From small town to big impact: Navneet Anand's inspiring journey

Dr. Navneet Anand is a distinguished figure in the communications industry, known for his sharp strategic insights and a career rooted in journalism and political communication. With a rich tapestry of experience spanning 25 years across media, academia, and the corporate sector, his deep understanding of media dynamics, combined with his passion for empowering rural journalists, position him as a visionary leader in the industry.

Through the Forum for Indian Journalists on Education, Environment, Health & Agriculture, he has championed efforts to increase connectivity and awareness among rural reporters, further solidifying his role as a transformative figure in India’s communications landscape. Anand’s forward-thinking approach continues to drive GreyMatters’ expansion into diverse sectors, making him a standout in the ever-evolving world of PR and communication. 

Today, we dive deep into Anand’s transformative journey; explore how he transformed his profession from a journalist, and discovered his purpose in the communications industry; ripple effects of his work and the lessons learned along the way, and so much more.

Glimpses of His Early Life & Experiences

From journalism to transition into the communications industry, Anand's career trajectory highlights the power of ambition, resilience, and self-discovery.

Dr. Navneet Anand comes from a small town in Bihar called Hajipur. In the early days, he was initially drawn to the allure of bureaucracy as it symbolized power and the ability to create transformative change. He shares, “Like everybody, I also thought I would become an IAS or IPS officer. Following this pursuit, I got admission to Hindu College, and after that, I completed my Master’s, MPhil and Ph.D. from JNU.” Despite his ambitions, his path took a turn when he couldn’t clear the civil services exam. Adamant on making a mark, Anand chose to not take the popular vocations that time - a bank probationary officer, academia, development sector. He recalls, on a lighter note, “My father was a Professor of English. Since I had a PhD and was UGC qualified, he asked me to come back to Bihar and take up the lucrative and easy-going teaching assignment, as I was competent to get one. Having seen him do the same things, including teaching the same chapter for so many years, I thought monotony was embedded into teaching then, and I could not take it. I gently denied my father’s passioned plea.”

He stood at crossroads - trying to balance the call of his heart with the compelling need of making a career. One thing was certain - he was driven to make a difference. He had a burning passion to create positive change in society through his work. As he explored various options, journalism caught his attention. It offered the perfect platform to tap into the power of information and amplify his passion.

Anand explains, “I thought, why don’t I do journalism to be able to create a difference, even if very marginally. Having been a student of communication and completed my PhD on Gandhi and JP who used power of the press for transformative changes, I thought I too could make some difference. A training in Sociology would certainly help. So I chose this path, and that’s how I entered the field.” In his journalism career, he gained experience by working with prestigious newspapers like The Indian Express, The Times of India, and The Pioneer. 

His Transition from Journalism to Communications Professional

While he had a fulfilling career as a journalist, he longed for something more. That’s when he came across the PR & communications field. His academic background in communication (he holds both an MPhil and Ph.D. in the communications realm) played a significant role in his shift towards strategic communications. He expresses, “I found journalism to be somewhat narrow in scope. It became monotonous for me, so I started experimenting with myself and the work.” This realization helped him gain his first corporate role at Reliance Industries, where he found a new passion in corporate communications. “At Reliance, I learned so many things. I was talking to top officials, journalists, and handling crises while working on strategic communications,” he recalls.

However, talking about the transition from the newsroom to the corporate world, he states, “Leaving a journalism job that catered to my passion was a tough call for me. On one hand, I had everything I needed at Reliance - security, financial stability, and work. But on the other hand, for a few months I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was missing. I missed the buzz of the newsroom, the thrill of chasing stories, and the camaraderie with fellow journalists. It was a constant internal struggle, weighing the comfort of stability, and a vision of doing something bigger, against the allure of passion. Gradually, idealism gave way to pragmatism, and I was enjoying the new job, and its new set of challenges. As a student of communication, it was gratifying to be moving beyond journalism and experimenting with corporate communications and its many related facets.”

Seeds of GreyMatters Communications

This euphoria was short-lived, however, challenges may create blocks in one’s path but sometimes they give the power to make the most tough and fruitful decisions of our lives. 

In 2009, Anand found himself at a significant crossroads. The recession had created turmoil, and he was among the first lot to have received a pink slip. Reflecting on that time, Anand shares, “Suddenly, I was nowhere. The only thing I had was the courage of my conviction and a hazy vision of embracing the challenge of entrepreneurship.” That’s when, rather than pursue traditional job offers, his creative and entrepreneurial instincts kicked in. “Adversities give you two choices - succumb or steer! Gladly, and with blessings of parents, I didn’t allow the agony of losing a job, and the enormous task of sustaining your family, overwhelm me. I experimented, thought through it, and the churning eventually paved a new path for entrepreneurship. With no background in business even remotely, I didn’t know how turbulent this path was going to be - I only knew I had to move in courageously,” Anand recalls, saying this is how GreyMatters Communications was born in 2010. “The 14 years seem like yesterday,” he mulls.

But the more pragmatic Anand says that he had a clear vision for the company from the start and had a strong pre-planned structure of what he needed to do before establishing the firm. Following this, he recognized that in the ever-evolving landscape of PR, he should offer more than just conventional PR services to stay relevant in the long term. Most importantly, his academic and professional background in journalism, specifically political journalism, helped him a lot in standing out and carving a niche in a crowded market. 

Under Anand’s leadership and vision, GreyMatters Communication found its niche in  new areas such as government communication, political communication, public affairs, advocacy. Today, the company boasts of having worked on many prestigious government and political campaigns, besides crisis management, public affairs and advocacy. “We have had the fortune of working with over six Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers besides many government departments. We also have had assignments from International Labour Organization, World Bank, international agencies, development sector, top Indian companies and MNCs, among others,” avers Anand.

“Timeliness, transparency and commitment to quality are the core values we uphold at GreyMatters Communications,” he reflects. 

Talking about the transformation he has observed in the industry in the past few decades, Anand says, “When I started, there weren’t many competitors like today. There are big agencies now, and suddenly people realize this industry is also a profitable business.” The dynamic nature of the market has certainly evolved, but Anand highlights that with increased competition, there has also been growth, stating, “The good thing is the size of the cake has expanded.”

His Journey as an Education Advocate

Anand's career as an educationist is a natural extension of his time at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which provided a strong foundation for building an academic framework and shaping his approach to education. Since the start of his career, he has had a passion to learn and train the next generation of communications professionals. On what it takes to balance his academic pursuits with his stiff professional demands, Anand says, “Academics allows me to keep a theoretical perspective, so vital to design compelling campaigns. It also acts like Oxygen and allows me to breathe in new ideas, new perspectives.” Having authored two books and over 100 academic papers and book chapters, Anand’s latest contribution is in form of a chapter in a book on Social Media, published by Springer.

His contributions are further highlighted by his consistent contributions to academic research and public lectures. Over the past five years, he has written multiple research papers, participated in various seminars, and delivered 50+ lectures in communication studies.

With a rare blend of strong academic background, experience in teaching and research, journalism, PR and strategic communication, Anand’s future vision of being “glued in to academics” is understandable. He passionately says that, “With my humble learning, I surely can contribute in education and training of the next generation of communication professionals to be able to enhance their knowledge and skills.” In the same vein he adds, “One of the biggest challenge for the communications industry is going to be lack of good professionals with a strong background in the theory of PR, advertising and related practices."

His Efforts to Build Journalists’ Network

Anand established the Forum for Indian Journalists on Education, Environment, Health & Agriculture with a vision to empower journalists, especially in rural and remote areas. Recognizing the vital role these journalists play in shaping public discourse on crucial topics, Anand established a platform that supports knowledge-sharing and professional development.

Anand highlights that the Forum serves as a crucial resource for journalists across India. It focuses on building a community where professionals can exchange ideas, share journalistic practices, and access vital information.

“Through this network we strive to share knowledge and work on capacity building of journalists through workshops and seminars. In times like these where cacophony in the public sphere is predominant, we need to spare some attention of key development issues around education, environment, health, and agriculture. Fijeeha is our tiny contribution towards that goal,” says Anand.

How Does He Manage His Demanding Schedule?

Managing a demanding schedule, especially in the media and communication industry, can be a Hherculean task. However, Anand dismisses the idea of traditional work-life balance.

"We live because we are working. So as long as you enjoy work, I think the concept is very redundant. If I am happy while doing something, then your family remains happy,” Anand says.

Highlighting that the traditional boundaries between work and life blur when passion drives both, he further explains, “Instead of seeking a clear division between work and personal time, the key is finding fulfilment in your professional pursuits, which can naturally help one in living a content and balanced life. The more you work, the more your work-life balance is.”

Lessons That Helped Him Grow Personally and Professionally

Anand highlights the importance of hard work, transparency, and timeliness as the cornerstones of both his personal and professional growth. These values have guided his decisions and helped shape the success of his firm, GreyMatters Communications. Talking about the things he could’ve done differently in the past, he accepts, “I could perhaps have done more with Grey Matters, especially scaling it up. But the decision was deliberate as we did not want to strive to accelerate and make mistakes on the say.” 

Moreover, he also stresses the demanding nature of PR, noting, “There is no shortcut to hard work. PR is very tough, but it is also a very exciting field.” This shows that he follows a steady and value-driven leadership approach that prioritizes sustained growth over quick gains.

His Personal Interests

Anand is a high-spirited soul, full of passion that keeps him grounded and inspired. He enjoys unwinding with movies and has a deep appreciation for literature. Among his favorite reads is a book named Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell. He loves it the most when he is traveling with his family, for that’s the “time you miss the most when chasing the rigmarole of life.”

His Future Vision

Looking ahead, he has clear aspirations both personally and professionally. On a personal level, he shares about his desire to explore a few countries, expressing his love for travel and new experiences. Professionally, he envisions expanding his company, GreyMatters Communications, into new areas. “I want to expand GreyMatters to step up our focus on political communications given its ever-evolving landscape. We are also gradually diversifying into events,” he says. This forward-thinking approach highlights his commitment to growth and adaptation in the ever-evolving field of communications.