For many students, the dream of becoming a doctor begins with someone in the family who has already walked that path. For Chatla Teja, it began in a government school classroom where a principal encouraged students to look beyond the careers they had always seen around them. That simple message stayed with him. It made him wonder if someone from his background could also become a doctor.
Today, Teja is a third-year MBBS student at Guntur Medical College in Andhra Pradesh. His journey has been shaped not by privilege or certainty, but by persistence, family sacrifice, and a quiet determination to make the most of every opportunity.
Teja grew up in Guntur in a family where both his parents work as agricultural labourers. They lease farmland and depend on seasonal agricultural work to earn a living. Like many families in rural India, their income is uncertain and every expense has to be carefully planned. Yet, despite these financial limitations, his parents never stopped believing that education could change their son’s future.
His education faced a major setback during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like thousands of students, he struggled with disrupted learning and limited resources. Instead of giving up, Teja made a difficult decision – to take a gap year and prepare for NEET once again. Using free online resources and lectures available on platforms like Unacademy, he studied with discipline and appeared for his second attempt. His hard work paid off when he secured a 98 percentile in NEET and earned admission to Guntur Medical College.
The transition was not easy. Having studied in a Telugu-medium government school, adapting to an English-medium MBBS curriculum demanded far more than academic effort. It required confidence, patience, and the willingness to learn every day. Teja gradually found his footing, proving to himself that language need not become a barrier to learning medicine.
Over time, he began exploring opportunities beyond the classroom. He completed a research project under the Undergraduate Student Research Scheme (UGSRS), participated in medical conferences, and received awards for both case and poster presentations. His interest in creativity also led him to volunteer as the lead of the technical team for student activities, combining his academic life with skills he genuinely enjoys.
One experience has remained especially close to his heart. During school, when a science teacher retired, Teja stepped forward to teach junior students until arrangements could be made. It was a simple act of responsibility that later inspired something much bigger.
Remembering how difficult it had been to find reliable guidance while preparing for NEET and navigating MBBS admissions, Teja started a YouTube channel to help students from backgrounds similar to his own. Through his videos, he shares practical information, answers common questions, and tries to make the journey less confusing for aspiring medical students. He also tutors students whenever possible, not only to support himself financially but because he genuinely enjoys teaching.
Even today, finances remain one of his biggest challenges. The government scholarship covers his tuition fees, but the cost of medical textbooks, learning resources, and subscriptions continues to place a burden on his family. In one academic year, a relative stepped in to help him purchase the required books. As new semesters began, however, those expenses returned. Teja often depends on free learning materials, carefully managing every rupee while trying to keep pace with his classmates.
For someone pursuing medicine, access to quality books and academic resources is not a luxury, it is an essential part of learning. This is where the Shiksha Sankalp Society Lakshya Scholarship has become meaningful. The scholarship reduces the financial pressure on his family and allows him to invest in the resources that directly strengthen his education. More importantly, it reassures him that his efforts are valued and that he does not have to face every challenge alone.
Teja often says that he wants to become one of the first scholars in his family. Coming from a household where education was never an option for most relatives, that aspiration carries deep meaning. It is not only about earning a medical degree, but about showing that circumstances do not have to define the future.
His story proves that talent is found everywhere, even where opportunities are limited. Sometimes, all it takes is encouragement from a teacher, unwavering support from parents, and timely financial assistance to help a determined student move forward.
As Teja continues his journey through medical school, he carries with him the hopes of his family and the responsibility of giving back to others who are beginning the same path. Through medicine, mentorship, and service, he hopes to create the kind of support system that he once wished he had.
Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) at NIT Silchar, Assam