Meet man, who was denied admission in IIT due to blindness, inspiration behind Rajkummar Rao’s film, now owns...

Srikanth Bolla's remarkable determination and resilience have been the hallmarks of his achievement. He was born visually challenged in a small village in India and faced societal prejudices. Bolla's parents instilled in him the belief that a disability shouldn't be a roadblock to achievement in spite of these difficulties.

When Srikanth was born into a farming family no one knew he would one day reach unprecedented heights to get education in one of the most esteemed schools in the world, and become dynamic industrialist, and employ hundreds of people. But due to his blindness and lack of resources, the road to achievement was paved with struggles.

Srikanth was born in 1992 in the village of Seetharamapuram in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The 29-year-old industrialist was ignored as a child by both society and his teachers. He was made to sit at the back of the class. However, his parents instilled the fighting spirit in him. Srikanth once recollected in an interview, “My parents, Damodar Rao and Venkatamma were devastated that their baby was born blind. But at every stage, from the time they initiated me into a school in a rural area, they had to fight the system. Having faced challenges at every stage during my education, I always had the urge to do something differently.”

To be allowed to pursue science, he had to fight with the government. He was permitted to study science at his own risk. After a six-month wait, when Srikanth achieved 98% in class 12 board exams, he exceeded everyone's expectations. Nevertheless, society didn't see his potential.

Srikanth attempted to follow his dream of attending IIT after finishing his pre-university examinations, but he was turned down by the coaching centres that are essential for cracking the tough JEE entry exam. Never one to be defeated, Srikanth applied to the esteemed Massachusetts Institute of technical (MIT), US-based top technology schools, and got selected. He became the first blind student from India to attend MIT as well as the first from abroad.

Srikanth had the opportunity to remain in the US and build a comfortable life for himself in the country of opportunity after completing his education. But he was determined to return and make a difference for his nation and fellow citizens.

In 2012, after returning to India, Srikanth established Bollant Industries. Ratan Tata saw Srikanth's potential and enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and not only took him under his wing for mentoring but also made an investment in his business. Bollant Industries, a packaging solution manufacturer, continued to expand. With an average growth of 20% per month, the company reportedly reached a revenue of Rs 150 crore by 2018. With five production facilities and over 650 employees, Srikanth's industrial empire is primarily composed of people with disabilities. According to media reports, the business of this company is beyond Rs 500 crore and the net worth of Srikant is around Rs 50 crore. In 2016, Shrikant Bola became the director of Surge Impact Foundation and in the year 2018, the turnover of the company reached about Rs 180 crore. In the year 2017, Srikanth's name appeared in Forbes magazine's 30 under 30 Asia.

Based on the true story, Rajkummar Rao movie Srikanth Bolla got released on May10. The film is inspire by the life of the brilliant personalist. In addition to Rajkummar Rao portraying Srikanth Bolla, Jyotika and Sharad Kelkar play significant roles in the film. On May 10, Tushar Hiranandani's biographical film has been released in theatres.