SIDDIPET: While many caution that movies can be a bad influence on children, a couple from Siddipet town tell a different story. A tailor, K Ramachandram, and his wife, Sharada, believe that films, especially the inspirational sports drama Dangal, have been a driving force behind their four daughters’ journeys into medicine.
Watching Dangal together as a family became a routine, and Ramachandram shares that he’s seen the movie countless times with his children. The story, based on true events, follows a determined man (played by Aamir Khan) who, despite setbacks in his own wrestling career, dreams of winning gold medals for India through his children. The protagonist ends up training his daughter, ultimately achieving his dream when his eldest daughter won India’s first-ever gold medal in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
Reflecting on this, Ramachandram says, “I felt the same way. Though I didn’t study much myself, I wanted my children to accomplish something great.” His goal was for them to become doctors, inspired by the vision of serving society and the hope they would look after the family in the future.
Despite earning a modest income of Rs 20,000–Rs 25,000 a month from tailoring, Ramachandram and Sharada have sacrificed much to support their daughters’ education.
He even mortgaged their house and took out loans to cover tuition fees, receiving some additional support from former minister T Harish Rao. Today, their dedication is paying off: their eldest daughter, Mamatha, has completed her MBBS and is now preparing for her postgraduate studies, while their second daughter, Madhuri, is in her third year of medical school.
The couple’s twin daughters, Rohini and Roshini, initially wanted to pursue engineering to lighten the financial load on the family. But Ramachandram encouraged them to follow in their elder sisters’ footsteps and study medicine. “We didn’t know what good deeds we did to deserve such parents. They worked tirelessly to support us, and even when we worried about the cost, they stood by us,” says Rohini.
This year, both Rohini and Roshini secured free seats at the government medical college in Jagtial. Ramachandram says that although careers in the civil services hold prestige, doctors have a different kind of independence. “IAS and IPS officers serve the people, but they must always bow before ministers and other powers. As doctors, my daughters will serve society with pride and self-reliance.”
Ramachandram dreams of seeing all four daughters complete their medical studies and, if not working in government, open a clinic to continue their journey of service. “No matter the cost,” he says with pride, “I am committed to making them doctors.”
Their determination is mirrored in their daughters’ gratitude. “We’re proud that all four of us are studying medicine. We are committed to honouring our parents’ dreams and ensuring their sacrifices were worth it,” says Rohini.