I was in first class when my parents decided to move our family to the city. We were living with my grandparents. For my brothers and me, everything felt new and unfamiliar. My parents worked as daily wage labourers. In a month, they earned around ₹2,000. Even before bringing money home, they had to spend some of it on travelling by bus to work. What remained had to cover rent, food, and the needs of three children. For a family living in the city, that was very little.

When the time came to put us in school, my father was worried about how he would afford it. A government school seemed like the only option we could manage. My uncle told him about Kallam Anji Reddy Vidyalaya, a school run by a foundation. 

For me, school soon became the best part of my day. Every morning, I looked forward to going there. I enjoyed being with my friends and learning new things. But what I remember most was that our teachers taught us much more than what was written in our textbooks. They spoke to us about discipline, responsibility, and helping others. They encouraged us to believe that our circumstances did not have to decide our future.

In the beginning, the school fees were manageable. Since there were three children in our family, my youngest brother was admitted without having to pay fees. For a few years, somehow, my parents managed.

But as we grew older, the financial pressure increased. By the time I was in sixth standard, I had started helping my uncle at his salon. I would go to school in the morning and return home in the evening. After that, I would go to the salon and help with whatever work was needed. By the time I returned home, I was tired, but my homework was still waiting for me.

My teachers noticed what I was going through. Instead of letting me fall behind, they supported me. They encouraged me to stay focused. I studied hard and scored well in my 10th board examinations.

My results gave my father confidence that I should continue my education. Even though money was still a problem, he decided not to stop me from studying. He took a loan and enrolled me in a good intermediate college. It was another risk for him, but he believed that education was worth it.

Around the same time, my elder brother opened a salon of his own. My father joined him there, and the salon became an important source of income for our family. Whenever I had time away from my studies, I would go there and help as well.

I completed my intermediate education with good results and received a scholarship to study at Osmania University. I completed my degree and later began working in sales at SAP.

Getting my first job changed things for me and my family. For the first time, I was earning through the education that my parents had struggled so hard to provide.

But I did not want to stop there. Along with my job, I cleared my IPCC and completed my CA Articleship. Today, I work at ADP and am pursuing my PhD at IMS Ghaziabad. My research focuses on mergers and acquisitions and their impact on the financial revenue of organisations.

Sometimes, when I think about where I began, this still feels difficult to believe.

My father continues to work at the salon, but things have changed over the years. What began as a small salon has now grown into two branches. One of the most meaningful things I have been able to do is buy my father a house.

For someone who spent his life worrying about rent, school fees, and how to provide for his children, being able to give him a home was a moment I will always remember.

I hope to start a school of my own someday. I want children who come from families like mine to have the opportunity to study without feeling that their circumstances have already decided their future. Because I know what one opportunity can do.