“At 7, I started helping my parents with household chores and agricultural work because of our financial condition. My school was 3 km away and I would walk through the mountains barefoot, only because I loved studying. Unfortunately, after I completed class 5, my father asked me to discontinue my education. He sent me to work for a better off landlord, who’d given us a loan without any interest. It was one of the toughest phases of my life. I had to do all kinds of work for him. I would sleep in a cowshed to take care of his animals. This was only a small part of the big picture! I continued to do odd jobs to help my family. None of my brothers could attend school either. We all worked at different places to make ends meet.

A couple of years later, I moved to this city and started working here. That’s when I decided to resume and finish my education. I was back to books after 10 years and I didn’t know the English alphabet, because I had studied at a Telugu medium school. The first time, I only passed Hindi. But I didn’t give up. I worked hard, while simultaneously having a job and managed to pass after a couple of attempts. Soon, I applied for a BA degree from an open University. Through all of this, I was constantly working and trying to make as much money as possible, to send home. Even as a child, my interest was law. I didn’t know too much about the subject, but I remember observing the work of an advocate when one of our lands was under dispute. Since then, I wanted to study law. So, post my degree, I prepared for the entrance, which I passed and got a seat in a local law school. The real challenge was still awaiting me. It was completely English medium and I wouldn’t understand anything in the books. I would sit down every night to read, but my eyes would fill with tears. I was scared of not being able to pass my exams. I spent the day at college and libraries, did a couple of jobs and attended an English speaking course. I was 25 years old when I started studying again. It didn’t seem appropriate to many, considering my family needed my financial support. But I didn’t give up. I did both – get my law degree and help my family sustain themselves. Today, as a lawyer, I have solved as many as 350 cases, charging my clients fee a reasonable fee . I remember the days when we couldn’t afford to eat food, so I don’t want to make it difficult for anybody to get justice. When I look back, I realise that it hasn’t been easy but I was strong and determined, knowing, that it’s never too late to fulfill your dreams.”

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