Anil Jyothi talks about her journey from leading an inconsequential life in a small hamlet near Warangal to becoming the CEO of a software company
Even with her parents alive, Anil Jyothi was made to feel like an orphan after being sent off to live in a government hostel. “My father lied to the superintendent that I was an orphan. I used to blame him; but now I know that he was just a victim of poverty,” says Jyothi. Jyothi smiles and recalls her days at the hostel, walking barefoot everyday, she tells us that she only dreamt of shoes and socks, a privilege bestowed upon the convent girls that she used to watch everyday. “I wanted a sophisticated life. There was a road-side hotel near our hostel; I longed to eat Puri and idli from there. For six years I kept longing. The food given to us in the hostel was infested with bugs,” says Jyothi.
Jyothi studied till standard X, but was married off to a distant cousin. Being vocal in a family where women were expected to ‘bear it all' landed her in trouble on more than a few occasions. Married life brought her more pain than pleasure; constantly harassed and beaten up by her husband and mother-in-law, Jyothi found herself mother to two daughters by the time she was 17. Jyothi recalls having to starve her months-old older child, because she realised she was already pregnant with her second child. Jyothi says that she felt like she was stuck in a rut. But this yearning for change always lingered within her. “Naa gundelo edo cheyyali ane tapane undedi (I had a zeal and passion to achieve something),” she says. She laughs and tells us, she really wanted to eat that Puri.
The grey clouds of bad luck slowly shifted base and with relentless effort, Jyothi landed a job as an adult education teacher in a mandal near Hanamakonda. Jyothi mentions that her family was not pleased, but she fought against them and worked hard and taught dalit members of the village how to sign their own names. With this, Jyoti landed a one-year job in Hanamakonda as a National service volunteer. Her husband rubbished her progress and demanded that she not take up on the offer. She recalls, “He told me that if I set foot out of the house, I needn't come back. I packed a few kitchen items, took my younger one on the hips and held the older daughter's hand and walked out. I thought that was my one-way ticket to freedom.” Her husband however joined her a short while after.
A chance meeting with her cousin from the USA, sparked interest in Jyothi to go overseas and build a life for herself. She learnt software programming and after repeated rejections, she found success. From being unable to afford three square meals a day, today Anil Jyothi Dudipala is CEO to Key Software Solutions based in Phoenix, a NATA co-ordinator in Arizona and FORCE National Advisory Committee convenor. With a glass of water, she also offers advice, “You cannot expect others to come and help you. You have to make it happen for yourself.” Jyothi's personal history keeps her on her feet, “My past in a way pushed me to make the best out of myself,” she says.
Keywords: Anil Jyothi, women power, women success stories
Ms.Jyothi,
Your success is role model for the younger generation.
really inspiring!
True Indian SuperModel!
It was certainly a nice read.
Great to see women coming out of cocoon and blossoming into successful personalities...
n true all this would not have been possible without her indomitable spirit...
Hats off to you Ms.Anil Jyothi !!!
Modern Indian Female Role Model......
salute her for her great determination to overcome sorts of odds.
I have no words to appreciate Madam M/s. Anil Jyothi’s determination to overcome the odds in her life and stand up as a modern role model to the aspiring people from backwardness. Please bring up such Inspiring real cases articles in Hindu quite often to emulate self confidence in individual’s strength and the kind of hard word one need to put in to come up in life and taste the fruits of joy after substantial achievement in their own life time.
I once again salute her for her great determination to overcome all sorts of odds.
i am truly inspired by her advice.
A winner,truly inspirational...
Yes she struggled lot in her life to achieve her desire position,I am regularly being in touch with her in Face Book.
It doesn't matter where we born,it dose matter how we achieve in your life,hats up to Jyothi Reddy garu.
More than her successful career, I admire the way she walked out bravely with her kids - 'took my younger one on the hips and held the older daughter's hand and walked out' and her husband joining ultimately - makes her a real woman! Hats off to her.
Inspirational one. Her past was very much critical. Even though she fought against all odds & succeed. Today such stories are very much essential to our youngsters. Because the suddenly down their weapons. Then every one knows we are born free but everywhere in chains.
truly inspiring!!! she emerged a victor of her circumstances, and not a
victim.
Ms Anil Tyothi has amply demonstrated the old saying "God helps those who help themselves". Despite significant odds in her own family and in-law's family with two children it is her sheer detemination and will have blessed her to shine up now. She is indeed a role model for millions of girls in India and other developing countries.
Wow... This is so inspiring. Rather than being a victim of circumstances, this courageous woman has succeeded against all odds with her single-minded determination and hardwork. Hats off!
Wow! that is great!
Glad she achieved success after her troubled past. But this article is NOT so inspiring. After all the struggles in her life she learned software programming and suddenly she became a CEO of a company (just like how cinema heroes become very rich in just one song). No details of how she progressed (or maybe she started her own company and appointed herself as a CEO). Nevertheless, considering where she started it is still a good achievement.
Very interesting; someone back home here should take her story to reach
many such boys and girls in rural areas.Such story should form part of
our classroom talks ,instead of speaking about stories of 1000+years
old.
These stories are like touching a diamond, enjoying sweetness of sugar
etc.
Ms. Jyothi,
Hats off
Really you are great. Your Hard work and dedication brought every thing which you
unimagined in your life. Thank God.
You have to make it happen for yourself.This is the truth of life......
She is an inspiration for sure. Her story is unlike other successful
people we keep hearing about who come from strong educational
backgrounds and access to resources and opportunities. She is the real
role model for those who dream and make their life with their own hands.
Truly inspirational.
A greatly inspiring success story from virtually very simple humble
origins . Though we keep reading similar success stories of such others
almost on a daily basis in newspapers , I wish the reporter had expanded
the details of the story in the last paragraph and compressed the
details in the first two paragraphs -so that we get a better idea of her
transformation from someone longing for pooris and idlis to a geeky
software professional in USA --and heading a technical organization at
the top most level .
It was good to read Anil Jyothi's travails and tribulations and the
ultimate success. The younger generation in India should emulate her and
never find solace in cursing their fate for not achieving instead of
making serious a effort in setting their life goals. India's future lies
in the hands of the youth.
Austin TX
24/5/2012
It was good to read Anil Jyothi's travails and tribulations and the
ultimate success. The younger generation in India should emulate her and
never find solace in cursing their fate for not achieving instead of
making serious a effort in setting their life goals. India's future lies
in the hands of the youth.
Austin TX
24/5/2012
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