17/03/2025
Srikanth Bolla, born on July 7, 1991, in Seetharamapuram, Andhra Pradesh, India, entered the world without sight. His parents, uneducated farmers, faced societal pressure to abandon him due to his blindness, but they chose to support and nurture their son. 
Determined to pursue an education, Bolla encountered significant obstacles. After excelling in his XII board exams with a 98% score, he sought to study science but faced resistance due to his visual impairment. Undeterred, he filed a court case and, after six months, won the right to study science, becoming the first visually impaired student in Andhra Pradesh to do so. 
Despite his academic achievements, Bolla was denied admission to Indian engineering institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), due to his disability. Refusing to be limited by these barriers, he applied to and was accepted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, becoming the first international blind student at the institution, with full financial aid. 
After graduating from MIT, Bolla returned to India with a vision to empower individuals with disabilities. In 2012, he co-founded Bollant Industries, a company that manufactures eco-friendly products and provides employment opportunities to people with disabilities. Under his leadership, the company has grown substantially, achieving a turnover of ₹150 crores in 2018. 
Bolla’s inspiring journey has been recognized globally. In 2017, Forbes Asia included him in their ‘30 under 30’ list, acknowledging his contributions to industry and society. His story is also being adapted into a biographical film titled ‘Srikanth,’ featuring actor Rajkummar Rao, bringing his remarkable journey to a wider audience.