Hi, I am Pushpa Prakash.
Having born in 1956 when women were least allowed exposure to life, I strived to blossom at life and pursued my graduation and as well stood as a rank holder in typing with many other extracurricular activities in those times. I have always been a person who believed “Life is Nowhere to Life is Now Here”
Alongside my responsibilities as a homemaker with zero exposure to the outside world and upbringing my two daughters, I was determined to relive my life at 50. I always wanted to serve the society as a nurse but the divine plans were far more deep. Standing at 68 today, I am a mental health counsellor, a child specialist who has refactored thousands of lives since 18 years helping people sail through their life problems. I stand far more content at life today! Having voluntarily serving at NIMHANS to running a counselling centre of my own ‘Surabhi Counselling Centre’, I have rendered my free services to various counselling centres, NGOs, Special Education Centres, Old age homes, Women’s helpline in Police station, hospitals, schools, colleges and IT companies.
I started Surabhi Counselling Centre to voluntarily help people in distress via various modes of counselling addressing multiple severity issues including but not limited to depression, marriage conflict, parental conflicts, suicide prevention, trauma handling, old age issues, adolescents issues and lot more. Over many years, several people of different ages have been benefitted thus the centre standing as a solace for one’s grief, empowering them for a better life.
I believe budding children need to be exposed to the aesthetic part of life, much needed for today’s era and with the vision of grooming the upcoming generation with right life skills, I, in association with S.A.V.E – ‘S’erver ‘A’nd ‘V’alue ‘E’very-life, run value education sessions weekly as a continuous free course, conduct free mental health workshops, enable slum skids through Project S.L.U.M. I also voluntarily serve food to the patient attenders at Kidwai Government Cancer hospital as part of ‘Annadana Shibira” Sai baba Trust, a regular volunteer at PFA wildlife hospital carrying my love for the voiceless. Was actively part of the Corona task force, Govt. of Karnataka. I have also been invited by the media for talks on mental health.
I also feed wild birds and animals in my terrace and house premises since a decade sharing my space and love with them.
Thus, having impacted thousands of lives so far and still aspire to continue. However, it doesn’t end here.. there is another side of me who strives to live life in ‘n’ dimensions.
An adventurer at 55, a trekker at 64 with 46 treks so far and still counting, a vivid globe trotter who has travelled to 31 countries and a runner at 62 taking part in various marathons. Today at 68 I have trekked to Mt Everest Base Camp, summitted Mt. GokyoRi to an altitude of 18000ft with the latest one being this year to Kauri Pass, a winter snow trek. The surprise element is I don’t do any preparation for my treks however I believe a healthy life style day on day and a healthy mind can do wonders and here I am!
Few of my adventures
- Skydiving from 12000ft
- Bungee jumping from the World’s highest bridge and tower
- Bungee jumping from the World’s highest bridge and tower
- Gorge swinging over world’s widest waterfall
- Snorkelling with wild seals in the Pacific Ocean
- Cage diving with the wild Great white sharks in the Indian Ocean
- Crocodile cage diving
- Swam in the Victoria falls Devil’s pool to the rim edge of the world’s widest waterfalls, a one of its kind
- Scuba diving at Great barrier reef and many more
- Microlight flying over the Victoria falls between two countries.
- Flying a micro plane as a copilot
- Parasailing
- River rafting I have found myself more inward through travels and feel accomplished standing as a source of inspiration to the youth, emphasizing the importance of health, mind and soul to many.
My Activities & Passion
- I also love art, a painter and a song writer.
- I as well learnt Swimming in my middle age and now an eminent swimmer.
- I am also an inventor who invented ‘Evergreen Calendar’ which enables one to find the day of any date of any century before and after boundless, in just 2 minutes.
- In my 20s I secured State ranks in Kannada Typing Jr and Sr. I am also a English Typing Sr, English Shorthand Sr and Kannada Shorthand.
- I am also a Karate Green Belt in my twenties. Being awarded with the below stands as a celebration of the second innings of my life.
Awards & Accolades
- ‘Trekker of the year’ by VLAW in Jan 2024
- Samadhana JanaSeva Award by Samadhana Counselling Centre
- Child Mental Health Groomer Award by International Mental Health Forum
- Featured by PowerTV channel for an enlightening mental health discussion
- Seva Saathi Award by YFS
- Seva Ankura Award by YFS
- Felicitated by various organizations and institutions- S.A.V.E NGO, Prasanna Counselling Centre, Child Guidance Centre, Vanitha Sahayavani, Ashaktha Poshaka Sabha, Cambridge Pre-School, Bengaluru
- Award of Recognition by Spandana – Women’s helpline
- Received multiple accolades for my various adventures
- Featured for by adventures at 65 years – https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvXgLEzt3Kv/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Awarded for securing 3th Rank in Kannada Typing Junior in 1979 and 4th Rank in Kannada Typing Senior in 1980
- Award of Recognition for Services and Achievements by Karnataka Havyasi Apta Smalochakara Vedike
- Award of Recognition for dedicated Counselling Services, Samadhana Counselling Centre
As a whole I wish my life stands as an example for all simple women out there that it is never late to live the life of your choice and passion!
You can follow me on my Instagram account – https://www.instagram.com/pushpa_prakash_the_wild_flower/
One Response
Inspiring.