“I was the first man to step outside my tribal village to study and pursue Nursing. Born and brought up in Eppalapalli Thanda in Nagarkurnool district in a poor tribal family, I moved to Hyderabad when I was 8 years old and studied here. The health issues faced by the people in my village inclined me towards becoming a doctor. However, the financial crisis at home did not allow me to live my dream. Instead, I pursued my interest in Nursing and got into the field of Medical-Surgical Nursing.

I always had the calling to serve people. In my 13 years of working as an orthopedic nurse, I have been a part of over 2000 operations. Some patients treat us well, while some don’t realise the importance of our services. They think of nurses as bedside supervisors.

But I remember assisting an elderly man a few years ago – the patient was all alone and it was a major operation. Both his sons were settled in Australia and they couldn’t come to the hospital. At that time, I was with him for one week and took care of him like my own father. And we were finally recognised for our services being recognised as frontline warriors during covid.

On this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, I stand in solidarity with my community and celebrate our cultural richness, and contributions to society. I’m proud to be a male nurse from a tribal background, and I’ll continue working towards a future where indigenous voices are heard, respected, and valued.”

• Laxman Rudavath, Orthopedic Scrub Nurse