“I come from a small village in Mahabubnagar. Growing up, I always wanted to be independent. I studied till Class 10, which was rare for girls in our area back then. After that, I got married at an early age to a hardworking farmer. We were blessed with two children, and for a while, life moved on in its usual way.

But when floods hit and damaged our crops, everything turned upside down. We had no savings left. We moved to the outskirts of Hyderabad, hoping to rebuild life. My husband started driving an auto, and I began doing small work in a factory. Slowly, I started selling fruits and snacks by the highway.

We managed to rent a small house and saved up to buy a manual sugarcane machine. We began selling fruits, corn, and sugarcane juice to travellers.

Most days are spent under the open sky, facing the heat, dust, and rain. It’s April now, and the summer is already harsh — it’s only going to get worse in May. Some days, the weather doesn’t allow us to open the stall, and our income suffers. But we’ve learnt to manage with whatever comes our way.

Even now, during the harvest season, I go back to my hometown to help out. That connection to the land hasn’t gone away. But this move was for our children. Today, both my sons are pursuing their graduation. We might not have had much, but we’re giving them everything we can, and they’re equally working hard to build a good future.

This journey hasn’t been easy. We’ve faced insults, struggles, and uncertainty. But we never took shortcuts. We don’t cheat our customers for short-term profits. What we earn comes from our work, and that’s what keeps us going.

I believe every woman, no matter where she comes from, should have the chance to be independent. Village or city — everyone deserves that freedom. Things are changing slowly, and I hope more women step forward without waiting for permission.

This life taught me one thing — when nothing is certain, hard work and discipline are. And that’s what we depend on, every single day.”