Idukki: For over four decades, Valsamma Joseph served at the same post office, handling a wide range of responsibilities with quiet dedication. Her 41-year-long service formally came to a close on December 19, yet even after retirement, the Mankulam post office continues to rely on her experience.

Valsamma's journey is particularly inspiring as she completed her long career without a single complaint against her. Such was her commitment to duty that she was asked to train the new staff members appointed to take charge after her retirement.

"I retired on the 19th of December, but I still have a role to play there. I am training the person who has come in my place," Valsamma said, her words reflecting the gratitude and fulfilment that come with years of faithful service.

Her dedication is echoed by residents of Mankulam in Idukki district, who hold her in high regard. "Valsamma's years of service are commendable. She carried out her duties with sincerity and care, which is why the people here speak so highly of her," said Shiny Mathew, a local resident and former ward member.

The significance of Valsamma's tenure at the lone post office in Mankulam becomes clearer when one considers the location and the period in which she began her service. Mankulam is a quiet, hilly village located about 18 km from the nearest town of Adimali. When she joined the post office in 1984, transport facilities were limited and the people solely relied on it for outside communication. "There were no proper roads then, and the postman had to walk long distances to deliver letters," Valsamma recalled.

Valsamma joined the postal department as a branch postmaster in 1984, two years after her marriage to Mankulam native Joseph Mathew. She had completed her pre-degree course from St Mary's College, Vazhoor, before registering with the Kattapana employment exchange, through which she secured the appointment.

"I received the appointment letter shortly after the birth of my second child. I was initially confused about whether to join or not. I asked my husband if I should pursue the job, and he supported me, telling me to do whatever I wished," she said. She further recalled that the church vicar at the time was adamant that she should take up the job. "That is how I finally decided to accept the post," she added.

However, the early days of her career at the Mankulam Post Office, located close to her home, were not easy. "Initially, I struggled to settle into the job. Once I started working, some people assumed that I had secured the position through bribery. They turned against me and even tried to oust me from the post. But when they realised that I had been appointed through the proper channel, the hostility subsided," she said.

The challenges did not end there. "Once, I was accused of misappropriating ₹850 that I had sent, as it was claimed the money was not received. I was blamed for taking it. However, I had properly recorded the excess amount in the record books. When I returned after going out for tea, the money was missing. My seniors understood the situation and knew I was innocent because everything had been duly entered in the registers," Valsamma said.

A devout Christian, Valsamma believes that divine intervention helped her overcome every challenge. "I have always done my job with sincerity and have never indulged in any wrongdoing. I believe in God, and I feel that He has protected me through every difficult situation," she said.

Valsamma recalled an incident that brought her immense joy during her years of service. "At that time, there was an 80-year-old woman living in Mankulam with her husband. After a partition dispute, their children stopped taking care of them, as one of the sons had claimed the majority share of the property," she said.

"One day, I noticed that the woman had not bathed for nearly a month. When I asked her why, she told me that she wished to at least wear a gold chain once in her life. Their living conditions were miserable then," Valsamma recalled. Moved by her plight, she took the woman to a retreat centre, where she found some comfort and happiness.

Valsamma said the elderly woman was receiving a pension, for which she opened a savings bank account and began depositing the amount regularly. "One day, the woman went missing. When I asked her husband about it, he initially said nothing. When I pressed further, he told me that she had been admitted to an old-age home," she said.

She later realised that there was a shortfall of ₹10,000 to buy the gold chain. Valsamma contacted one of the woman's sons, who sent the money. “Using the pension amount and the money sent by her son, I bought her the chain and gave it to her. She was extremely happy," she said. "Sadly, she passed away a few days later. But being able to fulfil her wish is something I will always cherish," Valsamma added.

Valsamma said her career was marked by many such instances, and that she did whatever she could to help people in need. Recognising her dedicated and faithful service, the Superintendent of the Idukki Postal Division attended her farewell and lauded her decades-long career. "I have never seen anyone complete so many years of service without a single complaint or anyone complaining against her," Valsamma recalled the official as saying.

Valsamma has chosen to devote her time to completing Bible writing for the church after retirement. She also plans to visit her grandchildren and spend time with them. After years of serving the people of Mankulam—whom she continues to cherish deeply—Valsamma now looks forward to a quieter life surrounded by her loved ones.