Meet Visakhapatnam’s “Birdman”

Morning walks for Prakash Rao, one of Visakhapatnam’s Samaritans, aren’t just about his well-being, but more importantly for the well-being of the animals, he feeds along the way.

Every morning, you can spot many birds flock together to a common point in the park opposite to the YMCA in Visakhapatnam. After gathering at this point, they get busy devouring the food crumbs present in the area. This has been the routine of these birds for the past three years and they have one man to thank.

Prakash Rao feeds these feathered creatures each morning. Having worked at the Hindustan Shipyard before retiring in 2014, he started taking morning walks on the beach road. However, unlike many others’, his morning walks are much awaited by his animal friends.

Rao carries a bag filled with biscuits and chapattis as he leaves home. On his way, he feeds the stray dogs finally finishing his walk after reaching the park. He stops at a particular spot in the park where his best buddies await. After reaching this spot at 5 AM, he starts feeding the birds, which have already started gathering by then.

When asked about his motivation behind what he does, Prakash Rao candidly says that it’s the duty of each human being to help animals in whatever way possible. He says “Unlike human beings, animals and birds can’t express their feelings. This makes me really sad. I’ve always felt that I owe something back to the society and feeding them gives me immense pleasure”. He adds that the personal satisfaction achieved in feeding the voiceless is unparalleled. In his opinion, the blessings garnered by doing good deeds are priceless and are the true possessions of anybody.

As he thanks God for providing him the scope and potential to serve the animals, he leads the way and sets an example for others. In fact, many others too have started feeding animals and birds in their surroundings. As they say, “Goodness is Contagious”.