“I came to Hyderabad in 2011 to pursue MSc in Biotechnology. Back then, I thought life would follow a conservative path — study, job, settle. I’m from Teegul village in Jagdevpur Mandal, Siddipet district, near Gajwel, and moving to the city felt like the natural next step.
Even as a student, I found myself stepping out of classrooms to volunteer — distributing food, helping people in rural areas with limited medical access, organising early blood donation drives, and supporting families during last rites when they had no one.
Those experiences stayed with me longer than any textbook. I realised service didn’t have to wait until graduation — it could exist alongside learning.
Blood donation became part of my life early on. Over the years, it has reached 31 donations. Many don’t realise donation isn’t just whole blood — platelets, plasma, and white blood cells matter too. WBC donation is demanding and time-consuming, and fewer people step forward. I do, because once you’ve seen need closely, hesitation doesn’t feel right.
I continue to work with different NGOs, learning on the ground. With Sparsh Hospice, I volunteer in palliative care — sitting with patients and families, helping with basic needs, and being present. It has taught me that service isn’t always about doing more — sometimes it’s about noticing and listening.
Writing has always stayed with me. I began with poetry, shaped by people and experiences. Since 2019, I’ve been working as a journalist with a Telugu daily, reporting stories rooted in everyday realities. That writing gradually moved into cinema — lyrics, stories, dialogues — and now an upcoming web series with my friend Vivekananda Vikrant.
That same need to stay connected led me to TORCH (Team of Research on Culture and Heritage), where I work on awareness sessions and community discussions around preserving cultural heritage and architecture — another way of giving back.
Hyderabad gave me space to grow into this intent. I practise natural farming in my village, growing vegetables and nurturing rare plants.
Looking ahead, my path moves with nature and cinema — both rooted in staying connected, to people and the land.”
- Srikanth Hanumadri