Educational Experience
For me there never was a greater qualification than the bruises on the cricket field, badminton court and cycling track, but for the record I did my schooling from St. Joseph's Convent, Baramulla in Kashmir.

Then I did Hotel Management with specialization in Advertising & Marketing from IHM Panipat, B.A from Kurukshetra University, Diploma in Advertising & Public Relations from Welingkar's Management Development Institute and also a Management Development Programme in Corporate Communications from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Lucknow !!!

Well actually reading my qualifications today makes me a little nervous because I (my parents included) never thought I would go beyond the 12th standard the way I was playing and playing hard (No pun intended).

Professional Experience
In a career spanning about 10 years I have been exposed to telecom, satellite infrastructure, chemicals & petrochemicals, media and IT sector and well versed with corporate brand and product development, media management, advertising (creative), social communications, marketing communications (brochures, corporate films etc. etc.), event management and specialised internal communications (not just a newsletter or a house journal).

Prior to ASC, I was Assistant Manager Corporate Communications for IN Network comprising CVO Channel, IN Mumbai Channel and INCablenet. I also extended my services to Gulf Oil (all Hinduja Group promoted ventures). Our Division was instrumental in establishing CVO as the first and the largest cable delivered movie channel and the IN Channels as city specific cable channels in India.

I was also instrumental in converting the then Corporate Communications Division at IN Network into a profit center, extending services to Hinduja Group Companies.

Apart from media management on a national and international level, I have been associated with event management (on behalf of my organizations) of national and international importance: Chemtech 95; Euromoney Expo' 95 in London, Smita Patil Foundation's International Film Festival-96, launch of M. F. Hussain's calendar featuring a series of paintings on Indian Womanhood, Miss Delhi and Miss Mumbai events to name a few.

I was instrumental in launching a social communications programme in Uttar Pradesh promoting social forestry schemes and rural medical programmes on behalf of my first employer SVC Superchem.

The stall designs conceived by me in the prestigious Convergence 2000 and Convergence 2001 exhibitions held in Delhi won ASC Enterprises "the Best Stall Design Award" for two consecutive years.

I was the first recipient of the prestigious "Corporate Communications Manager of the Year 2001 Award" constituted by Media Meet & Tribune Group of Publications for outstanding work as the PR ambassador of a private company.

I would also like to believe that it is a matter of great honour and prestige to have been invited by Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad to conduct a Public Relations workshop for its students, especially for a person with an ordinary exterior and ordinary capabilities.

I was delighted when I came to know that my submission for copyright for "Tuneer" a Computer based Data Manager for Public Relations professionals was accepted.

Job Profile
At present I manage corporate communications for ASC Enterprises Limited (www.agrani.com) - a multi-venture enterprise, promoted by Essel Group.

Broadly, external and internal corporate communications is my responsibility and specifically my present brief is to establish the "Agrani " brand of ASC Group as the front-runner in private satellite infrastructure, IT retailing and terrestrial wireless services through media and marketing communications.

Corporate Communications as career choice
Well, my Dad who recently retired, as a senior administrative officer and still believes that no career is better than 'Sarkari' and my Uncle, a distinguished serving General in the Indian Army still believes that no career is better than the one in uniform.

Between the two extreme influences on my life I had to choose what I wanted to do and what I 'can'. Cricket was a second nature but like a nice mama's boy I gave up the idea, and to be a space scientist or an Astronaut was beyond my capabilities.

No, I am not a drifter into this profession, this is something I have a natural ability for and my foray into it was a well thought move. I enjoy the 'creative & strategic' nature of corporate communications. Actually this is not a profession for me but something that I like doing.

Off course, one does hear and feel that corporate communications is all set to topple 'advertising' as a primary vehicle for brand building and it does make me feel good.

Current corporate communications scenario:
Businesses globally have seen a radical shift during the last two decades from a manufacturing-led approach to a marketing-driven approach.

Consumers no longer buy 'Products'. Consumers buy 'brands' and the 'emotional / intangible' values attached to them. In an age of industry consolidation, deregulation, mergers, acquisitions and spin-offs, the challenges of 'corporate communications management' are growing exponentially. India and what surrounds it cannot be an exception to this.

Managing image today ranks among the most critical and complex tasks facing CEOs/senior executives. Organisations today are always wondering how they can create and maintain a corporate reputation that effectively addresses key audiences, simultaneously supporting the marketing of its products and services, enhancing the value of company stock and strengthening the sense of corporate culture among their employees.

The Indian response so far has been 'advertising' but following a global trend advertising budgets too have taken a beating in India for quite sometime now. Agencies that once mushroomed on the 15 per cent agenda are trying to close shop.

On the other hand there has been a geometric growth of PR agencies. Unfortunately Indian CEOs relied on advertising to create brands not realizing that advertising, by nature, is creative and for this quality it does win awards. Today a reader is 'bombarded' with news, every minute, every moment of his life. Through emails, virtual newspapers, web-casting of events, live coverage on TV, magazines, special supplements and issues; the vehicles of communications are aggressively increasing everyday and 'reaching out to the masses' and occupying 'mind space'.

Today a Bill Gates make more news, effective and credible news, than most of advertising campaigns put together and that too even before his product actually hits the market. In such cases one has to acknowledge that 'advertising' only plays a secondary role. Indian CEOs and senior executives didn't realize that brand building (corporate or product) is a combination of many factors such as employee relations, financial communications, media management, event management, advertising, social communications, government liaison and many more, all put together and not in isolation.

I am sure someday the 'corporate' world will wake up to realize that advertising-led activities are driven by 'creative' and are a fast way to create limited awareness but don't necessarily build brands. Several other initiatives, inlcuding communications, have to work in sync to achieve brand building.

Five years from now
It is unfortunate that people in this industry do not dare to dream and if anyone dares to dream he keeps it packed under his pillow for the fear of failure and this is precisely what I don't want to do.

This may sound very clich?d but I want to keep on trying new things till the very end and I am ready to fail as many times that it takes, because in the end I know I will succeed.

Given a chance.... I don't want to spend time on a beach guzzling beer or a hill station with my pets, instead I would want to work for the betterment of thousands and thousands of Kashmiri families who are merely eking out an existence out of torn tents and inhuman conditions in various refugee camps in the country.

I want to work for a community that has a coveted place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the only community in the world with 100% literacy rate but a community on the verge of extinction.

Hobbies
Besides visiting places of historical and archeological importance and being Dennis the Menace at home I love watching everything that Sean Connery and Michael Douglas do on the screen (pun intended).

My family is sick of having to bear watching Golmal, Chotti Si Baat, Jane Bhi Do Yaro and many more films of this genre again and again and again? Hello !!! Did you hear me saying I am a good cook ???

Sun Sign
Trust me I am yet to find out! My Hindu horoscope says I am a rare combination of Arian arrogance and Piscean humility but for official records it is Gemini !!

My idea of enjoyment
It gives me an amazing thrill and satisfaction if I am able to bring a smile on everyone around me and make them happy. In the words of Ghulam Ali - "Ghar sae masjid hae bahut door chalo yu karle, kise roote hue bachche ko hasaya jaye."

What I hate most is PAPER WORK !!!!! Hellooo is 'someone' listening ?????

Name: Amin Lakhani

Designation: Product Manager - Zandu Pharmaceuticals

Sun Sign: Cancer, 25 June 1974

Educational Experience

B.E(Electronics) from Bombay University

MMS(Marketing) from Bombay University

Professional Experience

I've been working with Zandu for the past four and a half years. I joined the company as a Trainee in Sales and after about two and a half years moved to Marketing.

Job Profile

I handle all the OTC products of Zandu including the flagship brand Zandu Balm.

Marketing as career choice

I am in marketing today because of my love for the field. I came to know a lot about marketing while reading during my engineering days and it caught my attention and aroused my curiosity.

Current Marketing scenario

The current marketing scenario is not very encouraging. People are looking at short term strategies rather than long term strategies. Whereas they need to look at a balance of both. Only then will the scenario change and look more positive.

Right and wrong about current marketing scenario

(For wrong refer to current marketing scenario answer) As the competition is increasing there is greater demand for strategic thinking. One has to plan better, be more proactive rather than reacting to what others are doing.

Five years from now

Brilliant question!!! Firstly I see myself growing in my work and as a person. I wouldn't want to put a designation to my name to define my growth. However being the head of Marketing in an organisation of repute is something that I always dream about.

Hobbies

I seem to have forgotten the spelling of hobbies!!!! But it doesn't mean that I am too much into my work. I love to spend time doing what I want to do. I love reading, especially books on self development! I also like reading books on management. Among fiction writers Jeffrey Archer is my favourite.

I love to spend a lot of time in front of the sea, specially the back waters of Kerala. That's my favourite de-stressing formula.

Idea of enjoyment

My idea of enjoyment like I said before was spending time in front of the sea. Apart from that, I love all kinds of food from vada pav to chicken tikka!! I love going out and partying with my friends and my wife. I also love to spend as much time with my family as I can.

Name: Kunika Puri

Designation: Senior Brand Manager - MAX Sun

Sign: Scorpio, 16 November 1971

Educational Experience
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature (Honours) - Delhi University

Masters of Arts - English Literature (Honours) - Delhi University

Two year full time post graduate course called Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising and Communication Management - NMIMS, Mumbai

Professional Experience
I was recruited on campus by Sony Entertainment Television Network. Have worked with SET and then launched AXN in India. Currently with MAX.

Job Profile
As a marketing professional with MAX, I am responsible for building the brand MAX in the minds of our television viewers, advertisers and trade fraternity. MAX is a 24-hour digitally encrypted Hindi movie and events channel.

I am involved in planning and executing the promotion and advertising of our channel properties like blockbuster movies and mega events like ICC Cricket tournaments, musical concerts, cricket and movie award ceremonies etc. These are exciting times with a plethora of media options for the viewer to choose from.

It is a challenge to ensure the one's brand remains at the top of people's mind. To meet this challenge there is constant work being done to ensure that we provide superior content and back it up with innovative marketing and promotional activities.

Television as career choice
After my second post graduation degree which was in advertising and communications management, it was a natural progression to enter the world of media. Television is an exciting and dynamic medium and the thrill of being able to communicate and entertain millions of viewers was the deciding factor.

Current Television scenario
I think the consumer is determined to get his money's worth. There is healthy competition with the mushrooming of television channels. We are moving from an advertiser revenue pie to the subscriber revenue pie. Programming content will grow to be more cutting edge.

Right and wrong about current Television scenario
I don't believe there is anything like right or wrong in the television industry. We are still on a learning curve as far as audiences and their interaction with the medium is concerned given that C&S is a relatively new phenomenon.

However, we need to explore sustainable ways in which we can reach out to the masses in rural areas of the country given that 70% of our nation's population lives in the interiors.

I also believe the arena of "edutainment" is underdeveloped. Even in the field of sports, I think television channels and media need to shift some focus away from cricket and build and support other sport.

Five years from now
I am certain that I would like to have International exposure in television and my passion is sports! So maybe I'll be in Europe marketing sports other than cricket!

Hobbies
Swimming and reading is foremost. I love reading fiction and travelogues. My favourite authors are Gabreil Garcia Marquez, Somerset Maugham, Steinbeck, Pico Iyer and Paul Theroux. Some of favourite books are Catcher in the Rye, Love in the Time of Cholera, 100 Days of Solitude, Razor's Edge, Of Human Bondage, The Great Indian Railway, Bazaar, The Alchemist!!!! Can go on and on...Idea of enjoyment
Partying like a maniac on weekends and spending quality quiet time with friends across the week! One quaint holiday in the year? a good movie and a rocking meal!

Name: Bonnie Jain

Designation: CEO - Eternal Dreams

Sun Sign: Aries 14 April 1974

Educational Experience
B.Com from St Annes College, Mumbai

Professional Experience
Six years with Saraswat Audio Visual and Amitabh Bachchan Corp Ltd (ABCL).

Two years with Cuecom Entertainment.

One year with Channel Nine India.

Presently with Eternal Dreams since 2001.

Job Profile
Handling the entire company as the CEO. The company is a sales agency for various TV serials, TV concerts / events, movies like ITAA on DD I and Sony, Non Stop Blockbusters and Non Stop Music Masti on DD Metro recently. Also in the pipeline are SFX Model Hunt 2003 on Star Plus and DD Metro besides brand specific ground events in various parts of the country for dealers and consumers.

In fact after the traumatic experience with Tara Marathi, the past four months have been really good for us and we would close this year's turnover at over Rs 60 million, which will help us breathe again.

Bonnie with Pankaj Chaturvedi, CEO-Baskin Robins

Media as career choice
It just happened at the age of 18 when Jaya Bachchan launched Saraswat Audio Visuals and asked me to assist her. Thereafter it has been a very fast journey for me with various portfolio changes and department changes. Right from ad sales to marketing to production to meeting up with all important people in the film industry.

With Cuecom Entertainment I got to know the entire South Industry. I always considered myself to be jack of all and master of none but who knew that one day it would help me head a company which has done phenomenally well for itself in such a short period despite several set backs.

Current Media scenario
This seems to be a very generic question and being the head of a sales agency I would answer this only in terms of share of revenue which I feel is getting really competitive. And due to many players, instead of rates increasing on an annual basis, they seem to be dipping for channels and especially for Doordarshan.

People say there is no money in the market. This is a logic which I have never been able to digest. There is over Rs 40 billion rupees available for television advertising alone and statistics say that the ad pie is increasing and not decreasing. It is very encouraging for the advertising industry and in my opinion it is just a matter of right approach to sales and mainly after-sales.

We, at Eternal Dreams, believe in providing value for money to our clients and always try our best to over-deliver on our commitments made to them. CAS is definitely going to impact the television advertising drastically but it's too early to say what will happen and how it will happen.

Right and wrong about current media scenario
Right - Moving slowly but in the right direction.

Wrong - The way media is bought, Rs 40 billion being spend based on a sample size which is as low as 20,000 people all over India with a penetration of over 70 million TV homes.

I would strongly support CAS and if implemented well, it will change the entire media scenario and then the deserving would get the right share of the advertising spend.

Five years from now
Making movies, movies and movies.

Bonnie with Sapna Chaturvedi and a journalist

Hobbies
Work, Cricket, partying.

Idea of enjoyment
Goa...hic...Beach....hic....Beer....hic.....Music....Sun.....sea food ......!!!!!

Name: Sukhdev

Designation: Singer

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Educational Experience
I took up music professionally at the early age of 15. I began playing keyboards and went on to programme entire songs by myself. Having acquired my early musical knowledge in light Indian and Western music through different experienced teachers, I later studied "Music Production & Performance" in East Berkshire College in the UK.

Professional Experience
The major break: Having developed skills in singing, music composition and direction, I first came to India in January 1999. Quick to realise that Bhangra being the flavour of the youth, my core audience, I signed on to T-Series to release my debut Punjabi pop album Solva Saal to break into the Indian market.

This extremely successful 'Platinum' album, was completely written, composed & arranged by me all by myself. MTV chose me as their Ubharta Sitarain July 1999. This was followed by a series of live performances all over India, which showcased my complete personality and I was accepted by audiences all-over as a 100 per cent entertainer.

Spurred by the success of 'Solva Saal', I teamed up with ace music director Jaidev & lyricist Dev Kohli to release another bhangra album Kudi Tu India Di on T-series music label in early 2001. With a video shot by the famous Anubhav Sinha Productions, this album too was well accepted and appreciated by the media and masses alike.

Latest album-New Avataar: Though my 'roots' are in Bhangra-Pop I did not want to limit myself but instead use my skills as a complete musician to the fullest. With this in mind, I decided to completely self-arrange and produce my third album, where I pay homage to some of my favourite evergreen Hindi classics, which I grew up on.

I have reworked on giving them a contemporary flavor and vibrancy that would appeal to the sensibilities of the new generation. Besides, having sung in 10 different languages in the past, I decided to sing these songs in the language of today's youth 'Hinglish', which would also help me connect with Indian youths world-wide and help spread my wings into the international market! The album, released by Crescendo Music in January 2003 titled My Heart Is Beating has already received a great response at music shops across India besides being No 1 on the Channel [V] charts.

The video on the title track has been directed by Anant Mahadevan, the famous TV actor and now film director (Dil Vil Pyar Vyar). The other reworked gems on the album are Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi si, Pucho na yaar kya hua, Mere Saamne Wali Khidki Mein, Sanam Teri Kasam, Jahan Teri Yeh Nazar Hai, Chandni Raatein. This refreshing album promises to be a sure-fire hit which will make everyone listen to it again and again because of its simple emphatic lyrics and new wave of dance rhythms.

My experimentative streak coupled with my ability to reinvent myself and to understand the pulse of the youth will ensure that my new album will appeal to my core audience. Leading music channel B4U Music had chosen me as Singer of the Nation for the month of January 2003.

Live act: I gave my first live performance at the tender age of 19 and since then have performed in several countries including UK, Spain, Portugal, Germany, UAE, Tanzania and Uganda. Once popular as a one-man band (playing three keyboards, two drum machines, two sequencers and of course, my vocal chords simultaneously), I earned the sobriquet of being a stylish, young performer, famous for getting the audiences totally 'involved' in my shows - by occasionally breaking the "security code" and getting into the audience area and dancing with them or even bringing the audiences onstage to dance with me. I have my roots in Jullandhar, also have the widest range of songs for live shows, a glimpse of which is shown below:

Popular new Hindi film songs such as Na, Na, Na Re (Mrityudaata), Sona Sona (Major Saab), Tera Rang Balle Balle (Soldier), Tote Tote (Bichoo) and Kudiyan Sheher Diyan (Arjun Pandit).

At shows, my most popular songs from hit albums include Solva Saal, My Heart Is Beating, Mere Saamne Wali Khidki Mein and Kudi Tu India Di.

Not forgetting my roots, I also sing some traditional Punjabi hits such as Tutak Tutak, Gur Nal Ishq Mitha, Rail Gaddi. I also entertain audiences with Punjabi hits of my contemporaries such as Daler Mehndi's Bolo Tara Rara, Dardi Rab Rab, Ho Jayegi Balle Balle, Harbhajan Maan's Oye Hoye, Hansraj Hans' Dil Chori Sada, Sukhbir's Gal Ban Gayee & Ishq. I also sing non-Punjabi numbers, including Hindi Pop (Lift Kara De), Old Hindi Film hits (Roop Tera Mastana), International hits (Nari Nari & Habibi) & New Hindi film hits (You Are My Sohniya & Le Gayi Le Gayi) depending on the target audience.

Job Profile
Singer/musician who has been proclaimed as "ubartha hua sitara" by MTV, Channel [V] and B4U. (Sukhdev, a teenage prodigy, also has two major achievements to his name, one that of performing in ten different languages (including Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili and Arabic) and the other of having performed at a New Year's eve concert for over eight hours!).

Five years from now
I believe that Indian music will become global and western musicians will imbibe Indian influences. Fusion will play an important role and several Indianised tunes are becoming popular in UK's clubs. I see a lot of Indian artistes using English lyrics to make their mark globally. Ricky Martin used English lyrics despite having won acclaim in his home country. AR Rahman is working with Michael Jackson and Shania Twain will working with Hari Prasad Chaurasia. I myself will be in the thick of intense activity - always experimenting and producing great sounds.

Hobbies
Apart from music, I love watching movies and comedy shows on TV. I love fast cars, enjoy playing pool and snooker. I also love traveling to different places and countries. In India, I remember going to Benares and was fascinated by eight year old boys who have become yogis and sadhus. I am also fascinated by the response of people in interiors such as Kandwa and Ratlam to artistes like me.

Name: Shailesh Kapoor

Designation: Senior Marketing Manager - Zee Cinema

Sun Sign: Leo, 26 July 1975

Educational Experience
I did my schooling from Delhi. Thereafter, like most other students, engineering came up almost like a default option. So, I went for a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi. Very early into IIT, I realised engineering was not my cup of tea. Nevertheless, the whole IIT experience was fabulous, because it helped me meet some of the sharpest brains of India, and shaped my thinking which is today proving to be a valuable asset. Also, the hostel life opened up the world for me.

From there, I joined IIM Calcutta for my MBA. The IIM-C days were very different. I enjoyed the courses and the project works and everything else an MBA education had to offer, and I did well for myself, ending up as the third rank holder in a batch of 300!

Professional Experience
I had always been an avid watcher of Hindi cinema. But it was at IIM-C that this passion really took the shape of a career option. Luckily for me, Sony Entertainment Television visited the campus, and I decided to go for it as my first option. I got into Sony as a Brand Executive in 1999. Over the 11 months I spent there, I worked on a variety of shows and films, like Saaya, Missing and the Raj Kapoor festival. I was responsible for the on-air and off-air marketing efforts on these properties. Sony was a good nurturing ground for me, as it exposed me to the hitherto mysterious world of media and programming.

Shailesh at work

From Sony, I moved to indya.com in Bangalore, where I joined as the Channel Manager for the Cinema and Music websites. The 18 months I spent at indya were absolutely out of this world. The Internet teaches you another way of working altogether. You learn in a year what you may have learnt in three to four years elsewhere. Also, since it was a new business, the passion of the team, right from the top to below, was unparalleled.

When indya downsized drastically, I was one of the 200-odd people who left what we thought was a cherished dream, in November 2001. From there, I took a break, spent time with my family for about three months, and gave shape to my first film script. Thereafter, I moved to Mumbai and worked for a film promotion company for three months, before I joined Zee as the Senior Marketing Manager on Zee Cinema.

Zee has been a very interesting experience. Handling the marketing of a full channel is a different kick altogether, compared to handling two to three shows on a main channel like Sony. You feel you are so much more in control of things and can shape the future of your channel with your ideas and concepts. I have the support and encouragement of an excellent team here, and make no mistakes about it: I am enjoying it big time!

Job Profile
My job profile includes anything and everything to do with the marketing and promotions efforts on Zee Cinema. Right from on-air promos, off-air marketing, sales inputs, coordinating with programming, contests, channel packaging... there is so much scope to work here.

The great thing about being on Zee Cinema is that it is India's No.1 Movie Channel by a fair margin, and you know that your efforts are being seen and appreciated by millions, be it the up-market Colaba in Mumbai or the relatively mass areas of Joka in Kolkata, where I spent my two years at IIMC. It's another high altogether.

Marketing as career choice
Marketing was intuitively the one area of management that caught my fancy during my IIM-C days. The interaction with the consumer was that one thing that made me go for it. Regarding television, I initially saw it as a stepping stone for a career in films. But at Zee, I have realised the true power of the medium.

But frankly, it's still the fact that I am working on a Hindi movie channel that is important. Because, at the end of the day, Hindi cinema is in my blood, in a way that I cannot explain.

Current Marketing scenario
The satellite television industry is very new in India. So, we can't expect a predictable scenario anyway. Things will keep changing, and the key is to be able to think through the changing scenario while you have the vision to shape the future.

Right and wrong about current marketing scenario
I seriously don't think there's anything wrong. Like any other free economy model, our TV industry will find its own way out. Yes, we can always say that there is a dearth of variety in the content available. But we have to realise that we are only ten years into the industry. Things will emerge. In fact, compare today to, say, two years ago, and the difference is more than noticeable.

Personally, the effort will be to understand the consumers and give them the content they want. The trick is that the consumers will never be able to verbalise their needs. You have to get the insights out of them and build your properties around that. And that's where the marketing person's challenge comes in.

Shailesh at his brother's wedding with family.

Five years from now
Tough to predict, but whatever I am doing, wherever I am, it will be something around Hindi cinema. Two of my film scripts are ready. I have not managed enough time to narrate them to some of the key producers in Bollywood. But yes, that will always be one option that I would want to take forward in the next year.

But otherwise, be it TV or films or theater or whatever else, Bollywood will never be out of my scheme of things.

Hobbies
I love films of course, and lot of my free time goes into watching either the new releases or the classics from the past, which I can watch again and again, and yet again. I love writing too, and have a weekly column on msn.co.in on Hindi cinema, which keeps me going.

The rest of the time is when I spend some moments with a few close friends. It's really important because I am aware how we let go of our close friendships because of corporate hustle and bustle. But no such thing for me.

And of course, like any other Indian, I love to watch cricket. Hope we turn things around in the coming weeks and do well in the big event!

Idea of enjoyment
Enjoyment for me is a holiday with three to four close friends... what we do is not very important. It might be a trip to some quiet, scenic place or just a few hours in town, moving around, shopping, watching a film and eating great food. It's the company that's more important. And yes, I love the two weeks I take off every year to spend time with my parents in Delhi. They are truly enriching in their own way.