A heartfelt worker story of Nagaraju, a painter and construction worker in Bengaluru, who left his farming roots behind to support his daughters and now dreams of returning to the soil where his life began.

About the Worker

“I worked under concrete skies, remembering the open fields I came from.”
Painter & Construction Worker | Village Roots | Bengaluru

Journey of Hard Work

My name is Nagaraju, and I was born and raised in a small village called Hosdurga near Kanakapura—a peaceful place filled with open fields, red soil, and simple living. As the only child of my parents, my world was shaped by their love and the steady rhythm of village life.

My father was a farmer. From the time I was a young boy, I followed him to the fields, watching him work and learning how survival is built through hard labour. Poverty was always present in our home, and because of that, I never went to school. I do not even know my exact birth year—only that life expected me to work from the beginning.

I married early and eventually took responsibility for the farmland so my father could finally rest. With time, I was blessed with two beautiful daughters. Their presence gave me a new purpose in life. I began dreaming bigger, but I knew my village could not provide the future they deserved.

So, with a heavy heart, I left my land and moved to Bengaluru. My friend Ramesh supported me, and together we started working in painting—one of the few jobs I could do without education. I settled in Banashankari and travelled across the city every day, working under the sun and rain, carrying only one goal in my heart: my daughters’ future.

Years passed quickly. When my daughters came of age, I got them both married. That moment gave me a father’s pride that cannot be expressed in words.

But life never truly stops. In 2023, I lost my father. After his passing, I brought my mother to Bengaluru so I could care for her in her old age.

Even today, I cannot read or write, and I do not know how to operate gadgets. I only know how to answer calls and make calls. But life has taught me lessons far greater than any classroom could.

Now, after years of struggle, work, and sacrifice, one final dream remains in my heart—to return to my village, to my soil, and to spend my remaining days in the place where my story began.

Watch the Story

• Pro7-hin-v1.mp4
• Pro7-ka-v1.mp4