A social media post by DMK scion and Deputy chief minister of the state, Udhayanidhi Stalin, congratulating a party member on their wedding has drawn significant criticism for its glaring omission of the bride’s landmark identity and accomplishments.
The post, made on 14 September 2025, celebrated the wedding of Sadhaa Azhagiri, the Deputy Secretary of the party’s IT Wing and the son of A.D. Sadhasivam, former head office secretary of the DMK. Udhayanidhi extended his warm wishes to the couple, referring to Azhagiri as “Brother” and lauding him and his family’s lineage and contributions to the party.
The post read, “The former head office secretary of the party, Mr. A.D. Sadhasivam, who lives in our memory, his beloved son, the party @DMKITwing Deputy Secretary Brother @SadhaaAzhagiri
– We conducted the wedding of Beno Chefin’s wife at the wedding house located in Aiyarvilak with the party leaders. We congratulated both the wife and the party leader and wished them a long life as hard workers.”
நம் நினைவில் வாழும் கழகத்தின் முன்னாள் தலைமை நிலையச் செயலாளர் திரு. ஆ.த. சதாசிவம் அவர்களின் அன்பு மகன் கழக @DMKITwing துணைச் செயலாளர் சகோதரர் @SadhaaAzhagiri – பெனோ செஃபின் இணையரின் திருமணத்தை ஆயிரம்விளக்கில் அமைந்திருக்கும் மணமக்கள் இல்லத்தில் கழக முன்னணியினருடன் நடத்தி… pic.twitter.com/6G1y6XFzM3
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) September 14, 2025
However, the post contained not a single word identifying the bride as Beno Zephine – a name celebrated across India for her groundbreaking achievement as the country’s first visually challenged Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer.
The omission has triggered criticism online, with commentators noting that while Udhayanidhi described the party worker in detail, he failed to acknowledge the remarkable accomplishments of Beno Zephine, a woman who overcame disability to join one of the country’s most elite services.
The incident has sparked a debate on social media about the tendency of political discourse to often overlook the achievements of women in favour of celebrating political connections and male lineage.
Who Is Beno Zephine?
Beno Zephine made history in 2014 when, at the age of 25, she became the first 100 per cent visually impaired person to be inducted into the Indian Foreign Service in its 69-year history. Until then, even partially blind candidates were considered ineligible for the IFS.
Born in Chennai to railway employee Luke Anthony Charles and homemaker Mary Padmaja, Zephine studied at Little Flower Convent Higher Secondary School, completed her undergraduate degree in English literature at Stella Maris College, and pursued post-graduation at Loyola College, Chennai.
Despite being visually impaired from birth, she excelled academically with strong support from her family and teachers. She worked as a probationary officer with the State Bank of India before preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination.
She secured an all-India rank of 343 in the 2013-14 examination, and in June 2014 received confirmation of her selection into the IFS. To support her preparation, she relied on JAWS (Job Access with Speech), a screen-reading software, while her mother helped with note-taking and study material.
Zephine has often credited her perseverance and the encouragement of her family as key to her success. Her story quickly drew national attention, with the Ministry of External Affairs making adjustments in service rules to enable her induction. She has since represented India in diplomatic assignments abroad and delivered motivational talks to students across the country.
Given her extraordinary achievements, Udhayanidhi Stalin’s omission of any reference to Zephine in his congratulatory post has raised eyebrows. Critics argued that the minister highlighted political lineage but ignored the remarkable identity of the bride.
(With inputs from Indian Masterminds)
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