At 28, he dared to dream big. He cannot see like everyone else around him but he had a vision to stand before a classroom full of young minds. He volunteered at schools and witnessed firsthand the influential role of teachers. With the unwavering support of his family and friends, he was determined to shape his future.
He wrote the exam that could land him a teacher job in a government school in some part of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. But, he failed to make the cut and his life came to a standstill.
At 50, Chandramouli picked up his bag from his house in Achampet town and went to the nearest bus stop. After some enquiries with fellow travellers, he boarded a bus with some help due to his partial blindness and age-related mobility issues. He arrived at Ippalapally village, after a 60 km-long journey.
It was Chandramouli’s first-ever visit to this particular village. Awaiting him was an Upper Primary school building. It was another first for him, stepping into the school as a teacher. He is probably one of the oldest new teachers in the state of Telangana. When he introduced himself to the students as their biology assistant teacher, he realised his lifelong dream.
“I was very happy. It was like I was waiting for this moment for a very long time.”
Much has changed for Chandramouli since he wrote the exam for the first time in 2002 as a 28-year-old. What was Andhra Pradesh once now exists as two states. Despite repeated attempts for the next two decades, he continued to face setbacks. Along the way, he lost his parents, some friends and a possibility of a marriage. However, he remained connected to schools in some way in various temporary roles. “My friends and family members argued with me to take up some other profession. They discouraged me from taking more exams. I did not listen to them, I listened to my exam material,” he said.
“The parents of the matches I received wanted me to have a stable job. They were not convinced with my plans to become a teacher at any cost. This is why I remained unmarried till this day.”
Today, Chandramouli lives alone in Achampet. He has no one to share the good news with. Still, he feels a lifetime of effort and perseverance has not gone in vain. “I had decided this would be my last attempt. I had faced too many heartbreaks already. I am glad it worked out this time,” he said.
Chandramouli qualified in the District Selection Committee (DSC) exams conducted by the Telangana government this year. He was one among the 10,000 qualified teachers who got appointment orders last week. Chandramouli was selected under the differently-abled quota, which has higher age limit than the general categories.
“In Biology, human anatomy is my favourite topic,” he says.
It is not all celebrations for Chandramouli as the job came with significant challenges. He is disheartened that the administration wasn’t considerate while giving him a posting that required him to travel at least 3 hours on a daily basis.
“When I was on my way to the school, people who knew about my condition said that injustice has been done to me. They expressed sympathy that I have to struggle every day to do the job I love the most. I would be happy if the government is flexible and transfers me to a nearby school. I feel my request is genuine since I cannot move around like others,” he shared.
Chandramouli’s new role as a teacher has brought him a sense of hope and confidence. "I want to start a new chapter. Now that I have my job, I am ready to get married and have a partner,” he says.
