India’s Oldest Student Karthyayani Amma Dies at 101

Karthyayani Amma, who carved history by becoming the oldest learner under the Kerala’s State Literacy Mission, died on Tuesday at the age of 101. She was reportedly bedridden after suffering from a stroke and was at her residence in Cheppad, a place in Kerala’s coastal Alappuzha district.

Karthyayani Amma surfaced into fame after passing a literacy examination conducted by the southern state’s literacy mission, securing a top mark at the age of 96. She was inspired to take the learning course by her daughter, who had passed an examination at the age of 60.

It was in 2018, Karthyayani Amma appeared for the examination along with 40,362 candidates as part of the State Literacy Mission Authority”s Aksharalaksham (“Million Letter”) programme, a fourth standard equivalent examination. She was the oldest among those who appeared for the test. Tested on reading, writing, and mathematics, she scored 98 out of 100 and was taught by her great-grandchildren.

Indian chef and restaurateur Vikas Khanna directed a documentary on her, Barefoot Empress, recognising Kathyayani Amma as a true inspiration who bravely broke the taboo of “I am too old”. In 2019, she became a Commonwealth of Learning Goodwill Ambassador and also earned the Nari Shakti Puraskar Award, the highest civilian award for a woman given by the government of India in 2020. The award was presented by then-President Ram Nath Kovind on Women’s Day.

Expressing condolences on her demise, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday recalled his memories of meeting her after she won the award. The CM observed her as one who wrote a unique history and indicated her extraordinary determination to pursue education despite all the challenges she had gone through. According to Mr Vijayan, her demise is a “significant loss” to the state’s literacy movement that once helped to shape the “modern Kerala”, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Her smile will be remembered always.

Deeply saddened by the passing of Karthyayani Amma, who made history by becoming the oldest learner under the State Literacy Mission. She served as an inspiring role model for many, showing unwavering determination to pursue education despite challenges. Her demise is a… pic.twitter.com/1mXVRvWD7a

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) October 11, 2023

Karthyayani Amma, born in 1922, was forced to leave her schooling for work as her social condition was not beneficial. She was married and has six children. Being a widow, she swept the streets outside temples in her village to bring up the children. The southern state’s literacy mission helped to motivate herself for a second go to pursue the long-lost dream of education.