TIRUCHY: In an inspiring story that showed how education can uplift the downtrodden, the daughter of a cleanliness worker took charge as the Municipal Commissioner of a local body in the same district where her late father once worked.

S Durga is the only daughter of Sekar, who worked as a cleanliness staff of Mannargudi Municipality, and Selvi, a domestic worker.

She was in school when her father died, which almost shattered her ambition to pursue education despite all odds.

Seeing her firm will, Selvi supported her to complete BSc in Physics at Mannai Rajagopalaswamy Government Arts College.

In 2015, she got married to Nirmal Kumar, a temporary staff at Madurantakam Taluk office and the couple has two children.

Seeing that the yearning to study and get a government was still burning in her, Nirmal Kumar offered all support and she cleared the TNPSC Group 2 exam in 2023.

She appeared for the interview in 2024 and scored full marks.

Offered the options of joining the police force or the local administration department, Durga did not think twice before choosing the latter.

Recently, she collected the appointment order from Chief Minister MK Stalin.

A day after taking charge as the Municipal Commissioner of Thiruthuraipoondi in her home district, Tiruvarur, Durga commenced her regular duty as the Commissioner on Tuesday.

Thiruthuraipoondi Chairperson Kavitha Pandian, Vice-Chairman Jaya Prakash, and council members welcomed the new Commissioner. She also called on district Collector T Charusree.