“I remember my dad being bedridden through most of my childhood. It was the toughest time of my life – watching my mother take care of him while trying to earn some money and my siblings struggling to buy medicines while taking up huge responsibilities at a young age. Although my mom wasn’t educated, she always persuaded me to go to school. Her focus was to ensure I attended the best institutions. People would ask her why she was spending the little money she earned on my education, but she didn’t feel the need to answer them. She knew it was the right thing to do. As a person, I was highly influenced by her thoughts and the need to do well academically. I managed to juggle both school and household chores – mostly nursing my dad. My aim was to get out of my hometown, Amalapuram and settle in a city. Our situation would only make me want to work harder and move away.

So I spent my days studying hard. When I joined college, I didn’t have great communication skills. I was good at debating but I was an introvert. Coming from a conservative background, after moving to Hyderabad, it took me a while to get used to people from different upbringings. My mother never wanted me to get married – that was something I believed in too. But when I met the man eventually married and his family, I understood that he was supportive. He assured me that I should always keep my parents first and I didn’t need his permission for that. This was a game-changer for me. Around the time my wedding was fixed, my father passed away. It was shattering, but I knew it wasn’t the end. I always believed that bad things would happen but we need to move on. So, I got married to that man, while continuing to work. I had a son and raised him, while still continuing to work. All my life I never wanted to give up on my job – that was my kind of independence. My life has been unscripted and unstoppable. When I look back, I’m proud of who I have become and all that I have achieved.”

#INDEPENDENT #SUPPORT #FAMILY #HARDSHIPS #MOTHERSLOVE #WORKINGWOMAN #CHOICES #BELIEVE #WORKLIFE #SUCCESS #FEMINISM #EQUALITY #SUCCESS #HARDWORK #EMPOWER #EDUCATE #LIFE #SURVIVAL #HYDERABAD #HUMANSOFHYDERABAD