BENGALURU: A Bengalurean who conducts laughter yoga workshops for disadvantaged groups, like survivors of an acid attack, across the country was recently awarded.
Dr Suchitra Kaul Misra, the Chairperson, ALL Karnataka, was handed over the ‘Iconic Leader Creating a Better World for ALL’ by Women Economic Forum. ALL (All Ladies League) is an inclusive international chamber that aims to empower women leaders.
Suchitra met humanitarians across the world at the function. “It was so humbling and inspiring to gather experiences from them,” she says.
Her laughter exercises have physical, cognitive and entertainment aspects. “These exercises are done through breathing and adds to the quality of life,” she says. Her students are those who have had a difficult life. Suchitra says, “Some are traumatised by the action of a family member, and they have lost trust and faith in life. They are in a mental state that requires a breakthrough. Regular laughter exercises build confidence and positivity. It gives you the willpower to confront and cope with life better.”
Laughter therapy integrated with counseling helped heal the mind and body of an acid attack survivor over two years, she says. “Alkanda, a 44-year-old woman, who has survived severe physical abuse including an acid attack had daily thoughts of suicide, even though she had a roof over her head in a shelter home” she says. “Today, the scars on her face cannot hide her smiles.”
Suchitra has been associated with ALL from 2014. She says, “While I was doing research for my doctorate in humour from Mysore University, I came across Dr Harbeen Arora’s book Creative Living: Discovering Your Beautiful Path & Lifestyle Toward Happiness & Well-Being. I liked the creative strategies and attitudes she suggested and started interacting with her on social media.” Harbeen is the global chairperson of All Ladies League and its associate the Women Economic Forum (WEF).
Last year, Suchitra was invited to join the Advisory Executive council of WEF and subsequently to speak on Therapeutic Humour in the Women Economic Forum by the Netherland chapter at Hague. Last month, she was appointed the ALL Chairperson Karnataka.
“As its chairperson, I plan to work to spread the network to big and small cities of Karnataka,” she says, adding that she hopes to connect women who have otherwise no access to such networks.
Ladies who are interested to join the ALL Ladies League can email her at suchitra.misra@aall.in. Dr Suchitra can be reached at suchitra.kaulmisra@gmail.com to conduct free laughter therapy for NGOs working with the disabled and underprivileged.