KOLKATA: Communication students from Birla Global University and Kolkata
University enthusiastically participated in a seminar on Public Relations : New Trends and Challenges, hosted jointly by the
PRCI, Kolkata and Bhubaneswar Chapters in association with the YCC units, in Kolkata, recently.
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| A student posing questions at the seminar |
The Public Relations department of Eastern Railway supported
the event by organizing it at Riveira, Eastern Railway Officers Club (Howrah
Division).
Dr Badri Narayan, Divisional Railway Manager, who was the
chief guest, advised communicators to be innovative even while conveying simple
messages such as Swachh Bharat . For instance, a series of Swachh Bharat messages using Bollywood themes caught
the attention of not the passengers visiting Howrah station, but the entire twitterati. The campaign went
viral in no time, he said.
Kolkata Press Club chairman and Doordarshan senior
correspondent Snehashis Sur said young communicators should be good observers to
succeed in their communication endeavours.
Dr B K Das, director of Birla Global University which
co-hosted the event, said the institution always encouraged interactions among students
to help broaden their knowledge horizon.
B N Kumar, national
president of PRCI, delivered the keynote address and narrated how PR has changed
over the years. Social media now offers ample opportunities, but communicators must use this double-edged
weapon with a sense of responsibility.
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| A collage of the event: Top: B N Kumar, Ashok Panda, Ravi Mahapatra addressing the seminar. Bottom: selfie to Banta Hai!; B K Sahu felicitating Dr Badri Naraharan |
He pointed out to the students community that Indian mother
is a shining example of multi-tasking and communicators and managers have a lot
to learn from her. “She is the first to get up in the morning and last to go to
sleep, working like a perfect machine with a human touch,” he said.
B K Sahu, eastern regional chairman of PRCI, thanked the
Eastern Railway for its support to promote knowledge among students. R N Mahapatra,
CPRO of Eastern Railway and Kolkata chapter chairman of PRCI, and Dr Ashok
Panda, Bhubaneshwar Chapter chairman, played stellar roles in organizing the
event.
The students later visited the Railway Museum to get to know
the history of railways.
