It's twenty years since he left school. Rather, dropped out. As he looks back, there's not much to recall. At one point of time he had hopes, but then he was told that to hope in Somanahalli wasn't a good idea. Their future was clearly written in the textbook of poverty. But Sakthivel is elated at having made it till class eight. "Many didn't get that far, so I guess I'm marginally better-off," he says.

They were very poor and there wasn't a thing he could do. Like Murugan, he too stepped out into the open looking for some employment. He learnt to drive, did odd driving jobs but then, without proper education the assignments were at best, temporary. The going got tough and he didn't have much choice, but to keep going. Survival was imperative.

One day, he landed himself a small time tailoring job in a garment unit. He developed the skills, set aside some money and soon opened his own tailoring shop in the village. "The income is average. After all, its not often these villagers can afford new clothes?" he says. Of course, business is best at festival times. But otherwise, so-so."

He lends the Youth Association a helping hand in their activities. Monetary wise his contribution may be meager, but if time were money then Sakthivel's contribution to society is substantial.