Srinagar, June 12: The South Asia Edition of the book, ‘ Marketing to the Poor’ was released at a function organized by Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Management (HSS&M) on Monday at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar.
The book is jointly edited by Prof. Ramendra Singh (IIM Calcutta) and Dr. Tahir A. Wani. Top academicians across the world have contributed chapters to the book and have covered all major aspects of post Covid19 scenario.
The function was presided over by Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. (Dr.) Sudhakar Yedla, who was Chief Guest on the occasion. The function was attended by Institute’s Registrar, Prof. Syed Kaiser Bukhari, Dean Faculty Welfare Prof. G.A Harmain, Dean Alumni and International Affairs, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Sheikh, Dean Planning & Development Dr. J. A. Bhat, Dean Students Welfare Prof. Abdul Liman and Head HSS&M Prof. Neyaz Ahmad.
In his presidential address, Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. (Dr) Sudhakar Yedla congratulated Dr. Tahir A. Wani and Prof. Ramendra Singh for bringing the book on the relevant theme.
He said India that in India the rural-urban migration is significant and it is one of the drivers of economic growth. Major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore are dependent on migrant populations, especially in the informal sector.
However, Covid19 essentially triggered the reverse migration in the country. The Government of India has given a lot of financial incentives for the returned migrants to encourage them to start SMEs which could in turn augment the rural economy.
“The original idea was to retain that returned migrant population in their respective areas so that the rural economy can also be brought up by promoting rural entrepreneurship” Director NIT said.
Prof. Yedla further said cities are called drivers of urban economic growth and especially in Asia. In that context, it is very important to identify marketing strategies, market approaches, and mechanisms for the rural area so that the economic growth can be inclusive and firmly rooted.
“I really appreciate and congratulate Dr. Tahir and his team for their good efforts in bringing this timely book in that area, which is very important in the context of Covid19 and post-COVID scenarios etc,” he said.
Prof. Yedla hoped that in the future more faculty members from NIT Srinagar will come up with more books on prevailing topics in engineering and non-engineering areas.
In his message, Institute’s Registrar, Prof. Syed Kaiser Bukhari appreciated the efforts of Dr. Tahir and his team for the book. The book has addressed the rural economy and addressed the long-term effects of the pandemic and comprehensive strategies, he said.
Dean Faculty Welfare Prof. Harmain also congratulated Dr. Tahir and his entire team. In India, still, a large section of people has not come out of Covid19 pandemic losses, he said.
“We have been touched by the hard work, which the poor still have to perform to meet their daily requirements. The book has touched and highlighted all those aspects. I express my gratitude to Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. Yedla for attending this book release function,” Prof. Harmain said.
Head HSS&M, Prof. Neyaz Ahmad appreciated the efforts of Dr. Tahir. “Your dedication, knowledge, and expertise in your field have undoubtedly been instrumental in this accomplishment, ” he said.
Prof. Niyaz said Dr. Tahir joined NIT Srinagar in the year 2019 and is among the most senior faculty members in the department. He is hardworking and dedicated.
“This book not only showcases scholarly prowess but also serves as a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals alike,” he added.
The book is praised by authors across the globe including Jagdish N Sheth, GB School, Emory University USA, CB Bhattacharya (University of Pittsburgh, USA, Srinivas Venugopal (University of USA). Prof. Raymond P. Fisk, Texas State University USA Founder, and President, ServCollab has written the foreword of the book.
“The idea of working on this book came after I witnessed that the informal sector was least impacted during the long shutdowns in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Then I contacted Prof. Ramendra Singh who is Professor of Marketing at IIM Calcutta to explore this sector of the rural economy,” he said.
Dr. Tahir said top authors from across the globe have contributed to the book and brought together a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and experiences from various cultural, academic, and professional backgrounds.
