Graduation at 77: The inspiring journey of Mammootty and Ramani

Peringathur (Kerala): In a moving testament to lifelong learning, two 77-year-olds from Kannur have proved that age is never a barrier to chasing one's dreams. Ramani, a resident of Valiya Parambath in Panoor, and Mammootty near the Peringadi Post Office, are basking in the joy of securing their BA History degrees from Kannur University, both graduating with over 60% marks.

Born on the exact same day, February 5, 1949, the duo shared the same classroom for their degree course. Decades after leaving behind the formal years of education, their unquenchable desire for knowledge brought them back to the desk. Sitting alongside classmates young enough to be their grandchildren, they wrote their examinations with unwavering confidence.

Their shared journey was guided by the systematic coaching and syllabus insights of Pavithran, a tutor at the Koothuparamba Academy College, where both spent every spare moment immersed in their studies.

A second act of accomplishments

For Mammootty, the road to graduation follows a long career with Kuwait Telecommunications. After returning home to Kerala, he rekindled his passion for academics, steadfastly supported by his wife Jameela and their five children. His academic hunger is far from new – he previously earned a degree in Political Science from IGNOU in 2025 and even cleared the LLB entrance examination. Though he paid the fees to join a law college in Muvattupuzha, he ultimately chose not to pursue it. Now, he is firmly set on pursuing his Master’s degree.

Overcoming odds with resilience

Ramani’s story is equally touching. A retired schoolteacher from Olavilam North LP School in the Chokli sub-district, she hung up her chalk in 2004. Yet, her longing to keep learning never faded. She joined the Continuing Literacy Programme, achieving outstanding results that earned her an official honour from the Panoor Municipality.

Her path to graduation, however, was tested by hardship. During her third semester, a severe bout of fever left her bedridden for months, forcing her to miss her examinations.

Undeterred, she petitioned the University Controller of Examinations, paid the requisite fee, and fought her way back into the academic stream, successfully completing every semester. Ramani lost her husband, Varippayil Vasu, in 1988, but found strength in her four sons and their families, who cheered her on throughout her studies. She, too, now dreams of enrolling in a Master's programme.