When special ability dismantles many myths of disability
I’m not supposed to be alive today.
I was born with Cerebral Palsy, with 70 percent movement restriction. I had to go through 4 surgeries, each one, more difficult that the last. But, that’s where my fascination with relationships was born. That’s how my journey with public relations began. Human beings, what drive them, and how to forge the relationships that matter.
That’s what I do with my public relations firm, PR Signal.
Growing up, I was isolated, and the people I was closest to were the doctors and nurses in the hospital. Through observation, I realized we’re all looking to create impact.
On your deathbed, all you can want, is the people you’ve touched.
My life and journey has allowed me to be connected with people from United Nations, World Economic Forum, Forbes, Entrepreneur. I am also a part of organizations like Rotary International, Public Relations Society of India, Indus Entrepreneurs Network, International Human Rights Organization, Newspapers Association of India, and many others.
It’s an incredible privilege to be alive.
In my free time, I’m involved with organizations to help differently-abled persons find opportunities for themselves. My favourite hobby is understanding human beings, what drive them, and intersection of media, and brand messaging. I believe, now, more than ever, Public Relations is a key and integral tool for any brand to amplify their message globally.
I’m eager to see how far and how much it evolves in the decades to come.
“The human spirit is one of ability, perseverance and courage that no disability can steal away” thus goes a saying. It is also said that disability is nothing but a perception. In many ways it is so. It is possibly the reason why no less a science-genius than Stephen Hawkins put it in black and white, “My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don’t regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit as well as physically.” Sumit Agarwal, the 28 years old Kolkata based PR Entrepreneur with 70% disability even after going through three major surgeries treats this advice of the great man as a biblical tenet for all like him.
Born with cerebral palsy, Sumit has been a never-say-never-die champion fighter who has completed his formal education with a PGDM in business administration and for the journey that was almost infinitely arduous he minces no words to salute his mother who according to him “is an exemplary ordinary Indian mother with extraordinary grit and resolve”. Factually speaking, she singlehandedly braved every odd coming her way to get her son’s schooling and post schooling education in the institutions for normal children, to fortify him emotionally and instil in him the confidence that would enable him to make the difference. Endowed with all these elements of special grooming, Sumit has grown into a self-confident professional with no trace of so-called inferiority complex that used to pull him back in his early boyhood. He confidently echoes the author of Dan D’s Candies Shane E. Bryan’s declaration, “I do not have a disability; I have a gift! Others may see it as a disability, but I see it as a challenge. This challenge is a gift because I have to become stronger to get around it, a smarter to figure out how to use it; others should be so lucky.”
Kolkata based Sumit today is on the fast track as an acclaimed entrepreneur in the Public Relations industry in India, and a motivational speaker cum inclusion-right activist for the differently abled young people. In other word, a rising spokesperson of his fraternity determined to see the disable integrating into the mainstream. A significantly visible face on Indian Disabled Entrepreneurship Forum, he himself has founded and leads his fledgling public relations agency, PR Signal providing both holistic and customised solutions to market-sensitive needs of his growing clientele. His service portfolio that also includes ‘concept to commissioning’ projects of events looks more impressive for its focus on innovative approach. What has provided the much-coveted edge to his agency is participative management style which in business term has paid rich dividends through successful strives in image management for plethora brands.
His agency has handled among others strategy driven publicity of various events including Digi-Ability 2018, TiECON 2018, Siege Art & Wine Carnival, Elite Conclave Launch Party, Inclov Social Spaces, Hair Pro Product Launch, besides formulating an advisory PR planning for some Non-Governmental Organizations such as Kalyani Life Institute, Shishur Sevay and Artemis Fountain Foundation etc. Sumit’s penchant for employing noble techniques to maximize the gains out of every project he undertakes is one more attribute the industry takes notice of. It’s been giving him an additional mileage as a professional by boosting his domain expertise.
Sumit has also closely worked with the celebrated personalities like Mr. Sandeep Marwah, founder-Noida Film City and Communication and Soft Skill Coach, Ms Sujata Mukherjee. Nonetheless, buck does not stop here. To be more precise, he does not allow himself to be content with his hunger for new challenges. He is indefatigable, especially to create his wealth of expertise. It is evident there in his attempt to specialize in the art and technique of managing non-profit organisations, even though these are mostly the advisory roles. He has significantly contributed to refashioning some of the operation models that he thought would suit his kind of business and maybe someone like him with the same fire in his or her belly. He is a bit finicky about proper corporate culture in place. And, he wants this culture to be vibrant, proactive, progressive, responsive, self-evolving and open to ideas uncompromisingly.
His association with top-notch organisations in various capacities, such as Rotary International, Newspapers Association of India (NAI), Public Relations Society of India (PRSI), International Human Rights Organisation (IHRO), and Rotary Means Business (RMB), among others keeps adding to his confidence and capabilities various facets of strategic public relations. He sees it as an extra edge that enable him to see things differently. Naturally, his PR agency, PR Signal reaps the reward with its wheels of growth on the right track, if not the fast track.
Sumit, of all his professional associations and attachments, holds that with PRSI in high esteem. His admission says, “I have learnt a lot literally from this apex body of public relations professionals. Still I get to know from this platform the crucial dynamics of deeper connectivity with the people across all strata, thus the importance of the story of every individual you come in contact with; the importance of reinventing oneself continually through every assignment that challenges your limit.” He stands emphatic on raising their bar, both individually as a professional or a business leader and collectively to ensure organisational leadership. It is also about exploring ways to grow, for a life enriched with a broader world view. He knows it for certain that public relations in this complex time of omnipresent marketing warfare has adapted to the digital age and demands nonstop innovations.
“Over the past decade, the advent and obliteration of technologies at neck breaking speed, split second connectivity through Internet and the exponential rise in the use of social media has become the global mainstream. It asks for no nonsense professionalism. We have to be more prepared than ever before to live up to the task. We also have to be ahead of our time to be spot on in guessing the upcoming trend.
News, real and fake, is spreading like wild fire and get viral before batting an eyelid. All these and much more are testing our worth, our intelligence, skill set, intellectual flexibility and professional resolve for accomplishing a given task.”, he comments. While saying this, he gave a hearty thumps-up to the digital age he belongs to. As the age in question has unleashed an unprecedented matrix of engaging brand communication. He concluded with a snapshot of his business fundamentals: “We treat all types of clients — including start-ups, non-profit organisations, individuals and corporates with the same level of respect and same degree of commitment. Size does not matter to us. We are focused on quality of our services within every budgetary ambit. After all quality speaks volumes of one’s self esteem and for you, at the end.”
