Srinivasan K Swamy to be conferred with AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award

The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) today announced the recipient of this year’s AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award as Srinivasan K Swamy, Chairman of RK Swamy Hansa. This Award is the highest honour to be given to an individual in India for his/her outstanding contribution to the advertising industry. This award was instituted in 1988 by AAAI and so far 23 persons have been bestowed with this award.

Since inception in 1973 as an advertising agency, RK Swamy Hansa’s interests currently include Creative & Media, Interactive & Digital, Health Care Communications, Social & Rural Sector, Communication, Human Resources Communication, Marketing Analytics, Market Research, Events & Activation, Retail Identity, Public Relations, Continuing Medical Education, Global Language work, etc.

Swamy has been active in various industry bodies working towards the growth and development of the advertising industry. He was President of AAAI for three consecutive terms (2004-2007) and continues to take active interest in the activities of AAAI. He is the Vice Chairman of Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), and a Board Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations. Swamy was also President of All India Management Association during 2008-09. He was the President of The Madras Chamber of Commerce & Industry (2008-10), Madras Management Association (2001-02) and the Advertising Club, Madras (1988-89).

He is serving his fourth term as President of the India Chapter of International Advertising Association and was recently elected as Senior Vice President of International Advertising Association, the global body. He is Vice Chairman of Asian Federation of Advertising Associations. Earlier, he was Chairman of Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations during 2008-10.

In addition, Swamy is actively involved with socially relevant institutions for the improvement of society – viz., the Hindu Mission Hospital at Chennai; Chairman of Valluvar Gurukulam School Society, which runs a school for 2,800 poor students, primarily girls; and Vice President of National Boys and Girls Education Society, a premium education institution in Central Chennai. He is also Chairman of Vidyadhanam and Annadhanam Trust, a Vedic Padasala of Sri Ahobila Mutt and Trustee in the Consumers Association of India and Concert.

Making the announcement, Dr MG Parameswaran, President, AAAI, stated, “If there is one person who has tirelessly worked for the advertising industry, for over two decades, in various industry bodies, it is Sundar Swamy. So in a sense it was an easy choice this year. We are hopeful that AAAI and its member agencies will have his continued involvement and inputs as we navigate the ever changing terrain of advertising business.”

The AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to an individual who has been a practitioner of advertising for 25 years and had been in the top management position; has been or continues to be an active participant in industry bodies and or made significant contributions in shaping the industry priorities which enabled the advertising industry to grow, prosper and become more professionalised; individual known for his integrity, ethical practice and leadership qualities; contributed to his company/ companies’ growth by innovative thinking and taking them in newer directions; involved in projects of social consequence which is seen as a role model for the industry at large and had been an industry veteran.

The AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Swamy on July 29, 2016 in Mumbai.