Rekha Karthikeyan is not just fighting sea for livelihood,but now same sea is coming for her home also.
She is known as India's first woman licensed for deep-sea fishing,and for over a decade she has gone far from shore into unpredictable waters . That itself is not small thing ah,especially in field where women are usually kept outside .
But rn her bigger worry is not deep sea . It is Chettuva estuary side,where sea encroachment has increased since Ockhi cyclone in 2017 . Rekha says seawater is now surging towards her residence and damaging house.
“The waves reach right up to house,” she said,and that one line says enough . Waves bringing heaps of sand,structural damage happening,and still she is unable to simply pack and leave.
Her husband is cardiac patient,and they have four daughters,three of whom are pursuing higher studies . So moving to safer ground is not easy option because money is tight . Local representatives have urged her to leave,but where exactly will family go if there is no financial backup?
Few things standing out clearly here:
- Rekha Karthikeyan became India's first woman licensed for deep-sea fishing after entering male-dominated field out of necessity.
- Even with experience,she often returns empty-handed and struggles to cover fuel costs.
- Rising sea levels and erosion are now threatening both her livelihood and her home.
And her journey also started in very unexpected way . She first stepped in as deckhand on her husband's boat,and then slowly became role model for other women fishers . Recognition and awards came,but daily struggle never really left .
Weather has also become more unpredictable now,and this month she got only nine days at sea . On top of that,a severe spell of erosion destroyed her fishing boat,so she had to start collecting and selling clam shells for income.
Honestly,this is where story becomes more painful . Person who built life around sea is now being cornered by same sea from all sides.
Rekha still dreams of small piece of land in safer area where she can build modest home away from advancing water . But until that happens,she is stuck between rising sea,shrinking income,and family responsibilities… what choice does she really have?
