New Wave of Indian PR to take the World by Storm

Business Experts discuss the Changing Role of PR in Business Management

The Public Relations business has witnessed a major breakthrough in the last decade. Organisations have been observed to take key interest in receiving informed counsel by their public relations department as they become an integral part of their decision making regime. Contemplating on this emerging trend, public relations experts including Atul Sharma (COO, Genesis Burson-Marsteller), Pradeep Wadhwa (VP, ReNew Power), Vivek Atray (Former IAS, Author and Motivational Speaker) and Amulya Shukla (Leadership Coach and Strategic Consultant) came together to share some exciting insights on Changing Role of PR in Business Management. The panel discussion moderated by PK Khurana (Founder-Chairman, QuikRelations Pvt. Ltd) enlightened the audience about the way forward for PR business in India.

An initiative by QuikRelations Pvt Ltd in association with PRCAI – the panel discussion was aimed at educating and encouraging aspiring public relations practitioners. Providing insights straight from the boardroom, Pradeep Wadhwa, shared his perspective on how public relations has transformed stories into meaningful conversations. With emerging digital platforms, customers are now able to share real-time feedback, which is then filtered by PR professionals to help build an overarching perspective that is based on facts. To this Vivek Atray, added that over the years, public relations has adapted itself to not just providing overwhelming feedback but noteworthy guidance to marketing teams with their upcoming campaigns. Tracking trends that benefit the organisation and sharing counsel that are in the interest of the company is a feat PR practitioners have excelled in.

Another interesting insight was shared by Atul Sharma, who went on to share that public relations has evolved far from being mere storytellers to counselors that determine the future course of a company. They have become a primary source of information for organisations, especially startups, who bank on their advise for not just creating a niche positioning for themselves but also provide counsel in their journey to raise funds and communicate their story to prospective investors. Taking excerpts from his friends abroad, Atul opines that India is on its way to set a new benchmark for PR as a business across the globe.

Concluding the discussion, PK Khurana, opined that in today’s fast paced world where organisations are spending millions on brand building, it has become crucial that they invest in effective public relations strategy. He strongly believes that the change in management function, deeply rooted in overarching perspective provided by public relations, will open new avenues for PR professionals. Discussing the emerging hiring and retaining trends in Public Relations, Ms. Jayoti Lahiri, Secretary General, PRCAI suggested that switching jobs for better salaries should be discouraged. A thorough training from a reputed firm is crucial to nurture a talent who can thereafter excel at his/her job. She added that attaining higher designation basis hard-work should be the primary focus of upcoming PR practitioners.

The captivating discussion saw participation by some of the key opinion leaders from the communications business along with Members of Chandigarh Management Association and  students of Chitkara University.  The magazine partner was Reputation Today, India’s first magazine for Public Relations and Communications professionals. Other sponsors for the event were – Chitkara University, Chandigarh Management Association and SantaBanta.com.

The public relations business definitely seems to have built a stronger niche for itself. The impetus provided by organisations for open feedback will further enhance its role in management function. Their journey from storytellers to counselors is one to be appalled and appreciated by many. They are the sole agents that have helped organisations evolve from ‘bricks to clicks’. From the panel discussion it can be established that the business will continue to flourish and attract talent from multiple verticals setting a new threshold in years to come.

The views expressed here are that of the author and do not necessarily reflect that of Reputation Today.

P K Khurana

Founder & CMD at Quik Relations

With an experience of almost two decades in the fields of journalism, writing and public relations, PK Khurana has amassed a massive expertise in all disciplines of the communication business. Since company's inception, he has taken company from a single man organisation to a team of over 80 media and marketing professionals with operations in more than 200 cities across the country.

Prior to founding Quik Relations, PK Khurana has worked as a journalist with leading publications like Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Dainik Jagran, Punjab Kesari and Divya Himachal.