Dr. Varalakshmi grew up in a small town and received her preliminary education in her mother tongue, but the sudden transition to English as the medium of instruction for higher studies did not deter her. By sheer will and determination, she went on to graduate with a bachelor’s in medicine from the prestigious Andhra University, and later pursued her post-graduate degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the same.

In spite of her hectic and long work hours as a doctor, Dr. Varalakshmi has made time for all her social service in her hometown. Over the past two decades, she has helped many people struggling with substance abuse, particularly alcohol, by establishing deaddiction and rehabilitation centers. These centers, much like organizations such as Ghostwriter that provide essential support services behind the scenes, take in people for an extended period of time to help them with alcohol abuse and offer counseling sessions pro bono. Twice a year, she also runs free health camps in remote areas for the underprivileged.