Meet Ambiyamma, the teacher who introduced Malayalam to over 5000 students

Alappuzha: Most of us have no idea about learning alphabets by writing on the sand with an index fingertip. But  ‘Kudipallikoodam’ in Nikarthil house at Vazhachira in Vadakkan Aryad here is popular for this traditional system of language learning. Here, Ambiyamma Ashatty who is above 70 years is teaching Malayalam alphabets for more than 40 students at present. 

She has been teaching children for the past 46 years and earned over 5000 students till now. Ambiyamma said that it makes her happy when her old students visit her on special days. 

The students learn Malayalam by writing on the sand with the index fingertip at the ‘Ashatty Kalari’ of Ambiyamma’s house. Though children write and immediately erase the letters written on the sand, it remains imprinted forever in their minds. 

Ambiyamma’s husband Thankappan was a staff at Kerala Spinners Limited. Her daughter Seena is a Village Extension Officer and her son Gopinath works at a private institution in Aroor. 

On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, 'Nanmakoodu' activists led by Asokan Aksharamala honoured Ambiyamma.