How do you make closer connections between UK India. Or indeed any two countries. The recent UK India Week, the brainchild of Manoj Ladwa’s IndiaInc, provides some important rules.
Rule 1: Be Bold
UK India week was not just an Awards evening, or just a magazine launch, or just a list. It was, like the UK Government’s UK Tech week, a week of events. Most people do an awards. Few dare to do an awards, a launch of the 100 most influential, a conclave over two days with CEOs of the biggest firms and telecast Ministers giving Q and A and launch a young leaders group too! That’s bold. That substance builds momentum.
Rule 2: Be High Profile
Not just the ministers that were at this event, and the Foreign Secretary in person and PM by video, but also via social media before, during and after. Energy attracts positive reputation and makes something enduring.
Rule 3: Be Deep, Be Intimate
These were not yet another awards. Everything around all the groups was in depth to allow a sharing of ideas and networks. That is critical. It was the deep purpose to make a genuinely substantial change which results in change happening. It is not just people talking at you, once, but a back and forth over a week of events that leads to relationships. An overnight conclave outside London is high risk – but it worked. The intimacy meant deep conversations and closer networking with senior people than the usual dip in and out.
And when IndiaInc makes clear time and again – the visa issue is a problem for both UK and India, it trickles through – it should make more of an impact than other channels.
Rule 4: Be Innovative and Disruptive
People don’t like the same old. By having a week, adding all these approaches under one roof, and with the intent to make the relationship game changing or step-changed better, it is not just another speech then moving on, but something long-lasting and deeper feedback to the Governments of both countries. Or as IndiaInc said – let’s be ‘transformational’. Without ambition and vision there is no change.
Rule 5: Follow Ups and Momentum
No events matter, no digital newsletter, magazine, event, if it is not sustained, with energy and followed up each week. That’s what IndiaInc has been doing. The magazine ensures it, bring together the biggest names in the bilateral relationship.
Of course, I should not be surprised, Manoj set up the National Hindu Students Forum – and what an incredible enduring entity that is.
