MPEDA Honours India’s Pioneering Deep-sea Fisherwoman Rekha Karthikeyan

KOCHI:
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) today felicitated the country’s first woman with deep-sea fishing licence, with the statutory body’s Chairman K S Srinivas hailing Rekha Karthikeyan of Thrissur district for excelling in what is conventionally a male domain.

At a function in MPEDA’s headquarters here ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, Rekha was given a memento and a pair of life jackets besides a financial package of Rs 6.6 lakh jointly contributed by AFDC, Tasty Nibbles Group and Seafood Export Association of India.

Srinivas, while praising Rekha for her “grit and determination”, expressed happiness over women entering vocations that have traditionally been male bastions. “These days, she fishes in the deep sea, covering 50 nautical miles daily on an average,” he added. All that, without the mariner’s compass or even a lifejacket.

Rekha, 40, who lives with her husband and four children at their house in coastal Chettuva south of Guruvayur, recalled that it was 12 years ago that she, without knowing how to swim, first ventured into deep sea with her husband K V Karthikeyan.

“While the seawaters were expectedly choppy, resistance awaited me back on the shores too. For, society kept saying fishing cannot be a female’s profession,” pointed out Rekha, who originally hails from Koorkenchery in suburban Thrissur. “Women must not be indifferent towards injustice. We need to take up challenges boldly,” she added, citing experiences from personal and professional fronts.

Notwithstanding the initial hiccups, Rekha and her husband, of late a heart patient, would take their boat in the small hours (around 3 a.m.) to fish. She also learned swimming and later applied for a licence to fish deep in the sea. Authorities refused to give her the document, until Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute intervened and arranged to grant Rekha the licence in early 2019.

Today’s function was attended by MPEDA Director (Marketing) T Dola Sankar, Director (Technical) Dr M Karthikeyan and Secretary B Sreekumar. The speakers at the gathering were Tasty Nibbles Managing Director Cherian Kurian, MPEDA Chief Accounts Officer Deepa E V and Hindi Officer Tulsi Nair. MPEDA Deputy Director (Aquaculture) Elsamma Ithack welcomed the gathering and System Analyst Usha Singh proposed thanks.

The 1972-established MPEDA, as a statutory body under the Union Government’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry, coordinates with different central and state government establishments engaged in fishery production and allied activities. It works for increasing the exports of marine products through interventions in fishing, aquaculture, processing, marketing, extension, quality assurance, R&D and training in various aspects.