Disability did not stop this 38-year-old Telangana woman from penning over 500 poems

Thirty-eight-year-old Bora Rajeshwari from Telangana has proved that she is bigger than her disability, and has not let her condition stop her from achieving her goals.

Hailing from Sircilla in Karimnagar district, Rajeshwari was born with cerebral palsy. This affected her speech and there was no movement of hands. After her parents took her to the doctor for treatment, she was able to move her legs a little. Speaking to Women’s Web, Bora’s mother said,

She would use her feet to write from the age of six. She could manage to grip the pencil with her toes and uses a spoon to feed herself.

Despite her disability, today, Rajeshwari, who is also known by her pen name - Sircilla Rajeshwari, has written over 500 poems in Telugu in the past 15 years.

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And recently, Suddala Ashok Teja, a lyricist, compiled Rajeshwari’s poems and published a book through her NGO, called Suddala Foundation. Recognising her talent, the Telangana government also provided her with financial aid worth Rs 10 lakh.

Born with disability

Born to a family of eight, Rajeshwari is the fifth child and the only one born with disabilities. She needed someone’s assistance for daily chores like brushing, combing, or eating, reports Telangana Today.

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Despite these difficulties, Rajeshwari was determined to study. Speaking about her education, Rajeshwari said,

Since I had so many siblings, I went to school as long as one of them accompanied me, which was till Class VII. I needed help in the toilet and to commute. I couldn’t ask for others' help. So, when my brothers and sisters dropped out or finished school, I was forced to stop.

But Rajeshwari chose to continue her academics through open schooling up to junior college, reports Telangana Today.

Life as a poet

However, her tryst with poetry began in 1999 when she heard about farmer suicides, and because of the protests for the formation of a new state.

Speaking about her writings with Women's web, Rajeshwari said,

I started by writing in Eenadu, a Telugu daily, about suicides. I wanted to use myself as an example and question those contemplating taking their lives. With the help of a teacher, I was put in touch with the media. I was given space for three days to voice these thoughts.

Rajeshwari not only wrote poems about socially relevant issues, nature, and challenges in life, but also wrote to establish her identity. She said, "I want to be known for something despite my disability," reports Women’s Web.

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