Sai Hitesh Vavilapalli: Indian-American teen’s nonprofit empowers the visually impaired
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(November 17, 2023) He was just 14 when Portland-based Sai Hitesh Vavilapalli embarked on a journey to cultivate his interest in social justice and human rights, especially focussed on advocating for the visually impaired. It began when he flew down to India for his Christmas break, and visited a blind school in a quaint little town of Kakinada where his parents volunteered. “It was then I realised I should also do my best to give something back to society, and do something for the underprivileged,” he said in an interview.
Upon his return to the US, the Indian-American, whose parents migrated from Vishakapatnam, was keen to make a change and soon organised a cultural night. From this, he raised $4200 which he used to start a non-profit The I Mission in 2016. Explaining the mission of the NGO, he said, “What we do is we gather many patients together and we do screening examines and we have eye camps to test whether they are ready to go through the cataract and retinal surgeries that our partners and the people that we work with offer.”
Sai Hitesh Vavilapalli is an Indian-American changemaker
The next year, he returned to India with a vision to help the poor. It was with the help of Sankar Foundation Eye Hospital that he organised a couple of free eye camps in Vishakhapatnam, and also helped perform about 500 free cataract surgeries. Moreover, The I Mission also donated two Perkins mechanical braillers to a rural south Indian school in order to provide support for visually impaired female students in their pursuit of reading.
.Seeing the impact that his work was creating, he continued returning to India every year to help visually impaired people. On his next trip, The I Mission coordinated and funded a total of 48 cataract surgeries for underprivileged individuals, in addition to one retinal surgery. They also took on the responsibility of supporting three blind schools in the region. Initially, individuals in need of cataract or retinal surgery were identified through comprehensive screening tests conducted during eye-checking camps.
Sai Hitesh Vavilapali is an Indian-American changemaker
Beyond providing essential eye health check-ups and surgical interventions for visually impaired individuals in rural India, The I Mission also conducts educational workshops. These workshops are designed to empower students, enhance their mathematical skills for competitive platforms like MathCounts, improve their public speaking abilities, and develop their reading comprehension. The workshops are structured to be both enjoyable and educational, offering engaging activities tailored to the varying levels of receptivity among the students.
In the last few years, The I Mission has supported over 5,000 free eye screenings, 1,719 cataract surgeries, and 13 retinal detachment surgeries, besides adopting three blind schools in India. “To fund the camps, we not only conduct cultural events but have also tied up with brands like Nike and Intel. We intend to approach some more corporate firms in the coming years,” he added.
Hitesh, who plans to become a doctor, is working with a professor as a research intern at Oregon Health Science University, with a focus on discovering potential remedies for cataract and other eye-related issues prevalent among the tribal communities residing in the Eastern Ghats of India. He plans to take the nonprofit to the next level in the coming years by spreading its wings across the world.
(February 8, 2023) “India, this is for you,” tweeted the overjoyed captain Shafali Verma after lifting the ICC Under-19 Women's Cricket World Cup on January 29, 2023. It was a landmark day in the history of women’s cricket in India, and Shafali was teary-eyed. With matches in the Twenty20 cricket format, the tournament organised by the International Cricket Council was the first in the women’s category, even though the Under-19 World Cup in the men’s category is being played since 1988. [caption id="attachment_27285" align="aligncenter" width="898"] Shafali Verma[/caption] Under Shafali’s leadership, the Indian team defeated England by seven wickets in the exciting finals held at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom in South Africa. India emerged a winner amongst sixteen teams that competed in the tournament. Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar tweeted, “the win would inspire a whole generation to take up sports". Not unlike other cricketers it was Tendulkar who had inspired Shafali Verma, the Haryana girl from small town Rohtak, to take up the sport. Global Indian takes a look at the extraordinary journey of this brilliant, young player who is basking in the glory of bringing the maiden Under-19 Women's Cricket World Cup trophy home. Rohtak girl’s foray in the world of cricket She
n data-contrast="auto">Under Shafali’s leadership, the Indian team defeated England by seven wickets in the exciting finals held at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom in South Africa. India emerged a winner amongst sixteen teams that competed in the tournament. Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar tweeted, “the win would inspire a whole generation to take up sports".
Not unlike other cricketers it was Tendulkar who had inspired Shafali Verma, the Haryana girl from small town Rohtak, to take up the sport.
Global Indian takes a look at the extraordinary journey of this brilliant, young player who is basking in the glory of bringing the maiden Under-19 Women's Cricket World Cup trophy home.
Rohtak girl’s foray in the world of cricket
She was quite young when she first stepped on a cricket pitch. Disguised as her brother, who was sick, Shafali Verma played at the under-12 national school championship and ended up winning the Player of the Match award. A first-class cricketer today, this Haryana girl has carved a niche for herself in the world of cricket. The youngest Indian cricketer to play in an international match, Shafali was just 15 when she was selected to play at the Women’s 20 International Series.
Interestingly, the teen prodigy became the youngest Indian half-centurion while playing against West Indies during her debut series. Her first international series turned out to be a great one. Scoring 158 in just five matches, she became the player of the series, garnering lots of attention for her fantastic performance.
By 2021, the 2004-born had built a good repertoire – becoming the youngest player to represent India in all three formats of international cricket at the age of 17. Her brilliant performances earned her a place in the Indian team for the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup and subsequently made her the strongest contender to be the captain of the Indian team at the under-19 world cup.
Off the bat
Daughter of a jewellery shop owner, Shafali has been playing cricket since she was just eight years old. The young cricketer was trained by her father, Sanjeev, who once aspired to be a cricketer himself.
[caption id="attachment_19207" align="aligncenter" width="825"] Shafali Verma in action[/caption]
A strict mentor, Sanjeev devised a rigorous training schedule for his daughter. However, he would also give her a reward of ₹5 whenever Shafali hit a sixer at the local ground. Recognising that Shafali could make an excellent cricketer, her father later made her join the Ram Narayan Cricket Club, Rohtak.
Crediting her father for her success, Shafali wrote on social media, “I am who I am today because of my father. He has always been the most supportive and friendly dad in the world.”
An eventful journey
The alumna of Mandeep Senior Secondary School, Rohtak has set quite a number of records. In June 2021, she became the youngest player, male or female, to represent India in all three formats of international cricket. In October 2022, she became the youngest cricketer to complete 1000 runs in T20 internationals. She also became the youngest cricketer ever to play in the final of the Women’s World Cup.
Even though she is quite busy, the sportsperson always manages to find time between matches and practice sessions, to connect with her fans through social media.
Like other cricketers, Shafali too idolised one of the greatest cricketers of all times, Sachin Tendulkar. “The reason I took up cricket is because of Sachin sir. My family has just not idolized but worshipped him,” she had once mentioned in a post.
(April 12, 2024) Aditi Saigal's voice still carries the innocence and charm of youth, which might be what drew director Zoya Akhtar to her music in the first place. Although the director had reached to Aditi about her music, the young singer-songwriter, who goes by the name 'Dot', was offered the role of Ethel Muggs in Akhtar's musical, The Archies. With her unique voice, as well as her musical style steeped in jazz, which is reminiscent of Lana Del Ray, KT Tunstall and her biggest inspiration, Peggy Lee, Saigal had already begun to make a name in indie music circles by the time, and Akhtar had been following her music for a long time by the time she approached her. Being cast in a film with Bollywood's biggest star kids, catapulted Saigal into the limelight, and she is still learning how to deal with fame. However, it did open up a new, unplanned avenue - acting, for the young woman who had always thought her life lay fully in music and songwriting. In December 2023, she released her album, Practice Rooms, comprising some of the songs that had caught Akhtar's attention. Interestingly, she released them raw, without having them re-recorded
thout having them re-recorded or re-mastered in a professional studio. Recorded at the practice rooms in the University of Bangor, Wales, where Saigal was studying music, the songs retain their rawness and the imperfections which, Saigal believes, make them so special in the first place.
A childhood filled with music
Saigal's stage name, Dot, has its origins in her childhood. "My mum and I used to do these colouring books when I was young. I am a perfectionist and everything has to be in line and the colours had to be just right. My mum on the other hand would do dots around the page, or add little designs. When I would complain that she was ruining the picture, she would say, 'a little Dot doesn’t hurt anyone and it adds so much to the picture'," Saigal told NDTV.
The Saigal household was also filled with music, and both her parents are artists. Aditi's father, Amit Saigal, earned the moniker 'Papa Rock' by the Indian rock community and was an Indian rock musician and a promoter of the genre too. He was also the founder of India's first rock magazine, the Rock Street Journal. Her mother, Shena Gamat, is also an actress who appeared as Chanda Narang, a wedding planner, in the 2010 film, Band Baajaa Baaraat. Aditi's own journey with music began small, when students were asked to sing bhajans in school, she laughs. "It always starts like that! And I also used to sing Hannah Montana and Demi Lovato. At home, we had a lot of jazz greats, like Ella and Peggy (Lee) and Louis Armstrong."
Jazz, and university life
That funnelled her into piano classes when she was young, "the typical tuition classes," as she puts it. She also learned Hindustani classical, after her grandmother, and dabbled in the bansuri. Her greatest love, however, was jazz. She went on to study it at the University of Bangor in North Wales. "That was where I started to write music in earnest," she said. "My family is pretty much all artists and they also wanted me to pursue what I wanted - which makes me very lucky, I'm aware of that."
The move was a big deal. Saigal was finally living the independent life she had dreamed of, and, in the interest of a brand new start, began introducing herself as 'Dot'. She would also head to the practice rooms to practice and record the songs she had written on her Motorola. "I didn't put them up on Spotify and Apple or whatever also because they are old songs and as an artist you want to move forward." However, the songs have finally made it to an album, Practice Rooms, which can be streamed on platforms like Spotify. "I didn't want to edit or re-record because when you go to a studio the song loses its honesty and charm. And that's what people connect with," Saigal says, even if it is "scary to put those imperfections out there." But then, she also doesn't see herself as a musician in the technical sense. "I'm a writer," she says instead. Now, with a backlog of some 150 songs, Saigal is working with musicians and producers and trying to think about how to push them.
She was still writing songs in college when she was discovered by Zoya Akhtar. During a Zoom call with Akhtar, where they were doing minor edits to her song, Assymetrical, for the film, Akhtar said, "Hey, do you act?" Saigal, who had no acting experience apart from the occasional school play decided to give it a go. "I called my mom and since she is in theatre, she gave me advice on how to read the script, timing and to go in well-rehearsed." Around three rounds of audtions followed, all on Zoom, as Saigal was in the UK. "I had a toilet roll and I was using it as hair and a comb because that was the scene I had to audition for."
The Archies
Saigal bagged the role and a place in the all-star ensemble cast, and found herself in a new world. She might have had a "tendency to seek the spotlight" (Interview by Verve magazine), but even so, this kind of attention took some getting used to. In fact, it threw her back in 2017 too, when at the age of 19, she uploaded Everybody Dances to Techno on social media, which went viral very quickly. And as always, fame brought new and added pressures - to put out new music, to find a style, to perform. The process was overwhelming, and Saigal retreated from her Instagram and her YouTube channel for a couple of years.
In 2021, Saigal returned with her EP, 'Khamotion', which features in The Archies. When the cast was finalised, including Dot as Ethel Muggs, the work began. This included year-long acting and singing workshops, which Saigal describes as an "intense boot camp." She, Khushi and Agastya (Nanda) learned dancing on the job, while Suhana Khan (Betty) and Yuvraj Menda (Dilton Doiley) took to it naturally. "We were together the whole time, as a group," she said.
"I had to learn on the job and it was really trying," Saigal admits. "You know Suhana is the actual dancer. She is very good and Yuvraj is great." Some of the cast members also had singing lessons, which Saigal didn't need. The cast bonded well, playing music together on set because there were instruments around all the time. "We share a very close bond," she says. "There is a certain intimacy you feel with your co-actors because we spent so much time together in close quarters and we were working towards something together, even when we all had different personalities." The intensive training sessions, she feels, only brought them closer together.
Then came the promotions, which Saigal found she enjoyed. "I honestly thought I wouldn't enjoy it but I did up doing so. When you're filming, you're wearing the character's clothes. But promotions are a different thing because I get to be Dot." Although she admits she doesn't know too much about fashion, she enjoys it. "When they put new clothes on you that you wouldn't have chosen for yourself, I felt like I was slipping into a new character every time. You have to embody the skin of what you're wearing."
The aftermath of fame
This kind of fame also comes with challenges and most artists find themselves at a crossroads between the popularity of the crowds and what they truly love. Can a middle ground be achieved? Saigal fits firmly into a little niche, with her jazzy sound and her slightly vintage preferences. And, as she now hopes to act more, can she bridge this gap? Is it a gap she even wants to bridge? "If you're doing work to please someone you have already missed a step," she said. "If you're doing good work you will connect with someone. You don't really need to connect with everyone."
(May 18, 2023) In an era characterised by deteriorating soil conditions and environmentally damaging farming methods, we find consumers bearing the brunt. Sadhguru, the founder of the Isha Foundation, advocates for soil preservation through the global Save Soil movement, a critical step in averting an environmental catastrophe. Concurrently, Vihari Kanukollu, an entrepreneur from Hyderabad, explores innovative solutions through his vertical farming startup. As a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in 2020, he co-established Urban Kisaan, a venture specialising in indoor vertical farming of pesticide-free crops that are subsequently sold to subscribers and walk-in customers. “Social issues have always been on my mind. I read a report that by 2050, we will have 50 percent less food required to sustain lives. The same report also predicted that there will be 30 percent less water supply and 20 percent less land fit for cultivation. I wanted to find a smart solution,” shares the entrepreneur during a discussion with Global Indian. Driven by these alarming statistics, he felt compelled to devise an intelligent solution. Notably, Urban Kisaan recently made headlines in the agricultural community by successfully cultivating a pilot crop of Kashmiri saffron in Telangana for the first time. An early entrepreneur Raised
solution,” shares the entrepreneur during a discussion with Global Indian. Driven by these alarming statistics, he felt compelled to devise an intelligent solution. Notably, Urban Kisaan recently made headlines in the agricultural community by successfully cultivating a pilot crop of Kashmiri saffron in Telangana for the first time.
An early entrepreneur
Raised in Chennai, in a household that valued education, Vihari shares that he was always an entrepreneurial child. His mother was a homemaker, and his father was an employee at Tech Mahindra. I was mostly a backbencher in school and college. More interested in sports (basketball), I would find ways to leave class. However, I was a good student and got good grades,” says Forbes 30 Under 30.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5mupmX5aZM
The entrepreneur pursued a degree in commerce alongside his chartered accountancy studies. It was during this period that he conceived his first startup – PayMyGST, an online platform providing SaaS solutions for GST return filings. “During a class on indirect taxes, news that value-added tax (VAT) will be replaced by a goods and services tax (GST) came in. Realising that the current taxation process was going to change, and studying VAT was redundant, I decided to leave CA and pursue this instead. So, at 22, I shifted to Hyderabad to start up,” shares the entrepreneur, who collaborated with his uncle. When the government of India initiated a free GST platform, they were forced to shut down a successful venture.
The hydroponics path
Inclined towards spirituality, Vihari frequented the heartfulness centre in Hyderabad for meditation sessions. During his quest for a mentor, he encountered Dr. Sairam, a scientist, whom he visited weekly. It was during one such visit that he observed Dr. Sairam cultivating plants without soil.
“I noticed that he was growing something in a plastic box. When I asked, he explained that it was a hydroponic plant. I was shocked as it wasn’t something I had ever come across,” says the young entrepreneur. The idea intrigued him so much that at every session, he explored the topic further. “Everyone should be able to grow vegetables. That is how Urban Kisaan started,” he adds.
Although they were not financially backed, Vihari saw an opportunity to present this concept at an annual event held at the meditation center. “I took one of the plastic boxes with a plant from Dr. Sairam’s balcony and showed it to people at the exhibition. I pitched it to everyone who came to my stall, saying that this is the next-gen agriculture option, for those who want to grow their food. I was able to get about 100 orders of the home kit containing pots, seeds of leafy greens, and the electrical requirements,” laughs the entrepreneur, who was able to raise ₹15 lakh in a single day, selling each kit for ₹15,000 ... "And, we had our capital,” he laughs. Searching for an urban farming location accessible to walk-in customers, “We rented a rooftop in a posh locality in Hyderabad and started the farm,” shares the entrepreneur.
Endless possibilities ahead
A remarkable achievement of the vertical farming startup was the successful cultivation of Kashmiri saffron in Telangana for the first time. The trial farming of this spice yielded promising results. “After our farm was set, we wanted to explore what more can be done. Dr. Sairam and I went on a long journey, where we connected with farmers from across the country,” says the entrepreneur. As an environmentalist, this trip was a revelation for him. "Being a passionate environmental activist, I've spoken extensively about the detrimental impacts of climate change. Witnessing the very damages I'd discussed and read about was a profound experience in Kashmir, where farmers lamented about their dwindling annual saffron yields," he reveals.
In August 2021, Urban Kisaan collaborated with these farmers and procured saffron seeds. “We created the required temperature, and Co2 conditions to replicate Kashmir’s climate to grow the flower from which the saffron strands are derived. We were able to grow A-grade quality (topmost) saffron,” says the entrepreneur, who is currently developing a digital marketplace for farmers nationwide to sell their produce. "There's still a great deal of work ahead of me. We've recently launched a cloud kitchen that offers salads made from fresh organic produce. I find meditation helps me clear my mind and maintain focus," shares the newly-married entrepreneur.
(April 14, 2023) Growing up in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, while Hasti Modi marvelled at the colours that nature provided to life, she was appalled at the lackadaisical approach of the public administrative system to protect greenery. Although they did their duty of planting saplings these were usually short-lived publicity initiatives, aimed at the media. The saplings would not get the care they needed to grow into trees. After making their one-day initiative popular in media and social media, they forgot all about nurturing them. As a fifteen-year-old, yearning to do something about this, Hasti started the NGO IGNITE. She mobilised the citizens of Bhavnagar to make their beloved city greener. In the last eight years, her organisation, which partnered with another NGO, Green City, has planted more than 50,000 saplings so far, with the active participation of Bhavnagar citizens. [caption id="attachment_29259" align="aligncenter" width="853"] Hasti Modi[/caption] The volunteers of both organisations did not stop at just plantation, they ensured that the plants were nurtured as well. The volunteers in our drives have been people of all age groups, starting from seven-year-old kids to 75-year-old senior citizens,” says Hasti who now works with Ernst and Young in Rome, Italy. Smart
The volunteers of both organisations did not stop at just plantation, they ensured that the plants were nurtured as well. The volunteers in our drives have been people of all age groups, starting from seven-year-old kids to 75-year-old senior citizens,” says Hasti who now works with Ernst and Young in Rome, Italy.
Smart collaborations
As a fifteen-year-old, Hasti had not forayed into social activism just for the sake of it. To fulfil her purpose, she invited local celebrities like Jitubhai Vaghani (the-then MLA of Bhavnagar), Deven Sheth (founder of Green City Trust Foundation, an industrialist and nature enthusiast), as well as the principal and vice-principal of her school, to her first tree plantation drive. This added a lot of buzz to the drive, garnering the interest of local citizens and motivating them to volunteer for the cause.
[caption id="attachment_29253" align="aligncenter" width="651"] Tree plantation drive in Bhavnagar[/caption]
It was in that event that Deven Sheth asked Hasti to collaborate and join hands with Green City, as they were working to achieve the same goal. “I am deeply grateful to Deven Sheth for seeing potential in me that day and giving me the opportunity. I will continue to promote this noble cause wherever I go, irrespective of country borders, culture, age and nationality,” says the twenty-four-year-old, in an interview with Global Indian.
Continuing with the drive in London
When Hasti got selected to study at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), she did not forget her purpose and continued her drive there as well. She worked tirelessly for a few months to find the right collaborators for tree plantation in London. “I follow the spiritual philosophy propounded by Dada Bhagwan Foundation (Ahmedabad, Gujarat). When I moved there for my masters, I organised tree plantation drives in London for all the foundation members based out of the UK, as well as for other residents and LSE students. says the youngster who won Diana Award for her initiatives in 2022.
[caption id="attachment_29256" align="aligncenter" width="569"] Tree plantation drive in London[/caption]
“Simon Joshua (a collaborator in Harrow) had the necessary resources and so he arranged for everything while I coordinated and invited the members of the foundation. We planted a record 500 saplings,” Hasti says.
Life abroad and COP26
Always a good student, Hasti pursued her bachelors at Ahmedabad University. She received the RSB France Honour, which is an Honorary Mention given by the Rennes School of Business (RSB) for being the only student across the Business school to score the highest possible grade in all courses despite taking maximum credits in a term. “I am immensely grateful to Ahmedabad University, which sent me to RSB for a semester exchange, and of course, absolutely grateful to RSB for the phenomenal exposure,” she says.
Another opportunity that Hasti is grateful for is the chance to be a part of the COP26 summit last year, not as a participant but as a host to hundreds of senior experts engaged in sustainability and governance initiatives across the globe. “It was an extraordinary experience. I am grateful to Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet (GASP) for giving me this opportunity,” she says.
Recently, she also got an opportunity to give a speech at the global UNICEF online platform, after being selected as a UNICEF changemaker for its OurFuturePledge campaign.
Always a proud patriot, Hasti says, “I plan to work and contribute immensely, first at an international level in the field of public policy and administration. In the long term, I intend to focus all my energy, time and resources to serve my country. I will carry the vision and mission of my NGO, IGNITE, to whichever part of the world I go and get more and more people involved into it,” she mentions.
The youngster belongs to a business family. Her father is a fourth-generation businessman in their 142-year-old, Indian traditional clothing business based in Bhavnagar, while her mother is a dietician by profession.
(March 31, 2022) The last few days have seen GATE 2022 topper T Mani Sandeep Reddy receive a flurry of phone calls and congratulatory messages. Among them, he was pleasantly surprised to discover, was Telangana minister E Dayakara Rao. Meanwhile, the soft-spoken engineering student from NIT-Warangal is perplexed by the adulation. His achievement - topping the chemical engineering section, is tremendous. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is one of the country's most competitive exams, deciding admissions to various IITs and to the prestigious Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. "I am satisfied with my performance. Is it a great achievement? I don’t know. But I did not expect this kind of response. I feel people are blowing it out of proportion," smiles the 22-year-old, whose gentle demeanour and simplicity are hard to miss. [caption id="attachment_22309" align="aligncenter" width="536"] The GATE 2022 topper outside his alma mater, NIT-Warangal[/caption] Mission: Stay focussed In an exclusive chat with Global Indian from his hostel at NIT, Sandeep says that it was general preparation that helped him secure the first rank. Unlike scores of students across the country, he didn't head to the array of coaching centres. Instead, the GATE 2022 topper decided to
thGlobal Indianfrom his hostel at NIT, Sandeep says that it was general preparation that helped him secure the first rank. Unlike scores of students across the country, he didn't head to the array of coaching centres. Instead, the GATE 2022 topper decided to keep it simple, preparing on his own at home. “I started preparing for GATE about six months ago. The plan was simple – dedicate three to four hours every day to all the subjects with complete concentration," says the chemical engineering student. Staying focussed in his classes helped him cope with the syllabus.
Incidentally, most students opt for formal coaching ahead of the exams, but Sandeep chose to arm himself with his professors’ lessons, a few guides, and determination. This year’s GATE results were declared by the Indian Institute of Technology - Kharagpur on March 17. The exams decide admissions into the Masters programmes at various IITs and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, as well as for recruitment by some public sector companies.
"I was expecting a rank below 50 and the paper was tough this year," he says when asked whether he’d had any inkling that he would secure the first rank. This year, over nine lakh students had applied for GATE 2022, of which a little over seven lakh appeared for the exams in early February. Sandeep emerged as the GATE topper 2022, securing the AIR Rank 1 in the chemical engineering stream.
Mr. T Mani Sandeep Reddy, final year BTech Chemical student secured AIR 1 in GATE 2022. pic.twitter.com/uGZBMab3VJ
This is Sandeep’s second attempt at GATE. He’d taken the exam in 2021 too when he ranked 229. "That (rank) was good enough and I wrote the exams just to gain some experience," he says. In hope of pushing his limits even more, he decided to retake the exam.
"I had a solid conceptual understanding of my subjects," says Sandeep, adding, "Paying attention in class helped me a great deal." His professors, who guided him throughout, were very happy with his performance. When the GATE 2022 results were declared, he was congratulated by NIT director NV Ramana Rao, chemical engineering HOD Dr Srinath and professor Shireesh Sonewane.
Humble beginnings
Born in a tiny hamlet in Vedurupaka village in Andhra Pradhesh’s East Godavari district, Sandeep attended a local school for four years before his family moved to Hyderabad. There, he studied at Johnson Grammar School, Nacharam. "I was always interested in physics and chemistry applications. Luckily, I got a good score in JEE (mains) and got into NIT Warangal," says Sandeep, whose father, T Rama Gopala Reddy is an electrical engineer. His mother Iswarya Bhagya Laxmi is a homemaker while Sandeep's younger brother Varun Kumar Reddy is in class 12.
[caption id="attachment_22306" align="aligncenter" width="762"] Sandeep with his family[/caption]
The youngster considers his father as his idol. "He comes from a family of farmers and has faced innumerable challenges. My father used to work in the fields and still make the time to study. He completed his degree and then engineering through his efforts and determination. He knows the value of education," smiles Sandeep, who says that coming from a humble background is what has helped him as well. Needless to say, his parents were thrilled with the news.
Sandeep wants to work in a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) to gain experience. Then, he will decide whether he wants to continue with it or switch to a private company. The final-year engineering student has already received an offer from GAIL through campus placements. With his recent achievement, more offers are likely to come his way.
From badminton to numismatics
[caption id="attachment_22305" align="aligncenter" width="726"] Sandeep is passionate about numismatics and has over 700 old coins[/caption]
Believing in striking a balance, Sandeep is not just about academics all the way. "I like to unwind over a game of badminton and also play online games. But my major hobby is numismatics," he informs. Collecting old coins from India and abroad has been a hobby since he was in school. "I like the old Indian coins, especially the commemorative ones. I have about 700 coins in my collection," says the young lad, who is also part of his college’s chemical engineering association.
Shafali Verma in action[/caption]
Photo: Dot / Instagram[/caption]
Hasti Modi[/caption]
Tree plantation drive in Bhavnagar[/caption]
Tree plantation drive in London[/caption]
Sandeep with his family[/caption]
Sandeep is passionate about numismatics and has over 700 old coins[/caption]