One Lamp, One Future-Theerlapuram’s story of resurgence

A light of hope

metro india news I hyderabad

For most people, darkness begins when the lights are switched off. For hundreds of tribal families in remote habitations of Telangana, it begins when the sun goes down.

In Anjerigudem, Neeladripeta, Theerlapuram, Tekulagudem, Ashwarampadu and several other habitations in Karkagudem and Pinapaka mandals of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, families have been living for years without regular access to electricity.

Nearly 450 tribal families, comprising around 2,500 people, are affected.

Where Anganwadi centres and schools exist, inadequate buildings and basic infrastructure make learning difficult. For many children, the obstacles continue beyond primary education. Some eventually drop out and enter wage labour.

The irony is particularly stark in Anjerigudem and Ashwarampadu, where electricity was sanctioned under a central government scheme. Poles and other material reached the villages, but the work stopped. According to tribal activist Tholem Ramesh, the reason was the absence of forest department clearances.

On September 11, a small but significant change came to Theerlapuram. The Potlapalli Kamala Manohar Rao Foundation (PKMR Foundation) installed solar streetlights in the habitation.

“We realised that when darkness falls in these tribal habitations without electricity, children have to stop studying. Women also told us that it is difficult for them to step outside their homes at night because there is no street lighting. We wanted to address that immediate problem, so we installed solar streetlights in Theerlapuram. We will soon extend this initiative to more habitations,” says Foundation Chairman Potlapalli Kaladhar Rao.

Born on December 20, 1919, in Ashwaraopally, Telangana, Potlapalli Kamala Manohar Rao studied anthropology at Osmania University. His association with renowned anthropologist Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf shaped his understanding of tribal communities. He devoted his life to their social development, working to improve access to land rights, education and basic opportunities. In 2016, his son established the PKMR Foundation to carry forward that legacy.

The foundation’s interventions extend beyond electricity. In Ashwaraopally village of Raghunathpally mandal in Jangaon district, it constructed cement-concrete roads at a cost of Rs 37 lakh through MP funds. At the Jangaon RTC depot, it installed a purified drinking-water plant. In Dandupalli habitation of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, it distributed notebooks and stationery to Anganwadi children and plans to install solar streetlights.

Anirudh, who works in the IT sector, visits tribal villages with colleagues and friends, studies their needs and coordinates support.

The communities still need permanent electricity, schools, proper buildings, identity documents, higher-education opportunities, healthcare, roads and transportation.

A streetlight can mean another hour of study for a child or a safer walk for a woman. The story of Theerlapuram is not simply about four solar streetlights. It is about dignity, visibility and hope. One lamp cannot transform an entire village, but sometimes, one light is enough to show the way forward.

– Syammohan