From a childhood shaped by constant movement across cities to becoming an educator, psychologist, entrepreneur, artist, and dreamer, Susmitha Manoj’s journey is one of curiosity, resilience, and embracing every opportunity life offers.
Born and raised in a defense family from Calicut, Kerala, Susmitha grew up as the only child of loving parents. Her father serves as a Senior Accounts Officer (SAO) at DSSC, Wellington, The Nilgiris, while her mother, Sindhu, a cheerful and creative homemaker, became the heart of the home and the greatest influence in her life.
Her father’s transferable profession introduced her to different cities and cultures from a very young age. She completed her kindergarten in Bengaluru, primary schooling in Hyderabad, and secondary education in Chennai. Growing up across different states gave her more than academic exposure—it gave her adaptability, multicultural understanding, and the ability to speak multiple languages including Malayalam, English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.
Even as a child, Susmitha was fascinated by arts, science, culture, and creativity. While pursuing science in higher secondary school, she knew she did not want to limit herself to a single path. A chance conversation with a family friend introduced her to psychology—a field that immediately fascinated her. A childhood memory of trying to pronounce “psychology” from a thick book would later become the beginning of a lifelong passion.
Breaking conventional expectations, Susmitha chose an unconventional path after school. She pursued a BA Triple Major in Psychology, Sociology, and Optional English at Jyoti Nivas College ( Autonomous ) Bangalore. The interdisciplinary exposure shaped her perspective and strengthened her interest in understanding people and human behavior.
Her passion led her to pursue an MSc in Clinical Psychology from CMR University, Bangalore. During her master’s journey, life surprised her with a completely unexpected opportunity—acting in the Malayalam blockbuster BTech (2018), directed by Mridul Nair. Sharing screen space with actors Sreenath Bhasi and Deepak Parambol, Susmitha stepped into an entirely new world. Though her role was small, the experience taught her valuable lessons about hard work and storytelling behind the scenes.
The joy of seeing her friends cheering for her in theatres and the surprise happiness of her parents watching her on television later became cherished memories.
Beyond cinema, she also explored fashion and creative expression by stepping into the modelling industry being one of the models of the Brand Hashtag Azhagi.
Academically, she continued to excel. Soon after completing her master’s degree, she cleared UGC NET in Psychology in her very first attempt, qualifying as Assistant Professor. Determined to challenge herself further, she later appeared again and successfully cleared UGC NET in all three attempts—2019, 2023, and 2024—establishing consistency and excellence in her field.
Her professional journey began at CMR University itself, where she joined as Assistant Professor of Psychology. For over two years, she gained rich teaching experience and discovered her love for mentoring students. Today, she serves as Assistant Professor at St. Aloysius (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, where she continues shaping young minds.
Beyond academics, Susmitha’s life has always been deeply rooted in arts and creativity. She trained in Kuchipudi dance and completed her Arangetram, learned Hindustani classical music, played keyboard, painted, wrote poetry, and explored various artistic forms.
Her literary journey includes publication of poems in anthologies, with one of her poems, Long Lost Love, receiving commendable mention recognition in the Wingword Poetry Competition by Delhi Poetry Slam in 2019.
Today, Susmitha has stepped into a new role—as an entrepreneur and co-founder of *AZROH*, a premium brand where art meets luxury. Built around the philosophy of reviving post-modern Renaissance aesthetics, AZROH is more than fashion—it is envisioned as a lifestyle movement and artistic expression of resistance. She is currently preparing for the upcoming launch of AZROH .
Behind every milestone in her life stands one extraordinary woman—her mother, Sindhu.
Susmitha describes her mother’s love as the Sindhu river itself—deep, endless, and flowing with unconditional warmth. From overcoming language barriers and adapting to unfamiliar environments after marriage to becoming a compassionate and inspiring figure for everyone around her, her mother’s resilience shaped Susmitha’s worldview.
She often recalls rushing home after school every day to narrate stories to her mother waiting at the door. Those small conversations nurtured creativity, confidence, and imagination within her. Even today, despite all achievements and experiences, she believes her mother’s arms remain her safest place.
Whether as a psychologist, educator, artist, actress, model, entrepreneur, or daughter—Susmitha Manoj continues to embrace every new chapter with courage and curiosity.
And perhaps her journey is best described by the lesson her mother taught her through her favorite flower, the rose: sometimes it takes a few thorns to stand tall and bloom beautifully. Alongside her mother, her father, Mr. Manoj Kumar, has also played a profound role in her education, consistently encouraging her to explore and realize her full potential, a support he continues to provide to this day.
From classrooms to cinema, poetry to entrepreneurship, Susmitha’s story proves that success is not about following one path—it is about courageously creating your own.
