Chandigarh Chapter gets New Team

Aneesh Bhanot elected as Chairman of PRCI, Chandigarh Chapter

The Chandigarh Chapter of Public Relations Council of India (PRCI), elected a new executive for 2014-2016, at its AGM held on 23rd August.

The Chandigarh Chapter of PRCI elected Aneesh Bhanot, CEO of Shaan PR, as Chairman, Dr. Uma Sharma, till recently with DPR, Punjab as Vice-Chairman, Amit Roy, CEO of iCatchers PR, as General Secretary, Sudeep Rawat, CEO, Transfast PR as Joint. Secretary and Pavitar Singh, PRO, Defence as Treasurer.

Other Executive Committee members are Kiran Joshi (Conversations PR), Aditya Sharma (Manthan Communications), Megha Sandhu (Fortis Hospital, Mohali), Sohan Rawat (Impact Media PR) and Vinod Kumar Verma (Shiv PR).

The former Chairperson of the Chapter Renuka Salwan, Director Public Relations of Bureau of Indian Standards, presented the report of Chapter's activities of the past two years and complimented the new team.

Former chairpersons Renuka Salwan and CJ Singh (CEO of CorePR) shall be the Chapter's National Council representatives.

The National Council of PRCI has recently inducted C.J. Singh as National Vice President, and Renuka B. Salwan as Zonal Chairman for North.

Newly elected Chairman Aneesh Bhanot said: “As a responsible industry association, we have always underlined the importance of a professional approach to work and maintaining the highest ethical standards. We will be collaborating with industry and academic institutions and conducting regular professional skill development workshops in a wide variety of topics which are meaningful to the audience and add value to their organization and them in their own life.”

PRCI is a national body of Public Relations professionals, corporate communications, advertising, media consultants and academia with over 7,000 members in its 23 Chapters spread all over the country.

PRCI National Executive

The National Council of Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) met on 1st August 2014 and elected the following officer bearers of the National Executive with Mr. Ajai Kumar Agarwal as President.

Other members of National Executive include three Vice Presidents Mr. B.N. Kumar, Ms Vijayalakshmi, and Mr. C.J. Singh.  

Mr. Rakesh Gulati be the Secretary General, Mr Siddappa as National Treasurer and Kusumakr Shetty as Joint Secretary.

The National Executive also includes for Zonal Chairpersons namely Ms Renuka Salwan for North, Mr. B.K. Sahu for East, Mr. Amit Tripathi for West, and Mr B.K. Ravi for South.

We wish the new National Executive a heartiest congratulations and a great year ahead. 

Decennial Celebrations of PRCI on 6th September

PRCI is celebrating its Decennial Jubilee on 6th of September at Bangalore. 

The celebrations will open with a seminar on "Role of Communication in Nation Building" in which 15 top speakers from various parts of the country are joining to interact with the participants. 

All chapter members are requested to join in the celebrations and get an opportunity to meet with the PR stalwarts. 

PRCI Global Conclave to focus on Responsible Communication

Media, social media and Public Relations professionals will conduct a series of brainstorming sessions on Responsible Communication at the two-day 8th Global Communication Conclave being organized by the PR Council of India (PRCI) in association with the Press Club Mumbai on February 14 and 15.

Media veterans like Rajdeep Sardesai, editor-in-chief of IBN 18 group, Press Club President Gurbir Singh, Kumar Ketkar, Dinkar Raikar, Rohit Chandavarkar and Dinkar Raikar, Group Editor of Lokmat group, Aparna. N of Doordarshan and several PR honchos will participate in the deliberations to be held at The Orchid Ecoitel.

A major highlight of the event is the focus on GenX in which winners of an inter-college debate contest on responsible Communication will participate. The Conclave will also see an intense debate on Responsible Communication – Social Media.

Anyone with an Internet connection and a mobile phone is a potential broadcaster.  Technology which is supposed to facilitate seamless communication is liable to be misused for ulterior motives. Apart from print and television, social media has witnessed an explosive growth in terms of its wide audience and even participants. We have experienced the disastrous effects of irresponsible communication in social media.

 “Communication is a potent, double-edged weapon. Depending on the usage, it can be constructive and even destructive. Of late, plenty of heat has been generated on the way people in various sections of the society – from corporate to media to politicians - have been communicating,” said Mr. M B Jayaram, founder and chief mentor of PRCI.

PRCI will also present its signature Chanakya Awards for achievers, the PR Hall of Fame honours and a host of Collateral Awards.

Gender Inequality requires change in mindset

Chandigarh Chapter of PRCI organised a panel discussion as a part of its Daughters' Day celebration on "Gender Inequality: Communication Strategies" on 8th September at Chandigarh Press Club.

The Panelists

The panelists comprised of Mr. Vivek Atray, managing director, HARTRON and Director IT Haryana; Mr. Man Mohan Singh Kohli, Chairman CII-Chandigarh Council; Dr. K.K. Rattu, Station Director, Doordarshan Kendra, Dehradun; Dr. Archana R. Singh, former chairperson School of Communication Studies, Panjab University; and Ms Poonam Batth, Project Head 4G, Punjab.

Mr. Manmohan Singh, Chairman, CII Chandigarh Council

Mr. Man Mohan Singh Kohli, opening the discussions, lamented the growing social dichotomy in which the daughter who is being reverred in many homes and where the goddesses are paid obesiance to, are getting maltreated and even killed in the wombs.  There is a need, he remarked to change the mindset of the large populace through effective communication.

Endorsing the growing gender inequality despite various efforts being made to give equal opportunities to women in the society today, Mr. Vivek Atray underlined the need for sensitising all sections of the society, and every possible media channels should be used with responsibility to convey the right message to the society.

Mr. Vivek Atray, IAS, Managing Director, HARTRON
& Director IT, Haryana

The noted literateur and head of Doordarshan at Dehradun, Dr. K.K. Rattu expressed consternation at the 'cultural tsunami' that is wrecking havoc on the social fabric with all moral values and cultural finnesse being thrown to wind with the unbridled use of social media. The new channels of communication are shaping the thought process of the youth which is highly dangerous and unintentionally creating an irreparable divide in our society.

Dr. Archana R. Singh, however, demonstrated the way a simple photograph of a woman can be published in numerous ways through various photoshop treatments and technology, which continues to widen the chasm between genders.  She said that ICT must be deployed more effectively so that the communication is inclusive amongst all sections of society, especially the women in rural areas so that awareness can empower them.

The new generation of girls augur well for a bright future for the society, remarked Poonam Batth, who believed that change can be brought about in the society through their awareness. 

Renuka Salwan, Chairperson, PRCI said, that its strange that in a country where women are coming out of their cacoons to walk shoulder to shoulder with men and reaching newer peaks of professional excellence,gender inequality still reigns in our society. Education and participation in decision making are important factors in bringing lasting change in which professional bodies, NGO's, Government, Media and corporate need to work collectively 

PRCI's northern region vice president, Charanjit Singh, remarked that for professional communicators especially those in the field of media must be careful in their choice of words and representations which have far reaching impact on the psyche of the people and therefore, entails far-reaching responsibility and accountability towards society in all their communication.  The inequality can be bridged through making ICT affordable in the interiors of our country, he added.

Dr Uma Sharma, vice president, Mr Lalit Sharma, Secretary, Mr Narvijay Yadav, Joint Secretary, of the Chapter actively participated in the discussions. 

What is Social Media?

Till the time you are preparing for joining at the seminar on 'Digital Impact', here is some food for thought to understand 'What's Social Media?'  What it does. Why the world is talking about it?  And if you have been thinking that it is for the children and younger generation to delve into the intricacies of facebook, twitter, and G+, think again.

Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) Chandigarh Chapter, brings to you the Social Media Strategies seminar “Digital Impact” designed to help organizations deploy social media as a part of their communication plan.
The half-day seminar will be held on Saturday, 11th May 2013, at PHD House, Sector 31, Chandigarh, starting at 10:30am and conclude with lunch.  Some of the leading social media strategists and experts would share their insight, case studies and best practices for organizational success, along with live demos and interactive session.
The session will be attended by those engaged in branding, marketing, customer relations, community engagement, public relations, media sales, business development, etc.
On this occasion, some of the social bloggers would also share their success story and how they achieved their goals using varied social media tools. 

For registration please fill up the Registration Form, and inform on prsi.chandigarh@gmail.com