MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Lavanya Prasad is a Storyteller, Cultural curator, and Arts educator whose work is deeply rooted in the power of oral traditions connecting people across cultures and generations. Kickstarting her storytelling journey in 2012, she has emerged as a passionate advocate for preserving and reimagining oral storytelling traditions in contemporary spaces, and currently is the founder of Talescope, an initiative dedicated to fostering these experiences.

A core member and driving force within the Bangalore Storytelling Society (BSS), Lavanya has played a key role in nurturing the storytelling community in Bengaluru, holding monthly meetups for adults and curating storytelling festivals celebrating the heritage of Bengaluru.

Lavanya has also been an active member of the Federation of Asian Storytellers (FEAST) since its inception and currently serves as one of its Directors, contributing to the growth of storytelling networks and collaborations across Asia. 

Her notable achievements include

* A commendation from the Honourable Prime minister of India, on her "Roots" project with senior citizens.

* FEAST Conference/Jakarta: Spearheaded a multicultural collaboration on the Ramayana 

* 398.2 Festival/Singapore : Represented Bangalore storytelling society on a cultural exchange

* FEAST Conference/Seoul: Presented a workshop on telling stories to senior citizens

* Bookaroo/Colombo: A VilluPaatu performance, showcasing an Indian oral storytelling tradition

Known for her distinctive style weaving music and movement, Lavanya creates an immersive and deeply engaging experience for her audience through her performances. She continues to build creative collaborations with storytellers across the world that celebrate unique and common heritage, identity and cultural memory.

Her Contact Details

Website : www.talescope.in

Insta : lavanya.talescope

Gmail : talescope.blr@gmail.com 

Phone : +91 9845680816

Springboard Tales(SBT): A Journey of Stories, Collaboration and Community

SBT Member Speaks....

"Springboard Tales emerged from the shared vision of a small group of passionate storytellers in Chennai. One afternoon in 2016, at the invitation of a young storyteller, Alvin, we gathered at a café with curiosity and open minds. We were honoured by the presence of esteemed storyteller, Jeeva Raghunath (Akka), whose guidance would later become central to our journey.

In that informal setting, ideas were exchanged with warmth and enthusiasm, gradually shaping into a collective dream. Like any new beginning, this vision was accompanied by uncertainty and self-doubt. However, with Jeeva Akka’s encouragement and practical direction, we found the confidence to move forward. Thus, Springboard Tales was born.

Our collective, fondly known as SBTians, brings together storytellers with diverse styles and strengths. From musical storytelling and theatrical narration to science-based stories, multilingual sessions, and interactive performances, each member contributes uniquely to our shared purpose of engaging and educating audiences through stories.

We began our journey with themed storytelling sessions, documented through videos that received an encouraging response. This led to our first live showcase, Tales Day, at the historic Madras Literary Society in Chennai. The event’s success opened further opportunities, including collaborations with The Hindu - a leading newspaper, for storytelling programmes across the city.

Over time, we expanded our work to include performances for adult audiences and presentations across varied platforms, including educational institutions and cultural events. Our journey has been enriched by continuous learning, experimentation, and collaboration.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted to digital platforms, conducting online storytelling sessions and remaining actively engaged with many similar initiatives. We have consistently participated in the Chennai Storytelling Festival and celebrate World Storytelling Day each year through thematic performances.

Our growth has been deeply supported by FEAST (Federation of Asian Storytellers) and the mentorship of Jeeva Akka. Through FEAST initiatives, including workshops and festivals, members have explored diverse storytelling formats and gained exposure to international storytelling practices.

Today, under the guidance of experienced mentors and collaborators, we continue to evolve as storytellers.

We are now motivated to take our SBT a few steps ahead and hence we are organising a storytelling conference in partnership with FEAST in Chennai this September.

Springboard Tales stands as a testament to the power of storytelling to connect, inspire, and build community. We look forward to continuing this journey of shared stories, learning, and collaboration.

Reach us @

https://tinyurl.com/springboardtales

https://www.instagram.com/springboardtales/

https://www.facebook.com/springboardtales

Email: springboardtales@gmail.com

Niharika is one of the driving forces behind Hong Kong Stories, a community that believes everyone has a story to tell and offers free workshops and monthly live shows focussed on personal stories. She's deeply invested in the art, the application, and the ethics of storytelling. 

Professionally, she's always exploring - from engineering, to finance, to creative entrepreneurship. She currently runs a business focused on designing experiences that create deep connections, through storytelling, games, and outdoor activities. In 2026, she's most excited about writing children's stories which capture the magic of real life. 

FEAST is deeply appreciative of her strong involvement in and contribution to our social media team in 2025.

Niharika is always open to collaboration ideas. 

Reach out to her @

Instagram: niharika.stories

Email : niharika@backstory.pro

Website: backstory.pro