Corporate Citizen at 10: A Legacy of Insight, Innovation and Impact

The 10th anniversary of Corporate Citizen was celebrated with gusto and joy with a media conclave. Chief Guest, Shekhar Gupta, editor-in-chief, ThePrint, guests of honour, noted educationist, Prof. Dr. S.B. Mujumdar and industrialist Sulajja Firodia Motwani took the occasion a notch higher with their words of wisdom. What’s more, the first-ever Corporate Citizen Awards for Excellence 2024, in media underlined the role played by responsible journalism

Walt Disney once said “If you can dream it, you can do it. And if you can do it, you can do it well”.

A decade is time enough to say that not only has Corporate Citizen done its job, but it has also done it well. Thus, the 10th anniversary of its existence was brought in on a star-studded 11th December morning, bringing together the who’s who of society, media and the corporate world to the Sri Balaji University, Pune (SBUP) campus.

Amidst the joy and buoyant spirits, it was fitting to pay tribute to memory of the founder-editor of Corporate Citizen, noted educationist and founder of SBUP, the late Prof. Dr. (Col) A. Balasubramanian, a man with a big vision—to have a business magazine with a difference and nourishing the seed of this idea, such that it grew into a tree.

Without doubt, Corporate Citizen monthly business magazine has carved a distinct niche in its 10 years of existence. It stands out for its vibrancy, insightful content, and contemporary corporate thoughts shared by industry leaders across various sectors. These thought-provoking narratives offer knowledge that goes beyond textbooks, inspiring readers from all walks of life.

While doing so, it never fails to acknowledge the role played by the Indian Armed Forces, and the management lessons Corporate India can imbibe from them. A soldier by training and forever so at heart, Bala Sir always paid homage to his defence roots, a core value that has found lucid expression in just about everything he has built—from the institution to this magazine.

It was thus, a moving moment to have the book on Bala Sir unveiled at the hands of his friend, philosopher and guide, senior educationist and founder of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Prof. Dr. S.B. Mujumdar who recounted Bala Sir’s journey with warmth and fondness—reiterating the values he stood for.

Noted journalist and thought-leader Shekhar Gupta, talked of the image of journalism in the eyes of the public, and the manner in which old Bollywood movies portrayed the journalist, with every passing decade.

In keeping with the core principles of SBUP, the felicitation of the 1971 Indo-Pak War veterans at the hands of the SBUP Chancellor Prof Paramanandhan Balasubramanian and SBUP Vice Chancellor Dr G.K. Shirude, in the presence of chief guest of the day, was a key moment. (The surrender of Pakistan to India falls in December every year, and to remember their role, is to honour our freedom.)

The Corporate Citizen media Awards 2024 were without doubt, a major highlight.

On her part, the articulate and dynamic Sulajja Firodia Motwani, outlined as to how media and corporate combined could play a formidable role in educating, inspiring and uplifting society, even as she reiterated her faith in the concept of a strong India poised to take its place amidst the foremost nations of the world.

The Dil Se conversation between Corporate Citizen editor Vinita Deshmukh and actor Mohan Agashe, elicited both laughs and nods of approval, even as he touched upon a host of relevant topics—including the concepts of emotional and mental wellness with his characteristic wit, candour and wisdom.

Similarly, the panel discussion on how regional media can innovate and adapt to the digital world featured Poonam Agarwal, senior investigative journalist; Dhanya Rajendran, founder, The News Minute and Samrat Phadnis, resident editor, Sakal Media Group. The panel discussion was moderated by Prof. Ujjwala Barve, dean, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth.

The day ended on a colourful note with artist Chintamani Hasabnis showcasing a unique tribute through dance, painting and music to emphasise the seamless nature of art, even for the visually challenged.

All in all, a day to remember, cherish and live by.

CORPORATE CITIZEN MEDIA AWARDEES:

• Iconic Media Award 2024 for excellence in traditional and digital media: Rajiv Khandekar, senior executive vice president and editor-in-chief, ABP Majha news TV channel.
• Iconic Media Award 2024 for excellence in traditional and digital media: Samrat Phadnis, editor, Sakal media group
• Conscientious Journalist Media Award 2024: Dhanya Rajendran, co-founder and editor-in-chief, The News Minute
• Conscientious Journalist Media Award 2024: Poonam Agarwal, Founder, ExplainX, YT Channel, senior award winning investigative journalist and documentary maker