HYDERABAD: Adilaxmi has helped many a travellers get back on with their journey. These travellers are at first shocked to see a lady mechanic, but leave with a smile after having seen Adilaxmi’s finesse in fixing flat tyres. In
Sujathanagar
in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, it’s as if all roads lead to ‘Adilaxmi garage’.
The 31-year-old
Yaddalapelli Laxmi
got involved with her husband Bhadram’s work five years ago. She can carry out puncture repairs for tyres of lorries, cars, tractors and two-wheelers.
Bhadram
was involved in the work for the last 20 years since a child.
It was when her husband would be away attending to puncture works elsewhere that Laxmi wondered why she herself should not do the job when he was not around. “It was difficult for me to lose the small amount of money if a customer came by for a puncture repair. I observed my husband’s work for two months and started doing the work myself,” Laxmi told TOI on Wednesday. She has has studied only up to class IV, but she has big dreams for her two daughters. Asmitha is 11 and
Samyukta
is 9 and are sent to a nearby school. “I will support them to the best of my ability in their studies to become whatever they choose to,” she said. “I personally want them to become police officers,” she said.
“They have to be strong-willed and take on every challenge in life,” Laxmi said. That is just like her. Laxmi is the second one in her family of four daughters. While her elder sister was not educated, Laxmi took it upon herself to help in the education of her two younger sisters, one who has completed 2nd-year degree, and another who is a nurse.
TRS leader
K Kavitha gave Laxmi a lorry tyre changing machine but she has not been able to use it as there is no power supply on which the machine can run. Two other organisations have given her machines that she has been able to use with the single phase electricity from the shelter she has put up for herself. “I need a ration card. I made several trips to government offices but I have still not got it,” she said. “I need a 2BHK flat from the government. This will be of great help to our struggling family,” Laxmi said.
Sushil Rao is Editor-Special Reports, at The Times of India, Hyde...
Read MoreSushil Rao is Editor-Special Reports, at The Times of India, Hyderabad. He began his journalism career at the age of 20 in 1988. He is a gold medalist in journalism from the Department of Communication and Journalism, Arts College, Osmania University, Hyderabad from where he did his post-graduation from. He has been with The Times of India’s Hyderabad edition since its launch in 2000. He has also done an introductory course in film studies from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, and also from the Central University of Kerala equipping himself with the knowledge of filmmaking for film criticism. He has authored four books. In his career spanning 34 years, he has worked for five newspapers and has also done television reporting. He was also a web journalist during internet’s infancy in the mid 1990s in India. He covers defence, politics, diaspora, innovation, administration, the film industry, Hyderabad city and Telangana state, and human interest stories. He is also a podcaster, blogger, does video reporting and makes documentaries.
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