Face to Face with Dr. Aruna, Minister of Health, AP

“Perseverance is the foundation to Victory”, -- Dr. Aruna

Women have had increased educational opportunities mainly after the India's independence. The scene is changing only recently as they are showing keen interest in employment and careers. While reservations are becoming a reality, there is a considerable development in all fronts for the women.

She only knows hard work. In what ever she undertakes in her profession as a doctor, she had never exhibited the feeling that “I am a lady and I have limitations". However, as a child she encountered the discrimination, which a girl child in a family is subjected to, and successfully faced it. She overcame the obstacles with courage and graduated herself as a Doctor and now in politics as a health minister. Her style of work and personality are unique. Her understanding towards life is very specific.

A few moments with Dr. Sanakkayala Aruna, who is holding a high position in the Department of health, well educated and above all with a clear understanding of life and society:

Q. Doctor entering the politics! Can you please elaborate?

A. Anybody and everybody who starts thinking about uplifting the lower strata of our society, will one day or the other automatically shift themselves into the service sector. It happened with me in the same way. My interest towards social service took roots, in my child hood itself. My father was in service at Nagarjuna Sagar, which had eminent visitors like Indira Gandhi, Lalbahadur Shastri and Dalailama. Their speeches were inspiration for me, though I could not understand them in full. I dreamt of following their footsteps and desire grew in course of time.

Q. Then what made you to study medicine?

A. During my adolescence, I had faced a lot of discouragement of being a girl child in a middle class family of six children. My parents could not afford a dowry in the marriage, and decided to marry me off to my maternal uncle. I even fought with my mother against this idea and become seriously sick. At that time, I got inspired by the doctors who treated me. The idea, that a doctor can serve the society better, took shape in me. I also felt that it would be to be a doctor than politics. I studied hard towards my goal. I requested my uncle to postpone the marriage since I wanted to study further. My uncle understood me and differed the idea of marriage telling that I was too young for him to marry. With the problem of marriage getting over, I had concentrated on my studies passing SSLC in first division, Intermediate in Marie Stella, Vijayawada and then medicine in Guntur Medical College.

Q. Did you practice medicine? Where?

A. I am married to S. Gouri Sankar of Guntur. My husband’s family happens to be a rich one. With my two children, I completed Post Graduation. We had started a Nursing Home in Guntur on our own without any help from our elders by taking loan. We used to work for 18 hours a day. However, even in those days, my interest in politics was alive in me. I was a keen observer of national and international politics.

Q. What made you to enter politics?

A. Once I participated in the programme of 'Praja Deevena' as a Doctor, in the presence of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu. His clarity of ideas, hard working qualities had pleased me and I joined TDP.

Q. Guntur constituency has many seniors, however, you being the junior, became a minister. Was it an accident?

A. My Minister ship was a matter of luck. I did not even know until it was declared.

Q. Being a minister, can you achieve your objective?

A. Certainly, I believe that the present position gives me more scope to help the society in a much better way.

Q. Being a Doctor, are you able to play a second role as a Minister?

A. It is true that it was a bit puzzling in the beginning. However, it is encouraging now since Health department is related to my profession.

Q. Let us know the objectives of your department?

A. 1. Working for better health of state population. 2. Bringing awareness on health in rural areas. 3. Running Government hospitals to provide medical facilities.

Q. What are the new schemes you are likely take up?

A. One of them is to provide more facilities to PHC’s at the village level. I am personally impressed by the health schemes of M.P. Government.

Doctors visit the villages every day in the morning but are located at Mandal Head Quarters. Doctor attendance will be available at Mandal Hospitals. Everyday, District Head Quarters get reports from Mandal Head Quarters about PHC Doctor’s activities. I had observed decentralisation of authority among the health centres of that state. I like that idea and would like to implement the same here. I am also thinking of using DWACRA groups in bringing health awareness in villages. Number of Vasectomy operations will also be augmented.

Q. Any funds from W.H.O?

A. Bill Gates, in his recent visit, had announced Rs. 113 crores towards ‘Vaccination’ programme. Funds towards Tuberculosis are also expected soon.

Q. Is there any truth in the recent rumour that there is Medicines pilferage supplied to PHC’s even before reaching there?

A. That is a misconception. PHC’s have correct supply of medicines.

Q. Do you face any difficulties with the officers in your Ministry?

A. No. None of my cabinet colleagues are treating me with differentiation of my being a woman minister. With the kind co-operation our CM Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, we are also encouraged to take policy decisions. Thanks to his respect towards women and their abilities.

However, some times we do find problems in administration.

Q. Does the dual role of a Minister and a responsible housewife trouble you?

A. Yes, I do face troubles at times. In my case, I am disturbed away from my family. One solace is that my two children have grown and are in the medical profession. This gives me some comfort.

Q. As a responsible minister and a woman, what is your message for women?

A. Women must get educated. Parents must co-operate and play their role in this. With this, a new horizon will open in the society and families. From the present position of reservation in opportunities, they must elevate to exalted ranks with their own ability, carving out a niche for themselves.

This goal is not difficult to reach if they show undaunted devotion, serious self-confidence and prompt perseverance.

Continuous hard work, strong mind, planned approach and spotless characters are foundation of success in life.

-- Interview by Ms. Sujatha Rao

Profile

Every beginning is a struggle in itself. As the clock clicks on, the struggle shapes into a victory, and victory is worth of a celebration. Every struggle that has a benevolent target and good intention behind it is destined to make a history.

In this eternal journey of life, women have proved themselves as untiring travellers, and are earning Kudos from every circle. Being successful in all quarters of the present day social organisation, they have left no stone unturned to earn accolades.

A poor student seeking financial help for higher education, an economically weak girl requesting medical help, a middle class family asking for redressel of social justice. Many such requests reach her for the extension of her helping hand. Unparalleled helping nature and undaunted national spirit are the qualities that make her unique among the woman politicians of AP. She is the Minister of health, A.P, Smt. Dr. Sanakkayala Aruna.

From being a housewife basically, she had studied this society well, and was deeply grieved over the inequalities and unjust practices present in it. This has spurned to step into politics and earn an enviable position as a Minister of Health, where she is striving hard every minute rendering services to the society in her own might.

In her fifty years of life, she was a subject of gender discrimination many a time but her undaunted spirit made her to reach the goal she has set for herself. Her eyes shine with the brightness of self-confidence. Though the scattered incidents of atrocities on women and the unequal treatment mooted to them irk her some times, she is able to rejoice the heights of development the fair sex have sealed of late.

Initial Days: Dr. Aruna is from West Godavari District. Her father was a Civil Engineer in Tungabhadra Dam serving Karnataka Govt. She was born there as the fourth child in the family. She had successfully circumvented the problem of a middle class family and became a doctor with the clear understanding that this profession has ample avenues of social service.

Education and Marriage: Passing out her tenth class in first division at Nagarjuna Sagar, she studied intermediate at Mary Stella College Vijayawada. After her graduation from Guntur Medical College, she married Dr. Sanakkayala Gouri Shankar Krishna Rao of Guntur and had two children. But keeping her goal always in mind she continued her Post Graduation after the marriage and earned her MD and DGO, degrees, without sacrificing her role of housewife.

Entry into Politics: With the born instinct of social service, driving her every move, she stepped into politics with the understanding that enlightenment of women, and their upliftment is possible more if followed politically. With this view, she had participated in the Praja Deevena programme in 1999 and later joined Telugu Desam. Contesting in elections with the backing of TDP she won with unexpected majority to take up Minister ship in Health department at the state level.

Goals and aspirations: She aspires to strive towards eradicating Polio and AIDS from AP and country, while primarily serving the society as a minister. She believes firmly in the dogma that only Education can bring the development in women, and set her aspirations high to see the improvement in female literacy at any count. She is also striving hard to reach her goal of Leprosy eradication in the state.