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INTERNATIONAL

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

INMA 4th Annual Conference

A brand new look at Aman Ki Asha

By Ashwini Gangal

ne of the most well-received and moving sessions on the first day of the INMA (International Newsmedia Marketing Association) 4th Annual Conference, was a case study presented by Rahul Kansal, chief marketing officer, The Times of India, New Delhi and Shahrukh Hasan, group managing director, Jang Group, Karachi. The duo behind Aman Ki Asha took turns at the microphone before a packed hall at New Delhis plush Lalit Hotel, revealing the story of the Indo-Pak peace initiative and speaking about how it was launched in the media as a regular brand. Sticking to the day's theme, 'Redefining the Newspaper Business', Kansal began on a generic note. He noted that in the sub-continent, print media is growing, despite TV and new media. Giving a peek into

tural exchanges as key drivers together with dialogue on the contentious issues. By August 2009, it was learned that youngsters were unanimous in the belief that there needs to be an opportunity for India and Pakistan to view one another in a holistic manner. This revelation paved way for the Aman Ki Asha team in India to visit Karachi; they returned with the pleasant knowledge that tremendous levels of sincerity prevailed on either end. "Aman Ki Asha had to be launched as a brand," said Hasan, before revealing how the name 'Aman Ki Asha' and its accompanying logo were arrived at. "After considering scores of logos from both the Times of India and Jang Group teams, we narrowed down our options to two logos - one, a product of the Indian stable and another a product of the Pakistani team. The 'winner' was determined by a vote

Peace-mongering on the INMA sidelines

jarat, Punjab, was schooled at Sialkot where his father Dr Amarnath was a police and civil surgeon. Although not a newspaper person, he attended the INMA conference coordinated by his daughter Priya Marwah, making a special effort to seek out delegates from Pakistan. Explaining his excellent Urdu he says, Hum ne tau Urdu aur Farsi padhi, Hindi tau hameiN aati hi nahiN. As a surgeon who works at the Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, he retains his sense of kinship with the Ganga Ram Hospital in Lahore. If ever a patient from Pakistan needs anything at Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, he said. You just let me know. I will do everything in my power to help. It is people of our parents generation who are the true stakeholders in Aman ki Asha, said Rani Reddy, a television marketing executive based in Hyderabad, Deccan. Her mother was born in Darazan, Sindh her father in Gujranwala, Punjab. They are followers of Sakhi Qubul Mohammad, a disciple of the great Sufi Rani Reddy: poet Sachal Sarmast. You must a shared Sufi involve them in the process culturea somehow. If my late mothers health had allowed, I would have moved heaven and earth to bring her back to her birthplace, she said. She used to say, I want to die there. At breakfast the following day, she phoned her father Rajender Kumar Bakshi at her brothers place in Hyderabad, Deccan. Da Da, I am with someone from Pakistan, she said, and handed me the phone. It was one of the briefest, most moving telephone calls I have ever had. It made Mr Bakshi happy just to hear a voice from Pakistan, and be able convey his regards and best wishes. I told him that I have been to Gujranwala, and that our friend Sarwat Ali runs schools for boys and girls there. Please do come and visit, I told him. Inshallah, he replied. - Beena Sarwar for several international tournaments. Music and food festivals in key cities in both nations were a major part of this campaign too. Kansal mused, "The campaign was based on culture, commerce and conflict resolution," adding, on a forward-looking note, "In the pipeline are events such as Love All -- an exhibition tennis match; TV exposes; a strategic seminar series; Art Across Borders; Foreign Minister Conclaves; and the London Peace Conference to be held in the spring of 2011." Hasan concluded emotionally, "We are still waiting for a happy ending for our story. Courtesy: afaqs! India www.afaqs.com

both nations. Shankar Mahadevan of India composed the music for the anthem, and sang it, along with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan of Pakistan. Amitabh Bachchan lent his voice

Rahul Kansal, chief marketing officer, The Times of India (left) and Shahrukh Hasan, group managing director, Jang Group Pakistan shared the story of the peace initiative Aman Ki Asha launched by their media groups with a rapt audience. Below: Shahrukh Hasan responds to an audience question; also pictured: Imran Aslam, President Geo TV and Rahul Kansal. Photos by Neeraj Kumar, Virat Vaibhav

t was a South Asia newsmedia marketing seminar, but many delegates at the International Newsmedia Marketing Association (INMA) conference, through their questions and later in private conversations enthusiastically supported Aman ki Asha and its objectives of peace between India and Pakistan. Ali Khan: Why does Aman ki Asha have Zaheeruddin Time to spread to be limited between the Jang Aman ki Asha wider Group and the Times of India? asked Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, managing editor of the widely circulated Urdu daily Siasat in Hyderabad, Deccan. His own paper is well known for taking up the cause of education in Andhra Pradesh, and has embarked on an ambitious and highly successful project of educating slum children in the state, reducing the school drop out rate significantly. You must allow other media Dr K.L. Marwah: organizations to participate in Anything to help your campaigns and spread Aman Pakistani patients ki Asha further, widen its reach, he said. Rahul Kansal of The Times of India and Shahrukh Hasan of the Jang Group who had just made a joint presentation on their peace initiative agreed. I am from Pakistan, Dr K.L. Marwah, honorary corresponding secretary of The Royal Overseas League introduced himself. What he meant was that he had been born and brought up in what is now Pakistan. A grandson of the reputed physician Dr TaraChand of Bazar Sharafan in Gu-

the history of the Jang Group, Hasan informed, "The Jang was launched in 1939 as a four-page tabloid from Delhi that reported on war, hence the name." The Aman Ki Asha campaign, which saw the light of day on January 1, 2010 in both countries, in a sense succeeded a campaign called Zara Sochiye (Just Think) in Pakistan, which campaigned against the imperfections in the controversial Hudood Ordinance, an antiwomen law. This gave way to Aman Ki Asha, a campaign launched to improve relations with India - an imperative for facilitating greater overall growth in Pakistan, stressed Hasan. The campaign, Hasan told the INMA delegates, had commerce, people-to-people contacts and cul-

Doodle winner hopes for waves of Aman ki Asha

from those present four Pakistanis and eight Indians. We thought we would be out-voted for sure, but it was delightful that the Indians unanimously voted for the Jang Group's creation, which shows how fair they were, and how much above petty nationalism," narrated Hasan. Even the name, 'Aman' (Urdu) and 'Asha' (Hindi), was a combination of different names coined by the TOI and Jang teams. The final name was a deliberate merger of the two, signifying all that the campaign stood for. Just like any other brand, this one too was launched with a well thought out logo, meaningful name, mission statement and a brand philosophy. The Aman Ki Asha anthem was then conceived, with lyrics by Gulzar, a poet with deep roots in

for the narrated version. The launch, revealed Kansal, was carried out in consultation with stakeholders of the Times Group, and politicians in power on both ends were brought on-board. "With or without government support, we were going to launch this. Interestingly, in Pakistan, support was received, amongst others, from rightist group, Jamaat-e-Islami." Following this, the much talked about joint editorial - a first of its kind - was developed. It was a frontpage joint statement, by editors of both groups. Additionally, a joint survey (with common questions) was conducted in both countries. This brought to the forefront the voice of the silent majority that is screaming for peace between the

two nations. Aman ki Asha activities include the Peace Hankies Campaign and The Tug of Peace Campaign, which were combined into a spectacular show at the Wagah Border, where handkerchiefs bearing 'peace messages' from both nations were tied in a symbolic knot. More than 200,000 school children participated in making these hankies. A Public Interaction Campaign was held at Park Towers, a popular mall in Karachi, where people signed huge banner for peace. TOI Mumbais bureau chief Balakrishnan, who happened to be in Pakistan, also participated in this activity and

t 14, Akshay Akshay Kumar with his winning doodle: aiming high; Below: Kumar, national screenshot of the doodle winner of Doodle4Google competition, has envisioned what our hard-nosed politicians never tire talking about, but do not practice. He Akshay envisions friendship between envisions Hindus and Musfriendship lims in India and Pakistan. between Though Akshay had many Hindus and designs in mind ms in when his art Musli teacher John Mumbai on Mumbai by flight in the afIndia and at Chandran told him Saturday. ternoon and was busy ren Pakista Akshay got to ceiving accolades from all, about the competition, the class IX check his doodle delaying his first dekko of student of St Aloysius High only at 5pm on Sunday, al- the prize-winning doodle on School, Mangalore, zeroed most 24 hours after he was Google's homepage! In his own words, Akin on the doodle that finally announced the national won him the coveted prize winner. The lad landed from shay said G stands for eduTHE FIRST STEP LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
Feedback, contributions, photos, letters: Email: amankiasha@janggroup.com.pk Fax: +92-21-3241-8343 Post: aman ki asha c/o The News, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi

cation, peace between India and Pakistan and Hindus and Muslims in the country; the OO stands for Earth and the rainbow path to the Moon showing the technological advances; G for the highways which are clean and with a green periphery, L for growth India will achieve constructing futuristic cities and E for the Internet. Akshay covered more than what the theme had envisioned in a simple doodle, which not only won him points from judges, but also valuable web votes to make him a winner among the 1.08lakh entrants. The national winner's doodle appeared on the Google India homepage on Sunday and the doodler won a technology grant of Rs 2 lakh for his school, apart from lot of goodies. His parents Mamatha and Rajesh are ecstatic. "He has taste for arts. We encouraged him and when he was in class VII, he joined BGM Fine Arts School," Rajesh added. "He wants to join the armed forces as of now, but it is his decision and we will stand by him," says Mamtha. His neighbour R. D. Shastri, a chartered accountant says Akshay's septuagenarian grandmother Harinakshi eggs him on to participate in each and every painting competition and even accompanies him to such events. "She's a great encouragement," he adds. Ask him what goodies he won from Google and he says: "I still have not unpacked it." But he knows that he has got - a laptop and a goody bag. Times of India

Sri Sri Ravishankar at Wagah border

was the centre of much attention, said Hasan. Another event was Poetry for Peace, a gathering of Indian and Pakistani poets in Karachi. In Talking Peace - a conference in where editors and anchors from India were invited to meet their counterparts in Pakistan they discussed the role of the media in worsening, instead of abating, tense Indo-Pak situations. Both sides agreed that the media does tend to fan existing tensions between the two nations and vowed to obtain the other point

of view more diligently. Other activities included Common Destiny (a strategic conference); Milne Do (A campaign against visa restrictions, lobbying for the need to make it easier for Indians and Pakistanis to acquire visas for each others country; issues such as single-city visas were discussed); and The Water Conference in New Delhi (that addressed the issue of tensions based on water issues, concluding with an agreement that while India was not re-directing water as some in Pakistan alleged, telemetry and monitoring systems were essential). Additionally, advertisements on the Indo-Pak Express were carried, in the wake of India's Bopanna and Pakistan's Qureshi teaming up

ttari: Spiritual leader and founder of The Art of Living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar could not get close to his Pakistani followers carrying placards of Welcome to our Guru Ji, but he could forsee a wave of Aman Ki Asha emanating from across the border in times to come. As Sri Sri crossed the international border gates to no mans land, on Friday, Pakistan Rangers also opened their gate for a while, making, what he had said come true for some moments, and waved towards his Pakistani followers. The spiritual guru couldnt cross over into Pakistan, but delivered a peace message from Attari border enabling his Pakistani followers to listen to his healing talk. He was received at Attari by Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is also the brand ambassador of The Art of Living Foundation for drug deaddiction for youth. Stressing on the common factor between the neighbours, Sri Sri said, Countries may be different but our hearts should beat for each other

ahore: Founder of the Art of Living present in 151 countries across the globe (UN-affiliated, largest volunteer based organisation in the world), Nobel Prize nominee and internationally known humanitarian, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar brought a message of peace during his visit to the Wagah border on November 12. On the Pakistan side, Art of Living members, peace advocates and members of civil society gathered to signal Pakistans commitment to peace and humanity and express their belonging to the One World Family that ties all of humanity in brotherhood. It was wonderful to hear him speak: We are committed to follow the path of non-violence and peace. Standing here at the border, I can feel the wave of love and peace from across. I urge the citizens of both the countries to recognize the voice of peace within and create a violence-free world. He expressed the 'One World Family' concept and extended his hand in friendship and love to Indians and Pak-

foresees Aman Ki Asha from Pakistan

brings a message of peace from India

since both Indians and Pakistanis istanis. His visit underlined his mission share the same language, dialect and of bringing peace and harmony to the culture. We should identify our culworld. Sri Sri Ravi Shankars peace and ture to maintain brotherhood and goodwill mission to Pakistan in 2004 eradicate terrorism for a peaceful cohad opened the way for groundbreakexistence. ing dialogue between the cultures and Addressing the people, Sri Sri said, spiritual practices of India and PakHe felt a wave of love coming from Pakistan. The peace guru with his followers at Attari, India; the istan. The Art of Living Pakistan Trust is a We are one family and should locked gate at Wagah could not prevent his healing volunteer based organization, mobilizadopt ahimsa (non-violence) in our words from reaching supporters in Pakistan ing the whole community to effectively lives, I can see the same feeling on serve those in need. The Art of Living courses are taught throughother side of the border, he added. Providing a healing touch, he urged both sides to forget their out Pakistan to eliminate stress and bring individuals to peace and differences as the common man wanted peace, adding that many thereby build the foundation for a more progressive and peaceful people in Pakistan have taken up the AOL course. He expressed Pakistan. hope that with the efforts of civil society of both countries, there The Art of Living Pakistan Trust volunteers have done extensive will be a movement that would impress upon their respective trauma and relief work during the massive earthquake in 2005, governments to shed differences and bring peace in the region. worked with those displaced by the military operations against milSri Sri also inaugurated Saanjh, the Lahore-Amritsar peace itants in the Northern Areas, and with flood survivors in Sind and festival, at Springdale School and held a satsang. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Yudhvir Rana, Naeem Zamindar, Times News Network International Faculty of the Art of Living A peace initiative whose time has come... Destination Peace: A commitment by the Jang Group, Geo and The Times of India Group to create an enabling environment that brings the people of Pakistan and India closer together, contributing to genuine and durable peace with honour between our countries.