Bengaluru: Cyclone Gaja had wreaked havoc in Tamil Nadu in 2018. 

The government, as part of its measures to help out farmers who had faced the brunt of the cyclone, distributed a compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh. 

Bakiyalakshmi, 36, too was one such woman farmer. However, while the other farmers used this amount to repair the damages, she did something unique. She used this amount to construct a volleyball court for girls. 

She endeavoured to do it as there are many girls in her village who had aspirations to become volleyball players, but did not have the money to get one court done, reports Times of India. 

The website adds her as saying, “I found that though several girls aspire to play for our state and country, their parents are unwilling to send their wards for practice because the coaches take them to various places looking for a good volleyball court. Five students who studied at the school got admission in various sports hostels in the state. But, their parents prevented them from joining hostels”. 

She adds that her endeavour will attract more girls to take up volleyball. 

“Students Nisha, Samyuktha had played for state and were even selected for other levels. But they could not pursue it as a profession. So I decided to construct a proper volleyball court at the school using the compensation.” 

As of now, 80% of the work has been done. She will complete it when the school reopens.

She adds, “With the permission of the school administration, I have completed 80% of the work spending ₹1.2 lakh. The remaining work, halted due to the lockdown, will be done when school reopens”. 

Presently, the volleyball court has been built at the government girls higher secondary school in her native place. 
Bhakiyalakshmi had been teaching in her native place for seven year, but was forced to take up cultivating coconut trees after her husband passed away in 2016.