A Beautiful Trajectory

This is Swaroopa, one of our Smile Foundation students, whose growth trajectory  is quite the fascinating one.

Her story starts in  a little village called Padamayavalasa, in Vijayanagar District. Born eldest to a farmer couple, she started her education in a Government school in the village....moved to Hyderabad.....did her schooling here ....completed her graduation......got herself a job in Cognizant....and next month she's getting married ....and..... is all set to be off to Paris !

That's her when we started

It's a story of such quiet determination and persistence, of such major shifts and changes, that I wanted to do an interview with her. She's an extremely quiet and soft spoken girl, in fact does little more than nod and smile through most conversations, so my mom was like, "I don't know how much she'll talk, but go try if you want" :)

I've been trying to co-ordinate a meet for a month now, and finally yesterday, two days before she leaves to get married, we settled down for a chat on my mom's staircase. What I thought would not go longer than half hour, went on for well over an hour.

Here's the interview:

Me: So, Swaroopa, I've known you since you were 10 years old, and I've seen you go through so many tremendous shifts in life, maybe more than any single person I know....are you okay to talk about it?

She smiled a 'yes', nodding acceptance to the 'tremendous shifts' 

Me: How old are you now?

Swaroopa: 24

Me: Let's start from the beginning, where were you born, tell me a little bit about yourself, your background?

Swaroopa: Padamayavalasa

Me: What?? Where?

Swaroopa: Padamayavalasa, Bobbili, Vijayanagar Dist. Should I write it for you?

( I was so touched by that offer... brought on a deeply satisfied  smile)

Me: Did you start school there?

Swaroopa: I went to a small Government school there, till class 2, but after we moved to Hyderabad, I had to start from class 1 again....... they said I did not know anything

Me: When did you move to Hyderabad?

Swaroopa: 2003, I was 9 years

Me: Where did you go to school here?

Swaroopa: Here also I first went to a Government school, but when we saw that I was learning nothing again,  they shifted me to Akshaya Aakruthi

Me: Isn't it Aashraya Aakruthi?

Swaroopa: (hitting her head in embarrassment) Yes, yes, Aashraya Aakruthi.

(I could so understand the nerves)

Me: That's the school for the hearing impaired?

Swaroopa: School for the deaf and dumb

Me: So you studied with children who could not hear or speak?

Swaroopa: Yes. The school was meant for them, and most of the children were deaf and dumb, but there were a few of us who could speak too

Me: How was that experience for you ? Did you learn the sign language too? Can you do it now?

Swaroopa: Yes,  saigal lo matladevaalamu.

Me: Saigal? Is that what it's called? English aa, telugu na?

Swaroopa: Hmmm...don't know, we used to call it Saigal, and we were so used to it that the teachers would tell us to speak when we could and not use saigal.  We were all close friends, never felt anybody was different.

Me: Are you still in touch with any of them?

Swaroopa: Yes, I still have friends from that school. One boy came and met me even last week. I've forgotten how to use saigal, I only remember a little, but I can understand.

Me: How did the teachers there teach?

Swaroopa: They spoke.... they spoke very slowly, those children would follow through lip reading.

Me: How did that kind of teaching work for you? Did it make learning more difficult ? or maybe more easy you think?

Swaroopa: Hmmm....more easy I think. I think languages became easier, hindi... even english grammar I learnt well.  And maths, I became good at maths because it was slow and that gave us time to understand. I really liked that school.

( I could see her eyes cloud over in fond memory)

Me: After schooling what did you do?

Swaroopa: I did maths. economics, commerce in Inter and then B Com. Till 9th it was telugu medium, and after that it was all English medium

Me: How was the shift? From school to college, also the telugu to english medium?

Swaroopa: I initially found it difficult to adjust. Our school had only ten to twelve students per class, so suddenly so many students in a class, we had 50 - 60 students, I found very difficult, I felt lost in the crowd...... I took time, but slowly I got used to it. Once I made friends it became easier.

Me: You live in a single room... as a joint family...your TV is always on, how did you manage to study at home?

Swaroopa: There is one lady near our house who gives tuitions, for free, in the evenings, I used to go sit in her house and study, or I would sit in the park and study. I managed like that only.

Me: After degree, did you straight away start applying for jobs?

Swaroopa: I wanted to do my MBA, I tried, but I didn't get a good rank in ICET, and without a good rank it is too expensive, so I dropped that.

Then I went for bank exam coaching, but I found the competition very tough and thought I wouldn't get in. After that I decided to directly apply for jobs

Me: And when did you get a job? And where? 

Swaroopa: In February, this year...I got a job with Cognizant

Me; How was that shift for you? 

Swaroopa: It was like a new world. Big buildings. Hitech city. I liked getting picked up and dropped by cab. Training was nice. Once production started it was a little difficult, but I managed, now I like it. My manager and team lead don't even speak telugu, but I manage.

Me: To get to a slightly sensitive issue swaroopa......in college and now in office, do you face any challenges considering that people come from so many different backgrounds?

Swaroopa: (after some gentle and then vigorous nodding of the head). Yes, in office people ask, what does your father do and what does your mother do. It becomes difficult, I don't mind telling them, but I am not sure if they will understand or accept. Or some can even tease.

In fact in college, I found later that many students parents are watchmen, drivers or maids but they don't tell, not until they know each other well. Some girls are fine with it, but most are not. 

One of my close friends parents work in RBI, and when she came to our house she said " I don't care what your parents do, to me it is you who matters". To such people I am comfortable telling. Only then I will even bring them to my house, otherwise we only meet outside.

In office also, when the cab comes to pick me up, they assume I live in the flats.....they say, "we've reached, come down". It's difficult at such times.

Me: What about at home? Have you had any challenges because of your having studied?

Swaroopa: Not much, my parents give me a lot of freedom, but my grandfather is very conservative and in our house every decision is taken only by my grandfather. He encouraged studying, but was very particular about dress and who I can talk to.  If he says no, nobody in the house will oppose it. If I put my hair like this he will get angry, most things I listen to, somethings I don't. 

Me: What makes you happy?

Swaroopa: I didn't think about it so deeply. When things are going well I'm happy. Generally happy only.

Me: What makes you sad?

Swaroopa: Sad I don't know, but right now I want the marriage to happen without any disagreements or arguments. Otherwise it will be sad. If it goes well I will be happy.

Me; What makes you angry?

Swaroopa: When people don't look at both sides of things. When they think only they are right, that makes me very angry. People think I am short tempered, but I don't think so, I think I get angry when I have reason.

Me: Ok..onto the next phase...tell me about your marriage. All the way to Paris !

Swaroopa: He is also from our village in Bobbili. His name is Satyanarayana.

Me: So what's the story, how did he start from Bobbili and reach Paris?

Swaroopa: He studied in Bobbili, and after Inter wrote an exam, APRDC, which gave him a Govt scholarship for further studies in pure science. He then did his BSc and MSc in Chemistry, at Hyderabad, then PhD at Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.

Me: And how did Paris happen?

Swaroopa: He published an article, and put it online, and the University in Paris saw it and offered him a research position. He does something with environmental pollution.

Me: How are you feeling about going all the way to Paris?

Swaroopa: Happy. Also a little sad because I'm used to living in a joint family and I have to leave everyone and go so far.

Me: So you've been talking to him? How does that feel? All set for marriage !

Swaroopa: Marriage is starting another phase of life. Leaving parents and becoming independent. Nobody else to take decisions for you. It is a high responsibility.

He is nice. Very intelligent, always a class topper. He is good at many things, he does swimming, dancing, jogging, imitates people well....and best part, he knows how to cook, because I don't know how to cook at all. I told him he will have to teach me.

Me: That's a lovely note to end this interview on. Good luck Swaroopa, wishing you a very very happy married life !