Mr. Shoury Babu Rebba grew up in rural Andhra Pradesh, where caste-based exclusion and poverty were not abstract ideas but daily lived experiences. As a child, he also witnessed the Diviseema Cyclone of 1977, a disaster in which thousands lost their lives and many more were left homeless. That early exposure to large-scale human suffering left a deep imprint and later became one of the reasons he felt compelled to serve communities that are often left behind before, during, and after crises.

His motivation to pursue social work strengthened when he was posted to the Khammam agency area through his banking sector employment. Living close to tribal and Dalit habitations, he again encountered entrenched deprivation, generational marginalization, and the absence of basic support systems. He began taking up humble but practical programs like literacy, savings, and income-generating initiatives, and the strong community response encouraged him to build more structured and sustained work.

As advised by social activists and well-wishers, Mr. Shoury Babu Rebba established Kiranmayi Socio Educational Society (KISES) in Khammam.
In its early phase, KISES worked among Dalits, tribal communities, economically weaker sections, and women, with a clear focus on practical development outcomes across education, health, and women’s empowerment.

A pivotal turning point in the establishment journey was the role played by his life partner, Mrs. Rajani Suram. A post graduate who was working in the private sector, she stepped forward with the willingness to dedicate her time and energy to serve poor and marginalized communities, especially Dalit and tribal women. Her decision strengthened the foundation of KISES and gave the organization the leadership capacity it needed to grow with seriousness and stability.

From the beginning, the approach of KISES was community-rooted and multi-dimensional, responding to real barriers that keep families trapped in poverty. KISES started its work in Khammam District with Dalit and tribal communities (including Lambadi tribes), and later extended to the coastal areas of Krishna District, with a special focus on the island villages of Edurumondi in Nagayalanka Mandal, where vulnerability is intensified by geography and disaster risk.

Key sectors that KISES initiated and strengthened through its work include:

• Adult literacy programmes
• Health
• Water and sanitation
• Livelihoods and income generation
• Agriculture and allied support
• Disaster preparedness, relief, and rehabilitation
• Environmental issues
• Vocational training, new skills, and skill upgradation

In the initial phase itself, KISES was able to complete women empowerment work in 23 villages and establish literacy programmes in 10 villages, laying a foundation of social awareness, confidence, and household-level stability that supports longer-term development outcomes.

KISES leadership has been shaped not only by founding vision but also by community trust and organizational accountability. After gaining sufficient experience, Mrs. Rajani Suram was elected unanimously by the General Body as the Executive Director of KISES, and she continues to hold this responsibility while leading the implementation of challenging projects with dedication and hard work.

KISES has also followed a board-governed structure, reflecting its emphasis on formal community-based institution building and transparent leadership roles.

The founder’s vision is rooted in a clear social justice philosophy: building a society where the poor and marginalized enjoy equality, fraternity, and justice.

This philosophy is visible in the way KISES works, by focusing on the root causes that keep families vulnerable, such as illiteracy, poor health access, lack of livelihoods, weak community systems, and repeated exposure to disasters, and then building practical solutions that people can sustain.

KISES is also a story of personal sacrifice and shared commitment. Mr. Shoury Babu Rebba carried a long-cherished dream of social work even while working in the banking sector, and the decision to build KISES took shape as a family commitment, with Mrs. Rajani Suram stepping into full-time leadership and carrying forward the organization’s work with consistency.

The couple’s early work with Dalit women and tribal communities in Khammam, and the later expansion into vulnerable coastal and island geographies, reflects a practical form of solidarity, where leadership stays close to the field realities rather than operating at a distance.

The growth of KISES has been shaped by the trust of communities, the guidance of social activists and well-wishers, and the participation of local stakeholders who supported the organization to move from small community initiatives into structured development programs.

KISES acknowledges every community member, volunteer, frontline worker, and supporter who has stood with the organization across tribal villages, coastal settlements, and island communities, and who continues to strengthen this mission of dignity-led development.