My educational background...

I completed B. Pharm in 2002 from St. Peters Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Warangal. Then worked as a lecturer in a Pharma College in Markapur, Andhra Pradesh. I then completed M.Pharm in 2007 from Kakatiya University, Warangal. I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.

My teaching experience...

It was not my initial intention to pursue a career in teaching. I wanted to find a job in the pharmaceutical industry. But for personal reasons, I couldn’t do that and decided to start teaching. Now that I have done that for so many years, I realize that teaching is my true calling. Interacting with students and shaping their minds is a gratifying experience. I love this profession now.

I teach pharmacognosy to 2nd year and 3rd year students and herbal technology to 3rd year students. Pharmacognosy is related to medicinal plants and how to extract and prepare medicines from them. My research work is also in the same area. I also focus on impurity related work and have developed new methods for detecting and analyzing impurity levels and validating the methods.

I have been honored with two prestigious national awards - Bharat Shiksha Ratna from Global Society for Health and Educational Growth for excellence in chosen field and the Iconic Educationist award from The Glorious, a non-profit accelerator for literacy.

My approach to teaching...

Before I begin my lectures, I talk to my students about a general topic for 5 minutes and invite them to share as well. I am friendly and approachable, so students feel less inhibited in my class. However, I set strict standards when it comes to their work. With me, they feel empowered to talk about their personal problems and challenges. I think they appreciate that. I know different students have different mentalities and require different approaches to motivate them. I try to motivate myself first and watch motivational videos on how to engage students and keep them focused on studies. It is important to keep in mind that most of the students are from rural backgrounds.

My message to graduating students...

I would tell them to be determined and develop a good work ethic, like punctuality. Whatever profession they choose, they should learn to love it. That way they will excel no matter how hard it is. They should think hard before choosing a profession. There should be no regrets afterwards.

My Aikyam experience...

Initially, I thought the program was about developing communication skills. But the transformation I observed was an interesting experience. I follow some of the activities myself. The program inculcates greater awareness of the things around us that we normally ignore. I know I am learning from just being a facilitator. The students are showing great interest in the activities as well. The program also enables greater interaction with the students. It is very helpful for them to develop a more well-rounded personality.