Jyothi Reddy a mum whose life is nothing short of a film script

Meet Jyothi Reddy, a mum, an individual whose story perhaps can easily be translated to an effective script for a film that can give the message of ‘Being Inspiring’. Jyothi among other siblings was left at an orphanage by her parents in Telangana due to extreme poverty. She grew up as a motherless child and yet managed to complete her tenth grade.

Life didn’t stop there. Perhaps extreme despair and harsh realities made Jyothi even more determined to fight for what she believed she deserved in life. She was married at the age of 16 and by 18 she was a mother of two daughters. From earning Rs, 5 as a labourer working in paddy fields to working at Rs, 120/- as an adult education teacher and many more roles; today she is the CEO of a multi millionaire company in Phoenix, Arizona in U.S.

Now in India to meet family, she is busy giving inspiring mentor sessions to school children, meeting corporate heads and government officials to manage various activities of her company and social welfare initiatives. She shares with Mums and Stories over a telecon from Telangana, “I had decided to fight poverty. By 18 years of age, I was a mother and I had to face a lot of despair, helplessness where we hardly had anything to eat. I think I was determined to give a good life to my children. I also believe I wanted to change my destiny and fairly I have surpassed in my expectations. There were times when we were denied food as we were girls, daughters and many mouths to feed. I saw that my life hadn’t changed after marriage and me as an adult. It was misery everywhere and I knew I had to change my future.

I got an opportunity to study under a government scheme and even became a government teacher. But my dreams and aspirations were much beyond the ordinary. I knew that I would be able to scale up only if I could keep up with the times. So every opportunity to learn, software course, typing anything that could make me more efficient, I did.

This was me being the woman, mother, wife and who knew I had to improve my life and that of my daughters. I did chit fund business after working hours and many more things in life to compensate the deteriorating economic condition at home. But nothing seemed to work until I met my cousin who had come down from U.S and was having a car and driving on her own. I decided I wanted to be like her and enrolled for a computer course again under government scheme and saved money to travel abroad.

This was in early 1990’s when I was there in U.S working at a store and then I had brushed up my knowledge on visa procedures and decided to open my own consultancy. Of course we expanded to being a recruitment consultancy, visa assistance to software solutions and more.

I remember I would sleep many nights on the floor, now if I compare my life journey I now it has been tedious but worth it. I had even tried to commit suicide with my kids due to extreme poverty. Thankfully I overcame that period and was adamant later to change my future.”

As I point out that it is interesting to note that she remembers all the hardships clearly and can literally spell out each memory distinctly, Jyothi shares, “Perhaps it was sheer determination to change fate. I know not many are like me but I hope people will be inspired to change what they have in life for good.”

It is obvious that determination, intention, planning and even luck that worked in her favour cannot be ignored. It is no less than a miracle to have achieved what she has today.

“I can so much relate to the orphans, what happens in their lives, their desire for love, good food, shelter, good homely environment. I have worked earlier too and keep coming back to India to work with government agencies, corporates to fund orphanages, find out on orphaned girls and wherever possible counsel them. Orphanages take care of children until their tenth exams, later many of the boys and girls need guidance to take charge of their lives.

The point was that I was constantly learning and continuously evolving. I made use of every opportunity that came my way or find out how to move ahead legally. Vocational courses, software courses, decision to be bold, outspoken from this girl of a tiny village in Warangal, its’ been a remarkable journey – I know.

I am really glad I was able to educate my daughters in U.S to the level of education they wanted. They are married and are working too. My life has been documented in a book and I feel there is a lot more in life that I can do.”

Jyothi Reddy apart from being the CEO of Key Software Solutions is also a mother, grandmother, wife and an individual who believes in the statement ‘You are the creator of your destiny.’

Mums and Stories thanks Jyothi for being the light of not only her life but is trying to change a lot more lives as a mentor and achiever.