It’s PR that needs to be creative. It’s PR that needs to be new and different. It’s PR that needs to be original. The best way to establish a brand is to create a new category, and creating a new category requires creative thinking of the highest order. “Harshendra Singh Verdhan, the head of Public relations and Brand Communications at IFFCO, one of the top PR professionals in the country brought life to this very famous quote . An IIMC Delhi alumnus, Harsh began his career with the multi state cooperative society IFFCO.
It is believed that Cooperatives do not attract young enthusiastic Public Relations professionals as it lacks glamour. On the contrary, Harsh not only started his career with a cooperative but is now at the pinnacle in his professional life. He has completed 16 successful years of service to IFFCO. The road to success is often less travelled but Harsh believes hard work, smart and appealing communication skills and positive approach towards work and life can make the journey easy, fulfilling and exciting.
A skilled PR professional plays a significant role in enhancing the brand value in the global market. With the consistent efforts of Mr. Verdhan under the able guidance of Dr. US Awasthi, MD & CEO IFFCO, the latter has made its presence felt in the world market too.
IFFCO celebrated its Golden Jubilee in the year 2017.The power packed celebrations included artists from across India. Harsh played a key role in popularising the importance of the cooperative (IFFCO) in the life of a farmer. Due to his efforts the work done by IFFCO was showcased to the world in a splendid manner. He travelled across the length and breadth of the country to make the celebrations a huge success.
In times of modern communication social media plays a very significant role in reaching out to the masses. Harsh, realised the potential of social media pretty early and has used it over the years to achieve his professional goals. He believes that the development of a sector is dependent on the equal participation of all the stakeholders. He opines that social media is a key driver in reaching out to the masses. With this thought in mind he persuaded other cooperatives also to work in unison. With the efforts of .Verdhan the National Cooperatives Union of India has called on all the cooperatives in the country to connect and work actively on social media.
The eloquent communication skills of Mr Verdhan have been recognised time and again. The Reputation Today included Mr.Verdhan in the list of RT Power 50 in 2019. The very next year, Harsh featured in the list of 40 Young Turks of PR and Corporate communications for the year 2020 by Reputation Today. In the same year, Harsh secured the 4th position in the top 100 social media influencers of India in the corporate Communications and the entire PR industry in a research done by Reputation Today Magazine.
His articulate communication skills are an inspiration and a major attraction for the students of several communication schools. He is a visiting faculty at IIMC. Students are enthralled when he shares his experience of working with one of the biggest and renowned cooperatives of the country. He is also an active member of one of the most powerful alumni associations, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication Alumni Association (IIMCAA). Currently he is the general secretary of IIMCAA. He is also a key driver at the IIMCAA annual meets by pulling the biggest industry players to the campus. Not to anyone’s surprise, vivid communication skills are at play again.
Harsh has travelled across continents but a piece of him still resides at his picturesque hometown in Himachal Pradesh. He is connected to his roots and values.. To popularise the beauty of his hometown and to explore the unexplored, he conceived the idea of an art, literature and adventure festival in the lap of Dhauladhar range. The Dhauladhar festival, conceptualised by Harsh, was launched in March this year. The festival saw an enthusiastic participation by people from across the country. The festival hopes to grow bigger in the years to come.
Harsh is an ardent fan of Punjabi Cinema and is glued to the screen watching all the Punjabi movies in his leisure time.
Everything you do or say is public relations, the quote stands true in the case of this flamboyant PR professional.
