Stars of Chinni’s World – 1

My uncles used to tell me the story of an inspirational man in our childhood. In fact, the man was a living example and there for all of us to closely observe and feel his greatness.

Once upon a time in a remote village, there was a couple Sriramayya and Mallamma. While all his remaining siblings were well off Sriramayya was one unlucky guy, loosing money in everything. These poverty-stricken couple lost their first kid within few days of his birth. In another couple of years, Mallamma gave birth to another baby boy, but within few months he was detected with small pox. Everyone thought the baby boy was no more but an elderly lady’s tantric methods brought him to life! Here he arrived, beginning his life with a struggle, making it his habit in the days to come…

Mallamma named her son Venkanna and her world revolved around him. But yet, not getting a penny of income from the head of the family made life really tough for them (single-meal-days were so common!!) and Mallamma had no option but to engage herself in some labour. She used to buy tobacco from the local merchants and roll them into cigars. Once Venkanna reached the age of 11-12years, he used to carry these cigars to the nearest town to get better returns (as the local merchants were not offering a better deal), walking all the way 13kms on either side… On the days he hadn’t had to go to the market, he took the cattle of his neighbours to the grazing fields and guard them, just anticipating a meal from their owner. All this, he did by still maintaining good aggregate and extra-curricular activities at school. Eventually, in the state-wide public examinations for class X, he was the only one to pass in first class in the entire mandal comprising about 40 villages, while his close friend Raju missed it by just 5-6marks. There were celebrations all over the village and Venkanna was hailed for bringing name to the village. But the real tests were yet to come.

Venkanna was not in a position financially to go ahead with higher education. He went to his uncles to plead for supporting his further education and faced the embarrassment of his life time. One of the uncles offered a permanent employment to feed his cattle, another one just made a mockery while another one made this kid stand in his corridor all the day without saying a ‘yes’ or ‘no’!! And before this young boy could decide whether to cry his heart out, the family had to move away from the village as Sriramayya had become completely bankrupt by now, owing money to almost all and sundry in the village. The family shifted their base to Mallamma’s maternal village. All the villagers who gave money to Sriramayya had given up any hopes of getting their money back. But this had a huge beating on Venkanna’s pshyche and left him heart-broken.

In his uncle’s village, Venkanna, along with his cousins, used to spend time in the local big-shot and politically influential Ammanna’s house. Ammanna used to engage this boy in activities like writing letters and other stationary work. Observing the boy’s spark, planning of activities and keen interest in things, Ammanna felt he could do more to the boy. He sent him to a contractor and the boy could start his career, finally, at the age of 17 as a temporary labor in a government company with a monthly earning of 150 rupees. But Venkanna told his parents that his salary is only 100 rupees. Venkanna continued to impress the management and cemented his place in the company, becoming a permanent employee within two years. He still continued to hide the actual earnings from his parents and build the reserves of his savings.

One fine day, at the age of 24, almost 8-9 years after they vacated his birth place, Venkanna landed in his village, his birth-place!! He carefully distributed the savings he accumulated all these years and went to each of the persons to whom his father owed money, politely told them that he could save money to re-pay almost 80% of the debt and requested them to write-off the remaining amount. For the people who have already given up on the entire amount, it sounded like music to their ears!! In the course of these re-payment meetings, Venkanna happened to meet Ramulu garu, a very hard-working and kind-hearted yet a rich-man himself. Ramulu was so impressed with this guy so much that he could see himself in Venkanna. He did a thorough enquiry about the boy and made him his son-in-law, by giving him the apple-of-his-eye, Roja!! It was a move of Ramulu which surprised many in the village… as Ramulu had already found rich alliances to his other daughters. And Venkanna was a man who did not have even a hut of his own!! But as they say, marriages are made in heaven, and so was this one.

When the new couple started, they were a family of four (including his parents) living in a house with a single room!! Venkanna realized that his job was far from over… he strived to improve their living condition, carefully planning each and every rupee of his income. Roja quickly read the situation and proved to be the real better half of her man, valuing every penny of her husband’s income. She was Venkanna’s greatest strength, understanding him to the core, although having come from a rich family. They had two sons in due course of time. Venkanna had set two clear-cut motives: 1. To provide quality education to his children (which he was deprived of in his childhood, and which his equally hard-working friend Raju, who went on to become a professor, got despite several difficulties of his own!!) 2. To improve their condition and standard of living.

The couple did the long journey together, taking some hard decisions and sacrificing their short-term fun moments for their long term goals. Venkanna was well known for his systematic and planned approach and he implemented them meticulously. He made sure his kids had absolutely no pressure on them and got good facilities. He continued to take care of his parents and the greatest thing was that he carried the responsibility of being the only son with aplomb, even though as-a-matter-of-fact, it was his father’s inability that led to almost all the hardships he faced in life!! Venkanna could certainly achieve his targets, although not in a typical filmy style, turning big over-night… Yes, it took time. Not one or two years, but a couple of decades!! I came to know recently from my uncle that he could own a double storeyed house and a small car. His sons settled well in their lives and gave the satisfaction to him that all he relinquished was worthwhile. He earned the status, respect and reverence with only one way he knew… HARD WORK!!

Venkanna is my hero because he is someone who I can really try to emulate to make it big... He is my hero, for showing what a sustained-hard work can result in. He is my hero, for exemplifying the value of character and values… And yes, he is my hero because I am what I am because of him!! Venkanna is none other than my ever loving dad, Venkata Rao!! Roja, is my sweet mom Saroja. Ammanna garu is the father of our ex-minister and senior congress leader Gudivada Gurunadha Rao garu. And lastly, my college friends will appreciate this, dad’s friend Raju is none other than late Dr.K. Appala Raju sir, HOD of Mathematics dept in NIT Warangal!!