Saturday Story from Siva (55): Education matters. Educators do matter.

Hi,

Literacy rates are improving the world over. You can see more of village kids going to school now-a-days. There is a realization all around that education matters, especially for getting opportunities to get a job and thereby a decent living. We keep hearing regularly success stories of success of kids from financially poor families. However, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to the attitude of the parents with regard to the education of their girl children, especially from the rural poor. Let us look at the story of a person who happened to be only the second person in his village to hold a doctorate and how it happened.

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Education matters. Educators do matter.

This boy was born in a family of a poor rice farmer living in a remote village that was not connected to any town either by bus or by train. There was neither electricity nor clean drinking water. There were hardly any roads in the village. They used to become ankle-deep muddy puddles whenever it rained. But, there was a school in the village. Thanks to a lady by name Ms Alapati Nagaratnamma who donated the money required for a building of the school, the villlage got a school very early way back in 1950s. So, the school was named after her - Srimati Alapati Nagaratnamma Zilla Parishad High School (SANZPHS). Several neighboring villages did not have any school. Ms Nagaratnamma made a difference. She is no more but her name lives on. A bright picture of her hangs even today in the school.

This boy I am talking about completed his schooling, but had no money to pursue higher studies like many other children of the village who dropped out of the school or took to farming. But he wanted to go to college and study further. More than him, his father by name Mr Subba Rao wanted his son to study and become an officer. He thought that it was the only way he would be able to repay his debts and also think of a good living to his family. So, he borrowed some money and got his son admitted in the college.

But, very soon, it became clear that he could no longer borrow money to pay the fees for his son's college. Then, a well-to-do person by name Mr S Jagan Mohan Rao from the same village came forward voluntarily to provide the entire finance required for the then young man to complete his graduation. He was indeed a god-sent. Mr SJM Rao made a huge difference. And, his act of kindness mattered a lot.

That was the turning point. The young man never looked back since then. He went from place to place, topped several exams in the country, became an agricultural scientist to begin with, but soon transformed himself into a researcher and business development professional in the corporate sector over the years, and evolved ultimately into a Corporate Trainer and Motivational Speaker now helping people and organizations become better and greater. He is on a mission now to reach out to a million people by the end of this year through his articles, books, blogs, training workshops, and motivational speeches. I am sure by now you have guessed who this person is. Yes, it is me, your Siva - Sivaprasad.

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But for the inspiration of my father and the great educators like Nagaratnamma and SJM Rao, I would not have become what I am today. They mattered a lot to me directly and also to the society indirectly with the way they supported my education. Education mattered to me. It continues to matter to people around the world, especially to those among the rural poor. Let us do our bit at every given opportunity to inspire the children to dare to dream big and go for their greatness. They deserve it.

With love,

Siva