Women PR leaders debate purpose-driven communication that makes a difference

Top women public relations executives engaged in a stimulating discussion on how purpose-driven PR can affect social change, foster community engagement and contribute to the holistic development of the nation, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti at the Communication Conclave 2024 organized by the Public Relations Society of Delhi (PRSD).

Women PR leaders debate purpose-driven communication that makes a difference

The debate, moderated by Dr Samir Kapur, Director, Adfactors, featured a distinguished panel of speakers comprising Ms Akanksha Jain, Head PR and Communications BharatPe, Ms Jyoti Rai, Sr Communications & PR Strategist South Asia, Rotary International, Ms Tehseen Zaidi, Head External Communications, Syngenta Pvt Ltd, and Ms Akshita Agrawal, Communications and PR Lead, Magicbricks.

Ms Tehseen Zaidi started out by sharing her experience of working towards empowering women while she recounted her personal journey beginning from a modest background in a small town and the learnings which inspired her to emerge as a force for change for women in rural India. She said this can be helped by creating an interlinked chain of women who empower each other. She also highlighted the scope and impact of change-making CSR as a powerful force while sharing initiatives launched for uplifting rural women and farmers who are now earning their own livelihoods.

Ms Akshita Agrawal talked about her interest in human development and bringing a woman’s perspective to communication and brand management and her continuing endeavour to charting a new path amid traditional mindsets and stereotypes. Recalling her experience of breaking the mould by being the first in her family to enter the world of public relations and the pride of being a first-generation PR leader, she also stressed the importance of the right opportunities at the right time.

Speaking about fostering a collaborative spirit while making strident efforts to make your voice heard as a woman, Ms Akanksha Jain said that this is ultimately reflected in the kind of communication campaigns that are developed with a new understanding. She also mentioned the challenges of being a woman in a corporate environment and how she navigated her way through them to emerge as a leader. Women also possess a natural ability to establish emotional connections which is crucial in communication, she emphasised.

For her part, Ms Jyoti Rai shared her experience of working in the field of health and education for targeting traditionally marginalised sections of women and children as beneficiaries and the significance of effective communication which can drive positive change. She talked about the huge potential for communication and PR for social development in the government and private sectors. As an example, she narrated her role in the brand campaign for successful eradication of polio in India.

In conclusion, the panellists agreed that the foundation for a strong nation is ultimately laid down by strong women even as they called for a national resolve to strengthen ‘Nari Shakti’.