MAM
Indian advertising stalwart AG Krishnamurthy passes away
MUMBAI: An entrepreneur to the core… a creative disrupter who did not care about the establishment and the way it functioned in the late seventies and eighties. This perhaps best describes Atchyutani Gopala Krishnamurthy, fondly known as AGK, who passed away at the age of 73 in Hyderabad following a brief hospitalisation on 5 February.
The founder, chairman and managing director of Mudra Communications, AGK was regarded by many in the industry as a legend — an adman, a creative genius, a pioneer in business and marketing, and an author — all rolled into one. His sudden demise after a brief illness came as a shock to many. Incidentally, 5 February, 2016 also marked the silver jubilee of MICA – the advertising institute, which Krishnamurthy established.
Krishnamurthy had been an inspiration for many generations of advertising enthusiasts and veteran creatives in the country, and his ‘rags to riches’ story of setting up Mudra Communications from a Rs 35,000 and one client company to an empire worth millions, is one of the biggest success stories of our times.
Born on 28 April, 1942 in Vinukonda, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, Krishnamurthy didn’t start off his career in advertising but chance and impromptu necessity led him in. In 1968 he joined the Calico Mills, a big textile name in the 60s and 70s, to assist Giraben Sarabhai. Later, he was commissioned by Reliance Dhirubhai Ambani to come up with “the best possible advertising in textiles” for Reliance’s in-house fabric brand, Vimal. And from him came the brand’s tagline – ‘Only Vimal.’ He was also the man behind the simple yet evergreen tagline – ‘I love you Rasna.’
By 1980, AGK had christened ‘Mudra’ as an independent advertising agency while scouting for like minded business partners. With his insights and leadership, it didn’t take long for Mudra to become a full-service national-level advertising house.
He later penned a biographical book titled Dhirubhaism on Dhirubhai Ambani’s business philosophy and the anecdotes that he shared with Krishnamurthy when they worked together, which is still referred to by many management and business students.
Although his creative works are revered and celebrated even today, his biggest contribution to the advertising fraternity is no doubt, setting up of MICA or Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad as it was earlier called. It was the first of its kinds in all of Asia when it was established in 1991.
AGK’s talent for starting new businesses and establishing its success in the market didn’t end there. After retiring from Mudra in 2003, he founded AGK Brand Consulting as ran it as chairman.
A few ad men took to social media to express their grief.
Cartwheel Creative founder Ramakrishna Desiraju, popularly known as Ramki tweeted, “Flooded by memories of AGK. What a remarkably atypical adman he was. MICA, perhaps more than Mudra, will be his lasting legacy. RIP. Much too late, I regret not staying in touch with AGK. His strange accent, his warm smile, and his earthy wisdom will always stay with me.”
R K Swamy Hansa Group chairman SK Swamy tweeted, “Hardly 74 years Founder of Mudra Communications AG Krishnamurthy is no more. He changed the rules when he ruled….”
Krishnamurthy is survived by his wife, three daughters and son. We at Indiantelevision.com express our heartfelt condolences to the family. May his soul rest in peace.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
