After Sudha Sneha Devarakonda and Karthik Kumar met through a mutual friend, they kept running into each other on the way to and from campus, at the gym, the library and even a graduate teaching assistant workshop.
“Eventually we decided to give dating a shot,” she says. “Walking to Einstein Bros. at the Havener Center for breakfast almost became a ritual for us. Being there for each others’ highs and lows – bad finances, house hunts, thesis presentations, first internship, first job, graduation – just helped us bond better.”
In 2010, Kumar earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and Sudha earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering. The pair married in 2012 and have two children.
“We always look back to our days in Rolla with great fondness as they have been the foundation to our relationship,” she says. “We came to establish our careers, but left with many experiences far more priceless, just one of them being our partnership.”
Their relationship advice?
“Working toward a graduate degree can sometimes be very stressful,” she says. “Meeting that special someone can help but sometimes be a distraction as well. It’s all about balancing personal and academic. At the end, the right person can become your pillar of strength through all those trying times.”
Share This Story
Spark a Memory?
Share your story! Fill out the form below to share your fondest memory or anecdote of S&T. If you'd prefer not typing, you can also share by phone at 833-646-3715 (833-Miner150).
Endurance was her middle name
The first woman to earn a degree from S&T, Eva Endurance Hirdler Greene, class of 1911, received the general science…
Amanda (Kay Hansen) and Chris Byrd
It was a fire drill at TJ Residence Hall in September 1999 that first brought Amanda (Kay Hansen) and Chris…
Bringing water to those in need
As co-founder of Water.org, Gary White has helped empower more than 29 million people worldwide with access to safe water…
Suzanna Long: An ‘80s alumna remembers
Engineering management Chair Suzanna Long, who holds four degrees from the university...
Amanda (Gealy) and Logan Meyer
Amanda (Gealy) and Logan Meyer met through mutual friends during St. Pat’s in 2010. Amanda earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees…
Float like a butterfly
Few have shared the ring with Muhammad Ali or been praised by the New York Times as “one of America’s…