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Naga Naresh Karutura has just passed out of IIT Madras in Computer Science and has joined Google in Bangalore.
You may ask, whats so special about this 21-year-old when there are hundreds of students passing from various IITs
and joining big companies like Google?
Naresh is special. His parents are illiterate. He has no legs and moves around in his powered wheel chair.
Ever smiling, optimistic and full of spirit; that is Naresh. He says, God has always been planning things for me. That
is why I feel I am lucky. Read why Naresh feels he is lucky.
Childhood in a village
I spent the first seven years of my life in Teeparru, a small village in Andhra Pradesh, on the banks of the river
Godavari . My father Prasad was a lorry driver and my mother Kumari, a house wife. Though they were illiterate, my
parents instilled in me and my elder sister (Sirisha) the importance of studying.
Looking back, one thing that surprises me now is the way my father taught me when I was in the 1st and 2nd
standards. My father would ask me questions from the text book, and I would answer them. At that time, I didnt know
he could not read or write but to make me happy, he helped me in my studies!
Another memory that doesnt go away is the floods in the village and how I was carried on top of a buffalo by my
uncle. I also remember plucking fruits from a tree that was full of thorns.
I used to be very naughty, running around and playing all the time with my friends.. I used to get a lot of scolding for
disturbing the elders who slept in the afternoon. The moment they started scolding, I would run away to the fields!
I also remember finishing my school work fast in class and sleeping on the teachers lap!
Though my overall rank in the IIT-JEE was not that great (992), I was 4th in the physically handicapped category. So, I
joined IIT, Madras to study Computer Science.
Here, my role model was Karthik who was also my senior in school. I looked up to him during my years at IIT- Madras.
He had asked for attached bathrooms for those with special needs before I came here itself. So, when I came here,
the room had attached bath. He used to help me and guide me a lot when I was here.
I evolved as a person in these four years, both academically and personally. It has been a great experience studying
here. The people I was interacting with were so brilliant that I felt privileged to sit along with them in the class. Just by
speaking to my lab mates, I gained a lot..
There are more good people in society than bad ones
July 28, 2008
Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to Prof Pandurangan and all my lab mates; all were simply great. I was
sent to Boston along with four others for our internship by Prof Pandurangan. It was a great experience.
Joining Google R&D
I did not want to pursue PhD as I wanted my parents to take rest now. Morgan Stanley selected me first but I preferred
Google because I wanted to work in pure computer science, algorithms and game theory.
I am lucky. Do you know why I say I am lucky?
I get help from total strangers without me asking for it. Once after my second year at IIT, I with some of my friends
was travelling in a train for a conference. We met a kind gentleman called Sundar in the train, and he has been taking
care of my hostel fees from then on.
I have to mention about Jaipur foot. I had Jaipur foot when I was in 3rd standard. After two years, I stopped using
them. As I had almost no stems on my legs, it was very tough to tie them to the body. I found walking with Jaipur foot
very, very slow. Sitting also was a problem. I found my tricycle faster because I am one guy who wants to do things
faster.
One great thing about the hospital is, they dont think their role ends by just fixing the Jaipur foot; they arrange for
livelihood for all. They asked me what help I needed from them. I told them at that time, if I got into an IIT, I needed
financial help from them. So, from the day I joined IIT, Madras , my fees were taken care of by them. So, my education
at the IIT was never a burden on my parents and they could take care of my sisters Nursing studies.
Surprise awaited me at IIT
After my first year, when I went home, two things happened here at the Institute without my knowledge.
I got a letter from my department that they had arranged a lift and ramps at the department for me. It also said that if I
came a bit early and checked whether it met with my requirements, it would be good.
Second surprise was, the Dean, Prof Idichandy and the Students General Secretary, Prasad had located a place that
sold powered wheel chairs. The cost was Rs 55,000. What they did was, they did not buy the wheel chair; they gave
me the money so that the wheel chair belonged to me and not the institute.
My life changed after that. I felt free and independent. Thats why I say I am lucky. God has planned things for me and
takes care of me at every step.
The world is full of good people.
I also feel if you are motivated and show some initiative, peo