Life.PR

Information Technology: Charting an inclusive socio-economic growth gradient

2012-02-01T17:44:00.000+05:30

Today, we often come across jargons such as ‘knowledge economy’, ‘information explosion’, ‘world at your fingertips’. These are not alien terms, as they had become an indispensible part of our regular vocabulary. Rewind a decade ago and a totally different picture would have surfaced. The dichotomy exists even today, translated by economists as ‘India’ and ‘Bharat’. While urban India has taken IT for granted, there is a mammoth demographic segment who doesn’t know how technology touches their lives, if at all they do.

In this two words ‘Information’ and ‘technology’, the aspect to be noticed is the fact that Information always precedes technology. Information existed, technology made it accessible, thereby building a society knowledge rich, aware and discerning. With time, the fact got proven that IT is an enabler of social inclusivity, by the sheer truth that it can bring information to the masses, educate them and make them live a life of quality.

However, though technology has made inroads into areas hitherto inaccessible, still there is a major chunk of the population who cannot take advantage of the possibilities because of obvious constraints, ‘cost’ being one. Several organizations are undertaking initiatives to negate those constraints and time testifies the fact that we have come a long way in doing so. Numerous grass-root innovations are happening to bridge the glaring digital divide. For example, HP’s Lab-in-box, a unique initiative where a fully equipped mobile class room can provide secondary education content designed by NCERT, to reach students in remote areas who cannot afford school education. The biggest challenge in India undoubtedly is that of infrastructure. Setting up a school is a cumbersome process necessitating very high costs in terms of building materials, municipality permits, electricity, remuneration for teachers, and maintenance. As a corollary, this acts as a hurdle to many bright students who cannot afford that kind of money. HP’s solutions brought education at the doorstep.

Similarly, HCL Infosystems is providing end-to-end turnkey advanced education solutions to schools, institutions and universities across the country in the government and private sector. HCL DigiSchool’s key feature is that this solution offers digital multimedia asset library, covering all major aspects in K12 category. Also, solutions such as Campus Infrastructure Solution, University Resource Planning, Online Distance Learning/e-Learning Programme and Tele Education. Many IT behemoths are also developing low cost laptops and encouraging broadband connectivity, engineered to reach masses uninitiated to the ramified opportunities that technology can provide.

Keeping in perspective the fact that today, out of approximately 200 million children in the age group of 6-14 years only 120 million ever going to school, these initiatives will pave a long way in fostering an inclusive atmosphere for socio economic growth. As part of its Vision 2020 plan, the Government is looking to increase the number of school going children to 30 per cent by 2020.

Information technology industry has already ushered in a catalytic change in the Indian society by collaborating with the government to increase accessibility, affordability and accountability of essential services. Technology has brought about effective alterations in administrative functions in terms of public services and e-governance projects, to eliminate avoidable inefficiencies, reduce corruption and guaranteeing ease of collaboration amongst diverse departments. Some case in point is the much appreciated UID project, National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), or establishing State Wide Area Networks (SWAN) scheme in 27 states and 6 union territories (UTs) on a pan India level.

In the healthcare segment, Telemedicine, a forerunner to ‘in absentia care’, is a rapidly developing application of clinical medicine, where medical information is transferred through interactive audiovisual media for the purpose of consulting. Telemedicine can also be used to conduct examinations and remote medical procedures. Thus, as a corollary, telemedicine can be extremely beneficial for people living in isolated communities and remote regions and now this is currently being applied in virtually all medical domains.

The industry itself has accelerated technology-adoption across various sectors including real-estate, BFSI, tourism and retail, thereby improving quality of life of the citizens of India. Constraints still exists in terms of cost and awareness. As these dissolve with time, technology will make its presence felt even more assertively and act as building blocks for social inclusivity.

By Soham Majumdar

IMPRIMIS Delhi

'CULT' – eistic Brands

2012-01-10T12:14:00.000+05:30

Certain brands have managed to assiduously refute William Shakespeare’s much reiterated statement, “What's in a name?”. More than the brand's offering, it’s the underlying essence and the association that they personify that sets them apart from the rest of the multitude. What we popularly refer to as “The brand image', the much talked about parlance on which the advertising industry rests itself. Decades ago, advertising stalwarts strongly believed that creative positioning can’t take your brand to the next level of glory unless and until your product speaks for itself. Without a dreg of doubt, the statement is as true as truth can be, even to this day, but there is a paradigm shift as far as related constants are concerned.

At this day and age, the tangible benefits of the product alone cannot catapult your brand beyond a certain point, simply because of numbers. The “me too” just don't strike the deal in this market landscape anymore, unless and until its “me too but I am unique- because I am what I am - that no one else is”. Rightfully, some brands do manage to break out of the clutter, notwithstanding the product that they offer, but also by bundling with it a hoard of other icings, just too hard to resist- the streak of being different and unique! That's how they acquire the so-called 'cult' identity. It's all about forging the so-called sustainable connect. Cult brands offer their customers love, attention, and to many of their consumers, they are a living surrogate family with likeminded individuals.

Let’s take the colas as a case in point. Historically colas have been the all-time favorite thirst quencher for the young crowd. There are a few viable buying triggers that explain the stand. Firstly, it acts as an inexpensive and tastier substitute for water, the youth love the fact that they can pick up a bottle of their favourite cola while on the go, and that it is easily available — restaurants, college canteens or even the corner shop. In addition to it, the youngsters can also easily identify with the youthful ‘cool’ attitude associated with aerated cola beverage. We tend to inadvertently recall Coca Cola, whenever we think of buying a soft drink. It’s become synonymous. Sprite is another example. Marketers now have to pack an incredible amount of excitement within a bottle to get the much needed edge over others.

Thus certain brands, it can be said, take popularity to a different level. These are the so-called cult brands: Coca Cola, Harley-Davidson, Star Trek, Volkswagen, Apple Computers, ESPN, Marlboro, Levis and others which may also include celebrities like Ophra Winfrey and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. Some of the Indian cult brands include the likes of Colgate, Old Monk, Enfield Bullet, Thumbs UP and Khadi. Cult brands sell lifestyles, not just a product or service. These brands became cult brands because customers could find a sense of belonging within that product category and wear it as a badge of honor.

Lucky Strike Cigarettes is one of the newest entrants to join this coveted group of honorary brands. Volkswagen's Beetle has a similar tale to tell. Back in 1948 it was unknown in the U.S., and many sales types believed no one would ever buy, partly because of its association with Nazi Germany—being dubbed “the people’s car” by Adolph Hitler—still fresh in the public’s mind. But today, the brand has a cult status. Shrewd marketing acted as a catalyst to its success. In contrast to the advertising of the Detroit automakers which were full of slick copy and boastful claims, Volkswagen’s ads for the Beetle were frank, direct, and honest. Some of the more memorable early print ads included “Think small,” “Some shapes are hard to improve on,” and the cult-branding clincher, “Do you earn too much to afford one?” Unique design elements and honest advertising became a lethal combination. Beetle became a thinking person's car- The idea of being different. Instead of saying, look how much I paid for my car, it was - look how much I didn’t pay!”

Thus it won’t be a rational disaster to conclude that, human needs are the mother of cult branding. It’s evident that physiological, safety, belonging-ness and love, esteem and self-actualization needs as a gradually narrowing group of human needs with self-actualization being at the peak. Cult brands primarily fulfill the higher level of human needs of esteem, social interaction, and self-actualization. Once a brand fulfills the higher needs, it becomes irreplaceable in the mind of the consumer.

Soham Majumdar

Manager, IMPRIMIS Delhi

He lived true to his name- Jagjit conquered the hearts of millions

2012-01-09T11:30:00.000+05:30

“Mein sattar ka hoon. Dikta nahin hoon na? Lekin hoon.” With this humorous remark, Jagjit Singh had the audience in splits and began the rendition of his ghazals. He enthralled them with his calm, sonorous and melancholic voice.

The concert, which was held in Bangalore few months ago, was part of Jagjit’s commitment to host 70 live shows around the world this year. He was giving these concerts to commemorate his 70^th birthday. I witnessed the Sultan of Ghazal perform live for the first time and didn’t even imagine of it being my last!

People attach various adjectives to describe Jagjit’s voice. All I can say is: his soulful voice can even pierce the heart of Brahma- The Creator. When Jagjit sings, the environment seems like a captive audience. The depth in his voice is truly captivating and diction as clear as a mirror.

The one thing I admired about the ghazal maestro was his fortitude and serenity. Jagjit regaled the audience with his wit and humour under a cloud of his own agony and pain. I felt he was like a swan- serene and composed on the outside, but paddling hard over his personal tragedies to keep him afloat. Just like his ghazals, life was full of similes and metaphors for the calm singer.

Each time Jagjit cracked a joke during the concert and made people laugh, I was reminded of his song: “Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho, Kya Gham Hai Jisko Chhupa Rahe Ho.” He made grief and pain look as simple as his ghazal.

The evening indeed was heart-warming; but his courage and perseverance was sublime. The indisputable ghazal maestro’s voice still rings clear in my ears; but it is his resilient spirit which is captured in my eyes. I went to the concert with a light heart to enjoy the evening; but returned home high-spirited: wanting to develop a strong heart to be able to negotiate with the vicissitudes of life!

Jagjit lived true to his name. He conquered the hearts of millions with his soulful voice. And apart from his voice and sense of humour, I was impressed with his positive, tranquil, never say die attitude.

Jagjit took delight in entertaining the audience. He seemed to be in absolute harmony with his ghazal: “Hoshwalon ko khabar kya bekhudi kya cheez hai, Ishq ki jaye phir samajhiye, Zindagi kya cheez hai.”

The ghazal maestro was surely a winner in life. He took advantage of his rejections as a playback singer, and had the gumption to popularize ghazal. He made use of his poignant voice, and aptly positioned the brand Ghazal, especially in India.

Jagjit was born with a mission- a mission to conquer the hearts of the world, and showing them the way to lead a creative, productive and valuable life throughout ones existence.

To many, Jagjit was regarded as the ‘King of Ghazal’. To me the brand Jagjit is “King of life”. Metaphorically put: “Jagjit accomplished his mission. He has gone to come back with a brand new mission, in a brand new form!”

Shivani Venugopal

PR Professional

How Much Does A “GREAT WORK PLACE” Cost? Anyone?

2011-12-28T10:08:00.001+05:30

Hold on to your thought horses. The buck doesn’t stop with “Google”. Felt obliged to state this right at the onset as it is a common misconception among entrepreneurs that “employee friendly policies” comes with a neck-high price tag, are not “pocket friendly”, and only companies of notable stature can actually afford it. Also, Google has become quite synonymous with “Great place to work” tag since 2007. The more Google is loved by its employees, the more they are looked at with contentious eyes by other corporate behemoths that are still holding on to the “age-old schools of thought”. Being averse to change, can never be an “in-vogue” thing and corporate houses are increasingly coming to terms with the fact in the face of burgeoning attrition rates and fire-fights within the organizations. The day isn’t distant when we would start seeing CVs in the form of booklets with an ‘index’ and a ‘prelude’ preceding it, denoting job hops. Hence, there is more to learn from “Google”, than learning other things with its search engine app.

Until some years ago, HR policies and initiatives was more a matter of a choice rather than indispensability. Then one fine morning, a company located atop Mountain View, CA released some report, won awards and the world woke up from decades of slumber to strike the dart on “the art of employee retention”. Some followed suit, replicated, innovated, ideated and is fairly doing well. No boon arrives without an equal share of bane. Globalization, information revolution, knowledge economy and liberalization has uncorked a whole wide world, unveiled opportunities and challenges; gigantic stress levels, sowed competition, but at the same time massaged the most destructive and insatiable human trait – “WANT”, making people spoilt for choices. Until our beloved planet faces an Armageddon like situation or the present recessionary conditions keep on dipping down the meter, the situation is only bound to compound itself with time. There is no shying away from change- sooner or later.

I am not an entrepreneur and neither have I worked with any of these huge corporate houses directly. I have never been an HR exec and neither have I studied in a management institute. However, before stumbling upon a conclusion and brushing aside these ramblings of a ‘common man in the service industry’, I would request you to stop and reflect for a second. I have worked with a few companies, all PR firms, through my 5-year old career and each one has an intrinsic identity, defined by its people, its culture and processes. Work and its manifestations do not differ much, but there are things that defines ‘this’ firm’ from ‘that’ firm. These differentiations would have been redundant, negligible and invalid had it not been for increasing attrition rates and internal brand reputation management, expressed in employee loyalty and productivity.

Well, something just struck me while penning this blog. Being an employee, most of this is bound to reflect an employee perspective, but why leave out the employers as they are the ones who should usher in the change in the first place.

So, Mr. Employer, what are some of your top priorities:

· Optimal utilization of available resources

· Ensure optimal productivity

· Curb Attrition – It takes time and investment to induct a new resource and bring them up to speed

· Achieve set goals and tick milestones on the profit chart during yearly review period.

· Retain talent

· Expand client base

· Cut costs

However, in the process of chasing these regular aspects, what they often overlook is the fact that they are dealing with humans here, not robots and humans come with something unfortunate, called ‘HEART’ - God’s myopic corporate foresightJ. What they fail to provide their employees is ‘motivation’- the only fuel for success when you are working for someone else’ and money truly is not a motivation, often misinterpreted. It’s just compensation against the services rendered. Quite plain and simplistic as that.

So here, without naming any organization in particular, I am penning down some of the HR practices I personally have witnessed and experienced. Best Companies develop their own unique cultures in which employees are able to say "I trust the people I work for, have pride in what I do, and enjoy the people I work with”. Great workplace- It’s a difficult thing to do – it takes effort and humility. Yet some do it, they want to create a great workplace and they achieve what is important to them, beyond simply making a lot of money - how they treat people is important.

There are no statistics that can ever prove that a free lunch, a non-hierarchical, non-discriminatory organizational structure and a multicultural campus-like environment contribute to the organization's success and profit. What can be proven is the fact that, this firm in question is growing at an immense pace -retention of employees is high, attrition is low and revenues are strong, People are eager to work for the company and applications to job openings are exceedingly high as compared to their counterparts in the same industry segment. Their management teams have figured out the formula that works for them by treating people with respect, supporting their creative endeavors, and working hard to adhere to their motto of “we are employee first, customers later”. It's not magic, or rocket science or paternalism or entitlement. In some ways it is plain common sense. Motivation can weave wonders. Employees go out of their way to perform, and they don’t even expect an incentive in the form of cash rewards. They just enjoy the drill and the challenges.

So here goes some of the unique initiatives:

1) Occasional parties, surprise elements, annual off-sites and fun activities around festive occasions

2) Non-hierarchical organizational structure. Every employee irrespective of his seniority/position shares the same sitting area. No designated cabins

3) Visiting Cards do not carry designations of employees

4) TGIF a weekly, company-wide get-together, also referred to as “Friday Forum” wherein new employees are welcomed into the organization. A representative from each team share client updates and upcoming events/launches/projects. A platform where each week a team or a person is recognized for work and rewarded accordingly. Followed by games and fun activities for all

5) TGIF is also a platform where the management makes important corporate announcements/way forward.

6) Flexible work timings and 1 duvet day each month (when employees can work from home)

7) Every new joinee is assigned a ‘buddy’ who helps him in finding his way around the organization. Someone who helps that person settle into the culture

8) The office sponsors lunch and snacks for the person on the 1st day of joining

9) During birthdays and anniversaries, the person get gift vouchers from the company, accompanied with cards with wishes from all employees within the organization

10) Separate mailing lists within the organizations for fun activities during festivals and special occasions. (a case in point is ‘Ghostbusters’ – Includes everyone from entry level executives to senior level executives across office branches. They can collaborate and assist the HR in bringing fresh thoughts for initializing any out-of-box fun activities)

11) Late comers are fined Rs100 and once the Rs500 limit is reached, he/she has to treat his team members out

12) Regular team lunch sessions from team managers and timely reimbursements of expenses incurred. This activity is to facilitate better team bonding

13) Whenever somebody does some commendable work, an email from the manager recognizing his/her subordinate’s effort and resultant outcome achieved, is communicated across all centres

14) Surprise activities/fun at work, initiated by HR once every month

15) Training sessions related to the job, organized every quarter, involving external experts

16) Performance linked pay

17) Every person who quits after a year in the organization, irrespective of level: is given a proper farewell)

These are just some of the initiatives I have a top of mind recall of, there are many more. (Some of these firms are global, but these are practices which are followed in India). However, the common tenet that underlines each of these activities is ‘respect’. Respect is demonstrated through practices that provide professional support to employees, encourage collaboration and allow for expressions of care both in the workplace and outside. Professional support is shown to employees through the provision of training opportunities and the resources and equipment necessary to get work done, as well as through the expressions of appreciation for accomplishments and extra effort.

Seamless and transparent collaboration between employees and management requires that leaders and managers genuinely seek and respond to employees’ suggestions and ideas, and involve people in the decisions that affect how they get their work done. Employees experience camaraderie in the workplace through the level of intimacy they find, or the ability they have to be themselves. Hospitable workplaces are friendly and welcoming to all employees, and encourage people to have fun during the work day. A strong sense of community develops in organizations where people feel that they are part of a team or a family, that they cooperate within and across departments, and that people are connected by common values and purpose.

At the end of the day, everyone come to office to work. There is no fun spending 9-10 hrs a day inside four walls, staring at the computer screen and day dreaming all the while. If that was the case, there are much better ways to spend those numbers of hours outside the office premises, doing what all would like to do. Nobody gets paid to be yelled at or gets paid for feeling like a prison inmate. Everybody has ‘horse’ instincts and sooner or later, everyone wanders for ‘greener pastures’, albeit, grass looks greener on the other side. Suppressing this sole ‘instinct’ is today a grand debate in Global Corporate HR Colosseum and efforts are being directed to negate that.

By
Soham Majumdar

The Falcon Nemesis

2011-12-13T15:30:00.001+05:30

Chapter 1

An abysmal melancholic aura shrouded the distant vicinity. A crimson slash smeared the once enthralling horizon. The winds and the dunes blew the same dust of hopelessness asserting the beginning of a wretched end, the dark nimbus clouds have the same tale to tell. A ravaged country lay ahead- the rock laced mountains, the desert sands- dark crimson stains hued every object. The mirage reflected it, the pale morning sky casted it, the sands and the dunes spoke about it; and the only sound that echoed out of that hellish dungeon were those of cries, wails, sobs and a deafening silence. Yes, a silence shriller than the most heinous of cries and a silence that’s becoming more and more pervasive by the minute. Gods own children lay crouched and wounded everywhere, the pale moon shining on the clots and divinity chuckling over its own creation.

Amidst the crimson rush, a mirror reflected the emaciated frame of a man trying incessantly to answer the questions asked by a shaken fate. He closed his eyes to shun everything that encapsulated him but with a constant nagging fear that he has to open it again and behold things that he never wanted to. He knew exactly why all this has occurred, it was inevitable, yet avoidable coz as they say truth and life are somehow stranger than the strangest of fictions.

The time-clock traced it back to September 11, when the mightiest nation fell victim to the wrath of one man. History repeated itself like it always does but this time, it did so with a propelled magnitude. He consciously defied the judgment of destiny because he believed that the weeping deity is wandering in the maze created by his own creation. Revenge begets revenge- begets revenge.

The frail emaciated frame stepped out of its dilapidated shack and what followed next bedazzled humanity for all times and time itself stood testimony to the fact. The vicissitudes of fate is to weave a destiny that fate itself would shiver to behold.

Six hours ahead.

A muted telephone buzzed in the office of Mike Derek, a retired senior officer of the US CIA bureau, now running his own private detective agency. He chose not to answer the call, instead flipped on a pre-recorded voice message- “Hi Charles, I am out for an urgent meeting, will ring you back, your papers have been dispatched friend, lets catch up for a drink on Friday. Goodbye”. A childish grin lightened the countenance of the man on the other side of the phone because his name was not Charles and he got the cue which was precisely meant for him. He smiled

Chapter 2

Time: 17:00 hours

Place: Delhi International Airport, India

Day- Wednesday

A uniformed bespectacled man in his mid-forties was sweeping the floor adjacent to the arrival terminal entry gate of the airport. Charles walked right up to him and muttered- “I am so sorry to bother you, I think I had dropped my pen here a while back, have you by any chance managed to see it somewhere here? The man looked up at Charles and at the same time dropped a worn out pouch on the floor which he pretended to be seen as accidental. Charles got the message again, picked up the bag and strode inside. The bag had all those documents that Mike alerted him about; the stack of parchments that established Charles as a legitimate citizen of the United States of America and some hand drawn maps.

Time: 1800 hours

Place: New York City, United States of America

Day- Friday

It was summer- a wet mist brewed twilight and the sun racing to hide behind the crimson horizon in the vicinity, after the day long downpour. The airport was swarming with people- not as much unlikely for a busy nation.. He quietly walked past the aisle, traversed a few yards and waved at a Taxi. A polite voice confirmed- Washington DC? The driver gave an assured smile and zoomed past. Thirty minutes later, a few miles down the foreign streets, the rear view mirror of Charles’s Cab reflected the remaining traces and a clumsy void that once housed- no too long ago- the world’s tallest towers, a bustling business arena, one of the most populated site of New York City. As the man sitting at the rear-seat of the car struck a match to light a cigarette, within the bluish yellow flame he could see the same void stretch of land- sans boundaries as it seemed- but not the one that housed the twin towers, but that of his ravaged country, palate of sands and blood- which now housed innocent victims of some satanic catastrophe for which they were not responsible in any distant manner. His country- Afghanistan.

The Taxi screeched to a halt in front of St. Allen’s bakery at a shady crossroad of Washington DC. Charles got off the cab, tipped off the driver and walked inside. Smiling at the guests who gathered there for their supper he climbed up the stairway, knocked and entered Room No 42. As he closed the door behind him- “Welcome my guest” whispered a voice, distinctly different from the voice which once said- “Hi Charles, I am out for an urgent meeting, will ring you back, your papers have been dispatched friend, lets catch up for a drink on Friday. Goodbye”. As Charles pulled aside a chair to sit down, his eyes met someone he knew well enough. Someone, who was a prisoner of somewhat same kind of fate; known to the outsiders as a guardian of the federal law- Officer Mike Derek.

“So Charles, tell me how have you been? Any problems?”. All that came from the other side was a smirk and the quietest possible “No”. Mike rang the bell for coffee. Neither of the two exchanged a singe intelligible word till the last sip of the warm brew, perhaps they both knew why they are here for- they surely knew. “Goodbye Charles, don’t forget to take some rest, you must be fatigued, we got a lot of work to do, busy days ahead of us…hoping to see you tomorrow morning- Mike placed a torn piece of paper on the table beside the bed and walked out.

Charles switched off the lights and lied down. As his glance swept past across the room and then outside the window, he saw the neon board which displayed “The School of Cyber Artillery” across the narrow byline on the other side; where he met Mike for the first time six years ago. Nothing has changed through all these years except the circumstances, the purpose and the resultant horrific misinterpretation of existence- to live and strive towards achieving a distorted and destructive objective- infuse terror and attain vengeance.

As thoughts spun down the memory lane, a kaleidoscope of colors, images, voices and events crossed his mind- Charles fell asleep.

At around 5 AM in the morning, the silence of the dark room was troubled by a noisy telephone ring. It rang thrice and stopped. Charles woke up, got dressed in one of his best business suits, climbed down the staircase, crossed the road and picked up the parcel which said, “Mr David, C/O “The School of Cyber Artillery”, 5^th Main, 2^nd Cross, . Washington DC. A familiar expression appeared on Charles’s face, the expression is always there whenever this man is too sure of himself. He walked up to a stationary shop round the corner of the road as the shopkeeper was pulling the shutter up for cleaning before the busy day starts. Charles purchased a few cables, cartridges, camera, a few blank DVDs and some metals. “Hi Charles, Howah, whassup? Haven’t seen you around for quite some time…How is Della? Where are you putting up? You are no more in that school I hope?. Yes, Charles was a poor student and he was subjected to such sarcasm earlier as well.

“No, I am putting up at California, am a restaurateur now” was the crisp short answer to those quiver full of questions. The shop-owner seemed quite content with that answer and didn’t bother to ask anymore questions. He smiled, shook hands and got back to his cleaning. Charles left- Never to meet him again.

Next day, the daily news paper reported the death of the shop owner. Reason cited- Bankruptcy and debt. Charles knew a different version of the story which is best untold. There was no Mr David in that school either to whom the parcel was addressed.

Charles retired to his one room apartment atop the bakery where the crowd has gathered for their morning cuppa of tea and muffins. He did not take the main entrance this time, but the spiral stairs in the backyard. He decided to catch up on the slumber, interrupted in between.

After completing their education in the “The School of Cyber Artillery”, he and Mike were colleagues at the Pentagon, working as cyber security administrators and IT infrastructure supervisors along with four others. This was about five years ago. A one-liner telegram cost him his career, his happy and fulfilled life, ruined him and brought him home, never to make him come back again.

Chapter 3

The time has arrived to knock at the door of destiny, crafted by that telegram; which now brought him here amidst the peace and tranquility in a ruthless search of vengeance and catastrophe. A catastrophe that will make the world’s biggest nation fall to its knees. The pages of history would be written by an event that history itself would shiver to behold. Charles took out the laptop from the same parcel and switched it on…

Time 2:30am

Charles computer screen displayed an e-bomb manual- the same military grade weapon that a CIA-supported Internet watchdog, Search for International Terrorist Entities institute, raised an alarm on August 7 when it noticed the e- bomb manual circulating in jihadi fora supporting Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Chechnya movements.

As the hour-glass struck 3 am, some cracking sounds were heard at pentagon’s IT systems hall- almost unheard. Seconds’ later, all electronic systems went totally dysfunctional, the computers and even the main data source got completely erased- or so they thought

A few days ago a newspaper carried the story of terror organizations in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Chechnya circulating popular jihadi Internet manuals to make Electromagenetic Pulse (EMP) bombs that can wipe out data from computers within minutes. A powerful radiation of electromagnetic waves generate as soon as an EMP, also known as an e-bomb, explodes while passing through any electronic gadget and it disables it. The cyber security officials raised an alarm as soon as they found out that this time the victim is them.

Charles entered a password- the third and the final try- The Falcon Core 2046! Confidential mission critical military information resources, ammunition reports, experimental trial documents of nuclear weapons and their sites, flowcharts, formulae , , technical documents, top secret de-coded defense equipments files, ammunition reports were remotely downloaded from the storage infrastructure and computer networks.

The cyber- surveillance team of pentagon did their job….emergency back-up on, anti- virus software activated, the shield put up, networks were shut down and disabled – The hacker traced – But it was too late…

3:30 am- Charles walks out of that shabby hotel room, leaves all doors open…after disabling all the laptop’s functional features, wraps it in the same package in which he had found it. Crosses the road to that same ammunition academy from where he had picked up the parcel from… puts it at the doorstep and walks off.

Carefully wrapping the hard-drive and the cds, he strode inside Suniville hotel, asked the man behind the counter- I want to stay here for the night, here is my id- The name it carried was – Dan Sullivan…I am expecting a friend of mine to come tomorrow morning at around 8, please send him upstairs. The man behind the counter replied- I am so sorry Mr Sullivan, actually your friend was here a while ago, he waited for quite some time and left, left a parcel for you- here it is and your keys sir…

The same smirk appeared again on Charles chiseled countenance- No problemo, thanks for your help, see you, bye…With those words, Charles went up the stairs to his hotel room. A uniformed man was waiting at the door- silently uttered ‘Mike’. Charles handed over the bag of cds and the hardrive to him and went inside. The parcel contained his flight tickets and the ‘friend’ and the man in the uniform was the same person, sent by Mike Derek.

Charles smiled.

Chapter 4

4^th July, Time 11:00 am

United States of America was in a pensive mood- The celebrations of Independence Day was muffled by the frantic news telecast over all national broadcast channels of the last night’s data theft and the explosions. The elite investigative departments sprung into action to trace the culprit and negate the losses. - Charles smiled and boarded his flight.

11:30 am- Suddenly, all electronic channel broadcast was interrupted- People thought it to be a security measure. Every household was wondering how grave the issue was- The screens go blank, comes back and what all of the multitudes of screens displayed now was more than just nightmarish to the millions of American citizen who woke of to a morning of celebrations and merrymaking.

Iraq, Afghanistan, China, India, Pakistan, Russia, Uzbekistan and channels of a few neighboring countries displayed the title “The Falcon Nemesis” with Pentagons’ logo in the background followed by - in complete graphic detail; all the confidential security vault guarded information that was robbed last night….

The nation watched with bewilderment- emergency announced- curfew launched- all broadcast stopped- FBI and CIA was tipped off- The President gets a phone call- “The Falcon Nemesis is here Sir- That beautiful reality show is being aired internationally Mr President. It is up on the Internet as well. I am sending you a copy of the CD for your comfort. Enjoy!”- a laugh…beep beep beep beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep….The deafening silence prevailed…

6 days later- A car bomb killed 10 army personnel and injured many others at one of the US Military contingent at Abu Dhabi.

20 days later, a passenger airplane- Airbus G 599 crashed and massacred the Navy headquarters at the Pentagon city.

The nemesis has begun…

Confessions of an overworked mind by soham

2011-12-08T13:36:00.000+05:30

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article by Soham Majumdar are personal.

The author had written the article at 2:30am in his 1 year in the industry. A few questions that he till date couldn't answer has opened the floor for PR Professionals today to tackle the questions:

PS: Don't Kill Me For This :)

Unanswered Questions in PR

A perfect read for a gloomy ‘work-cannon’ loaded Monday

After about one and a half years of my stint in the boxing arena called ‘public relations’, I am faced with these inexplicably intriguing questions. Yes I agree that, to most of us, the questions may seem unintelligent but as the wise man say- Questions are never stupid, answers are. There can be countless justifications negating the validity of my question’s intelligence quotient, but I won’t ask you to relax and then think about the answers coz in that state, most likely your answers can only label my questions as ‘stupid to the stupidest of extent’.:-)

So, here I make a humble request to all of you. Try and answer my questions on a typical PARANOID day at work when all the devils of the world and beyond contaminate the souls of our revered journalists, corp com people and other stakeholders.:-)

Here are some of my questions (there are many more):

· Why does that particular abandoned lonely soul in corp comm needs an SMS update early in the morning, inside his washroom post a press conference/interview/trade briefing that happened a day earlier and why they can’t get out of their washrooms till the scans hit their inbox- I guess they fear that the coverage would evaporate in thin air if they are late in brooding over it…(Or their email inboxes are perpetually in the self-destruct mode?) :)

· Why do we send the ‘same’ clip to the client in a wide spectrum of multiple diametrically diverse formats that technology has ever managed to bless us with. – SCANS, PDF, PPT, EXCEL, ZIP, MONTHBOOKS, WEEKLY REPORTS, CDS, DVDS, TRANSCRIPTS, Calculating their AD rates, etc etc- Cant they not decipher things in the first go…?

· Why do the that impatient corp com soul behave as if they will lose their jobs, their stocks would crash and their employers will be on the streets begging if a particular coverage that appeared 5 years ago is not mailed to them within a 5 mins timeframe?

· Why do they spin protracted yards and wax eloquent about going ‘Green’ and similar policies and enclose this line in their mail - “Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to. “ if on the other hand, they want coverage on every piece of paper in the planet?

· Why do they endow us with incredibly inhuman deadlines and act as if the universe will fall apart if we don’t meet the same. Finally, when we do manage to kill ourselves to meet that cursed deadline, they forget about it and send a stinker at the end of the day for committing a gruesome crime- Why didn’t we remind them on time?:-)

· Why do the Presidents and VPs of the world suddenly wake up one fine afternoon and starts hallucinating and contemplating about their worth in this life and pester their PR agencies to send them all the best coverage that they were lucky to receive over the past 8 years within 60 mins. Are they so in secured? Or, do they think we are Gods to meet such a divine deadline

If it is all about positioning our work to the client as some Pro-client PR professional will like to argue then I would like to put it- Don’t we anyway do a lot of other work as an agency to prove to the client our expertise and efficiency.

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2011-09-15T17:48:00.000+05:30

Sometimes, probably on our worst days, being a publicist can feel like being a glorified telemarketer. On those days, it seems that journalists feel the same way about us. Many of them have posted diatribes on their personal sites about us and how to pitch them properly. Whole sites are devoted to just that topic.

However, many publicists do the job right. (More good ones than bad, I hope.) The good ones make sure to create targeted lists of journalists and outlets that will care about our story. They read, view, and listen to journalists’ work before pitching them. And they create short, well-written pitches to hit the mark.

We are actually an asset to journalists, if only they would see beyond the words “public relations.” To get the most of out of us, journalists could actually use a few tips of their own for dealing with PR people.

1. Answer the phone. At least once in a while. I mean, seriously, we’re going to keep calling you. And if you don’t want to answer the phone, at least email something back. Which brings me to my next one …

2. It’s OK to say no. I would rather get an honest answer from you than the usual, “I’m waiting to hear from my editor,” or “It sounds interesting.” However, if you are going to say no, please let us know why you’re saying no. Our clients and bosses are going to ask us for a reason, so please give us one right off the bat. Sometimes we may push back a bit, but for the most part a well-phrased reason will get you off the hook. Offering another journalist is a great way to get us to leave you alone and could actually be helpful to both us and the new contact.

3. Email is a great way to connect to us. If you respond to our emails when we send them, chances are you won’t even get a call. Now, I know you get a lot of email, but with all the filters these days, you should be able to tell the good ones from the bad ones. And we love to get email responses just as much as you love not getting our phone calls.

4. Blocking an entire agency’s email address is really uncool. Plus, it is unfair to the decent publicists that may work there. If we really want to get you, we can always email from our personal boxes or sign up for another email address. Another thing to consider, agency turnaround is about as bad as the turnaround in the media. You may be missing that great next story because of a bad PR rep that was at an agency two years ago.

5. Take that call from Cision, Vocus, and MyMediaInfo. When you take another job, you should reach out to them to update your listing. Make sure the correct information about you is out there for us, especially how you like to be contacted. We are going to contact you no matter what, so it might as well be the right pitch, in the right way. At the very least you should make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date. The good publicists check that site, too.

Like the publicists that reporters like to complain about, not all journalists make our lives as PR pros difficult. I recently had a great interaction with San Jose Mercury News reporter, Troy Wolverton. He actually answers his phone! And he really checked his inbox for my email and then sent a response.

When I asked why he wasn’t interested, he gave me a reason and then suggested another reporter who might be interested in my story. We love those kinds of reporters.

Remember, ours can be a symbiotic relationship, if we each read each other’s tips.

Tracy Bagatelle-Black has been in the PR business for 16 years. Currently, she is an account manager at RLM Public Relations, running its West Coast operations. She has also done time at Hill & Knowlton, The Terpin Group, Activision, and PeopleLink. A version of this story first appeared on the blog PRBreakfastClub.

URL: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/8989.aspx

Courtesy: Kalayan Chakravarty, Hyderabad IMPRIMIS PR.

Take stock at home to curb corruption

2011-09-15T17:44:00.002+05:30

Democratic India integrates. Fights Corruption unitedly. Social activist Anna Hazare, the crusader of the so called anti-corruption fight, brands it as the second freedom struggle. The movement named- India Against Corruption, has received phenomenal support from all directions and quarters of life. It gained further momentum after Anna’s arrest by the Delhi Police, hours before his scheduled fast for a strong Jan Lokpal. Millions of Indians protested against Anna’s arrest and rallied behind him. The government succumbed to the pressure of citizens, and released Anna to hold his fast.

The public’s support to Anna is witness to their angst against corruption. Interestingly, Anna’s protesters included a large chunk of ignorant children. They participated because their parents were a part of it. Undoubtedly, India is one of the largest democracy in the world, and its citizens have the right to protest peacefully. However, is the recommended Jan Lokpal Bill the only panacea to iron out corruption? Is corruption only big ticket corruption? I’ve my reservations.

It was heartening to see school principals and teachers taking to streets in support of Anna; to free the country from the rule of corruption. Do I assume none of the parents in the country will ever have to cough up huge sum of money in the name of donation to admit their child/ children henceforth? The way the youth has joined the Anna bandwagon, confirms their resolve to be law abiding citizens going forward. Seems they would never ever jump a traffic signal in the absence of a cop; if they are caught jumping, will pay the fine instead of negotiating or bribing the traffic police. These examples might seem insignificant as compared to the big ticket corruption. But the small corruptions are the building blocks to the biggest scams.

The Jan Lokpal is at a macro level. But I feel the root cause of corruption is at a micro level- Our Sweet Homes. As parents we are smitten by the comparison bug. Rather than focusing on holistic development of a child, we tend to pressurize the child with our obsession for good marks and grades. Parents can’t digest poor performance of their child/ children. After all, societal stakes are high: child/ children being the flag bearers of excellence for their families. Parents themselves are not setting the right precedence for their children. Do they sincerely rejoice and celebrate the success of their kith and kin or make it a comparison platform? Sadly, the actual purpose of education has lost its purpose in the contemptuous world of hate, jealously and ego. This is the breeding ground for corruption.

Given the current scenario, I wouldn’t be surprised if Anna embarks on his third freedom struggle- “Preaching Parents for a Salubrious Society”. Wonder how many enthusiast billions would want to be a part of such a movement for a cause! As humans we consider ourselves God’s gift to mankind, and therefore consider it our democratic right to preach, but not be preached.

How much time does a parent spend talking about the virtues that determine or fortify the character of an individual? In this 3G world, the positioning of the brand “Become a trustworthy person with outstanding caliber” has lost its bandwidth in our value system. Mind you, the caliber I’m referring to here is, over all growth and not just academics.

Among siblings, the phrase “Sharing is caring” has been replaced with “Survival of the fittest”. Majority of property dispute cases parked in various levels of court, belong to family property dispute. The disputes being civil or criminal in nature. Isn’t this corruption? The solution is not a Jan Lokpal Bill alone, but responsible parenting. The heart of I, Me, Myself has to transform into You and Me. Living in unity and harmony must be regarded much more blissful than isolation.

In the recent past, many heinous crimes have been committed by the educated urban middle class professionals working in renowned firms. And the primary reason for killing their loved ones: monetary gains or infidelity. Who takes the responsibility for such acts: parents or government?

We are in the 21^st century. Hailed as the century of women. Ironically, dowry among the literate middle class is still rampant. In many of the families, parents want their sons to be highly qualified not to contribute to society, but to demand from society. The prospective groom in question is like a commodity for auction rather than a valued, humble caring human being. They come with a price tag attached to their qualifications. Few of the same youth are on the streets shouting slogans against corruption, but don’t have the courage to say “NO” to dowry. What do we call this the Youth of India Against Corruption?

Corruption can only be uprooted through integrated efforts of individuals and policies. Jan Lokpal alone can tackle just one part of the problem on a larger scale- system, policies etc. Correct parenting along with education forms the other part of the Jan Lokpal Bill. I personally think, this Bill is just a way to keep reminding us of the dire consequences of filling our pockets and bank accounts through illegal means, but no way guarantees restraint from falling prey to temptations of quick bucks.

However, the assurance lies in education along with development of indestructible self- a self which can’t be bought or broken. We all have well wishers pouring blessings on us, but the one blessing which is deeply entrenched in my heart and mind is: “Become responsible parents.”

We are the reason for corruption. The least we can do to annihilate corruption at our end, is to forge the character of our children by setting correct examples. Do we need a messiah and a third freedom struggle to teach us the desired values for our children?

Shivani Venugopal

what do PR pros need to know about working in and with today's media?

2011-05-24T10:24:00.000+05:30

Consumers increasingly get their news based on what has been "curated" by their friends, rather than news editors. .

. . Citizen broadcasters regularly report on — and sometimes stir up — crises. . . . Marketers can reach out to consumers based on where they are and what they're doing right now. . . . Context is unseating content as the driving force in social media today — and tomorrow it will be something else.

Media are changing fast — and not always in ways you might expect. In some countries, print newspapers are still growing as a primary source for news, and use of online media is nascent.

So, what do PR pros need to know about working in and with today's media?

Share your views and let's all get together, setting the rhythm of PR pros and Media in-sync.

PR Professional is the Second Most Stressful Job in Nation

2011-04-28T09:59:00.000+05:30

Uh-oh! Looks like job-related stress is on the rise again! Disappearing pay increases, a slow economy, lack of job certainty and extra responsibility all take a toll on your attitude, motivation levels and overall health. A recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that 70% of all employees say that work is the main cause of their stress, and nearly half (49%) attribute that stress to worries about job stability.

CareerCast ranks the least and most stressful jobs annually. Considered the nation’s most stressful job of 2011 is Commercial Airline Pilots – battling dangerous weather conditions, dealing with faulty equipment, the loom of possible emergency landings and terrorist threats all add to the enormous amount of stress resting on pilots’ heavy shoulders!

While we don’t fly planes, we here at Ant Hill Communications know a thing or two about the stress felt by the #2 position! That’s right – being a PR Professional is the #2 most stressful job in the nation! CareerCast goes on to describe the difficulties of the world of PR:

“Public Relations Officers are responsible for creating and maintaining a positive image with the public for many companies and government agencies. They typically are responsible for giving presentations and making speeches, often in front of large crowds. This highly-competitive field and tight deadlines keep stress at high-levels for specialists. Some PR officers, also, are required to interact with potentially hostile members of the media.”

While we understand our work environment is stressful, it is enjoyable to work in a fast-pace, ever-evolving industry! The world of PR is never boring nor lackluster. The thrill of finding success for your brands and clients and seeing them grow and expand makes our work worthwhile! We enjoy the pressure of our job and thrive on staying up-to date with media trends and meeting deadlines. Here at Ant Hill, we gladly accept the challenge of having the #2 most stressful job in the nation! Check out the entire list at CareerCast. Now, let’s get to work!

POSTED BY ANT HILL COMMUNICATIONS AT 9:32 AM

courtesy:

http://prchanel.com/post/4806947313/pr-executive-2nd-most-stressful-job-in-america-in-2011

http://anthillcommunications.blogspot.com/2011/04/pr-professional-is-second-most.html

PS: This article is shared by Kalyan Chakravarthy from Hyderabad.

What Sells?

2011-04-28T09:52:00.002+05:30

Hot cakes and sex is what they say. While giving due respect to hot cakes and the ‘S’ word and with no offence meant to these highly spellbinding entities on earth, I think I have had hardly ever stepped into a baker’s parlor to buy just a cake. What has usually prompted me is buying that soothing and shimmering smile on the face of my dear ones on their birthday or may be sometimes the ‘desire’ to tingle my sweet taste buds or may be addressing my epicurean desires.

The second example is a bit murky, so more on it later.

Marketers always keep diving deep into consumer psychology to ascertain their mental signage depicting their needs, wants, desires and demands. The challenge multiplies as the cognitive dissonance of human behavior erupts as a reverse catalyst. ‘What sells’ is the biggest question a marketer wants to explore.

Human psychology is not static. It keeps fluctuating against a variable ‘x’ time to time, where ‘x’ is the effective outcome of day-to-day activities/happenings on the mind of a consumer. The variable ‘x’ has a direct implication on what a buyer wants to buy at a given point in time.

A number of models have been developed by the experts to spill the beans of reality about ‘X’. One of the famous models that explain the fluctuation of minds determining the need is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It says the demand for a need can be determined on five zones of consumer state of mind. The pyramid has basic needs (survival) at the base which includes needs like food and shelter followed by safety needs. The next set of needs is determined by esteem of a consumer followed by his psychological needs. The final set being the needs for self sufficiency.

It must be noted that each subsequent set of needs is created once the previous set of needs is met.

The model all the more relevant, the factor ‘x’ has much complications attached to it. Even if a consumer stands in the zone of self esteem and demands luxury, he may abruptly switch to survival zone if deprived of water.

A smart marketer at different variation of ‘x’ would succeed to sell if he exploits hunger, emotions, pride, self esteem, happiness, fame etc. at the right time.

What does a PR firm sell? And what should we exploit?

A PR professional sells a single idea at two different touch points. At one hand, we have to engage a journalist, who already presumes himself/herself as a connoisseur of communications. So what do we market him? It could be being a facilitator to meet his/her deadline, addressing his penchant for ‘cracking a story’ and his fondness for establishing ‘I am the first one’. On the other hand the clients always look for developing their credibility, getting respect and the ‘worry’ to get the acquittal from any bad baggage.

Now let’s come to the second example. For all those who are still expecting me to write on the ‘S’ word, I would like to remind that the subject matter being very perplexing, baffling, mystifying, bewildering and what not, is holding my endurance to take a chance.

P.S: Am I using the word itself to sell this article?

- Faisal Banday

How old do you need to be, to be called a "Professional"?

2011-04-01T15:39:00.002+05:30

I'm literally compelled to write on this topic. A little Background on my professional front: Ive studied Media for 9 years and have been pursuing jobs in the media, ranging from advertising to PR, for 7 years now. What made me write on this topic? Well in my little work experience that I have, I've come across some really good, inspiring professional people and some who don't know how to use their power in a good and productive way.

So does being "Professional" refer to any particular age? Well I guess, the answer is NO. To my surprise I have found and met people who are very young in their careers following a really humble path, which will take them a long way. These guys are aggressive, when needed! A classic example is my ex. boss- Ms. M. She is aggressive when she needs to be. and aggressive in her work and not in her behavior. In fact I'm lucky to have trained under someone who is as motivating and passionate like her and I hope I can guide and train my resources the same way, or even better, in the future.

On the other end, I've met some hard nuts too. I would really like to narrate one of my old experiences.

Situation: So we are coordinating with the media, for this gentleman, who is here in India to announce a big business venture. I will name him (MR. X). There is a lady who is heading the Indian team of the Brand. I will name her (MS. B) She is very senior and is at a high position. Well, I get all of that, I do! But what surprised me was the way she treated people. Yeah fine, she has a bagful of experience and all that bullshit, but that doesn't give her the authority to talk rudely and disrespectfully with anyone, whether a junior or senior. She treated my team as if we were her slaves. She spoke so loudly on the phone herself and when we were literally "Whispering", she shouts back and tells us to keep it low. I mean, you might have all the experience in the world, but what’s the point of all of it if someone doesn't look up to you and admires and learns from you. A visual example- she comes with her "branded- expensive" bag and before sitting on the sofa, she literally threw/ swung her bag on the floor. I mean Calm Down Woman!!!! Haven't you had your happy pills today?? Where as Mr. X, who is at such a senior position was a class apart from MS. B. He treated us a professionals and not just mere doormats. I might have met him for those 5 odd hours, but I learnt from him. I learnt that no matter how old you are in your career, be grounded. Don't just be a sheep in the herd. Stand Apart. Have "Class"- its not defined "monetarily", but "behaviorally".

In today's age and time everyone demands respect in every form. Even something as simple as a "Stipend". I hate companies who do not even give a minimum stipend to an intern. Well in all my internships, I have never even been reimbursed for my travel. I never understood this. Is it because they are young, so exploit them Or train them so they become good professionals in the future and contribute to our economy? You don't acknowledge an employee with just his sheer presence.

I'm not being a "Handsome" here, but I've had enough experience with men and women, to have seen that men and women who are in their 40's single, divorced or single are just 'F****d" in their heads. (Exceptions are always there) I don't know what it really is, maybe they are just frustrated and it gets reflected in their emotional behavioral pattern. I remember having women bosses while I was in advertising. No doubt, these women were super talented, but they were so uninspiring. All they did was smoked, worked, abused and abused!

The reason why I really was compelled to write on this topic was because I feel no age defines you as a true "Professional". You can be as young and as old in your career to motivate people around you. These people are a class apart and are not just working for a livelihood. They inspire, motivate, guide, train young professionals like me to do better in life!

I request everyone who reads this blog, to start respecting your employee, junior or senior- Doesn't matter! Become a source of inspiration and not a source of Negative energy!

By Kalyan Chakravarthy

Hyderabad IMPRIMIS

Healthcare Access Week

2011-03-24T16:18:00.000+05:30

About Healthcare Access Week

Healthcare Access Week is an initiative to embark “Call for Action”, addressing lack of access to healthcare in India. Objective of this event is to congregate partners, students, participants, stakeholders on a common platform and raise awareness nationwide and ensuring access to healthcare for all. This issue will be spread across 4 cities in India, involving NGOs, Doctors, Students, Volunteers and stakeholders.

The Week Long Activity would include:

Release of Research Report with Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune
Release of Whitepaper on Health Insurance, Hyderabad
Press Conference – Our initiatives towards better healthcare access, Mumbai
Run for Access to Healthcare, Bengaluru

Initiating a mass movement for a week, we aim to bridge the gap of healthcare inaccessibility and instigate actions by public and private sectors towards attaining our objective.

Pune

Release of Research Report with Dr. D.Y.Patil Medical College

Date: Tuesday, 29^th March 2011

Venue: Patrakar Sangha, Pune

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

India Health Progress in association with Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College Pune, launched a research study to understand the issue of “lack of access to healthcare” in India and highlight the issue among all stakeholders. The study points out principle reasons which are hampering the healthcare access to Indian patients.

Representatives from Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, representatives from IMA, Pune Chapter, Health officials from civic bodies and representatives from India Health Progress will be attending the event.

Hyderabad

Release of White Paper on Health Insurance

Date: Wednesday, 6 April 2011

Venue: Dr. Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute

Time: 3:30 pm – 5:00pm

India Health Progress organized a Roundtable Conference on Health Insurance in India on 24^th January 2011. The aim of the conference was to bring all stakeholders on a common platform and deliberate upon the key issues/challenges in healthcare access vis-à-vis Healthcare financing, visualizing a healthcare insurance structure that meets the needs of India 10-15 years into the future and increase access to healthcare insurance, facilities and medicine.

Based on the roundtable conference, India Health Progress produced a White Paper meant for the Government of India on the best means to achieve higher healthcare spends.

Mumbai

Conference on Our Initiatives taken by Stakeholders to Improve “Access to Healthcare”

Date: Friday, 8 April 2011

Venue: YB Chavan hall, Churchgate

Time: 11:00 am – 1:15 pm

To observe Healthcare Access Week, various healthcare stakeholders are assembling together to gauge their contributions towards better healthcare in India. This conference called “Our Initiatives to improve Access to Healthcare” is being held in Mumbai on 8 April 2011. This activity will showcase the initiatives taken by NGOs, Hospitals, Doctors, Independent organisations, Pharmaceutical and other industries towards healthcare access. The initiatives would include the CSR activities as well.

The objective is to appreciate and showcase the initiatives undertaken to provide healthcare access to all, thus creating an environment for developing improved policy framework for healthcare in India. Furthermore, this initiative would act as a catalyst towards encouraging everyone for taking more initiatives for better healthcare in India.

Bangalore

IHP Run for Access to Healthcare

Date: Saturday, 9 April 2011

Venue: -

Time: -

Run for Access to Healthcare marks a beginning of an initiative to sensitive including policymakers through a joint effort in the first week of April 2011 (April 4-9). Healthcare Access Week is a “Call for Action” for all the stakeholders to bring the issue of lack of access to healthcare forefront where it gets noticed all across India and gets the required attention.

The marathon aims to make Healthcare Access Week as an annual calendar event for all the healthcare stakeholders and generate a high decibel level on lack of access to healthcare in India.

Resource that cannot be done without

2011-03-21T09:31:00.000+05:30

Over the past decade the practice of in-house PR has grown as management of large companies and organisations better appreciate the value strategic communications can bring to their brand.

Despite this, however, it is external PR consultants who are leading the way when it comes to

(a) Understanding today’s hyper-connected marketplace and,

(b) Actively participating on the social web, thus making them an invaluable commodity in today’s cynical and information-overloaded world.

The fact that many in-house communications departments have grown significantly in size means in some ways the need for external consultants has, to a degree, lessened. In reality, though, the fact that agency PR professional are at the cutting edge of communication knowledge acquisition and implementation means they are a resource that cannot be done without.

Not quickly at first, but it soon became pretty apparent the social web was unlike anything the modern-day communications industry has ever experienced:

Blogging moved from being a geeky pastime practiced in a darkened room to a highly visible mainstream activity. Backyard podcasters started gaining an audience (and therefore influence).
YouTube became the world’s biggest search engine (after Google).
Mark Zuckerberg – if you believe the film ‘Social Network’ – ripped off the Winklevoss twins and guided Facebook to half a billion users in under seven years.
Twitter went from being a time-wasting novelty to an incredibly powerful, game – changing real-time medium.

Then, just when you thought you had handle on everything, Foursquare emerged and grew by an astonishing 3,800 per cent last year alone.

And now Quora is taking the world by storm, with some observers boldly declaring it the future of journalism.

By Kalyan Chakravarthy

Dialogue: The Brand Ambassador of Peace

2011-03-14T13:11:00.000+05:30

Crude protests spill in the Middle East. All for a democratic government. The jasmine revolution began in the North African nation of Tunisia, culminating in President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali’s ouster. It further spread to the land of the Nile; with the Egyptians vehemently protesting against the 30 year repressive regime of President Hosni Mubarak.

No sooner had the dust settled in Tunisia and Egypt; there began an uprising in Bahrain. It seemed Egypt’s protest crossed the Red Sea to spillover the Persian Gulf. This time, the revolt against the monarch rule of King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah. Bahrainis roared for a democratic government.

While the protest in Manama became fierce, its gale traveled through the Mediterranean Sea to Libya. Influenced by Bahrain along with its western and eastern neighbours- Tunisia and Egypt respectively, smoke of unrest billowed in the wells of Libya. Demonstrators called for the end of 41 year rule of its dictator, Col Muammar Gaddafi.

The presidents of Tunisia and Egypt, succumbed to the mounting pressure of protesters, and stepped down. The king of Bahrain proposed to have a dialogue with demonstrators. However, it was the defiant, Col Gaddafi, who had formulated a chemical equation to deal with the Libyans, and declared war on them.

On one hand, the leader of a country had ordered the use of tanks, helicopters and warplanes to be fired at his countrymen; and on the other hand, in a country like India, a Pakistani terrorist named Ajmal Amir Kasab, who had opened fire on hundreds, thereby, waging a war against the nation, is given all the rights to defend himself. By holding a free, fair and transparent trial of Kasab, India has truly branded herself as one the world’s largest democracy.

Democracy, the wish of every mankind is a test of one’s character. It’s a process of hope and wait, with the attributes of perseverance longer than the Ganges; and patience deeper than the Indian Ocean; leading to a cherished victory, higher than the Himalayas.

Though Kasab’s death sentence has been upheld by the Bombay High Court, yet he has the right to knock the doors of the Supreme Court, for being saved from the gallows. And if the Supreme Court upholds his death penalty, the 26/11 terrorist can file a mercy petition before the President. The wait for justice is excruciatingly long and painful, especially for the families, who have lost their loved ones.

Isn’t the transparency of the Indian judicial system laudable? Isn’t the bereaved families’ courage praiseworthy? Aren’t they the epitome of patience? The answer unequivocally is: “YES.” It’s been two-and-a- half years, yet affected people insist on following the due process of the law. These are the courageous, large- hearted people of a democratic country. Incredible Indians!

There were times when I became impatient with the slow pace of Kasab’s trial. But the crisis in the Middle East genuinely made me realize the fortune of being born and residing in a democratic country.

While the world condemned Col Gaddafi’s brutal action against protesters, it was heartening to see Bahrain’s king using the missile of “SOFT POWER”- a dialogue with protesters to put an end to the on-going crisis.

The one person who has influenced my thoughts with his unceasing conviction in the supremacy of “SOFT POWER” is Dr Daisaku Ikeda, a Buddhist leader, peace builder, prolific writer, poet, educator and founder of a number of cultural, educational and peace research institutions around the world. For Dr Ikeda, the impact of dialogue is not just limited to theory. He has actually set precedence for mankind through his actions.

Dr Ikeda is constantly engaged in dialogue with people from all walks of life, and has cemented ties with various countries, including the countries with which Japan had strained relations, post World War II. On the basis of “Soft Power”, he has been annually submitting Peace Proposals to the UN since 1983.

Nothing on earth can replace dialogue. You indeed need to be lion-hearted to have a dialogue with people against you. It’s this very move by the king, which has provided solace to my Indian friends in Bahrain. Their lives were clouded with anxiety and uncertainty, until the king offered to have talks with protesters to hear them out. So much so, the royal family preferred to put the issue of Grand Prix at the back burner, to douse off the fire of discomfort among its citizens.

Though, there is still no clarity on the future course of action and the transition process in Bahrain. Nevertheless, the king has somewhat won the confidence of people. And “Dialogue” has once again become the brand ambassador of peace.

By Shivani Venugopal

(Branch Head- Bengaluru)

Public Relations : Communication

2011-03-08T17:17:00.000+05:30

Public relations means making corporations and other types of organizations more responsive to the demands of public opinion. In its simplest form, public relations means relating to the public.

Edward L. Bernays (1891-1995), an important founding father of modern public relations, began practicing public relations in 1920. He coined the term "public relations counsel" and taught the first university course on public relations in 1923 at New York University. That same year his book, Crystallizing Public Opinion, was published and became the first book on public relations.

If we examine some of the goals and objectives of public relations, it becomes clear that it is a multifaceted activity involving many different functions. Topping the list of objectives, public relations seeks to create, maintain, and protect the organization's reputation, enhance its prestige, and present a favorable image.

Studies have shown that consumers often base their purchase decision on a company's reputation, so public relations can have a definite impact on a company's sales and revenue. Public relations can be an effective part of a company's overall marketing strategy. In the case of a for-profit company, public relations and marketing may be coordinated to be sure they are working to achieve the same objectives.

Another major public relations goal is to create goodwill for the organization. This involves such functions as employee relations, stockholder and investor relations, media relations, community relations, and relations with the many other publics with whom the organization interacts, affects, or is affected by.

Effective public relations requires a knowledge, based on analysis and understanding, of all the factors that influence perception of and attitudes toward the organization. The development of a specific public relations campaign follows these basic steps, which can be visualized as a loop that begins within the organization, extends to the target audience(s), and returns back to the organization.

By Mahesh Kumar

IMPRIMIS PR (Chennai Branch)