March 18, 2012
The Sunday magazine of Malayala Manorama newspaper featured the amazing life story of Ms. Anil Jyothi Reddy. An extraordinary tale worth sharing.
From fifth to tenth class, she studied in an orphange in interior Andhra because the family couldn't afford the education. Right after school, she was married and within two years, bore two kids. From 1986 to 1989, she worked as a daily wage laborer in the farms with her husband. Then she joined as a teacher in the literacy mission. Soon she moved up the ladder in the program and became co-ordinator for several villages. She moved out of her village packing their belongings in a small iron box and carrying her savings of Rs. 110 for this job. Despite having two young kids, she started doing a degree course part time in the open university.
The literacy campaign job soon disappeared. To make ends meet, she stitched 20-25 petticoats every night for a friend's garment shop making Rs. 1.50 for each. After the degree, she landed a school teacher job that paid Rs. 378 per month, but she had to travel 74 kms to work every day in train and bus. The travel expenses topped Rs. 600. So she sold sarees in the train for a commission of Rs. 20 per saree. Next she was transferred to a single teacher school near her house with a salary of Rs. 2700. It had 16 students. She worked hard to convince the villagers to send their children to this government school. Soon, the school had 270 students and 16 teachers.
She was made the Girl Child Development Officer of the area. That was when she heard from a friend about opportunities in America. She started taking computer courses part time and saving some of her salary. She landed in America in May, 2000 on a tourist visa. First, she worked part time as a sales girl in an Indian video store and stayed with a Gujarathi family. Soon, through contacts made, Jyoti landed a job in CAS America. Her English skills were abysmal. She trained herself using a Bible that she got for free.
Jyoti had some problems with her visa that led to loss of a job offer from a big firm. It was when she landed in Mexico to get her H1-B stamped that she thought about starting her own business geared towards visa assistance. "Keys Software Solutions" was set up in 2001 September, a dark month in American history. Yet, those who knew her story wouldn't be surprised that it is a multi-million dollar company operating in Arizona today. Both her daughters were educated in top American universities and are now married.
From Rs. 5 daily wage in Andhra in 1989, an exemplary journey to the post of CEO in Arizona, 2012. She makes sure that she spends time supporting orphanges in India whenever she visits. Respect! Much Respect!
Emphatic win for India against Pakistan in the Asia cup led by a brilliant knock from Virat Kohli. Watched the match partly at home and party at Cafe Coffe Day. Judging from the coffee shop crowd, cricket isn't as popular as it once was in this city. Kohli comes across as too hot blooded on the field, a complete contrast to M.S. Dhoni. But he is very young, so young that he models for "Fair & Lovely". Hopefully experience will mellow him down in a couple of years and he will have a long glittering career.
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