Jagapathi Babu lends helping hand to ragpickers' daughter aspiring to join IAS

Actor Jagapathi Babu has come forward to help the daughter of ragpickers to realise her dream of becoming an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. Impressed by Aripina Jayalaxmi's story of determination and struggle, the actor has assured financial help for her coaching for civil services examination.

After watching a story about Jayalaxmi on a leading Telugu television channel, the actor's mother had suggested to him to lend a helping hand to the girl. Jagapathi Babu not only met Jayalaxmi but also assured to help her in preparing for the exam.

Parents of Jayalaxmi collect garbage from houses. The family lives in Singareni colony slum in Saidabad area of Hyderabad. A degree student, Jayalaxmi has been raising the issues of slums by organising meetings under the aegis of children's "parliament".

She earlier acted as "Prime Minister of the city level children's Parliament" and raised pressing issues like hunger. Now working as "Prime Minister of world children's parliament", she along with representatives from various countries discusses issues of their communities in an online mode.

She received the changemaker award 2022. Dr Andrew Fleming, who served as British deputy high commissioner in Hyderabad till recently, tweeted last month that she was one of the most inspiring people he met in Hyderabad during the last five years.

"She turned every head in the room in 2018 when at an event she announced her intention to be an IAS Officer," Fleming wrote and prayed for the success of Jayalaxmi by calling a true changemaker full of kindness and good intent.