“The day you become confident, the day you can stand with your back held straight and your head held high and smile despite the pain, you’re an achiever and a winner in life.”
Introduction
Dr. Kusum Prasad is a woman whose life reflects the rare harmony of intellect, compassion, and purpose. A master trainer of national repute and growing global recognition, she has spent over two decades shaping minds, strengthening organizations, and inspiring individuals across industries and communities. Her work spans emotional intelligence, design thinking, corporate growth, and behavioural transformation, delivered not through formulaic instruction but through deeply engaging, human-centered learning experiences.
What sets Dr. Kusum Prasad apart is not only the breadth of her expertise but the depth of her conviction. She approaches every role — mentor, facilitator, speaker, or learner — with humility, grace, and a fierce dedication to authenticity. Her multilingual fluency, spiritual grounding, and cultural sensitivity enable her to connect seamlessly across generational and societal divides, making her influence both widespread and deeply personal.
At the heart of her professional excellence lies a steadfast moral compass, shaped by love, loss, discipline, and resilience. This biography seeks not only to document her achievements but to honour the inner landscape of a woman who continues to illuminate lives with quiet strength, boundless curiosity, and an unrelenting commitment to service.
Phase 1 : The Foundations of Life
“My father was my mentor—he would send me recorded talks and songs, always reminding me that I had something special, something others didn’t see yet.”
Dr. Kusum Prasad was born into a distinguished and culturally rich family on the 21st of November, 1961, in the historic city of Mysore. Her birthplace, known for its palatial grandeur and serene landscapes, mirrored the promise and potential of the life that lay ahead of her. As the daughter of Col KK Murthy, a disciplined officer of the Indian Army, and the gentle, resilient Susheela Murthy, her childhood was shaped by a unique blend of discipline, courage, resilience, and compassion.
From an early age, Dr. Kusum Prasad witnessed a life of constant movement due to her father’s numerous army postings. This nomadic rhythm shaped her formative years, imbuing in her an adaptability, resourcefulness, and deep empathy for diverse cultures and communities. Each relocation was not merely a physical shift but an emotional tapestry woven intricately from the threads of new friendships, fleeting attachments, and repeated farewells. Amid this continuous flux, she learned the invaluable lessons of resilience, flexibility, and strength — qualities that later defined both her personal and professional endeavours.
Her family’s profound cultural legacy also significantly marked her foundational years. Her grandfather, a revered Karnataka classical singer, instilled in her a deep reverence for art, tradition, and excellence. His melodious renditions echoed through their home, embedding within her soul an appreciation for classical aesthetics and discipline that transcended music, touching every aspect of her life. His legacy became a gentle yet firm reminder of the importance of grace and harmony in one’s pursuit of personal and professional fulfilment.
The disciplined mentorship of her father, Col KK Murthy, had an especially profound impact on young Kusum. His strict yet affectionate guidance fostered a strong moral compass and a robust work ethic. Through him, she absorbed a philosophy grounded in duty, honor, integrity, and selfless service — principles deeply embedded in military life but universally applicable. Col Murthy’s towering presence in her life served as a beacon, illuminating a path defined by discipline, dignity, and dedication.
Amid these influences, her mother, Susheela Murthy, quietly exemplified emotional strength, unwavering patience, and warmth. Susheela’s nurturing presence softened the rigorous environment, anchoring Kusum in kindness, empathy, and a profound emotional intelligence. Her mother’s grace under the frequent pressures of military life became an enduring lesson, teaching young Kusum the power of quiet resilience and gentle perseverance.
The early chapter of Dr. Kusum Prasad’s life reached a pivotal turn with her early marriage to Colonel B.A.K. Prasad, a distinguished army doctor specializing in high-altitude medicine. This union was a significant turning point, profoundly influencing both her personal trajectory and her professional ambitions. Colonel Prasad, deeply committed to his challenging specialty, inspired her profoundly through his tireless dedication to saving lives in some of the harshest environments imaginable. His unwavering devotion to medicine and the broader humanitarian mission of the army sparked in her a passionate pursuit for deeper knowledge, greater competence, and a desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives around her.
Phase 2 : T he Academic Odyssey
“I studied in 13 different schools—not because I was thrown out, but because my father was posted every two years. That journey made me resilient and adaptive.”
The academic journey of Dr. Kusum Prasad is not merely a tale of degrees earned and certifications acquired — it is a vivid chronicle of resilience, adaptability, intellectual curiosity, and an unwavering pursuit of holistic learning. It reflects a life that refused to be confined within the walls of conventional schooling, blossoming instead across geographies, disciplines, and human experiences.
Dr. Kusum Prasad’s early academic life unfolded under the unique influence of her father’s career in the Indian Army. The frequent relocations that came with his postings were not interruptions but formative detours that enriched her worldview. By the time most children complete a few years in one school, she had already attended thirteen — each one in a different city, each offering its own cultural and academic ecosystem. These schools — most notably branches of the St. Joseph’s institutions — were scattered across India, embedding in her an instinctive openness to new environments and a capacity to adapt swiftly.
Learning, for young Kusum, was not confined to textbooks alone. It was shaped as much by changing uniforms and school assemblies in new dialects as by chalkboards and curriculum. This dynamic upbringing imbued her with not only linguistic versatility but also emotional dexterity — an ability to forge relationships, observe human behaviour, and navigate transitions with grace.
After completing her early schooling, Dr. Kusum Prasad went on to pursue her 11th and 12th standard education at the esteemed Wadia College in Pune. It was here that she began to nurture a stronger sense of intellectual identity and academic discipline. Her tenure at Wadia was followed by a Bachelor of Arts degree from Meerut University, an important milestone that marked the beginning of her formal immersion into the humanities.
Her choice of a liberal arts degree was deeply intentional — it reflected her fascination with language, culture, society, and the human mind. But her education did not end there. It evolved continuously, branching into professional certifications that expanded both her practical expertise and philosophical depth. She earned diplomas in Computer Management (DCM) and in International Air Travel and Tourism Management (DIATM), showcasing her interdisciplinary flexibility and foresight in engaging with globalized sectors.
In her adulthood, Dr. Kusum Prasad blossomed into a lifelong learner—someone for whom knowledge was not a destination but a journey of expansion. This was reflected in the series of advanced certifications she pursued with an insatiable appetite for intellectual growth.
Phase 3 : Glimpses of the Professional Life
“I’m not a corporate clown—I’m an interactive trainer. People wait for my sessions because I don’t deliver lectures, I create experiences.”
Dr. Kusum Prasad’s professional journey is not merely the story of a career built over time; it is the story of a soul who chose to invest herself in the transformation of others. It is the tale of a woman who, with quiet courage and relentless commitment, moved through evolving landscapes of media, education, training, and empowerment, building bridges across institutions, industries, and individuals.
She began her professional life with a voice—both literal and figurative—at a remarkably young age. At just eighteen, when many are still uncertain of their first steps, she stepped confidently into the vast corridors of All India Radio. As a program coordinator, she not only managed production and scripting but also brought stories to life through her voice and direction. The programs she crafted were not just heard—they were felt. Her messages reached villages tucked away in remote corners of India, where the radio remained one of the few accessible windows to the outside world. Her work resonated with listeners not because it was perfect, but because it was authentic. There was no pretence in her delivery—only sincerity, empathy, and an innate understanding of what people needed to hear.
Her transition to Doordarshan was a natural evolution. The camera and screen offered her a larger canvas to reach the hearts of people. The transition from radio to television could have intimidated a young woman, but not Dr. Kusum Prasad. Her adaptability, honed during a childhood of relocations and reinventions, found expression here as she shaped programs that reflected both creativity and cultural sensitivity. It was not long before international platforms began to take notice. Recognized by the BBC for the authenticity and emotional weight of her work, she was catapulted into a wider sphere of influence. But even as her recognition grew, her humility remained unchanged.
Her path soon intersected with a cause that would become deeply personal and professionally defining. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), recognizing her unique ability to connect with young minds, appointed her as a Master Trainer for adolescent empowerment programs across India. This wasn’t just an assignment; it was a calling. She walked into schoolrooms in dusty towns, auditoriums in bustling cities, and community centers in struggling districts. And in every space, she brought light. Her sessions weren’t sterile lectures; they were conversations of substance, laughter, questions, and healing. She met adolescents where they were — curious, confused, vulnerable — and offered them not just knowledge but tools to live with dignity, confidence, and awareness. It was in these years that her vocation transformed from a profession to a mission. Empowering youth, particularly girls, was no longer a task. It became her soul’s work.