An alumnus of IIM-Indore, Chennai-based Vijay Prabhat Kamalakara made a complete U-turn in his career in 2006 when he decided to quit his job with an IT multinational (Tata Consultancy Servi-ces Ltd) and promoted Storytrails India Pvt. Ltd. Initially started with the objective of showcasing and explaining regional and local art, culture, customs and practices to expatriates, Storytrails has evolved into a company that organises walks and tours in and around Chennai city, embellishing local histories with folklore for adults, school children, expatriates and the general citizenry.
Newspeg. Recently, Kamalakara & Co have delighted the citizens of this port city by giving an innovative twist to their local tours by introducing theme-based trails — the peacock, bazaar, village, evolution, and nature trails — which have captured the imagination of children in a big way, as it takes learning out of the classroom and into the real world. Under the Storytrails classification, currently there are over 70 indoor and outdoor trails for Chennai’s children to explore apart from activity-based workshops, theme-based events and experiential full-day outings for differing age groups (three-five, six-12 and 12-17 years). Storytrails works with over 20 private and municipal corporation schools in Chennai.
Direct talk. “We use story telling as a communication tool. Every trail is researched, scripted, choreographed and rehearsed before it is presented to our various audiences. Stories for children are built around themes such as waste disposal, world wars, mathematics, history and mythology, and include visits to museums, theatres and fire stations. Our narratives are interspersed with song, dance, role play, props and activity so that children have fun learning. A trail group is led by trained narrators rather than historians who know how to present a mix of academic concepts, history, folklore and entertai-nment. It’s very challenging and creative work,” says Kamalakara, who was awarded the British Council’s 2011 Young Creative Entrepreneur Award for Performing Arts last July and the Yuva Shakti Award for Innovative Entrepren-eurship in 2009.
Genesis. An alumnus of Sri Krishna-devaraya University, Andhra Pradesh and IIM-Indore, Vijay worked in the banking and IT sectors for seven years before setting up Storytrails in 2006. An enthusiastic explorer and traveler, Kamalakara discerned a need for the ‘edutainment’ services Storytrails offers. “The best way to explore and discover India’s fascinating local histories and culture is by way of games, activities and animated stories. But these programmes require thorough research and good presentation skills,” says Kamalakara.
Future plans. Having scripted a success story over five years, the Storytrails management has charted ambitious plans for the future. “We want to offer our unique services in other cities and towns of India. Thus far we have grown by word-of-mouth referrals. We hope to build on our reputation and expand our services to include education, travel and the corporate sector,” says Kamalakara.
Way to go!
Hemalatha Raghupathi (Chennai)