood and adolescence, as is the case with most tribal girls. “I nurtured this dream of touching the sky, of being an air hostess, but never told anyone. Not even my parents knew,” she said.

Gopika came close to abandoning all hope when she enquired about the course. “It was too expensive. My family would not be able to manage the expenses,” she said. That was when she came to know about a government scheme for the education of ST girls. She enquired and got the offer to pursue diploma in IATA customer service care at Dream Sky Aviation Training Academy in Wayanad. She was studying MSc Chemistry at SN College, Kannur, at the time.

“I had no idea that such schemes existed. The state government paid my course fee of Rs 1 lakh. I did not have to pay anything,” she said. She credited the government and the faculty of the academy for her success.

On Wednesday, the certificate distribution for ST students who studied under the government scheme was held in the assembly. After the event, Gopika flew to Mumbai to finish her training with Air India.

“I still dream of achieving more. However, I will not disclose them until I achieve them,” said Gopika. Karimbala community members are reside mostly in Kannur’s Thalassery and Taliparamba taluks. Compared to Paniya and Irular communities, Karimbala has fewer members.

-TNIE