Rama Reddy Karri
At IIT Madras, Dr. Ramareddy Karri, a 71-year-old psychiatrist from Andhra Pradesh, received a standing ovation when he was called onto the stage. The Director and the assembled audience rose to applaud him, creating a moment that Karri considers more “remarkable and memorable” than even his accolades from the President of India.
Dr. Karri is not your typical retiree. While his peers might be settling into a quiet life of relaxation, he is chasing his 100th academic credential. His journey into NPTEL began as a mandatory requirement for his third PhD in Yoga Therapy. What started as a two-course prerequisite in biostatistics soon expanded into something much larger.
Dr. Karri’s NPTEL statistics are staggering.
He has completed 53 courses and topped 36 of them.
He has been crowned an “NPTEL Mega Star” 4 times consecutively, a title reserved for those who achieve topper status in at least 6 courses in a single semester. This past semester alone, he registered for 16 courses, emerging as a topper in 12. When asked why he subjects himself to the rigors of examinations at an age when most seek peace, he smiles. He speaks of “eustress” , an enjoyable, healthy form of stress that keeps his mind sharp. “We are eating, we are drinking, we are wearing clothes; why not reading as one of the daily activities?” he asks. For him, the “anxiety” of waiting for exam results alongside students much younger is a source of genuine joy.
His discipline is as rigorous as the courses he takes. He starts his day at 3:00 AM, using the quiet hours to study before heading to Manasa, the psychiatric hospital where he has practised for 45 years. He uses AI tools to transcribe video lectures and turn them into bulleted study notes. He has a medical background, but an insatiable curiosity. His NPTEL portfolio includes a variety of subjects like Sociology of Sanitation, Engineering Psychology and Ornithology. He admits that while some courses, like Sanskrit, proved too time-consuming to master alongside 11 others, he views every challenge as a way to keep his brain from “rusting.”
The “Karri Effect” extends well beyond his close circles. At examination centers, he is frequently approached by fellow test-takers ranging from 20-year-old students to 40-year-old professionals, who credit him as their primary motivation for returning to the books. “It is because of you only that I’m writing at this age,” one 40-year-old MPhil candidate told him. His story even helps families.
One mother sent him an email saying her son had stopped studying after finishing his degree, but after reading about Dr. Karri in the newspaper, he felt inspired to start studying for GATE again.
As he looks toward the next semester, he is already planning to cross the “century” mark of 100 total degrees and certificates. He views NPTEL as his final, most rewarding academic journey, a “doorstep” to the best institutions in India. For Dr Rama Reddy Karri, the search for knowledge is not for the 100th certificate but for the “beautiful journey” and nourishment it offers to the soul.
~written by Elsa Prasad