WARANGAL: While the ‘invisible’ glass ceiling makes it difficult for many women to realise their dreams, the complications are compounded when poverty, rural background and losing a parent as a child come into the picture. However, despite the insurmountable odds up against 28-year-old Vanam Rajyalakshmi, she has made her dream of working as a scientist at the prestigious Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bengaluru come true.
Hailing from Illanda village and member of a community that has traditionally relied on weaving as a profession, she overcame numerous challenges to reach her current position. Tragedy struck her family in 2004 when Rajylakshmi’s mother died in a road accident.
Despite the hardships, her father, Sadanandam, a weaver, supported her educational aspirations. He ensured she had the resources necessary to continue her studies. Her academic journey started in a private high school in the village, where she studied from nursery to Class 7. Her dedication and commitment to education led her to the government high school in Illanda, where she passed Class 10 with an ‘A grade’ in 2010.
Rajyalakshmi’s academic prowess was recognised by her teacher, Srinivas, who is now an elected Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency member. He recommended her for admission to IIIT-Basara for higher studies.
After earning her BTech in Computer Science Engineering, she married G Prashanth, a faculty member at IIIT-Basara. Subsequently, she pursued her MTech from the Hyderabad Central University (HCU).
Upon completing her postgraduate studies, Rajyalakshmi set her sights on a career at DRDO. She worked diligently, preparing for the ‘B’ category scientist position through the Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC). Her hard work paid off when she received an appointment letter from DRDO on October 9. Rajyalakshmi, who joined the DRDO on October 12 (Thursday), was warmly welcomed by the Directorate of Personnel (DoP) authorities.
What manages to astonish several people is that she underwent her complete education in government-funded institutes. While many will claim that students from private institutions fare better than their competitors who studied in public institutions, her story is testament to the fact that while privilege does give one an upper hand, it can’t always guarantee success.
Expressing her delight over joining DRDO, she said she owed her success to her unwavering determination and dedication to her technical pursuits. With gratitude in her heart, Rajyalakshmi acknowledged her father’s unwavering support. “My father didn’t force me into weaving and made my dreams come true by allowing me to continue with my education,” she tells TNIE.
While she is starting as a Scientist B, Rajyalakshmi says that the experience would help her advance her career and become Scientist C, D, E, and F.