At 43, Prakash A/L Surriyamurthy is no ordinary tuition teacher. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Bahasa Melayu and a Master’s in Counselling from Universiti Malaya, he travels across the Klang Valley daily, often by LRT or Grab, to teach Bahasa Melayu and Sejarah to secondary school students. And he’s been doing this for 16 years, despite being completely blind since infancy.
Born Without Sight, Raised with Strength
Prakash was born with retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer that left him blind after surgery at just two months old. But thanks to his father’s no excuse approach, he never grew up feeling limited by his disability.
“My father never let me think of myself as blind. I didn’t get special treatment. I had to do everything on my own, just like everyone else.”
That mindset laid the foundation for a life filled with purpose, resilience, and service to others.
From Counsellor to Beloved Tutor
In 2009, while working at an NGO for school dropouts, Prakash encountered a student who had failed her SPM. She was struggling with BM and Sejarah. Prakash took it as a personal mission to help her. She eventually passed, and in that moment, he discovered a new calling.
“I felt like I wasn’t using my education enough. So I took it as a personal challenge. I tutored her, and she eventually passed. That was the start of everything.”
What began as a part-time effort quickly turned into his life’s work. Today, Prakash teaches 2 to 3 classes a day, travelling as far as Puchong, Cheras, Semenyih, and Setia Alam. He also runs group classes at a centre in Sunway every Friday and Saturday.
“If there’s no LRT, I take Grab. If I need help, I ask a friend. That’s it. Nothing is really impossible.”
A Trusted Tutor Across Communities
Earning over RM2,000 monthly, Prakash’s student base includes Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Punjabi families. Despite initial assumptions, most parents don’t focus on his blindness, they see the results he delivers.
“Parents don’t care that I’m blind. They care about results. And once they see that, they recommend me to others” he stated
Beyond Tuition: A True All-Rounder
Outside the classroom, Prakash leads motivational talks, runs career guidance workshops, and takes on translation work in Malay, English, and Tamil. His efforts have even taken him to Singapore for speaking engagements.
And if that’s not impressive enough, he’s also a singer. Known to belt out SP Balasubrahmanyam and Hariharan classics at weddings and small shows, he finds joy and extra income through music.
For Prakash teaching isn’t just a job, its a mission. He wants to prove that being differently, abled doesn’t mean you’re incapable. His dream, is to be Malaysia’s very own version of renowned motivational speaker Nick Vujicic.
“Being Different Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Achieve Big Things”
For Prakash, teaching isn’t just a job — it’s a mission. He wants to prove that being differently-abled doesn’t mean you’re incapable. His dream? To be Malaysia’s very own version of world-renowned motivational speaker Nick Vujicic.
“If you love what you do, you’ll find a way to do it well. Don’t let stress or obstacles stop you. Just take the first step.”
He also shared a piece of advice for the others to be inspired
“You don’t need to be ‘normal’ to succeed. Whether it’s teaching, singing or something else if you believe in it, just start. You never know where it might lead.”
Want to learn from Prakash?
If you’re in need of a BM or Sejarah tutor or looking for a speaker, performer, or translator, you can reach out to Prakash at:
📞 010-5418178
📸 IG/@CaptainPrakash_1234
In a world full of excuses, Prakash stands as a living reminder, where there’s passion, there’s always a way.
Sources: WeirdKaya
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