THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sulochanan Kani is quite delighted in taking over as the new regional passport officer in Thiruvanathapuram as he is among the few from the tribal community to reach such key posts. A member of the Kani tribal community, Mr Sulochanan has also been supporting many from his community to get good education. He also wishes to dedicate more time for the community’s upliftment during his post retirement days.
“Though I have only five more months of service left, I am quite delighted that I am among the few from my community who got an opportunity to reach such key post. Had I got due reservation benefits, I would have reached the post quite earlier,” said Mr Sulochanan who took over as the regional passport officer earlier this month. Hailing from Madathara in Kollam district, he is the son of farmer Chellappan Kani and housewife Sarojini. “Despite the backwardness of the area and financial constraints, my parents educated all four children,” he recollects.
“During 36 years of service I never felt any discrimination from my colleages, but always used to get sufficient support and cooperation from them,” says the regional passport officer. Mr Sulochanan feels that he as well as his sisters could inspire many families of the community to get educated. “Many members from our community are now studying at colleges in the city and we used to help them out. I wish to dedicate more time for development of the community after retirement,” he said.
He did his schooling at Chithara and pre-degree at Peringamala Iqbal college. While his elder sister, who completed degree, retired as assistant general manager at Food Corporation of India, one of his younger sister is a senior accountant with Account General’s office and another sister a staff at the Nedumangad court. Being the lone son, Mr Sulochanan also had responsibilities of his family. He began his service as lower division clerk in 1980 at Kochi regional passport office.
After 12 years of service at Kochi and Kozhikode regional passport offices, he got promoted as upper division clerk. Later he got promoted as superintendent and as passport granting officer in Thiruvananthpauram regional passport office. In 2013 he got promoted as assistant passport officer. Though he got reservation benefits for recruitment, he did not get that benefit for the initial promotions. His family comprises of wife Leela, who is a homemaker, son Jishnu who is working in a private firm, daughter Greeshma, who is pursing MBBS, and a younger child Akshaya.
