MAM
Create value wherever life places you: Madison’s Vanita Keswani
MUMBAI: During lockdown, we may not be living life like monks, but we are certainly living under restrictions. For us, the lack of hustle and bustle is quite unsettling. We’re so accustomed to this fast-paced life that when it ceases, we may feel anxious and uneasy. In this quietness, our minds are occupied by this constant chatter which refuses to go. At this moment, when our lives are at risk, there is a concern of job security and financial stability; it is easy for negative thoughts to emerge. Under this situation, what is the role of spirituality? Why is it important? To answer all these questions Indiantelevision.com spoke to Madison Media Sigma CEO Vanita Keswani who through her poem invokes the underlying emotion that every human needs to address, especially during these testing times.
Excerpts:
What is the importance of spirituality in your life?
Spirituality has helped me discover meaning and purpose in all areas of my life. It drives me towards constant self-improvement and plays a pivotal role in polishing innate humane qualities like trust, sense of responsibility and empowerment.
How can entrepreneurship and spirituality go together?
Japanese reformist Makiguchi suggests that work can provide three kinds of value – Beauty (work that we like), Benefit (financial security) and Good (value to society). Entrepreneurship can help build either or each of these values depending on the entrepreneur’s objectives.
Please tell us about your love for poetry?
I am fascinated by the rhyme and rhythm in which poetry flows and appeases our senses. This passion of mine has its roots in school activities of elocution and poetry writing.
Has your inclination to spirituality helped you get through the lockdown?
Certainly, spirituality has helped me elevate my fundamental life state and manifest high vitality and stamina amidst challenging circumstances. These trying times have given me the opportunity to apply spiritual concepts like “oneness of life and environment” and “changing poison to medicine.” Rather than being at the mercy of the environment, I am learning to influence my environment inside out through positivity.
What advice would you like to give others who may be exploring this?
Constantly unearth the jewel of your life and polish it. Seek your own entity and unique purpose in life.
Who or what has shaped who you are?
I have been blessed to find greater meaning in my life through the life-transforming philosophy of Nicherin Daishon in Buddhism. My family and my workplace have played a major role in the evolutionary process.
What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
My greatest fear is of not being in control and not knowing what to do in certain challenging situations. For managing my fear, I work on building the tenacity of my mind through meditation and chanting and act by working harder and giving my absolute best. I truly believe that each such fearful situation that I successfully overcome, which makes me stronger and wiser.
If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
I am a firm believer in the mantra, “From this moment onwards now”. I like to live the drama of life regret-free. So, no retakes.
If you were to write a book about yourself, how would you name it?
The name of my book would be ‘pH balance’. The foreword would describe the relevance of the title – discovering my purpose and happiness in life
What business-related book has inspired you the most? (or, What is your favorite book?)
Stories at Work – Unlock the secret to Business storytelling by Indranil Chakraborty. It inspires me to use storytelling to create a lasting impact among audiences that I address.
What mindsets helped make you successful?
When work is a pleasure, life is a joy.
Create value wherever life places you.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
