Ahmedabad, January 29, 2011: ‘Truth and Goal were Mahatma Gandhiji’s tool for effective Public Relations and the PR Practitioners should follow these virtues in current scenario,’ said Dr Sudarshan Iyengar, Vice Chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapeeth while speaking on the subject ‘Gandhiji and Public Relations’ organised by Public Relations Society of India (PRSI), Ahmedabad Chapter.
Delivering the key note address, Dr Iyengar said “We can also call Mahatma Gandhi as Free India’s PRO or Independent India’s CEO. The PR Practitioners should use Gandhiji’s Public Relations techniques even in today’s world which are based on truth and clarity about the goal. If we can look to his life, one can find that Gandhiji was shy in nature and a poor orator since his childhood. The Gujarati play Satyavadi Harishchandra deeply affected young Gandhi’s mind and since than he became great admirer of truth. We can also learn from his life that he was crystal clear about his goal, which in later stage lead Mahatma Gandhi for his effective PR.”
Dr Iyengar further said “His shy nature was instrumental to lead him in search for the truth. As he was not a good orator, he started to write. His writings are a great example of effective PR as Gandhiji didn’t use any exaggeration or untruth in his writings. His writings were simple, effective and one can find the impact of truth.”
‘His staying in South Africa was perhaps an important lesson for sharpening PR skills. In South Africa Gandhiji stayed in jail, prepared sandals for General Smith and demonstrated his effective communication of difference of opinion. He was a man of Public and one can find it from his dressing sense as his dressing was a very simple reflecting the common man’s dressing. This was also a part of his effective PR.”
In India Gandhiji became popular from Champaran Satyagrah which was an example of Gandhiji’s PR skill. ‘Personal Touch’ was also a technique of Gandhiji to express his love which could deeply affect the person’s mind.”
“Goal and magic were an integral part of Gandhiji’s PR. His truth was experimented which reflected in his practice, which eventually lead him to establish the credibility. The PR practitioners should learn from Gandhiji. There were no cellular phones or televisions at that time, yet the people came to know Mahatma’s message immediately. This was the power of Gandhiji’s PR.”
On this occasion, Mr Vivek V. Shah, National Vice President (West),PRSI and Dr Jawahar Karnavat, Chief Manager-PR, Bank of Baroda also spoke on the subject. Mr Vipul Shukla, Chairman and Mr Unmesh Dixit, Vice Chairman ,Mr Dilip Chauhan,Secretary,PRSI,Ahmedabad chapter were also present. During the programme a booklet ‘Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian PR’ translated in Gujarati by Mrs Punita Harne was also distributed.
