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Former Maoist Devji returns to exams after 40 years and vows to become a lawyer for marginalized people
India
Published on 15 May 2026
Police intimidation pushed him out in 1983
Nearly 40 years after leaving his Intermediate studies unfinished, 63-year-old former Maoist leader Devji—also known as Thippiri Tirupathi—appeared for the Telugu Intermediate supplementary exam in 2026. He obtained special permission from the board to sit for the paper after his education was derailed in 1983 when police entered exam halls to intimidate students. Now out of politics, Devji says he plans to clear LAWCET and pursue LLB to advocate for marginalized communities.
- Devji, 63, reappeared for the Telugu Intermediate supplementary exam in 2026
- He secured special permission from the board on May 11 to take the May 13 test
- In 1983, police entered exam halls and intimidated students linked to Radical Students Union
- Devji says he walked out mid-exam after a police officer entered his room
- He plans to take LAWCET to pursue LLB and represent marginalized communities
- He relied on extensive reading and a teacher to prepare for the exam
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times