A day in the life of hostel warden Chikka Gangamma
In the early morning hours, when most of the campus is still stirring from sleep, a familiar figure makes her way through the quiet streets of IISc. With a gentle smile that has become her trademark, Chikka Gangamma begins another day of guarding not just the premises, but also the wellbeing of countless young women who call these hostels home.
She has the morning shift today, so she reaches the campus by 5.45 am, comfortably ahead of the daily briefing at the Security Office. “This is where we are assigned our duties to a particular hostel for the day,” Gangamma explains, as she marks her biometric attendance. “We will be briefed about our responsibilities by the head of security.” She makes her way to the assembly line of the security staff.
The briefing lasts about half an hour. Around 6.30 am, the security staff head towards their destinations, to start their day’s work.
“I have been working here since January of 2017,” Gangamma reveals, as she heads towards Tunga, the hostel where she has been assigned morning duty. Her eyes soften as she speaks about her late husband, who introduced her to this job. “My husband was a security guard here,” she says, adjusting her uniform badge. “He knew this would be a secure job for me. Back then, I was working in a godown, doing packaging work.”
She pauses, her voice gentle. “Though he’s no longer with us, his decision changed our lives completely.”
With an early call time part of the job, her day begins at the crack of dawn. “I wake up at 4 am whenever I have a morning shift,” she explains. “I finish all the household work and prepare meals for my family, including my son and father. My brother drops my son at school and after my shift ends at 2 pm, I take him back home.”
Upon reaching the hostel, she hurriedly takes over the responsibilities from the lady guards of the previous shift. It mainly involves taking charge of the registers – visitor entries, parcel deliveries, cleaning staff schedule, complaints, and so on. As she goes through the motions, she explains the process. “We have to take responsibility for everything that goes on in and around the hostel. It can range from technical issues with the lift or plumbing to personal issues concerning the health of a student, like taking care of them in the absence of a caretaker and ensuring food from the mess reaches them on time. We are also trained to handle emergencies such as a fire or medical situation.”
The pride in her voice is evident as she describes her responsibilities, to which the other lady guards accompanying her in the shift wholeheartedly agree.
Balancing family and duty
With a job that is dependent on different shifts and timings, it takes a lot of personal acrobatics to keep the family life moving smoothly. The morning shift goes from 6.30 am to 1.30 pm, the second shift extends till 8.30 pm after which the night shift starts and ends at 6.30 am the next day.
“Night shifts are particularly challenging. My 80-year-old father, who needs assistance, looks after my son when I’m away. Moreover, being a human and a mother, I must let go of all the tiredness and stay alert all the time, which is sometimes difficult throughout the night, but I try my best,” Gangamma admits. “Morning and afternoon shifts are easier as I’m home by evening.”
Night shifts are particularly challenging … I must let go of all the tiredness and stay alert all the time
She works six days a week, with two days of morning, afternoon and night shifts. Fridays are her days off.
Over her seven years at IISc, she has formed deep and lasting friendships with her colleagues. Her warm, approachable nature has helped foster a strong sense of camaraderie within the team. They often share homemade breakfasts and lunches. Her thoughtful gestures have made her a beloved figure on campus. In one instance, when one of the hostel residents was suffering from severe period cramps, Gangamma went out of her way to assist the girl, taking her to the IISc health centre and stayed there all night, taking care of her like a mother. She frequently checked on the young woman, inquiring about her health and recovery, ensuring she never felt alone. Upon recovering, the young woman gifted her a large bag filled with chocolates, which Gangamma, true to her spirit, shared with her friends on campus and carried the remaining home to her family.
Her emotional intelligence sets her apart. “These girls need more than just security,” she informs. “Sometimes, they need someone to understand them, and be patient with them.”
“One day on duty, I received instructions from the security office to closely monitor a student who had been emotionally disturbed for a couple of days,” she recounts. “She suddenly had an outburst.”
Her voice takes a gentler tone as she continues. “I just observed her from a distance. Eventually, she broke down and hugged me. Sometimes, all they need is someone to show they care,” Gangamma remarks. “My entire job is based on emotional connections.”
Reflections and aspirations
On a personal level, her transformation has mirrored her years of service. “Before joining IISc, we lived in a house in which the roof leaked every monsoon,” she recalls, emotion evident in her voice. “Today, I have four rooms built with my own savings. But you know what matters more?” She smiles before answering her rhetorical question. “It’s how this community came together when my father needed urgent blood transfusions. I received around 500 calls from students, faculty, and staff offering to help. That day, I realised this isn’t just my workplace – it’s my second home.”
She goes on. “People always ask for more than what they have (when it comes to salary), but I am immensely satisfied and proud of whatever I earn as it has enabled me to pay for my kid’s education and build a roof over our head in the absence of my husband. All the security officials are paid the same amount and moreover, they provide us with raincoats, umbrellas and other necessities for free. I ask for no more,” she adds with a smile.
Working in shifts can be challenging, especially as a single parent. But whenever higher officials request her to do an extra shift, she does not say no. “They have given me so much respect, ” she explains.
When my father needed urgent blood transfusions, I received around 500 calls offering to help. This isn’t just my workplace – it’s my second home
Her face brightens as she talks about the most rewarding aspects of her job. “The connection with these students is priceless. When my son visits campus, they treat him like their younger brother. They even gifted him a chalkboard once,” she chuckles.
Throughout the conversation, she managed to seamlessly keep up with her chores without skipping a beat. Early in the morning, she attended to all the cleaning ladies who had come in for their work; she ensured that they were present and followed the rules. Then there were multiple parcel deliveries. She made sure that only allowed items were taken inside the hostel rooms. She put aside the others for further discussion with the respective students. She also registered a few complaints regarding the lift. During lunch time, she made sure the students who were unwell received their lunch from their messes on time.
In between, she swiftly addressed other minor issues from organising repairs with electricians and plumbers to overseeing balcony net installations. Moving in between the interview and her chores, she frequently indulged in heartful greetings with students she recognised.
As her shift winds down, Gangamma shares a heartfelt plea to students: “Please avoid smoking and drinking, especially in the hostels. If you’re stressed, there are better ways to cope. I’m always here to listen.”
Her unwavering smile, which has comforted countless students over the years, serves as a testament to this statement. In her role, she embodies more than just security – she’s a mentor, a confidante, and a maternal figure who helps make IISc feel like home for students far from their families.
(Raisa Sanaa, Agam Ghotiya and Mishra Aman Ashok are undergraduate students at IISc. A shorter version of this article was first published as part of their Humanities class assignment)
(Edited by Sandeep Menon)
