Ottapalam: “Need makes a person do everything.” That was the thought that crossed Revathi Vijayan’s mind when she first considered opening a small idli stall to fund her research studies.

When she decided to run a roadside food stall at night near the Mayannur bridge in Ottapalam, the possible risks a young woman might face flashed through her mind. Yet the realisation that she had no other option strengthened her resolve. Revathi chose courage over fear — running the stall at night and devoting her mornings to academic research.

The idli stall started by 30-year-old Revathi at Chembankottu in Pazhayannur of Thrissur, where she lives with her parents, sister and two young children, has now become a hit on social media. Her shop, called ‘Fresh Moon’, serves nearly 10 varieties of idli, including thattu idli, masala idli, egg idli, mutton idli, chicken idli, mini idli and podi idli.

Revathi’s father Vijayan was a tailor, while her mother Priya works as a cook in a school. A bright student from a young age, Revathi completed her undergraduate degree in Malayalam from Vimala College in Thrissur. She later obtained her BEd from NSS Training College, Ottapalam.

Even during her student years, she took classes at tutorials and coaching centres, determined not to burden her family financially. She later worked as a temporary teacher at a government school in Thiruvilwamala while simultaneously pursuing postgraduate studies through distance education, though she could not complete them at the time.

After marriage and the birth of her children, Revathi worried that her academic dreams might fade away. When one child was three and a half years old and the other just one and a half, she resigned from her teaching job and enrolled for a postgraduate degree at Vimala College. When she completed the course, she graduated as the first rank holder of her batch.

She also cleared the NET (National Eligibility Test) in her very first attempt. In between, she worked as a content creator, but her dream of continuing higher studies gradually led her towards research.

When Revathi decided to pursue research at Vimala College itself, the biggest challenge she faced was financial. Travelling daily from Pazhayannur to Thrissur for her studies left little time for regular employment. That was when the idea of an idli stall came to her mind.

Her daily routine is demanding. She attends college from 11 am to 3 pm, and from 5 pm until around 12.30 am, she runs the idli stall. What began as a small roadside venture has now grown — Revathi currently runs stalls not only in Ottapalam but also in Kecheri, Thrissur, and she is planning to open another outlet soon.

Her family has stood firmly beside her throughout the journey. Revathi has also appeared on literary platforms, including the Mathrubhumi Book Festival in Palakkad, where she conducted interviews with writers.

Revathi’s husband is Anoop, and the couple have two children — Rudrevadath and Hritwisreshtha.

Her story today is not merely about running a food stall. It is about determination, dignity of labour and the quiet courage of a woman who refused to give up on her dream of education.