19/07/12. On this day, for the first time in the history of the Department of Economics at the University of Hyderabad (and possibly a first in the University), a visually challenged candidate, Ms. B. Madhuri Smitha, successfully defended her Ph. D. thesis in Economics. One of her two thesis supervisors, Dr Naresh K Sharma (the other is Dr B Kamaiah) writes:
Though denied of the great faculty of vision (Ms. Madhuri Smitha has total loss of vision) by nature, she is well endowed, by the same nature’s benevolence, with abundant intelligence and a will to achieve her own targets. Incidentally, this first feat (in Economics at HCU) by a visually challenged person, is achieved by a women candidate. In addition to her own great perseverance and hard work, she was supported with equally great dedication by her mother in this work and also backing of her father. She has completed her Ph. D. work while working as a faculty member at the Koti Women’s College ( a constituent college of OU).
It is always humbling to see such courage and determination, and always an inspiration. Thank you, Dr Smitha, and from the entire University community, our heartiest congratulations and best wishes!
Her graduation photograph is on Facebook.
Dear All,
This is a really great.
Congratulations to Ms. B. Madhuri Smitha, and her Supervisor Prof. Naresh K Sharma!
Dr.Darla Venkateswara Rao,
Assistant Professor, Department of Telugu,
University of Hyderabad
http://vrdarla.blogspot.in/
Dr. B. Madhuri Smitha, well done and congratulations! So heartening to hear about your hard work and success. Wish you the very best in life.
It’s indeed a great pleasure to know this inspiring story. Congratulations to Dr. B. Madhuri Smitha. Although, I’ve always been a privileged beneficiary of the able guidance and mentorship of Prof. Naresh Kumar Sharma as a teacher, mentor, project guide, guardian and friend, coming to know this new progress has definitely doubled my respect and gratitude for him. Thank you Sir !!! I also thank our hon’ble VC Prof. Ramaswamy to bring this happening in public space.
I’ve shared this blog piece on the Facebook page of Economics Alumni, University of Hyderabad (www.facebook.com/EconomicsUoH)
HCU Proves again that it’s the most happening place and with effort any one can achieve success in HCU with a lot support from its generous faculty who are always there to help & a very supportive administration
Dear Sir, thanks for posting this very special… on your blog. I am so so happy to hear that. And, Hearty Congratulations to Dr. B. Madhuri Smitha and Prof. Naresh Kumar Sharma. By the way, there was another visually challenged person, Dr. Rohith. P., a bright student, in the Centre for Comparative Literature, who completed his Ph.D., in 2008 I guess, under the supervision of Prof. K. Narayana Chandran of the dept. of English, was the first Visually Challenged person in the CCL, (perhaps the first in our University) who successfully defended his Ph.D. Right now, Dr. Rohith is a faculty, and the head of the dept. of English, in one of the affiliated colleges of Delhi University. Thank You, Sir.
Some students drew my attention to the above blog. Though the blog is about Dr. Madhuri and her laudable achievement, it will be only right to correct an omission: Prof. B. Kamaiah and I were joint Ph. D. supervisors for her doctoral work. I may add that Prof Kamaiah shouldered the major part of the responsibility among the two of us, and my contribution was relatively a minor one. However, Prof Kamaiah and I share equally in the happiness on this achievement by Dr. Madhuri Smitha. Naresh
Thanks for the clarification Naresh. I have changed the text to reflect the joint supervision. Do let Prof. Kamaiah know.