R. Gokuleswaran, 39, is a naturalized Indian national from a Sri Lankan refugee camp in Tiruchi district. He cast his first vote as an Indian citizen in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on Thursday. | Photo credit: M. Moorthy
R. Gokuleswaran, 39, a resident of the Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Camp in Kottapattu, Tiruchi, had a long-held dream come true when he cast his vote for the first time as an Indian citizen in the State Legislative Assembly elections on Thursday (April 23, 2026).
“Most first-time voters are in their early 20s. I am almost 40. But I feel as if my life as an Indian has just begun and my children’s future as Indian citizens is assured,” Mr Gokuleswaran, a father of two who works in a shop in Kattur, told The Hindu on Thursday.
Published – 23 Apr 2026 18:41 IST
