Mark Tully’s talk kicks off PRSI’s ‘Samvaad’ series. And he has some advice on listening

The lecture was the first of a series of lectures that will be organised under 'Samvaad' initiative of Public Relations Society of India

New Delhi: At a time when one often feels inundated by the barrage of information churned out by social media, veteran journalist and former BBC New Delhi Bureau Chief Sir William Mark Tully comes in handy and timely: listen and inculcate it like an art. Addressing a gathering of PR and media professionals at the first of a series of Samvad lectures organised by Public Relations Society of India's (PRSI) Delhi chapter, Tully said that India already has a culture of listening, even if it seems to be missing from the milieu right now. Urging people to find the art within India's culture, the former journalist stressed on the role of 'listening' in a good conversation.

Tully's stint with BBC in India

was born in India's Tollygunge before the country attained independence. At the age of nine, he was sent to England for further schooling. He joined the BBC in 1964 and moved to India in 1965 to work as the India Correspondent. During his stint with BBC in India, he covered all major incidents in South Asia, ranging from Indo-Pakistan conflicts, Bhopal gas tragedy, Operation Blue Star (and the subsequent assassination of Indira Gandhi, anti-Sikh riots), the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi to the demolition of Babri Masjid. He was barred from entering India during Emergency in 1975–77 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had imposed censorship curbs on the media.

What is PRSI?

The lecture was the first of a series of lectures that will be organised under 'Samvaad' initiative of PRSI. PRSI is a non-profit national association of PR practitioners which was established in 1958 to promote the recognition of public relations as a profession and to formulate and interpret to the public the objectives and the potentialities of public relations as a strategic management function. The members of the society are public relations practitioners from multinationals, public and private sector, academics and PR consultants.