From a shepherd to top scientist

He was forced to work as a shepherd to put food on the table for his mother and younger brother at a tender age, but his passion to pursue academics never deserted him, despite all the odds stacked against him.

Warangal Rural: From grazing sheep in the wilderness to studying cancer cells under advanced microscopes in premier research institutes, Dr Butti Ramesh has come a long way in life. “If you dream big, you achieve big,” says the PhD holder of his journey that had more downs than ups, particularly in the early part of his life. Born into a poverty-stricken family at Gavicherla village in Warangal Rural district, Ramesh often went to bed on an empty stomach.

He was forced to work as a shepherd to put food on the table for his mother and younger brother at a tender age, but his passion to pursue academics never deserted him, despite all the odds stacked against him. When Ramesh was in class two, his father died of a heart attack leaving his mother, Mallikamba, helpless.

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“My mother used to work as a labourer. I opted out of formal education and shared my mother’s burden. There was nobody to help us. Sometimes, my neighbours and washerwoman would collect food from the village and give it to us. When the situation went out of control, I worked as a labourer and a shepherd to help my family. Our house would be in knee-deep water during rains,” he recalled in a chat with Telangana Today.

“However, my intense desire to continue with formal education and reach a respectful position in society and to serve my country put me back on the track of education. I directly joined 10th class and finished it with financial help and moral support from Nasam Ramesh, a physical education teacher,” Dr Ramesh said, adding that he focused on his studies and spent many sleepless nights to excel in them.

“I did not even have Rs 200 to apply for EAMCET to study medicine though I secured 907 marks (topper in the college). Hence, my dream of becoming a doctor was shattered,” he said. Ramesh said one of the school suggested that he apply for admission into AP Residential Degree College, Kurnool, with the Rs 160 I had.

“I secured 1st rank in APRDC exam and took up biochemistry at APRDC. During that period, the dream of becoming a doctor still lingered in my mind. When I joined Dr Sreenivasa Rao’s coaching centre, Dhanush Academy, I came to know that I can get a doctorate. I worked hard for my MSc entrance exam, and secured several positions in several universities (including KU (1st Rank in Biotechnology), PCU (2nd Rank), HCU, ICAR and CEEB.

However, I joined M.Sc Biochemistry in Hyderabad Central University where I received University Achievers award in 2009-10 by our former president A P J Abdul Kalam,” Ramesh said. He also qualified for several exams like GATE (99 percentile, AR 129), CSIR (AR 36), ICMR and JNU to take up doctoral studies.

“Using the CSIR fellowship, I joined renowned cancer biologist Dr Gopal Kundu’s lab at the National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, where I developed an interest to work on how normal cells (stromal cells) present in breast tumour micro-environment helps in disease progression and recurrence. My studies indicated that crosstalk between fibroblasts (major stromal cells) and cancer cells instigate breast tumour progression and Osteopontin and SDF-1 proteins facilitate this crosstalk.

For this significant work, I was awarded a doctorate in August 2020. The dream of having a doctor tag was finally fulfilled,” he said. Ramesh said his aim is to advance his research in breast cancer therapy and devise therapeutic strategies by identifying novel targets. “Disciplined hard work and dedication are two imperative factors for success in life,” Ramesh said, signing off.

 

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