Being an island boy has been a mixed blessing for Mr Tejeshwar Gorakala.
Growing up in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands that lie south-east of the Indian mainland, he had an idyllic childhood, but as an adult he struggled to find meaningful work in the remote region.
This was until the very sea he felt trapped by provided him with a lifeline.
Today, Mr Gorakala is an ordinary seaman on a ferry service between India and Sri Lanka.
He lives in a company-sponsored hostel in Nagapattinam town in Tamil Nadu state with other crew, and earns 38,000 rupees (S$600) a month – a "reliable and dignified livelihood that helps my family and relaxes my mind", he said.
The 30-year-old believes he has found his calling, but this was only after "wasting most of my 20s in unsatisfying and underpaying jobs" that almost broke both his back and spirit.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a high unemployment rate of 12.3 per cent due to their less accessible location, limited industrialisation, and overreliance on tourism and agriculture.
Denne historien er fra October 26, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Denne historien er fra October 26, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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