'Wings of Fire': Anantapur farm laborer Sake Bharathi is now Dr. Bharathi

Anantapur: From a farm labourer to earning PhD, Dr Sake Bharathi has come a long way.

Hailing from Nagulaguddam village in Anantapur district, the 35-year-old woman completed her Ph.D. in chemistry at Sri Krishna Devaraj University. Andhra Pradesh Governor M Abdul Nazeer recently awarded her Ph.D. for her research in 'Binary Liquid Mixtures'.

It took almost seven years for Bharathi to complete her Ph.D. She doubled up as a daily wage laborer to earn a living. Her unfinished home, which she and her husband with their savings, is a testament to her pain, struggle, and tribulation.

Eldest of three girls in the family:

Bharathi was the eldest of three girls in her family and the only one who went to school. With no means, Bharathi studied at a government school till class X.

"My father was an alcoholic who used to always blame and torture my mother for not giving birth to a son. I used to see her crying always. It impacted me greatly. But my maternal grandfather always wanted me to study. When I was a kid, he challenged my father to make me study. I studied till class X. However, my family's economic constraints led to an early marriage to my maternal uncle," Bharathi told News Meter.

While she was pursuing PG, Bharathi gave birth to a girl. However, her zeal to study did not stop. Be it a mother, wife, and agricultural worker, she balanced her roles to complete post-graduation in chemistry from SSBN Degree and PG College, Anantapur.

No school after class V

According to Bharathi, the village had no school after class V and she had to travel to neighbouring area to attend school and college.

Waking up early and completing all the household chores and sending her kid to school and husband to work, she used to board an auto-rickshaw for 30 km to attend college.

"I used to go to college on alternative days because I needed to work also to save money. My teachers used to ask me why I got married so early for which I had no answer. There were times when I used to submit medical certificates to justify my absence from college. I used to study at night," said Bharathi.

Class topper always:

Her husband Sivaprasad proved to be her support system. He failed class X four times and ended up as a daily wage laborer. The couple who live in a half-constructed house was built by them skipping a meal and saving money.

"I used to ask my parents why they were getting me married at a very early age. Everyone in the family used to say, `What's the need to study?' Even when I was doing my Ph.D., there were discussions on why I was studying. I or my husband did not bother," Bharathi said.

"My father died while I was pursuing a Ph.D., and my mother was living with me. My husband pushed me to work hard and get a Ph.D. He worked day and night, so I skipped work and attended college every day. Thanks to my professor Professor Dr MCS Shubha, and her husband who enrolled me in the Ph.D. program at Sri Krishna Devaraj University, and financially helped to travel to college every day," said Bharathi.

I will make my daughter a Doctor:

"I believe every female student should get an education and a job. When I saw my father and how he behaved with my mother, I wanted to stand as an example that be it any situation, a woman must fulfill her dreams", said Bharathi.

Aiming to give a bright future for her daughter who is now studying in class V, she said: "I am waiting to get a job as a professor in the college. Once I get a job, I will save money and make my daughter a Doctor to serve the poor."