The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : R. K. Swamy, a pioneer in public sector advertising

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 31, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

R. K. Swamy, a pioneer in public sector advertising

Special Correspondent

Lauded as one of the `Trimurthis' of Indian advertising, along with Mani Iyer and Alyque Padamsee

REMEMBERING A DOYEN: Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh (third from right) hands over the first copy of the biography of advertising guru R.K. Swamy in Chennai on Tuesday to Ram Santhanam, Chairman and Director, Wheels India. Others in the picture are (from left): V.S. Chakrapani, editor of the book; Srinivasan K. Swamy, chairman and managing director, R.K. Swamy BBDO; and N. Murali, managing director of The Hindu . — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: We need to rediscover the values that veteran advertising man, the late R.K. Swamy, brought to public sector advertising, Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce, said on Tuesday.

There were large unconquered frontiers in advertising in the public sector today, and in a competitive atmosphere, major players too would have to make use of the edge that advertising gave them, he said.

Lauding R.K. Swamy as one of the Trimurthis of Indian advertising, along with Mani Iyer and Alyque Padamsee, Mr. Ramesh also credited him with giving the public sector a new dimension through advertising.

Earlier he released the book R.K. Swamy, His Life and Times, authored by V. Ramnarayan and edited by V.S. Chakrapani. The first copy was handed over to Ram Santhanam, chairman and director, Wheels India.

S.V.S. Raghavan, former chairman, BHEL and MMTC and long time associate of R.K. Swamy, reminisced the time he spent with his friend of 42 years.

Srinivasan K Swamy, Chairman and Managing Director, R.K. Swamy BBDO, said the book project came up during the first board meeting of the organisation after its founder had passed away four years ago. It was seen as a means of honouring the man of multifarious talents. It was a small record that underscored the respect R.K. Swamy had commanded and the inspiration he continued to provide to youngsters.

`Tremendous contribution'

N. Murali, Managing Director, The Hindu , said the book celebrated the life and tremendous contributions [to various fields] of a legend. With his passing away came the end of a generation of stalwarts who laid the foundation for the advertising industry in the country. Advertising was to R.K. Swamy serious business in the realm of science and at the same time a highly creative venture.

He was a pioneer in public sector advertising, managing to convince PSUs to invest in advertising, though the flavour of the time among these rule-oriented organisations was that such expenditure was wasteful.

Rags-to-riches

Author V. Ramnarayan recounted his experiences in telling the story of a man who rose from rags to riches, going on to lead the industry in his chosen fields.

At the age of 50, he quit the advertising agency J.Walter Thompson on a matter of principle and went on to start his own advertising agency, Mr. Ramnarayan said.

The book chronicles the rise of R.K. Swamy, who founded R.K. Swamy Advertising Associates in 1973, through trials, tribulations and poverty to the stature of a leader in the industry.

His family had to move from Kumbakonam to Bombay, forced by poverty, where he finished school. Soon after he was forced to find a job — he took a temporary posting at J.Walter Thompson as a translator from English to Gujarati.

Later in life, he was a passionate educationist, instrumental in expanding the Lady Sivaswami Ayyar Girls Schools in Chennai.

Proficient in the ancient Hindu scriptures, he helped in renovating several temples and built new ones.

Shekar Swamy, Group CEO, R.K.Swamy BBDO, also spoke.

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