Shine is a delightful, insightful, and at times unexpectedly emotional journey through the lives of thirty PR professionals who have shaped the Indian communications landscape. What I love most is that it doesn’t feel like a dry list of achievements, it’s a celebration of quirks, detours, accidents-turned-careers, and bold leaps of faith that would otherwise remain tucked away in coffee conversations or behind closed pitch decks.
It’s also a gentle nudge to everyone in PR – students, newbies, veterans to pause and take pride in our professions human side. Each story is a little sparkle of experience, wit, and wisdom. I love reading the book.
We often complain that PR has too few chroniclers. The book shares stories and anecdotes of leaders who, whether individually or in partnership, have navigated the challenging landscape of public relations – including the unprecedented trials of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some moments that stand out include Madhvendra Das’s (Good Edge) bold decision to transition from a long-standing career in corporate communications to starting his own PR consultancy – a risk he took, and one that certainly paid off. Another inspiring story that truly stood out to me is that of Deepshikha Dharmaraj from Burson. Her journey is a powerful testament for every woman who believes there are barriers holding them back. Her grit and determination shine through, making her story both empowering and unforgettable.
Nitin Mantri’s journey is another inspiring one – he took over the reins from Nikhil Khanna and has since elevated the firm to a global stature. His story serves as a powerful example for many aspiring professionals in the PR industry. Another fascinating story that captured my imagination is that of Aseem Sood. While he may not have been involved in traditional, front-facing PR work, his vision and contributions toward making the profession more effective and impactful are truly commendable. There are many such inspiring stories in Spark that will resonate with you – read them to learn, reflect, or simply enjoy the remarkable journeys within.
This book proves that all we needed was the right pair of editors who know the fraternity inside-out, care deeply about its people, and have the credibility to get thirty titans to open up. To those who are featured in this book – Atul Sharma, Ameer Ismail, Ashwani Singla, Pranav Kumar, Nitin Mantri, Deepshikha Dharmaraj, Dilip Yadav, Sarvesh Tiwari, Pooja Pathak, Xavier Prabhu, Santanu Gogoi, Amitabh Saxena, Rakesh Thukral, Veena Gidwani, Deepak Jolly, Udit Pathak, Sunayna Malik, Valerie Pinto, Madhvendra Das, Aseem Sood, Abhilasha Padhy, Kiran Ray Chowdhury, Anurag Mittal, Tarun Deo, Sharif Rangnekar, Nikhil Dey, Radhika Shapoorjee, Dhrubajyoti Gayan, Sonya Madeira, and Rekha Rao, thank you for inspiring us.
As someone who has previously worked on roles such as Student Affairs at both St. Pauls and SCoRe, Shine feels like the perfect teaching tool. It beautifully illustrates how the baton is passed-how values, vision, and courage are carried forward. If Spark introduced us to the initial torchbearers, Shine illuminates the path they’ve paved. And I truly believe the way this trilogy is shaping up, it will eventually capture the future of PR too. Cant wait for the next book.
Thank you, Amith and Sarika, for giving us these stories. You have helped the builders shine and, in doing so, lit the way for many more.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
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