Some success stories are both inspiring and deeply moving. Such is the journey of Jyothi Reddy, who defied all odds to become the CEO of a billion-dollar software company.
Jyothi’s life took a difficult turn early on when her father, a daily wage worker, sent her to an orphanage at the age of 8. As the second of five children born into a financially struggling family, she attended a government school while living at the orphanage.
At 16, Jyothi was compelled to marry, and by 18, she was a mother of two daughters. Facing growing financial pressures, she worked in farm fields, earning a meager daily wage of just Rs 5. A breakthrough came when a central government scheme allowed her to pursue a teaching position. However, the income was barely enough, so she took up tailoring at night to make ends meet.
In 1994, Jyothi earned a BA degree from Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University, followed by a postgraduate degree from Kakatiya University in 1997. Although these qualifications allowed her to earn more, her salary was still just Rs 398 per month.
Her next turning point came when a relative’s visit from the United States opened her eyes to opportunities abroad. Determined, Jyothi took computer courses and eventually moved to the U.S. Eligible to work, she initially took on odd jobs—working at a petrol station, babysitting, and more. Her first stable position was in recruitment. In 2001, with $40,000 in savings, she founded her own company, Key Software Solutions. From modest beginnings, her business grew to a $15 million turnover, eventually becoming a billion-dollar enterprise by 2017.
