Madhavi Latha Prathigudupu, a visionary business leader, social advocate and entrepreneur was born in Sathupalli in Khammam district of Telangana State to a High School teacher Parthasarathy Raju and Varalakshmi Devi, a home maker. She schooled at the Panchayat Samithi Primary School in Sathupalli and later at the S.B.S. Government Junior College, Sathupalli.
Tragedy struck when Madhavi was affected by a massive polio attack when she was just 7 months old. Her father and brother used to carry her to school. She was unable to pursue regular education after class 10 and she was constrained to pursue her education privately.
She was taught to be independent from a very young age and was brought up in a very close knit family. Madhavi is the youngest child and has 3 elder sisters and one elder brother.
She was a bright student who excelled in Mathematics. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the Osmania University.
As her father was very progressive in his thinking, he educated all his 4 daughters and made them financially independent. According to Madhavi, most of the girls in her village were given in marriage just after they completed their schooling.
Madhavi was motivated to take up a job and become independent too just like her elder sisters. She applied for a suitable position in LIC but they did not recruit people with mobility related issues at that point of time. Being a determined lady, Madhavi did not give up and wrote the BSRB exams and got selected by State Bank of India. She later moved on to a multi national bank in Hyderabad and eventually resigned due to health reasons.
At this juncture, her health deteriorated and she consulted an orthopaedic surgeon who suggested a spine surgery but did not guarantee success of the surgery.
Madhavi therefore tried alternative course of treatment like ayurveda and homeopathy. It was her visit to a psyiotherapist that changed the course of her life. He advised her to go in for hydrotheraphy and to try swimming. She took his advice and found great improvement in her health. She also managed to find a coach to teach her swimming. She was first taken to a baby pool till she learned the basics and gained confidence.
She took to swimming as a duck takes to water and even entered in the 11th National Paralympic Swimming Championship in 2011 held at Kolhapur, Maharashtra and won three gold medals. She also won the Individual Championship under S1-Women Senior category. She won more medals in the Paralympic Swimming Championships held in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 as well.
Madhavi then started Paralympic Swimming Association of Tamil Nadu and trained more than 300 people with disabilities. She also started supporting wheelchair basketball and succeeded in getting the support of an NGO from the UK.
This motivated her to start a wheelchair basketball association of India. She served as President for 2 terms and she reached out to 650 players.
This is not all. Madhavi was filled with a desire to help out people with disabilities and started arranging courses for such people in filmmaking, acting, directing etc.
All her life, she was interested in becoming an entrepreneur and that wish of hers came true when she set up a company along with a close friend. Named AM Media & Sports, this is a startup that leverages digital platforms to produce and distribute content focused on sports, inclusion and societal change.
She also founded ‘’Yes, We Too Can’’, an initiative focused on ensuring accessibility and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities. The YWTC Charitable Trust drives social empowerment in her various roles.
Her work extends beyond the realm of sports and media and through her various initiatives she has championed the cause of change and built pathways for people with disabilities to access equal opportunities in both education and the workplace. She serves as an advisor to Anyssa Venture Capital that focuses on disability inclusion in Asia and Africa.
Madhavi is also an accomplished writer, media creator and director. She has co-directed and produced impactful films and documentaries that amplify inclusion in the corporate and sports ecosystems. Some of these films were screened at the International Film Festival of India. Her autobiography, ‘’Swimming against the tide’’ has earned widespread acclaim and received rave reviews.
She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Rotary Club of Chennai Galaxy Distinguished Award, Woman of Resilience Award, Evvolv Women Achiever Award, Great Diversity and Inclusion Award, Path Breaker Award etc.
Burning with an unwavering commitment to inclusion and a passion for media-driven advocacy, Madhavi continues to be a transformative force in driving positive change within society.
Juliana Sridhar is a lawyer and columnist.
