TN: Biography of R K Swamy released

Chennai, May 30: A biography on R K Swamy, founder of R K Swamy BBDO, a leading player in India"s advertising and marketing services Industry, was released by Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh, at a glittering function here last night.

The first copies of the biography ""His Life and Times"" authored by V Ramnarayan and edited by V S Chakrapani, were received by former BHEL and MMTC Chairman S V S Raghavan, The Hindu Managing Director N Murali and Wheels India CMD Ram Santhanam.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ramesh described Mr Swamy as a doyen of Indian Advertising and a pioneer in Public Sector advertising.

""We need to rediscover the values that Mr Swamy brought to public sector advertising,"" he added.

There were several unconquered frontiers in advertising in the public sector at present and in a competitive atmosphere, major players too would have to make use of the edge that advertising gave them, he said.

Hailing Mr Swamy as one of the ""Trimurthis"" of Indian advertising, along with Alyque Padamsee and Mani Iyer, the Minister paid rich tributes to him for giving the public sector a new dimension through advertising.

The book chronicles the rise of Mr Swamy, who founded R K Swamy Advertising Associates in 1973 at the age of 50, through trials, tribulations and poverty to the stature of a leader in the industry.

Later, talking to UNI, Mr Ramnarayan said it took nearly six months for him to write the book after visiting several states.

""But actual writing took just one month,"" he said and added that his next book was a biography on Legendry cricketer Gundappa Vishwanath.

""I just want to start it soon. It will involve a lot of travel to several former cricketers,"" he added.

UNI