“I may not have studied much, but I want my children to study as far as they want.
Our roots are in Gajwel, near Siddipet. We are farmers, and even today farming is a part of our lives. We have an acre of land in our village, and every year we go back during the farming season. Sometimes, we also cultivate leased farmland to earn a little extra. No matter how long we’ve lived in the city, farming is still a part of who we are.
I was married when I was just 12 years old. It was an arranged marriage, and about 20 years ago, my husband and I came to Hyderabad hoping to build a better future. We didn’t know what the city had in store for us. Like many families, we started from scratch and took up whatever work came our way, slowly building a life for ourselves.
Today, I run a roadside coconut stall, and for the past six years, my husband has also been driving an auto to support our family. Our days begin early and often end only after dark. There were times when paying the rent, our children’s school fees, and household expenses all at once felt overwhelming. During the pandemic, work became uncertain, but our responsibilities didn’t. Somehow, we got through it together.
I don’t think any work is small if it helps you feed your family. That’s something farming taught us, and it’s a lesson we’ve carried with us into the city. Whether we’re working in our fields back in the village or standing at this stall in Hyderabad, hard work has always been our way of life.
Everything we do is for our children. I couldn’t study beyond a certain point, but I don’t want my children to have the same limitations. My daughter is pursuing her graduation, and my son is in Class 12. On weekends, he comes to the stall to help us, but I always tell him that his education and sports come first.
We don’t have a house of our own yet, but we haven’t stopped dreaming. Every rupee we save brings us a little closer to that goal. More than a house, we want our children to have opportunities we never had. I want my daughter and son to complete their education, build good careers, and choose the life they want. That’s the future we’ve been working towards all these years.”
- Laxmi P