Before medicine became part of his life, Sravan Kumar’s days often began alongside his mother, working in the fields whenever the family needed an extra pair of hands. Education was never separated from the realities of daily life. It existed alongside them. Every exam he prepared for, every chapter he studied, and every milestone he achieved carried the quiet understanding that his family’s sacrifices made those opportunities possible.
Hailing from Veerabhadrapuram village in Andhra Pradesh’s Prakasam district, Sravan grew up in a family where hard work was not a choice but a necessity. His father works as a daily wage mason, and his earnings remain the family’s only source of income. With advancing age, finding regular work has become increasingly difficult for him, while his mother has been dealing with health issues of her own. Rising household expenses, transportation costs, and the high price of medical textbooks have made the journey to becoming a doctor even more demanding.
Yet, throughout school, Sravan consistently focused on making the most of every opportunity. He scored an outstanding 98.4% in Class 12, participated enthusiastically in quizzes, seminars, drawing competitions, sports, and discovered a lasting interest in biology. His love for science gradually evolved into a clear ambition – to study medicine and serve people through healthcare.
His path to medical college, however, was not immediate. Sravan narrowly missed securing an MBBS seat in his first attempt at the NEET examination. Instead of giving up, he chose to take a gap year. Without enrolling in expensive coaching institutes, he relied primarily on online learning resources, disciplined self-study, and an unwavering belief that another opportunity was worth working for. His determination paid off when he secured an impressive 98.04 percentile in NEET and earned admission to Guntur Medical College, one of Andhra Pradesh’s premier government medical institutions.
The resilience that helped him enter medical school has continued to define his academic journey. Sravan scored 80% in his first year of MBBS and improved further to 82.5% in his second year, placing him among the top-performing students in his class. His consistency reflects not only his academic ability but also the discipline he has cultivated through years of overcoming challenges.
While his family continues to shoulder many financial responsibilities, Sravan receives support through the Jagananna Vidya Deevena (JVD) scheme, the Government of Andhra Pradesh’s higher education fee reimbursement programme, which covers a significant portion of his tuition fees. However, expenses such as medical textbooks, transportation, accommodation, and other educational costs continue to place a considerable strain on the family. The Shiksha Sankalp Lakshya Scholarship complements this support by helping bridge these remaining expenses, reducing the financial burden on his family and enabling Sravan to focus more fully on his medical education.
Beyond academics, Sravan believes learning also happens through serving others. During school, he participated in Swachh Bharat cleanliness drives and volunteered in medical exhibitions, patiently explaining healthcare concepts to visitors. As part of his medical college’s Family Adoption Programme, he visited villages to conduct household health surveys, gaining first-hand exposure to community healthcare. Back in his own village, he spends time teaching school-going children whenever possible, hoping to encourage them to value education as much as he does.
Despite the demands of medical school, Sravan continues to make time for activities that help him stay grounded. Sravan enjoys drawing and playing chess. Both hobbies reflect qualities that are equally valuable in medicine – patience, observation, creativity, and thoughtful decision-making. They provide him with moments of balance amid the demanding schedule of medical school.
Receiving the Shiksha Sankalp Lakshya Scholarship represents much more than financial assistance for Sravan. It is an acknowledgement of the perseverance that carried him from a small village to one of the state’s leading medical colleges, through setbacks, financial uncertainty, and years of determined effort. It is this steady determination that continues to shape his journey, and it is this same determination that will one day shape the doctor he aspires to become.
