Who is Prisha Hedau? Well, you’ll know all about her soon enough. However, here’s just a little snippet of our new favorite author.
Prisha Hedau is a 10 years old author from Louisville, Kentucky in the United State of America. She wrote and published her first book during the pandemic and it’s called, PANDEMIC 2020: a 9 Year’s Old Perspective, her book is a collection of essays about COVID-19. She wrote it during the pandemic lockdown period and she has been making quite the wave. You can purchase her book on her website, www.prishahedau.com.
Prisha Hedau
Prisha has been honored with the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education’s (KAGE) Distinguished Student Award, only given to one student in the state of Kentucky every year. The award is designed to recognize one student in Kentucky who has not only distinguished achievement in academics, leadership, or the arts but has also contributed to the community at a level beyond that which is expected of the child’s age group. Prisha has donated large portions of her book sales to local pandemic support charities. She has also been featured in the media more than 100 times.
Amidst her many awards and recognition, she is also a notable chess player, as she has national titles in chess and maths and also shares self-choreographed dances on her YouTube channel.
Prisha is incredible and unstoppable!
Here’s our interview with her:
Hi Prisha, how are you today?
Hi! Thank you for having me. I am good. How are you?
We are doing great! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Your name, age, school, country, etc.
I’m Prisha Hedau. I am 10-years-old, a 5th grader from Louisville Ky. I am an author. Wrote my First Book Pandemic 2020 – A 9-year-old’s perspective. I enjoy playing with my friends. I love to dance and have been dancing for almost 7 years now. I like Math and Technology and created my website www.prishahedau.com at the age of 9.
Prisha Hedau
What are your hobbies?
As I said, I love dancing, dance makes me very happy. I feel like it is a form where you can express your emotions and thought process without physically saying stuff. I also picked up a few hobbies over the pandemic such as painting… I enjoy painting and it makes me feel relaxed yoga….. I and my mom do yoga/exercise every morning when we get a chance, and it makes me feel so fresh! I do other things like swimming, running, writing, chess, and math kangaroo too!
What are your favorite subjects in school?
I love STEAM which is Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. But if I had to narrow it down, I’d say art and math.
When did you begin to write and what was your inspiration?
I began writing my book when I was 9-years-old. I started writing note cards that formed into essays, and then chapters, which had an overall product of a book. I never set out to write a book but once I started writing it, I very much enjoyed it. As the book has all my feelings and thought processes thrown in it, it became easier to write. I remember thinking in my head while writing the book that “in 100 years people are going to look back at this book and remember what the pandemic was like”. That hit me hard. I think age isn’t a barrier, and neither is gender and that a child’s perspective is unique so I was grateful to get the opportunity to write the book. For the inspirations, I think I didn’t have a certain inspiration, but my inspirations helped me be who I am. My inspirations are my parents first off, Madhuri Dixit [ a Bollywood actress ], Michelle Obama, and Vice President Mrs. Kamala Harris. I liked her quote … “I may be the first but won’t be the last”. So yeah.
What is your favorite book?
I love my book obviously but other than that… I like Harry Potter, Raina Telgemeier books, and nonfiction books about people.
Who is your favorite author and why?
My Favorite author is Raina Telgemeier. I love her books so much! I can relate, have fun, and enjoy the comics. My favorite book she’s written till now has to be “Sisters”. But I still love my book too!
Who is your role model?
I think the inspirations I said before are my role models and I look up to them. I don’t want to be them yet, I want to add their good parts to me to make me a better person and look up to them. I appreciate them and the change they are making in the world and my life!
Prisha Hedau
You are awesome, can you tell us about your creative process? How do you feel inspired to keep writing and what helps or motivates you?
Nice one! I just always remind myself to stay positive and do me. I think, it is a great idea to write in a diary and that’s what helps me put my thoughts in pages. When I look back it helped me realize myself and my potential. My goals as an ordinary girl is to keep on a roll with all A’s, be kind to others, respect perspectives, and be me. I will let my smile change the world, but I won’t let the world change my smile.
How did you start writing your book? We can tell it’s a compilation of essays, it’s mind-blowing how you just kept on going till it became a book.
Yeah?! Well, this is my most asked question in interviews! How it started was I watched the news… covid – 19 updates, and just daily news in general. I knew from the beginning of the Pandemic and started realizing at the beginning of the pandemic that this would be a historic event people would look back to so saying that, I wanted to remember my experience and started writing note cards about the pandemic and what I did in my new lifestyle. Those Notecards turned into detailed essays. Then one day I was walking by the lake with mama and papa and mom thought that since I wrote essays I could start writing a book and my dad thought it was a great idea! First I was like hold on hold on. That is a handful but the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea so I got my computer and went to the dining table and that’s how the whole process started! Long right?
Was it exciting or tasking?
It was exciting, but I had to take breaks. In total it took me around 20 days to write the book and the overall thought process took two to three months. It was only 45 ish pages but that did not matter as much. My dad’s favorite quote is “Quality over quantity” and that’s exactly what I followed.
What did you enjoy the most about the process?
Well Obviously, writing it and when it got published telling everyone! I am so grateful for all the positive responses I got back for the book and me!
How does it feel to be a young author? How has it affected you?
It has shown me that whatever age you are you can accomplish things and be a changemaker. I knew about the book but when I got told I was one of the youngest authors in the world I was shocked and excited! It makes me feel really happy to accomplish what I have till now and be surrounded with such a healthy and good support system!
Will you be writing more books?
Keep your eyes peeled!
What do you want to be when you’re older?
After seeing everything, I think I will be an engineer when I’m older! I applied and got into MST Meyzeek Middle school and am looking forward to going there with good memories of elementary! So that Middle school has a STEM program and I highly enjoy stem so I think I will be an engineer, but you know changes are constant.
I believe, Age is not a barrier, neither is gender. I would love to see more confident kids around me and girls doing more STEM. I am still thinking about my next project but it would be related to this thought process to empower other kids.
Can you tell us your daily life, I.e. your daily routine?
Well, my book has a chapter dedicated to much of that but yes I can. Well, I get up, brush those white teeth and you know get fresh, after I eat a breakfast which is usually eggs…almonds… and granola but sometimes just hot chocolate, I get myself going for school and once my classes are done I do my assignments and have some free time. Usually, in the free time, I would dance, watch YouTube, or study for upcoming tests.., I’d eat dinner and go to bed later around 9:30. On weekends we watch movies before going to bed and film YouTube videos or Instagram reels. That’s how my days go! But over social distancing, I’ve gained a lot of family time too.
Do you have any words of inspiration to share?
I would say to be you and everyone’s already taken so pick yourself and accept yourself. Be kind and treat others the way you want to be treated. I’d say in my words.. act like a princess, think like a boss, and look like a model! You can also check out my website and grab a copy of my book from amazon too to help others in need as I am doing donations with my book sales. Just if you’re wondering, I have donated 2,050 meals to the dare to care food bank and $500 to the Team Kentucky Fund Governor Andy Beasher. I look forward to more people buying my book and I will continue to make a difference in our communities and help people in need. Thank you!
We wish you all the best Prisha!
Thanks!
