The warrior of uncertainty, Srikanth Bolla’s parents, Damodar Bolla and Venkatamma Bolla, were advised to abandon him because of his disability- visual impairment.
The 32 years old industrialist Srikanth has defied all the odds and successfully transformed his weaknesses into strengths; he is now the CEO of Bollant Industries.
Highlights
- Despite being born blind in a rural Indian village, Srikanth Bolla’s parents supported him against societal pressure.
- Srikanth admits that his journey wouldn’t have been possible without his parents.
- At just 32, he has become an inspiration to thousands of disabled people.
After receiving many rejections in his homeland and being restricted from studying subjects like science and maths, Bolla aimed at Ivy League universities in the US.
Not only did he enter, but he entered with 100% financial aid and became the first-ever international student to study Management Science at MIT, Cambridge.
Moreover, as a reply to India’s discrimination against disabled individuals, Bolla played cricket and chess at the national level.
The documentary Srikanth, starring Rajkumar Rao, depicts Bolla’s heartwrenching journey through adversity and overcoming socio-economic barriers.
Srikanth Bolla’s Parents Fought Against The Society To Protect Him
Srikanth was born on July 13, 1992, in Seetharamapuram, a small village in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Damodar and Venkatamma Bolla were the natives of the area and belonged to the Tamil ethnic group.
By the time Bolla was born, his parents relied on conventional rice farming. They made only Rs. 20,000 annually, barely enough for a family of three.
For his parents, Bolla’s arrival was like winning the lottery tickets until they found out that his eyes were shut and one of their most dreadful nightmares had come true.
Although they were illiterate, they decided to accept Bolla and protect him from heaps of bombarded social stigma.
Despite their low income, they fulfilled all his demands and gave Bolla the courage to stand on his own feet despite his disability.
Moreover, they even sent him to Hyderabad for special schooling when he turned 8.
According to Bolla’s LinkedIn post, his father used to bring Bolla to the farm and treated him equally like any other child while sharing his own stories and words of wisdom.
Srikanth didn’t have a luxurious childhood, but his parents taught him to enjoy life to the fullest.
In an exclusive interview with Forbes India, the entrepreneur humorously stated,
They thought I’d sit at home and hear the street dogs entering our house, and protect it. It shows that every creature that comes into this world has some meaningful purpose.
Srikanth Bolla
On the occasion of Mother’s Day, Srikanth took to his Instagram and expressed gratitude along with the caption,
I still remember that since childhood, my mother used to tell me stories about mythology, society and how one can be a good person in life. She never doubted my potential and never let me doubt myself. It was tough for her to let me go out of her care to Hyderabad but she did it anyway for my better future. Here I am today, still thinking if I would ever be able to return her love and warmth.
In addition, the philanthropist doesn’t miss a chance to openly thank his parents and credit them for their unshattered dedication to his upbringing.
Additional Information
- Srikanth Bolla married his wife, Veera Swathi, on April 23, 2022, and the couple welcomed their little princess, Nayana, in June 2024.
- The estimated net worth of the public speaker and industrialist is nearly $65 million, according to the value of Bollant Industries.
- In April 2017, Forbes magazine listed Bolla in the list of 30 under 30 across all of Asia. In the list, he was one of the three Indians.
