KIIT School of Mass Communication (KSMC), in collaboration with the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) Bhubaneswar Chapter, successfully hosted the 4th Public Relations Summit. The event focused on the theme, “Public Relations (PR) Teaching and Practice in Odisha: An Academia-Industry Dialogue”.
During the inaugural session, Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS, emphasized the importance of maintaining good public relations, while Prof. Sasmita Samanta, Vice Chancellor of KIIT-DU, spoke about the significance of relationships in moving forward in life. Prof. H. S. Khatua, Director of SRFTI, Kolkata, highlighted the need for good links with different departments in the emerging field of public relations in media, fashion, and film. Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee, Regional Director of IIMC, Dhenkanal, emphasized the importance of communication in leadership, stating that public relations is essential at all levels.
Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar of KIIT-DU, praised KSMC for hosting the PR Summit on such an important theme, while Mr. Sudhi Ranjan Mishra, Vice Chairman of PRSI, Bhubaneswar Chapter, emphasized the importance of communication and public relations in every minute and second of life. Earlier, Dr. Rajeev Kumar Panda, Course Coordinator of KSMC, delivered the welcome address, and Dr. Bidu Bhusan Dash, Asst. Professor, introduced the theme. Aniruddha Jena, PhD proposed the vote of thanks at the inaugural session.
The first session on the Overview of PR Teaching and Practice in Odisha featured a panel of esteemed professionals, including Mr. Sarthak Abhyudaya, Asst. Professor at Ravenshaw University; Mr. Sudhi Ranjan Mishra, Vice Chairman of the PRSI Bhubaneswar Chapter; and Prof. Mrinal Chatterjee, Regional Director at IIMC Dhenkanal. Dr. Sananda Mukherjee, Assistant Professor at KSMC, moderated the session. The panelists shared their insights on PR and its constantly changing dynamics in the modern world, as well as discussed the challenges and opportunities for students in the field.
An exciting PR quiz conducted by Prathama Pulak Tripathy, a 2nd Semester Masters student. The quiz added an element of fun to the workshop and tested the knowledge and skills of the participants in a competitive environment.
The second session on “Addressing the gaps in PR in Industry and Academia” brought together a distinguished panel of experts in the field, including Mr. Narasingh Majhi, Asst. Professor at Rama Devi Women’s University, Dr. Gyana Ranja Mishra, Asst. Professor at Birla Global University, and Ms. Dharitri Satapathy, an experienced PR Professional. The session was moderated by Dr. Anurag Sahu, Assistant Professor at KSMC.
The panelists engaged in a thought-provoking discussion that aimed to identify the gaps between PR teaching and practice in industry and academia. The session also explored the challenges and opportunities that these gaps present to students and practitioners alike. The panelists emphasized the need for a collaborative effort between the two spaces to bridge the gap and ensure that the curriculum is relevant and practical.
The valedictory program of the PR summit was graced by esteemed speaker, Dr. V.R. Raju. Ms. R. Nanda, Assistant Professor at KSMC, delivered the vote of thanks.