Contact
Ms. Harsha Prakash
- From
- Kerala
- Degree
- 1st year of doctoral course, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University
Message
Please give a short introduction of yourself.
Let¡¯s start off with my name; my name is Harsha Prakash, 25 years old, born and brought up in one of the most beautiful places in India; Kerala. I am a graduate of Vellore institute of Technology. I completed my Masters in biotechnology in the year 2013 and then I worked for two years in Chennai. I am currently pursuing my doctoral degree in Kyushu university, Japan.
After my post-graduation, I worked as project manager in Bioklone biotech Chennai for two years before deciding to pursue a Ph.D. in marine biotechnology.
Japan was always in my mind as the place is one of the focal point for marine biotechnology research. And also my professor in VIT who did his postdoc from Japan used to share very wonderful things about the place and the people here. Fortunately I got admitted in Kyushu University and now here I am on the way to a Ph.D. degree under the guidance of Dr. Miki NAKAO.
After my post-graduation, I worked as project manager in Bioklone biotech Chennai for two years before deciding to pursue a Ph.D. in marine biotechnology.
Japan was always in my mind as the place is one of the focal point for marine biotechnology research. And also my professor in VIT who did his postdoc from Japan used to share very wonderful things about the place and the people here. Fortunately I got admitted in Kyushu University and now here I am on the way to a Ph.D. degree under the guidance of Dr. Miki NAKAO.
What is your favorite thing about Fukuoka?
Fukuoka, the capital of Fukuoka Prefecture, is the 7th most livable city in the world and the 5th largest city in Japan. So I guess this says it all! Fukuoka is one of the finest places in Japan. And it is also the most populous city on the island, followed by Kitakyushu. This is a place where the tradition meets the future. Fukuoka has a well-organized city planning as well as the transportation system. And to talk about the cleanliness, this city is squeaky-clean. That makes it even more attractive. Moreover, there are many tourist attractions here like Machiya Folk Museum, a wooden Buddha temple, art galleries, fukuoka tower etc. And also this is one of the best places for eating ramen noodles and for shopping. So to cut short, everything about Fukuoka is my favorite and this is really a best place to live.
In what way has your impression of Fukuoka or Japan changed since coming here?
I was really worried about the food and the language barrier before coming to Japan. But I understood that it is not a problem at all after coming here. The people here are really friendly and they will try to help you in all the ways they can. So I did not find communication as a major issue at all. And about the food, all the ingredients for cooking Indian food are available here in Fukuoka. Also there are so many Indian restaurants around here. The Japanese cuisine is also really mouthwatering. There is a plenty of food varieties available here.
What attracted you to choose Kyushu University as a place to study?
Kyushu university comes under the 7 best national universities in Japan. Also, Kyushu university stands on top in the World university rankings. And the research going on in the marine biochemistry laboratory here was related to the master project I did in VIT. And the head of that laboratory, who is my current Ph.D. supervisor, is one of the best in that field. So I did not have to think twice before choosing this university as the place to do my doctoral studies
In what way did you adjust yourself to Japanese culture?
The only thing that I was worrying before coming to this country was the cultural difference. But I must say I found it very comfortable after coming to acclimate with Japanese culture. And also the people here were sweet enough to make me understand Japanese culture. I did have a problem with the Japanese food and language initially. But after trying out a variety of dishes, I must say there are many mouthwatering cuisines out here. Also there are ample space in university as well as private apartments for cooking. There are plenty of Indian restaurants in the streets where we can eat delicious Indian foods as I mentioned above. About the language, I am currently learning Japanese. Though there is a language barrier here, the people here are very helpful and can go all the way to make your stay in Japan comfortable.
Please give a message to students or researchers in your home country who may be thinking about studying in Japan?
To all my Indian brothers and sisters who are currently looking for higher education opportunities, I must say, there is no need for any kind of hesitation for applying to Japan. This is one of the best place to do your studies. And if you have a little bit of Japanese language proficiency also, then no worries at all.