‘The Pursuit of Reputation’ is a compelling book on the nuances of contemporary Public Relations by Westland Business and Authored by Amith Prabhu an Alumnus of St Aloysius College, Mangaluru along with Co-Author Sujit Patil Launched at Hotel Taj Vivanta, Bunder Road, Mangaluru
- DISCOVER THE ART OF THRIVING IN INDIA’S EVER-SHIFTING PR LANDSCAPE WITH SEASONED EXPERTS WHO WILL HELP YOU CHART A PATH TOWARDS MODERN-DAY BRAND MANAGEMENT IN UNCERTAIN TIMES.
Mangaluru: Hailing from Mangaluru Amith Prabhu, and also an alumnus of St Aloysius Institutions/College, Mangaluru along with co-author Sujit Patil had launched their FIRST book “THE PURSUIT OF REPUTATION” in Mumbai in September 2023, and here in the Coastal City in Mangaluru was unveiled on Tuesday, at the Hotel Taj Vivanta, Bunder road, Mangaluru, amidst Amith’s School Teachers, Family Members, Relatives and Friends. The Book uncovers the art of thriving in India’s ever-shifting PR landscape and helps in charting a path towards modern-day reputation management in uncertain times.
The Book was a Best Seller on Amazon, and the First editions were all sold out. The Book is an essential read for someone seeking to tell organisational stories that will endure the test of time. “The Pursuit of Reputation” published by Westland under its Westland Business imprint is available online and at bookstores. As per the authors, the proceeds from this book will go towards the higher education of youngsters who want to make a career in corporate communications; and the authors look forward to your feedback and hope to incorporate any suggestions into future editions.
L-R: AMITH PRABHU and SUJIT PATIL
This is a new era for public relations. Never before has reputation been so important, and never before so fraught. At a time when thoughtfulness, transparency and authenticity are seen as key tenets, navigating India’s unique cultural, social and economic diversities poses a challenge both for fresh professionals and seasoned leaders. Added to this are emergent technologies across fields. PR professionals have but one choice: adapt to these far-reaching transformations and survive.
‘The Pursuit of Reputation’ is a one-stop survival guide to this new world. At the heart of this book lies a profound recognition that the way we communicate is undergoing an enormous shift thanks to the growing influence of social media, the rise of influencers, data-driven decision-making and the blurring of lines between earned, owned and paid media. But with shifts come new opportunities—PR professionals are uniquely placed in this matrix to enhance brand reputation, engage stakeholders and drive impactful campaigns that strongly resonate with consumers.
With expert insights from seventy-five acclaimed PR professionals working across industry sectors and geographies, the book offers PR strategies for navigating an uncertain environment. It also envisions a future that PR professionals can build: one based on emotional sensitivity, thoughtful responsibility and a healthy respect for environmental, social and governance issues.
The Book was released in the presence of Amith and Sujit, by John Chandra, an arts teacher of Amith Prabhu while he was studying at St Aloysius High School, Mangaluru, and by Ms Celestine Vas, who was Amith’s teacher in St Aloysius Higher Primary school, Mangaluru. Following the book release a Cheque for Rs 39,000 from the earlier sale of the Books was donated to Bhagavandas, the Founder and Director of CARDTS Samvedana, an NGO in Bajjodi, Mangaluru, which takes care of nearly 170 Boys and Girls affected by AIDs- the initiative was undertaken by Social Worker/Volunteer Ms Sabrina ‘Britto’ Hougaard. A very thoughtful gesture, of love and care towards these needy children by the authors- Amith and Sujith!
On the release, Amith Prabhu, co-author, of ‘The Pursuit of Reputation’ said, ‘This book is about the art and craft of public relations. We aim to bring various aspects of the profession to life through this book. The journey of writing this book through the lockdown was amazing. Sujit and I have jointly decided that the proceeds from this book will go towards the higher education of deserving youngsters who want to make a career in PR and corporate communications. We believe that there is more to PR than just media relations”
He further said, “Our aim was also to create a sense of community, and almost everyone responded with their thoughts. What we can guarantee is that the book is a wholehearted documentation of our combined knowledge and over forty years of hands-on experience in building the reputations of large corporations and brands using contemporary thinking and processes. Each topic has been carefully chosen to provide insights and practical tips that are much needed to address the nuances of contemporary public relations for building brand status”.
Also speaking on the occasion, Co-author Sujit Patil said, “Our book is a wholehearted documentation of our combined knowledge and over forty years of hands-on experience in building the reputations of large corporations and brands using contemporary thinking and processes. As first-time authors, we are super excited about what we believe is an important book. We are confident that this book will be as relevant to a young graduate as it will be to a CEO. It will also be useful for those in corporate communications and public relations consulting and for everyone who has something to do with the public relations space.’
On the occasion, a few of the participants were given a chance to ask queries to the authors about their journey/experience in bringing out their maiden Book- and Ms Phyllis D’costa (Professor by profession); Dr Malini Hebbar (Principal of Education Institution/Professor); Padma Kumar (HoD at Manipal Institute of Communication); and Ms Sabrina ‘Britto’ Hougaard (Social Worker/Community Service Volunteer).
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
AMITH PRABHU:
is a pioneering public relations professional with twenty years of experience. He has co-founded platforms such as PRAXIS, SCORE and Reputation Today among others. He was recently conferred the annual award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Relations by PRCA Asia Pacific. He currently mentors The Promise Foundation.
SUJIT PATIL:
is an acclaimed corporate and brand communications professional with twenty-five years of experience. He has been listed on Provoke Media’s list of the world’s most influential CCOs and CMOs, every year from 2018 to 2023. He currently heads Corporate Brand and Communications at Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies.
Ending this column with a poem composed and read at the occasion by Ms Shreya Krishnan, the Managing Director to Spearhead Strategic Growth and Drive Impact in the Region of AnitaB.org India, the leading global nonprofit organization committed to promoting diversity, inclusivity, equality, and belonging in the technology sector.:
“The pursuit of reputation, A journey crafted with intention, A new era of awakening, Crucial, important and riveting, Never before as now, In the spotlight, Reputation riding the tenets, Of thoughtfulness, Transparency and authenticity, Navigating the uniqueness, That is India, The fabric of cultural, Social and economic diversities, As technologies emerge constantly, The challenges posed, Open up avenues and opportunities infinite, Adapting becomes the key”.
“To transformation and survival, Serving as a guide in this new world, Recognising the shifts and changes, In the way we communicate, In the landscape of the now, Social media and its influence, Data driving decisions, Blurred lines between, Earned, owned and paid media, Posing new found questions, Grappling with these dynamics, Building and enhancing brand reputation, Engaging stakeholders, And driving impact, Of resonance and alignment, Strategy, ideas, thoughts, Newer environments, Against the backdrop of sustainability”.
“A future to be built, On emotional sensitivity, Thoughtful responsibility, And healthy respect for issues traversing these times, A niche carved, For a craft so fine, Of communicators driving change, And rising in these times as a collective voice, No more the stepchild of marketing, As the dawn of influence upon us, Tuning into the finer nuances.
With quirk and creativity, Reimagining the status quo, The web of responsible communications, With the power of emotions, Research driving data driving narratives, And so much more, All-encompassing this stellar effort, To put reputation front and centre, With 90% behaviour and 10% communication, As we dive into this era, Unlocking the power of public relations!
