Twelve-year-old Prasanna Kumar DP, a student at Swaroopa Adyayana Kendra, has made a remarkable achievement by earning recognition in the India Book of Records (IBR) for his unique artistic feat. He illustrated all 700 shlokas of the Bhagavad Gita using a pictorial language created by the centre, producing a total of 84,426 detailed images to represent each word in the sacred text.
Prasanna, from Holehonnur in Shivamogga district, began this extraordinary project after joining Swaroopa Adyayana Kendra a year ago, having previously studied at Rashtrothana Vidhyalaya. His mission was to transform the revered Sanskrit verses of the Bhagavad Gita into a fully visual experience. Over two-and-a-half months, he worked diligently, creating 1,400 lines of illustrations on hardboard sheets, day and night.
In August, Prasanna was officially recognised by the IBR Achiever record for his impressive work. The Bhagavad Gita, which consists of 700 verses, was transformed into 84,426 unique illustrations—each symbolising one word from the verses. This monumental accomplishment highlights not only Prasanna’s artistic talent but also the innovative learning techniques employed at Swaroopa Adyayana Kendra.
Gopadkar, the founder of Swaroopa Adyayana Kendra, shared insights into the centre’s teaching methods, which utilize a unique pictorial language to help students memorise subjects more effectively. “The pictorial language that our centre developed can be used to memorise any subject. Notes for any subject can be easily memorised by students using pictorial language,” he explained. Although the centre is not an art school, Gopadkar highlighted that it nurtures both academic and artistic skills, encouraging students to excel in multiple areas. “Each student develops at least 10 talents, and many of them have set records using our learning methods,” he added.
Looking back on his achievement, Prasanna expressed that the experience greatly enhanced his concentration and self-confidence. “The Adyayana Kendra greatly encouraged me. They provided me with the strength to learn, which boosted my concentration and self-confidence. I am ready to set another world record,” he shared. With aspirations to go even further, Prasanna plans to document his achievement in hopes of entering the Guinness World Records. His future project involves translating the Bhagavad Gita into the Swaroopa pictorial language for each English letter, marking the next chapter in his ambitious journey.