On His Own Trip’s New Trip Leader’s Series: Prakhar Rastogi
Ladka Heera Hai…
It has been more than 3 years since I have known Prakhar. He came with me first on a weekend trip to Tirthan in February 2019. I remember him sitting in the bus, looking around, trying to understand the craziness that surrounded him. It was a short trip and to be honest, I never thought how close we would eventually become.
I guess Prakhar has done the maximum number of trips with me. And with time I have seen him grow beautifully. In Kashmir, the return flights got cancelled due to snowfall. The trip got extended and I had to arrange for everyone’s accommodation. It was chaotic. Prakhar was the first one who came up to me and asked if I needed any help. Even when I said no, he stayed by my side and that was comforting.
Prakhar is that guy who doesn’t have to ask a lot of questions to understand people. He is someone you can count on coz he will always be there no matter what. With time our friendship has grown. He is my confidante, someone I can call at any time, someone who advises me and scolds me too when needed.
Whenever Prakhar comes on a trip, I know he would take on responsibilities even without me asking. In Andamans, a girl got really sick on the first day and I took her to the hospital. Prakhar took the group out for dinner and made sure the fun continued. Prakhar’s presence is enough for me to not worry. Kartik once told me “All the best for Sri Lanka. Andamans k liye nahi kahunga. Waha to Prakhar hai hi.” I laughed but I knew how true this statement was.
And it’s just not me. Prakhar has a calming effect on people. When he is around, by default people would listen to him. At times I couldn’t believe how stable, how mature, how understanding he is. I keep saying “Ladka Heera Hai”.
On almost every trip, people had told me that Prakhar possesses all the qualities of a trip leader. And I would always shout YES. I love when people praise him because I know how deserving he is. I would keep saying that Prakhar would soon be leading a trip for us.
And guess what – that day is here. Prakhar is leading his first trip to Goa. And I know he will be an amazing trip leader. Coz he has always been one 🙂