Presentation at the Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, USA

D.K. Bhaskar Presented to the 8th and 9th grade students a kaleidoscopic perspective on Elephants, conservation, conflicts and the cultural nuances of elephants to mankind. He showcased the award-winning film Elephants in the Coffee and conveyed the true story of Balarama to the students.

Here are some thoughts received from the students:

"Thank you for teaching us about elephants it was so cool to learn about how coffee is hurting the animals. With the knowledge you gave me I am going to try and help make a difference and help those elephants."

"Thank you for taking time out of your day to come teach us about elephants. I really enjoyed learning more about the Indian elephants. I hope to read your book soon."

"Thank you so much for coming to our school to teach us about elephants. I am grateful that I could learn about how Alexander the Great could not invade India without elephants and how they are the largest land animal in the world. Also, they can carry heavy objects."

"Thank you Mr. Krishnmurthy for showing our interesting facts about the elephants and how the live in India. I’ve learned so much from the facts that you showed me about them and I was very interested on the book and I plant to read the book to learn more."

"What I liked about your presentation was how you tools us the many ways elephants are used in culture, such as the play. I also liked the good visuals you chose."

"Thank you for taking time out of your day to come speak with us about elephants. Elephants are truly beautiful and thoughtful creatures. I think it is terrible that they are misunderstood and killed for their tusks. I hope soon we can stop poachers and let elephants just be elephants."

"Thank you so so much for helping us learn about elephants.
I didn’t know that there were different species of elephants. It’s cool how the African elephants and the Indian elephants can be so different."

"Thank you for enlightening me on the world of elephants. I found your presentation very interesting especially the [part about elephants and coffee. Thank you so much!"

~ Students of Pembroke Hill Upper School, Kansas City, USA

"Balarama's Story" is a beautifully written and illustrated book by a man who loves elephants. This is a complex story about the relationship of elephant and man, yet Bhaskar turns it into one that is both easy to understand and true.
- Prof. Tom Grant,  Journalism ABAC, GA

Elephants are iconic for kids, conservation and planetary health. They inspire all of us – what better educational tool for youth than this wonderful story. Bhaskar Krishnamurthy is a global expert on elephants plus a great storyteller.
A must-read!
- Dr. Meg Lowman, California Academy of Sciences

This charming book with its delightful illustrations sits in a prominent position on my coffee table. Visiting friends, adults and children, page through it with pleasure. They want to know the story. I tell them to read the book. It’s fast and fun.
​- Tim Cahill, Founder, Outside Magazine

Balarama’s Story  is a beautiful children’s story of separation, hard work and  perseverance in the face of adversity and hardships.  It handles the issues of captive elephants in India better than any I have read. The author writes beautifully, using vivid imagery, and it has lovely illustrations. Narrating using the voice of the young elephant, Balarama, makes the characters and situations easy to relate to, as the story explores how Balarama came to be a captive elephant, from his young and carefree life with his elephant family in the forest, to his capture, to his relationship with his new human trainer, to his exalted status as the elephant who carries the golden ambari, carrying the goddess of Mysore, India in the Jamboo Savaari festival..
​- Katherine Cleland,  Cleland Marketing, Seattle, USA