The pension, lost over the years due to ignorance, negligence, and departmental apathy, was finally granted to Gigi recently, thanks to the intervention of the Central Government Pensioners’ Association (CGPA).
Nilambur, Malappuram: Gigi, an Adivasi woman from Kerala, waged a 17-year struggle to secure her father’s family pension. The pension, lost over the years due to ignorance, negligence, and departmental apathy, was finally granted to Gigi recently at her home in Pookkottumpadam, Malappuram, thanks to the intervention of the Central Government Pensioners Association (CGPA).
Gigi’s father, CP Ramachandran, had retired as a postman from Nilambur Post Office and passed away in 2002. His wife had died earlier, leaving the family without a pension. They had six children, three of whom had also died. The surviving children are Gigi, her brother Srinivasan, and her younger sister Ambili. Unmarried or widowed daughters were eligible to receive their father’s dependent pension. Accordingly, the youngest daughter, Ambili, applied and received the pension.
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As per the law at that time, pensions were granted only until the age of 25. As a result, Ambili’s pension ended in April 2005. Subsequent amendments allowed unmarried daughters to receive pensions until death or remarriage. By then, Ambili had married.
Under these circumstances, Gigi applied for the pension in 2008. She submitted her entitlement certificate, No Objection Cetificates (NOC) from other siblings, and proof of unmarried status to the authorities multiple times. The department repeatedly requested various certificates, all of which she provided.
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Despite this, her pension was not approved. Belonging to a Scheduled Tribe community, Gigi continued to visit offices and followed up to claim her right. After her determined struggle, the postal department finally issued the pension order on January 6, 2026.
Since Gigi had moved from Nilambur following her parents’ death, neither the CGPA nor other authorities were aware of her case. It was only in September 2025 that the Association learned of her situation. Their subsequent intervention helped ensure that Gigi finally received her pension.
Published: 14 Jan 2026, 01:25 pm IST
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