No roads, AP teacher travels to school on horseback

With no motorable roads connecting Surlapalem to the rest of the district, Venkataramana, who teaches at the village's primary school, has no option but to ride a horse to work on a daily basis.

Visakhapatnam: Though the idea of riding a horse on winding mud paths surrounded by tranquil green hills all around might feel like a vacation to many, for Venkatarama, it is a daily struggle.

Venkataramana teaches at the primary school in Surlapalem village in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam district and battles through unmotorable roads in the region on a daily basis - just to get to work.

Every day, he first reaches Gemmeli village on his bike, from where Surlapalem is a gruelling 5-kilometre horse ride away.

However, the horse is a minor improvement in Venkataramana's life, as he earlier used to cover the 5-kilometre distance on foot.

Moved by his dedication and zeal to teach, villagers gifted him a horse in order to make his commute slightly easier.

Ruing the absence of motorable roads in the region, Venkataramana said, "About 55 kids from Surlapalem and nearby villages come here to study, but there are no roads in these villages. We are trying our best to impart education to the kids here."

"If the roads are built, it will be better for their education. These villages are still under-developed, and education is an absolute necessity for development," he added.