In 2016, i attended the Rath Yathra of Puri Jagannath temple. In the prior months leading up to this trip, I stumbled upon a video featuring a tea vendor. Intrigued, I decided to arrive a day earlier to meet this individual who had garnered so much attention. Fortunately, I had acquired his contact number in advance. However, as he was a chaiwala (tea vendor), I was uncertain about how we would communicate. Therefore, I practiced my Hindi a bit and reached out to him, “Prakash ji – Mahesh Bol raha Hun Chennai se,” to which he responded, “Yes, Mr. Mahesh, how can I help?”
Let me introduce you to Prakash Rao from Cuttack. He used to work as a chaiwala, but what set him apart was that every month, he allocated half of his salary to operate a school for underprivileged children. There was a glass container in his shop, where he deposited half the money he earned. He used this money to cover the salaries of five teachers and had established a school in the slum area itself, recognizing that these children would find it challenging to access education elsewhere. When I met him in 2016, 70 children were enrolled, and over the years, several hundred had graduated from this school. Prakash ensured they had a glass of milk in the morning and a nutritious lunch, ” Empty stomachs cannot focus on their studies” he said.
Prakash Rao - School
Since they couldnt afford to buy flowers, they drew the flowers on the board to welcome me
When I stepped into the school premises, I received a warm welcome that made me feel like an esteemed guest. Even though they couldn’t afford to buy flowers, the children drew pictures of flowers on the board. It left me wondering how someone as unassuming as Prakash could possess the drive and energy not only to donate half of his income but also to dedicate his time and effort to improving these young lives.
I noticed a photograph on the wall of Prakash donating blood. He shared his personal story with me, recounting a time when he battled tuberculosis and was paralyzed, confined to bed for six months with no movement below his hips. Then, one miraculous day, he made a full recovery, thanks to an anonymous blood donor. This experience motivated him to become a regular blood donor himself, and as of 2016, he has donated whole blood 208 times—an astonishing feat that holds a record in Asia (though I later discovered that the world record stands at 281 donations). Prakash’s generosity doesn’t stop there; he had also inspired many of his friends to donate blood whenever needed. Consequently, his chai shop attracted more patients in need of assistance than casual passersby.
After spending time at the school, I asked if I could enjoy a cup of chai at his establishment. His response was, “No, sir, we are closed today because you are visiting, and I am receiving an award in Bhubaneswar from the Jindal Group!” I offered to give him a lift to his hotel and engaged in further conversation with him.
I left feeling deeply humbled by this extraordinary individual. Prakash Rao, a simple man who effortlessly speaks 12 languages, lives a life with purpose, striving to create a positive multiplier effect in the world.
I also learnt that he passed away in 2021, he had Covid a few months prior to his departure.
On the day i visited him, it was pouring cats and dogs. Now I understand why it rains.
Prakash Rao - School kid
After everyone else had left, this kid remained behind, incessantly firing questions about me. He wanted to understand why I was there, how I had arrived, and was eager to know every detail about the camera!
