Srikanth Bolla is today a millionaire businessman thanks to his company that is valued in millions of dollars. However, she was born into a marriage that was barely enough to survive. Added to that was the fact that society discriminated against him for the simple fact of being blind.
How did you then become what you are today? Born on July 7, 1991 in Seetharamapuram, Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, he was able to study, marry Veera Swathi and have a daughter named Naina, which means “eyes”. Throughout his life, Srikanth overcame countless adversities, becoming an example of perseverance and success.
The harsh childhood of Srikanth Bolla, blind millionaire from India
Since childhood, Srikanth Bolla faced challenges. Born to a poor farming family, at six years old Bolla walked several kilometers to school in rural India, guided by his brother and following his classmates. The route was a muddy track, lined with bushes, which flooded during the monsoons. “No one talked to me because I was a blind child,” Bolla recalled.
The parents of today’s millionaire didn’t have a good time either: “They told my parents that I couldn’t even be a security guard in my own house because I couldn’t see if a stray dog came in. They even They suggested that they should kill me with a pillow. However, his parents decided to support him, despite the comments they received from the community.
At the age of eight, Srikanth received exciting news: He had won a place at a boarding school for blind children in Hyderabad, 400 km from his home.. Even though going to high school meant separating from his family, he accepted the challenge that life offered him. In his new environment, Bolla learned to integrate more into society and practice some disciplines such as swimming, chess and cricket with a ball that made sounds.
However, Srikanth’s dream was to be an engineer. To fulfill his desire from a young age he had to face many more obstacles. The school he attended mainly denied him the possibility of studying mathematics and science because he was blind, justifying that they were subjects prohibited for the blind.
Bolla had temperance and determination to be able to fight for his dream. Determined to change this situation, with the support of his teacher and a lawyer, filed a case before the Andhra Pradesh High Court. After six months of legal battle, he won the case, opening the door for blind students to study these subjects in all state schools in Andhra Pradesh.
How Srikanth Bolla, blind millionaire from India, made his fortune
With a average of 98% in their exams, Srikanth planned to apply to India’s prestigious engineering colleges known as IITs. However, none of the coaching schools accepted Srikanth, considering that the course load would be too heavy for him. Instead of giving up, he applied to universities in the United States and was accepted to five, finally choosing the MIT in Massachusetts, where he became the first international blind student.
During his time at MIT, he founded the Samanvai Center for Children with Multiple Disabilities, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating disabled youth in Hyderabad. This initiative also included the opening of a braille library.
In 2012, after completing his studies in management sciences at MIT, Srikanth returned to Hyderabad and founded Bollant Industries with Ravi Mantha, a fellow Bollant entrepreneur and investor.. The company to this day is dedicated to the preparation of organic products from areca palm leaves and It is valued at 65 million dollars. In addition, it employs people with disabilities and mental health problems.
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Because it has a great history, Bollywood (as the Indian film industry is called) was prepared to make a film in its honor. The film titled Srikanth is a biographical film released on May 10. It stars Rajkummar Rao and is directed by Tushar Hiranandani and his co-stars Jyothika, Alaya F and Sharad Kelkar.
Srikanth Bolla’s story is not only a chronicle of self-improvement but also a testimony to the power of determination and resilience. From his humble beginnings in a small village in India to becoming a successful entrepreneur, Srikanth has proven that barriers can be broken down with effort and dedication.
