WHAT’S YOUR ITCH?
~ ITCH SUMMIT 2019 INITIATED BY PKSBE, HOSTS REVOLUTIONARY SPEAKERS; HARNESSES NEW WAVE OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR INDIAN YOUTH ~
MUMBAI, MARCH 1, 2019 – The Prahlad Kakar school of Branding & Entrepreneurship (PKSBE) concluded the second edition of ITCH Summit 2019. Held at the ISME, this edition of the ITCH Summit saw a confluence of game-changers from a diverse array of fields who shared their itch that drove them to excel.
The day-long event began with an opening ceremony led by Prahlad Kakar, founder and chairman, PKSBE and Pratish Nair, founder and managing director, PKSBE. Commenting on the summit, Mr. Nair said, “Entrepreneurship is all about pursuing your passion in the face of all odds, and today PKSBE is pleased to welcome a fearless group of individuals who chose to follow their individual itch, and in so doing reshaped the world.”
An extraordinary array of speakers from diverse walks of life subsequently graced the stage, at the itch summit 2019. The day started with Dr. Sindhutai Sapkal, known as the ‘mother of orphans’, speaking about her story of self-sacrifice and love. Following her session, renowned filmmaker and screenwriter Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra shared his journey and delighted the audience with anecdotes from the making of Rang De Basanti. He added, “Filmmaking is about expressing and one should have the itch to express it.”
Ankit Kawatra, the founder of non-profit ‘Feeding India’, shared the inspiration behind his itch to end hunger in the nation. This was followed by a session by education pioneer Bina Lashkari, founder of initiatives such as the Door Step School and School on Wheels. Activist Shree Gauri Sawant, director of the Sakhi Char Chowghi trust, also shared her dream of creating a safe environment for the children of sex workers.
Indian cinema actor Raveena Tandon said, “I have always lived by my terms and conditions.” She also added, “I have had and still have an itch for many things in life. But one of the biggest itches is to standby what you want to do and not follow anyone’s instructions.” Professional film critic and voiceover artist Sucharita Tyagi emphasized the importance of pursuing a career one loves. The session was concluded by Uday Deshpande, speaking about his dedication to nurture and promote the ancient Indian sport of Mallakhamb.
The second half of the day got off to a rousing start with the inspirational tale of Mamta Prasad, author of ‘Running in Circles’ and founder of Shabda – an NGO dedicated to treating mental illnesses. Acclaimed director Amit Sharma, well known for the highest grossing Bollywood films of 2018 ‘Badhaai ho’, and Nawneet Ranjan, the documentarian who created ‘Dharavi Diary’, then took turns to describe the motivating itch that drove them to such heights of success.
As the evening progressed, principals from various schools came together for a panel to discuss “Schools Stifling Creativity?” Following the exciting debate, actor Vidya Balan spoke about her role in reshaping Indian cinema by shattering stereotypes. She said, “I am excited to be a part of itch summit. This is a great platform for people who have an itch and have nurtured their itch to achieve success. I feel one should always follow their heart instead of following stereotypes to reach great heights.” She also added, “It is important to keep aside negative thoughts and go forth with a positive mindset.”
The day concluded with Anupam Bokey, VP Marketing, RPSG (FMCG), Vidya Balan and Prahlad Kakar taking about the need for healthy snacking in the country.
In addition, the ITCH Summit 2019, also saw little Miss itch Advika Nair, youngest TEDX speaker, taking the stage on several occasions to ask pertinent questions to the speakers. Mr. Prahlad Karkar and Mr. Pratish Nair also spoke about the need for nurturing entrepreneurial spirit. With lively music and engaging sessions from each of the speakers, the event was well applauded by the audiences present.
The ITCH Summit 2019 was supported by Fujifilm Instax, Too Yumm, Manyavar, fortune magazine, d’Décor, Grand Hyatt, Classmate, ISME, The Bohri Kitchen, Society Tea, Univarity, SLN (School Leaders Network) and Fever 104 fm.
