India is a country of many enchanting stories, extraordinary heritage, rich history, and places which are older than civilisation. That’s what makes India a brand that generates curiosity in everyone’s mind, within and outside.
Because we are so diverse, and have so much to offer the world, every part of our country, and every community and culture within it, can be experienced through a different story. People from outside India often look at it as if they are discovering a beautiful and fascinating world of their own. But this very diversity also creates a different image of India in everyone’s mind. There is a sense of awe and admiration, yet no single, consistent image of what India is. Perhaps that is what makes India so compelling: it creates a personal purpose for seeing, experiencing, and feeling the country in one’s own way.
Look at our Media and Entertainment sector. Without a doubt, our entertainment industry has built bridges, created narratives, and made friends across the world.
Long ago, our Honourable Prime Minister told me a story that stayed with me. When he went for the inauguration of the Parliament of Afghanistan, the crowd cheered and applauded for our then Minister, Smriti Irani, in a remarkable way. He realised that many Afghans had been watching dubbed versions of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi for years. Smriti Irani was the person everyone wanted to meet and take a picture with.
Central Asia is full of memories of Raj Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty. And, of course, it becomes a crowd-management issue when Shah Rukh Khan, Rajinikanth, or Amitabh Bachchan walks down a street in almost any part of the world. We are respected for our achievements, but we are also loved and admired for our cultural diversity, creativity, and enterprise.
So, where does this take us in the future?
What we have inherited over centuries is ours, and no one can take that away. But what we create today through modern science, technology, art, innovation and above all, the ability to communicate and market ourselves will shape how the new world sees India.
As a marcom professional, I believe the Brand India story has begun well. Now, we need to move faster, stay focused, and deliver a compelling competitive advantage for our work, education, business, and society.
We should be proud of the Brand India we have built. But our ambition must be to make India an even more compelling destination for investment, ease of living, innovation, creativity, and excellence.
The opportunity is immense. The world is watching. It is up to us to tell the story and deliver on it.
Jai Hind.
Happy Independence Day!
