‘The PRactice’s fundamentals rooted in global best practices’

This is the story of a homegrown agency that skipped the shortcuts, chose the long road of trust, intention, and impact, and proved that doing the right thing, consistently, is a strategy that stands the test of time. 

In today’s IndiGenius PR Agencies series, we spotlight The PRactice, a pioneering indigenous agency that has been shaping the contours of India’s public relations landscape for over 25 years. The firm was born from the vision of Nandita Lakshmanan, Founder & CEO, The PRactice, and today stands as one of India’s most respected PR consultancies. 

The PRactice is a proudly independent, Indian-owned agency that has held to its roots in a time when global firms have taken over much of the industry. Over the years, it has worked with startups, established brands, and institutions at every stage of their growth. They are leading with an inspiring mission to build strong, lasting relationships and help organizations communicate clearly, act with honesty, and grow with purpose. They have also bestowed with Mid-Sized PR Consultancy of the year at the 15th edition of e4m IPRCCA 2024. 

Today, we go behind the scenes and explore The PRactice’s journey, including its challenges, how it stays connected to roots of Bharat, how it distinguishes itself from other industry players, how it is leading India’s communication landscape globally, and so much more.

Excerpts:

Share the story of how you started your agency and how has the role and perception of indigenous PR agencies changed since you first entered the industry from today?

After I completed my Masters, I landed my first job with Genesis PR. I was lucky to work in a firm that encouraged intrapreneurship. Being given the opportunity to helm the first regional office in Bangalore, outside the headquarters at the age of 25 years must have been a leap of faith for Prema Sagar, the iconic founder of Genesis PR (now Burson) but as the beneficiary of that opportunity, I made the most of it.  

In October 1999, post my exit at Genesis, one thing led to another and within three months of consulting, I decided to set up The PRactice. It was a natural progression following my time in Genesis. I had a fulfilling career launch - working with the best managers, representing the best clients at the best possible time when India has opened its doors to the world, post liberalization. I learnt through observation and experience what it takes to build a best-in-class firm. 

The landscape for indigenous PR firms in India today is mature and hyper-competitive.  Interestingly, even global PR firms have Indian professionals who began careers in indigenous firms, at the helm, and therefore, they are by all means Indian firms with the advantage of global knowledge/research, global clients and training that is high quality. 

We must not forget that the Indian PR industry has always been anchored by exceptional home-grown firms that made their mark just pre-liberalization, demonstrating capabilities, professionalism and market understanding.  What set these firms apart was their leadership by Indian professionals like Prema Sagar, Dilip Cherian, Roger Pereira, Rajiv Desai to name a few, who had an intelligent and intuitive grasp of cultural nuances that enabled them to be creative and effective. Today's established indigenous firms are not merely serving domestic clients and are effectively managing global mandates and multinational accounts.

As India's growth story continues to demand global attention, there is significant opportunity that demands strategic, not opportunistic, approaches to communications. Take for example The PRactice - our focus on systems and processes, exposure to global training and exposure to the best brands across the globe has helped us compete strongly in the market over 25 years.  

How do global PR firms view India as a market? What sets your firm apart in terms of market insight, execution, and results?

India, for us, is not merely a market for business growth; we see it as a profound  once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and responsibility to help India march towards 100 years of independence. As we do this,  public relations will emerge stronger than ever as a management discipline fundamental to India’s economic success and its reputation in the world.

The PRactice’s edge goes beyond market insights, execution and results - these are a given.   Our edge comes from our rich experience of working alongside some of India's most iconic leaders - architects of India’s IT sector, labour reforms, electric mobility, aviation infrastructure, venture capital, spacetech, who broke ground with their integrity, professionalism, vision and ambition.   It is the company we kept in 25 years that has fundamentally shaped our approach to public relations which is invaluable at a time of hyper disruption and ambition to emerge as a global economy to reckon with.  Add to this, our focus on systems and processes, exposure to global training and exposure to the best brands across the globe has helped us compete strongly in the market over 25 years.  

What are some of the key challenges indigenous firms face when competing with globally recognized PR firms?

In most areas, it is a level playing field between the mature indigenous and global PR firms. As a 25-year-old independent firm, our fundamentals are rooted in global best practices while maintaining the nuanced understanding of India's complex social, political, and economic landscape.

The real challenge isn't about capability, quality or even surprisingly, in the fee structure. It is the "Big is Better" chorus that is increasingly dominating our industry discourse, led by large indigenous and global firms.  The "Big is Better" mentality fundamentally misunderstands what our industry needs. The PR sector thrives on talent and creativity, not just financial muscle, and India has an incredible long tail of smaller firms doing exceptional work.   Larger firms must invest in widening and deepening the overall talent pool that our industry needs, and not merely dip into the existing talent pool being groomed in smaller/midsized firms.  Instead of leveraging their resources to elevate the entire ecosystem—mentoring emerging talent, supporting smaller agencies, or creating pathways for professional development across the industry, the focus remains narrow. This approach not only limits the growth potential of the sector but also overlooks the reality that the best ideas and most innovative approaches often come from firms that choose to remain agile and client-focused rather than scale-obsessed.

How is your agency training the next generation of communicators to support India's future?

The PRactice has earned its reputation as one of the finest training grounds, since it began in Year 2000.  We are very proud of this distinction as it validates our ethos as a “learning organization” - one that is agile and fluid, allowing employees to ‘grow and glow’ through a common purpose. We view Learning and Development as a pillar and not an enabler. Our learning initiatives are linked to organizational goals and our belief in Public Relations as a management discipline. Our focus on global exposure to our young colleagues was the reason we went into an international alliance in 2004, with Porter Novelli.  Our colleagues, since then, have attended international training programmes. This immersion to learning in our early years has withstood the test of time.

We continue to invest in upskilling and the quest for learning is demonstrated top-down.   Our experience tells us that the best training - both soft and hard skills, happens at work.  Timely guidance, direction and rich hands-on experience, aided by a flat structure allows our young team members to work with their seniors to gain the best possible training that there is in our industry.

How do client expectations differ between Indian and international markets? Do they still rely on traditional methodologies or adapting to new technologies?

Think of a global or Indian client working across five markets in EMEA, the US, Europe or APAC.  Would they have separate budgets for each market?  My fundamental question is then why is it in India, they expect services in five markets to come at the fee of one market?

The fees in India are unsustainable, unviable when compared to the expectations of clients. It is not merely a standard fee across markets that is the problem.  There is also an expectation to provide strategic insights, sophisticated measurement frameworks, tools and technologies, all at a low price.  While this is not across the industry, fee models and structures are disconnected from expectations. 

What does the future of PR look like to you, and how is your firm preparing for the digital shift?

The future of Public Relations is one of reinvention—anchored in core values of stakeholder trust, yet boldly embracing the digital transformation sweeping across industries. As communication mediums increasingly shift to digital, the role of PR is evolving from simply managing narratives to becoming architects of engagement, trust, and innovation. The fusion of technology and creativity is no longer optional; it’s the engine powering the next phase of the profession.

AI, automation, AR/VR, and hyper personalization will reshape how we connect with audiences—enabling tailored, immersive experiences at scale. The traditional boundaries of PR are dissolving, making way for practitioners to lead across all content streams—Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned (PESO). The influence ecosystem is also shifting, with subject matter experts, content creators, and digital aggregators becoming just as critical as traditional media.

To thrive in this future, The PRactice is investing in capability-building across technology, digital storytelling, data analytics, influencer mapping, and SEO-backed content. We are also reimagining talent—moving beyond communication schools to attract a diverse mix of creative, designers, data scientists, and social media experts. We are creating integrated teams that blend Public Relations, social, and content strategy to ensure campaigns are platform-agnostic and insight-driven. Our goal is to stay relevant and future-ready in a communications landscape that is rapidly being reshaped by digital.

With the right mindset, investment, and agility, we believe Public Relations can not only remain relevant but emerge as a vital force driving business impact, reputation, and societal value.