Radhakrishnan Nair, a man who taught many how to write well: Mehraj Dube

Mehraj Dube, Vice President-Marketing, Zee Media, had worked with late Radhakrishnan Nair as a trainee. He remembers how Nair guided him during his initial years in journalism

e4m by Mehraj Dube
Published: Dec 3, 2018 4:43 PM  | 4 min read
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“Hmm…. How many days in office so far? What is it that you are writing today?” He would ask me. A smiling face, casually sitting in chair with his shirt hanging out, would suddenly turn into a sniper of some kind. His eyeballs stopping to move, piercing through his desktop gazing at my news copy. The razor-sharp editor in him would turn the stammering-Hindi-thinking-English lines into a swift contemporary news script, fit for the suave screens of the then newest sensation of Indian business television -- CNBC India. 

This was a newsroom like no other. There would be Raghav (Bahl) walking on the twinkling tiles with a silver stick. And I would hesitantly look at him, my new super boss & founder of TV18. Little did anyone know that his steps would turn him into a tycoon and will someday attract the biggest tycoon of them all to pour his silver too. Cut back to newsroom, Shereen (Bhan) would be walking out of the studio with her Barbie hair lavishly polished in gold, carried as if it was part of the brief to not move it. And she carried it well. Carried her head on her shoulder through two decades so well that she would be christened as Managing Editor of the success called CNBCTV18. 

Turn to the glass wall, Udayan (Mukherjee) would be coming out of the studio. His hair pasted under gel, so well as if layers of a private equity deal. All of them would terminate their walk around the desk - the desk manned by Radhakrishnan Nair. He is the most ordinary man but not the most ignorable. Radha sir is now smiling again and looking away from my copy to hear the conversation - a thread that will last through the afternoon till John and Dipika would take over for a show to be presented by veteran Senthil (Chengalvarayan). Everyone would have one name on their lips - Radha. 

In the crowd of stalwarts, Radha sir would smell like the soil back home - something I left behind in my ride to find the elite of Delhi. Radha sir was giving me a hope that this elite circle wasn’t out of reach for me. It didn’t deny anyone an entry. Certainly not to immigrant aspirants like the one he himself was and the one he was instilling in me. 
Months later (in 2001), he would do my first appraisal in a news job. Couple of drinks down, but not missing a point- “See there are marks for details, you must develop an eye for that.” I would say thanks and I still say. Thanks for showing me early the significance of details. 

Years later, he would pat on my back and say congrats man. I would burst into joy and hug him as I have just won an award. “I would tell people I have worked with this guy, good job Mehraj” Radha sir said. And he disappeared. By then, he was part of a fast-changing television world. Raghav would invest in Rajdeep (Sardesai) and partner with CNN, and Radha would help them at the front. “Oh, Radha sir is editing general news now?” I would ask, and his colleagues would reply with ease, as if he was made for it. “I thought of him as someone made for business news” I mutter. Radha sir indeed would not stop learning and changing with times. He could survive the old and the new, tycoons, editors and entrepreneurs alike. He would continue to be a professional. 

And my last meeting with him - in the setting of a Poonawalas’ wedding. Walking in his standard style amid who’s who of Delhi. Narrating stories, admiring people, not bending either side. On his feet, like a professional.

Radha sir! I got up from my bed in the middle of the night to write this. All of them - elite or no elite - must be in tears today. I cannot hold it too. This time you won’t edit my copy, I can write a word or two about you though. Excellent copy Radha sir! You have lived a million words!

(Mehraj Dube is a former journalist and broadcaster who worked with late Radhakrishnan Nair as a trainee. He currently works with Zee Media as Vice President, Marketing)
 

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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

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