In April 2017, Srikanth Bolla was included in Forbes' list of 30 under 30 across all of Asia.
"If the world looks at me and says, ‘Srikanth, you can do nothing,’ I look back at the world and say I can do anything.” - Srikanth Bolla
He may lack eyesight, but he has the vision that most with eyesight don't. Stories like Srikanth Bolla's inspire us to push our limits, defy all odds that come our way, and achieve the seemingly unachievable. Can you imagine that when he was born visually impaired, his parents were advised to get rid of him as "he would be of no use"? No one wanted to play with him because of his 'disability'! And his school did not allow him to study science as they thought it would be challenging for him!
Well, while giving up was the easiest option, Srikanth Bolla didn't let his "disability interfere with his dreams". He had the skills, vision, and confidence to go all the way and turn his dreams into reality. And he did exactly the same. That "blind and poor" boy whom the society labeled as 'useless' is now the owner of Bollant Industries, a ₹150 Crore Company. Nothing is impossible, you know!
(Credit: srikanthbollaofficial_)
'Srikanth' is an upcoming biopic based on the life of Srikanth Bolla, and stars Rajkummar Rao as the lead. The film has been the talk of the town ever since its announcement. And now, with just one day till its release, the excitement is quite palpable across the nation. As we gear up to witness the extraordinary story on the big screen, let's have a look at some of the top achievements of Srikanth Bolla.
(Credit: T-Series)
Srikanth Bolla was a brilliant student during his high school. But after class 10, he was not permitted to study science as his school thought he wouldn't be able to cope with the pressure. Instead of compromising, he filed a case at the court and won the legal battle in six months. He pursued science and guess what, he topped the 12th board exams with a score of 98 percent.
Rajkummar Rao in a still from ‘Srikanth’
However, despite his exceptional academic performance, he still had to struggle along the way. He aspired to pursue engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). However, due to his impairment, he was denied admission to coaching institutes.
Srikanth couldn't make it to the IIT, but he's not someone to give up so easily. He applied to universities in the US and bagged several offers. He enrolled at MIT, one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the US. In fact, he became the first international blind student in Management Science at the Sloan School of Management at MIT.
(Credit: srikanthbollaofficial_)
Later, in an interview with BBC, he said, "I was told by top coaching institutes that the course load would be like pouring rain on a small sapling. But I have no regrets. If IIT didn't want me, I didn't want IIT either."
After completing his degree at MIT, Srikanth bagged several corporate opportunities in the US. But he wanted to come back to India and work on some innovative ideas.
(Credit: srikanthbollaofficial_)
In 2005, he joined former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam's Lead India 2020: The Second National Youth Movement. And in 2011, he co-founded the Samanvai Center for Children with Multiple Disabilities. Here, he launched a computer research and training center and digital library for visually impaired students.
Within a year of co-founding the Samanvai Center for Children with Multiple Disabilities, Srikanth decided to establish his start-up business in India. In 2012, with funding from Ratan Tata, he established the Bollant Industries, providing employment to hundreds of people with disabilities. The company manufactures eco-friendly recycled Kraft paper from municipal waste or soiled paper, packaging products from recycled paper, disposable products from natural leaf and recycled paper, and recycles waste plastic into usable products. In 2018, it had a turnover of ₹ 150 Cr.
(Credit: srikanthbollaofficial_)
Well, destiny wasn't in favor of Srikanth Bolla. But he decided to write his own destiny and set an example like no other. Throughout his career, he has been honored with several accolades. In 2016, he received the Emerging Leadership Award by ECLIF Malaysia. The following year, he was included in Forbes' 30 under 30 Asia list. And in 2019, he was honored with the National Entrepreneurship Award by the Indian government.
