Everytime I look at a rock, I think of different ways of turning it into a piece of art. I’ve always been like this – it’s been in the family. We’ve been stone carvers for a long time. Although I’m originally from Guntur district, I moved to Hyderabad in 1977 to start a business here. It was quite a struggle when I started off. The space was insufficient and the money was scarce. But I couldn’t have killed my business, so I set up my shop with about 40 workers and we started with small idols for temples. A few years later, it struck me that I should do something bigger. That’s when I started taking orders to make statues. I remember making one of PV Narasimha Rao for the Tank Bund park, with my workers. Every time I pass by it, I feel extremely proud.
When I was carving one such 30-feet statue, a stone accidentally fell on my leg. It felt like my world came falling down. I couldn’t think. I went numb and my leg stopped moving. The doctors suggested that I get it operated and do away with half of my leg. There was no other alternative so I went ahead with it. What would I do with my life? How would continue my life as a stone carver without being able to do the job? It kept bothering me for a few months, but soon, things fell into place. My workers and family have been supportive and that’s what makes me stronger. My next aim and my dream, is to build a 35-feet Buddha statue specifically for Amaravathi!

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