Madan Bahal: The PR Industry’s ‘Dhurandhar’

The book by George Orwell, to be sure.

It was also the year I met Madan.

My first day at the 3-year part time programme (MMM) at JBIMS.

I was settling into my seat when I heard a voice, ‘Hi, my name is Madan Bahal. I run a small advertising agency called Adfactors (there was no PR division then).’

Said with a smile and genuine warmth emanating from those eyes. (More about the eyes later).

We did not really stay in touch until much later.

Till one day Madan called.

‘Let’s meet’. We did.

At a place called Mela in Worli. We continued to meet there whenever either one of us was free.

The beginnings of a relationship were in place. He had become someone I could call a ‘friend’.

Professionally, I was then with TCS, and Adfactors PR was a successful reality.

During our conversations, I could sense his drive to achieve something. More than that, I could sense the visionary in him. All one had to do was look at his eyes when he was speaking…they had an intensely focused look as though he was imagining the future.

Adfactors PR had already begun creating waves, particularly in the IPO and BFSI areas.

I came face to face with his vision and his ideas when, in 2004, TCS signed up with Adfactors PR for what was India’s largest IPO.

At that point the Tata Group had severed ties with the Times Group.

No advertising support. And no editorial coverage.

We were stuck because creating awareness of the IPO across the country in key markets was a must.

Madan suggested that in the larger cities (Mumbai/ Delhi/ Ahmedabad and Jaipur), we take all outdoor sites which were available. At that time, it was a revolutionary idea, and it worked!!

Subsequently, Adfactors PR continued being my PR partner wherever I went.

Till one day, I joined them. That was in 2011.

By then, Adfactors was going from strength to strength. They had their own offices in over 30 cities and were not depending on stringers.

We (Adfactors PR) had been invited to pitch for a big telecom company, which had been with another firm for close to a decade.

It was a long pitch, but Madan’s clarity of thought distilled to just one key recommendation.

‘Go regional and use regional media’.

We were signed!

Madan’s grasp of strategic issues had done the job.

I could go on with examples, but there are a few things which I find amazing about him.

1. His large-heartedness (Adfactors has been through very rough patches, but that has not stopped either Madan or Rajesh from extending a helping hand to those they knew who wanted it). And this continues.
2. His visionary grasp of what tomorrow will bring and how Adfactors should be positioned.
3. His childlike enthusiasm, and the ever-present smile.
4. His fairness in dealing with people – with complete honesty and integrity. No games.
5. His ability to call a spade a spade – irrespective of the outcome.

A million examples come to mind for each of the above, but word constraints do not allow me the libertyJ

Ending this with a mention of his eyes.

He misses nothing. His vision comes shining through as does his will to battle for what he believes in.

The eyes remind me of the way Ranveer Singh has used his eyes in the film Dhurandhar (giving this example because I felt it to be apt).

For me, Madan Bahal is ‘Dhurandhar’. He is also someone I admire, respect and value as a friend.

To me, he is the best thing that has happened to the Indian PR industry. May this long continue.

Happy 70^th birthday Madan.