KADAPA: Born in a weaver’s family from a small village in Rajupalem mandal of Proddatur constituency, Chimmani Surya Rao lost his eyesight at the tender age of five, but not his vision for life. Now, at 47, he stands as the Principal of the Government Junior College for Girls, Kadapa, inspiring hundreds of students through his remarkable journey of courage, determination, and service.
Surya Rao’s early life was marked by hardship. His parents, Narasimhulu and Choudamma, migrated from their native Daddanala village to Proddatur in 1983 in search of livelihood and better education for their children.
Tragedy struck early when young Surya Rao developed cataract in both eyes. A single surgery on both eyes during a medical camp at SCNR Government Degree College, Proddutur, resulted in complete vision loss.
Despite his disability, Surya Rao refused to surrender. With his father’s guidance, he developed a passion for learning. He joined the School for the Blind in Kadapa, completing his schooling and passing his 10th standard in 1995. Motivated by his teachers, he set a goal to secure a government job and live with dignity.
Surya Rao completed his Intermediate in 1997 from SCNR Government Degree College, Proddutur, without special classes for visually impaired, mastering Braille scripts and tape recordings. He then joined SV Arts College, Tirupati, earning his degree in 2001.
In 2002, he appeared for the APPSC Group IV examination and secured 9th rank at the district level, receiving his appointment letter as Junior Assistant in 2003.
Surya Rao continued to chase his academic dreams, completing MA (Telugu) through correspondence.
After several transfers and promotions, he was promoted as Principal of Kadapa Government College for Girls in 2018. As Principal, he manages a college with 1,500 students and motivates them to excel.
A strong advocate for the visually impaired, Surya Rao has been Treasurer of the National Federation for the Blind (India) since 2015, initiating coaching programmes and helping visually impaired candidates secure jobs.
An accomplished sportsman, he excelled in the 2001 and 2002 national-level blind chess tournaments.
From a weaver’s hut to the Principal’s chair, Chimmani Surya Rao’s story stands as a glowing testament to human resilience and the power of education to light up even the darkest path. He said, “Opportunities are everywhere.”
