Meet Dr. Jetish Sivadas, the barber-professor-lyricist

There is a Modern Makeup Salon at Cherukkanam Kavala on the Aluva-Munnar road. The chief barber here is one Dr. Jetish Sivadas. Yes, you heard that right. He is also a college professor and film lyricist. There is also another speciality—he got his degrees without being a regular college student. It’s been an easy journey to get his doctorate. Despite getting a doctorate, he continues to work as a barber. After his teaching job as a Malayalam professor at Kurupampadi St Kuriakose College, he slips into the role of a barber in the evening.

A life full of struggles

When he dropped out of school after 9th grade, his family migrated from Pooyamkutty Manikandan Chalil to Kottapadi. His first obstacle to reaching school was to cross a river. It was difficult for the lad as he had a respiratory illness. The son of Sivadas-Shantamma couple from Kottekudi was no quitter. It was his sheer determination and hard work that helped him amass these degrees, pass the National Eligibility Test to become a college professor, and also acquire a Ph.D. His schooling was at Kuttambuzha Govt HSAS and he had to take a boat to ferry him to school. When these regular trips worsened his health, his parents started getting worried. They shifted to Kottapadi to concentrate on his schooling and health. He passed out SSLC from Kottapadi Mar Elias school.

Job and studies

His family was not keen on letting him pursue plus two. They send him to Uncle Venu’s salon at Payyal to learn their family occupation. Along with haircutting, he also did a course in Electronic and Tele Communications. He also passed the scientific exam of the Mumbai Technical Education Society. The course in Electronic and Telecommunications gave him the confidence to start a TV mechanic shop at Kottapadi. It is from here that he finished Plus two through distance education and also got a bachelor’s degree in history from Calicut University. He married his school sweetheart Baby soon after his degree. She teaches at Ashamannoor Government UP School. His daughters Meenakshi and Malavika are studying in 9th and 1st grade respectively.

After marriage, he decided to take over his brother’s Salon at Cherukunnam. Meanwhile, he obtained a post-graduate degree in Malayalam and passed NET in 2011. He worked as a Malayalam professor at Bharath Mata College, Thrikkakara for a year. From 2022, he is a science professor at Kurupampadi St Kuriakose College of Management.

The research continues

In 2014, he registered for Ph.D. at MG University through Aluva UC College. The Junior Research Fellowship he received in 2015 helped him financially. Dr. Aju K Narayanan at UC college was his guide. When he got transferred to MG University’s School of Letters in 2016, Jitesh continued his research there. On 7th he was conferred PhD in Sreekumaran Thampi’s movie lyrics and their social criticism.