Drought-hit India needs more of Anjineyya Kurubar – A 5-year-old labourer who became lecturer in Agricultural University of Raichur

Pic courtesy: Manoej Paateel

Bengaluru: At a time when the entire country is reeling under severe drought and grappling with ways to get on with life, Anjineyya Kurubar from Karnataka is an inspiration for all.

At a very first look, he appears to be a shy, dedicated student with his full sleeves shirt tucked in studying at the Agricultural University of Raichur at North Karnataka. But in reality Anjineyya is not a student, but he is a lecturer at the institute at the young age of 25. What is most unusual about this young lad is that he spent his childhood as an poor labourer, uneducated and on the streets.

At the tender age of five, when kids usually play with toys, Anjineyya's had already started his life as labour working with heavy tools. Till then he did not understand the importance of education. But he was always keen to learn. Now he has a degree in B Tech engineering. Of the many friends that he made on the streets one was a college going student called Satish.

Satish used to teach kids basic reading and writing. But Anjineyya wasn't really interested in studying, he had his interest in cricket. Only because he wanted to know more about the sport, he started studying.

Barely 10 minutes before entering his class, Anjineyya speaks about Shivshankarappa, the school teacher who was instrumental in bringing about the change in his life. Shivshankarappa spotted him at a local salon reading a newspaper. He was impressed and asked Anjineyya if he wanted to study further. When he agreed, Shivshankarappa took him to photo studio to get a photograph for his admission form.

Having missed on 13 years of education, it wasn't enough for Anjineyya to get a direct admission to 8th standard with whatever he had learnt from Satish. Shivshankarappa worked hard on him and at last prepared him enough to get him an admission in class 8. In two years he worked hard and passed his board exams with 74% marks.

After passing his 12th exams, Anjineyya applied for B Tech which was the toughest thing he ever did in his life. Since the entire course material was in English, a language in which he had just taken baby steps, so his mentor Shivshankarappa learnt it so that he could teach Anjineyya.

His parents have left their village after a failed crop on the four acre land that dried up and migrated to Hyderabad. He is saving money so that one day he can bring them home. Though his toughest challenge now is to repay the 1 lakh 60 thousand student loan that he had taken.

Anjineyya is forever indebted to his mentor and master Shivshankarappa. He chose to be a teacher as a tribute to his master. His mentor just mastered English and mathematics so that Anjineyya could prepare for B Tech entrance. 

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