ADILABAD: At a time when many young students are obsessed with a fast-paced life, material possession and succeeding in the rat race, a first-year student of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, popularly known as IIIT-Basara, is making her mark in the world of poetry.
A published poet already, Bejjugam Srija has written around 500 poems, of which 216 made it into Srija Padyaala Hari Dvishathi, which was recently launched by IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao at the college in the Nirmal district. Most of her work comprises Telugu poems on the culture, traditional and social issues of Telangana.
Hailing from Gurralagondi village in Siddipet district, Srija comes from a family with poor financial background. She took the help of another Gurralagondi resident, S Anjanyallu, to get her book published.
Started in Class 8
Speaking to TNIE, she says that her interest in writing poems, particularly in Telugu, blossomed under the tutelage of her teacher, V Laxmaiah, who encouraged her to write more. “It is only due to his constant encouragement that I have continued writing,” she adds.
From Class 8 to 10, she wrote a few poems, but the coursework started taking a toll when she started at the IIIT-Basara. Since then, she writes poems only during her leisure. During the pandemic, she wrote most of her poems, she says. She even won a number of awards for writing poems on school life.
She thanks IIIT-Basara Vice-Chancellor V Venkat Ramana, Director P Satish and the Telugu professor for approaching Rama Rao to launch the book. “I am very happy that the VC took me to meet KTR,” she says.
“A lot of Gurralagondi residents, teachers, local leaders and poets have supported me throughout my journey. I will continue to work my best to show that I am worthy of their constant support,” a hopeful Srija says.