“When I was in high school, most of my friends wanted to move to Hyderabad after their studies. The plan was always the same: get a degree, find an office job, and settle in the city. I spent some time there too, but I soon realised it wasn’t for me. I felt more at home in our village near Markook Mandal in Siddipet district. So I came back to continue what my family has done for generations, farming turmeric, groundnut and paddy alongside rearing our sheep and goats.

Life here is different. If you’re standing near the village tea stall, someone will call you over for tea. One conversation leads to another, and before you know it, everyone is laughing because someone is teasing a friend whose goats wandered into the wrong field that morning. That’s just another evening in our village.

Things changed after the Kondapochamma Sagar reservoir was built near our village. Every weekend, people drive down from Hyderabad to spend time by the water. Quite a few stop when they see my herd. They ask how many sheep I have, how far we walk every day, or whether this is my full-time work. I just smile and tell them this is what I’ve been doing since childhood.

When visitors stop to chat, many of them end up asking where they can rest, find something to eat, or use a clean washroom. It makes me wish our area had a few basic facilities like local food stalls, clean public toilets and boating. It would make their visit better while creating more opportunities for youngsters from villages like ours.

By evening, the cars slowly head back to Hyderabad. I gather the herd, check the next day’s weather on my phone and start walking home. Most of my friends built their lives in the city. Mine stayed right here in my hometown. Every evening, as I walk back across these fields, I’m reminded why I came back.”