Mumbai, February 10, 2020: Whistling Woods International (WWI), Asia’s premier Film, Communication, and Creative Arts institute, today, announced the launch of the newest addition to its academic repertoire – the School of Event Management. The pioneering institute will offer students an in-depth study of the diverse and ever-evolving field of event management and experiential marketing, and positively impact the development of the nation’s media & entertainment industry.
The launch of the School of Event Management comes at a critical stage for the profession in India. Event management is currently the fastest growing industry in the media space after digital marketing. As per a study conducted by Ernst & Young, the sector is growing at 16 per cent year-on-year, with the organised events industry estimated to reach INR 10,000 crores by 2021. Despite these figures, more than 83 per cent of the respondents interviewed for the study highlighted the lack of qualified and experienced professionals as the biggest impediment to the field’s continued growth.
WWI aims to tackle this pressing demand through a comprehensive, industry-run curriculum created and taught by the practising event industry experts. The academic foundation is built on an understanding of the most relevant trends and methods being deployed globally by event and experiential practitioners, and will follow a four-pronged approach to study comprising of theory, practical workshops and masterclasses with industry experts, on-the-job training and live projects on campus and industry events, and do-it-yourself research assessments on core subjects. These steps will produce a generation of globally accredited, industry-ready graduates equipped with the requisite skills and knowledge to take the field forward.
The School will offer aspirants two different levels of qualifications in Event Management and Experiential Marketing – a Bachelor’s Degree and a Postgraduate Diploma. The Bachelor’s Degree runs for six semesters over the course of three years, and offers students an in-depth study of Integrated Marketing Communications, Media and Entertainment industry in context to Events, the designing, planning, and execution of multiple event scenarios, the use of events with respect to corporate communications, personal celebrations, intellectual properties and sales and marketing. The Postgraduate Diploma is a 1-year programme, and it is designed for graduates aspiring to enter the event management business with a focus on entertainment and live marketing, thereby creating a multi-faceted and versatile professional. Both degrees are accredited by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
“Whistling Woods International has always been a pioneer in the nation’s media and entertainment education sector. The launch of the School of Event Management is a continuation of that legacy, and we couldn’t be more excited. Our newly introduced programmes fulfil a much-needed role in the Indian media and entertainment industry,” said Ms. Meghna Ghai Puri, President of WWI, at the launch. “By combining our unique teaching methodologies and processes, with the accumulated wisdom of our expert professional academicians, we look forward to taking the Event management industry to new heights with our world-class graduates.”
The School of Event Management will be headed by industry veterans, Mr Deepak Choudhary, Director & CEO, Event Capital; Mr Jateen Rajput, Founder & Director, Consumer Links (Event Management firm) and Ms Jimmy Choudhary, Director, EVENTFAQS Media Pvt. Ltd.
Mr. Deepak Choudhary, who will contribute his expertise as the Chief Mentor of the school, stated, “Event Management, is one of the fastest-growing and the most sought-after sectors in India’s media landscape. Whistling Woods International have anticipated the importance of this field with the launch of the School of Event Management, and I’m thrilled at the opportunity to be a part of it. With the support and experience of the WWI family and the first-hand experience of our staff, we’re excited to offer world-class education in event management to the aspiring students.”
Mr. Deepak Choudhary is the Director and CEO of Event Capital and Founder of EVENTFAQS. As a serial entrepreneur with over 16 years of experience, he has played an integral part in establishing the event industry in India.
The faculty also comprises Mr. Jateen Rajput, HOD, School of Events Management, who brings over 29 years of experience as a working professional and academician and Ms. Jimmy Choudhary, Business Head, School of Event Management, also the Director at EVENTFAQS Media Pvt. Ltd. The School of Event Management’s Advisory Board features leading names from the nation’s event management and media fraternity, and consists of Anant Rangaswami, Editor at WION Melt; Brian Tellis, Co-founder and CEO, Fountainhead MKTG; Harindra Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, Percept India; Mahesh Shetty, Head of Network Sales, Viacom 18; Martin Da Costa, Founder and CEO, 70 Event Management Group; Mohomed Gulamali Morani, Managing Director, Cineyug Group of Companies; Neeraj Roy, Founder and CEO, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Limited; Rajeev Jain, Director, Rashi Entertainment; Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder and CEO, Kyoorius Group; Roshan Abbas, Managing Director, Geometry Encompass; Sameer Mutreja, Director, STCH Integrated Communication Solutions; Sameer Tobaccowala, CEO, Shobiz Experiential Communications; Samit Garg, CEO and Co-founder, E-Factor; Sanjoy Roy, Managing Director, TeamWork Arts; Vinit Karnik, Business Head – Entertainment Sports and Partnerships, GroupM Media; Vivek Bhargava, CEO-Dan Performance Group, Dentsu Aegis Network; and Vivek Singh, Co-founder and Joint Managing Director, Procam International.
