“We educate women because it is smart. We educate women because it changes the world.” – Drew Faust
Prathyusha Narkedamilli, a winner of L’Oréal India For Young Women in Science Scholarship, continued to reach academic excellence to prove the above said words as true and broke the stereotype which still dictates that a girl’s education is not necessary. With the support of her family, especially her mother, Prathyusha did not let people’s views to come in between her ambitions.
Read this scholar success story to know about her struggles and triumphs over them and get inspired by her determination of achieving her goals without faltering in her steps. Below are the excerpts from Prathyusha Narkedamilli’s interview with Buddy4Study.
Buddy4Study: Tell us about your academic background and professional journey till now.
Prathyusha Narkedamilli: I am pursuing my final year (4th year) of B.Sc. (Hons) Horticulture from Dr YSR Horticulture University, Venkataramannagudem, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. Horticulture consists of quite fascinating subjects like floriculture and I am very much interested in these topics. Also, I am doing good in my academics with an overall grade point of 8.17 out of 10.
Buddy4Study: What motivated you to pursue B.Sc. (Hons.) in Horticulture?
Prathyusha Narkedamilli: We all know that food plays a major role in our daily life. Horticulture is a course which provides knowledge about the production and protection of food. Nowadays, health is a major concern and it is very much related to the diet we indulge in. Also, due to day-to-day rise in population, there is a need to produce more food and to produce healthy food as well as increase productivity, one requires knowledge regarding its production process. This thought motivated me to join this course.
Buddy4Study: What were the challenges that came across your way during this journey?
Prathyusha Narkedamilli: The key challenge that I faced during the course of my journey is that a lot of people, even those who belong to the current generation, think that a girl’s education is not needed. As per them, girls are meant to do household chores and not involve themselves in acquiring education. I faced this prejudice quite a lot. Most of these people also think that the girls who stay in hostels are not culturally good. I had to face these criticisms even in this age and day which hampered my education a lot.
Buddy4Study: Who has been your source of inspiration?
Prathyusha Narkedamilli: My source of inspiration is my grandfather who is a retired scientist in plant pathology. He encouraged me a lot to join this course.
Buddy4Study: How did your family support you in this journey?
Prathyusha Narkedamilli: My mom and dad have been the greatest support to me during my academic journey. They never felt that they have two daughters. They stood like a wall between me and the people who tried to discourage me from continuing my education. They even encourage me to pursue M.Sc. and Ph.D. in whichever stream that I am interested in. They encourage me to study as well as to participate in other activities.
Buddy4Study: How did you come to know about this scholarship? What were the steps involved to avail the scholarship?
Prathyusha Narkedamilli: I came to know about L’Oréal India For Young Women in Science Scholarship through an advertisement in the newspaper. The steps required to avail this scholarship were quite easy. I filled an online scholarship application form. Later, I was shortlisted for an interview round which was conducted through a phone call. After this, I was asked to appear for a face-to-face round of interview which consisted of a panel of 4 members. That was the final round of selection. I got informed that I had been selected to receive a scholarship amount of INR 2,50,000 which helped me in my academic expenses.
Buddy4Study: What are your future plans? How will you execute those plans?
Prathyusha Narkedamilli: My ambition is to become a Professor in the field of Agricultural Statistics. I want to become a good teacher who can help students to understand their concepts in an easy manner. I have started executing my plan of becoming a professor by explaining some topics to some of my fellow classmates and juniors who find their topic a bit challenging. I am also preparing for my M.Sc. in Agricultural Statistics under the guidance of my professor Dr. Uma Krishna.
Buddy4Study: What would be your advice to other potential aspirants?
Prathyusha Narkedamilli: My advice is that one should always believe in oneself. Never step back by listening to others and don’t get discouraged when you face failure. A bird sitting on a tree never gets afraid of the falling branch because it believes in its own wings. This is my policy and I believe in myself.
Feeling motivated? Start your search for more scholarships with Buddy4Study and apply for them before their deadline.