In a world flooded with information, shaped by AI-led discovery, and defined by shrinking attention spans, Public Relations is undergoing a profound transformation. What was once largely about securing the right headline in the right publication has evolved into something far more complex and consequential—shaping reputation not just for audiences, but for algorithms too. On National PR Day, industry leaders reflect on how PR is no longer a support function, but a strategic driver of trust, influence, and long-term business impact.
At a time when stakeholders—from consumers to investors—are scrutinising whether brands truly live their values, the role of PR has expanded into building credibility across every touchpoint. The discipline today sits at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and societal responsibility, making it more relevant than ever before.
Girish Bala, Founder, ON PURPOSE
"On National PR Day, I'd like to recognise and celebrate the positive change PR enables in society. Whether its raising awareness of causes that matter or bringing more dignity to the lives of the under-represented, we must bring the power of our craft to tell stories of individuals and organisations driving real change on the ground."
Abhi Mahapatra, Senior Strategic Communications & Marketing Advisor
"On National PR Day, it’s a good moment to recognise that while many aspects of Public Relations in India have changed, the core of earning trust hasn’t. In a culturally diverse and highly opinionated market, PR professionals are no longer just storytellers; they are custodians of reputation, expected to respond with both speed and sensitivity. The real value of PR today lies in staying authentic while being agile, and consistently translating tha into tangible business and societal impact."
Nandini Chatterjee, former Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, PwC
"PR has never been more critical, as consumers, employees, investors and communities closely scrutinise whether organisations’ words align with their actions, placing PR at the heart of shaping consistent narratives and corporate reputation.
In an AI-driven discovery environment, where search increasingly draws from credible earned and owned sources, the value of well-crafted narratives in trusted publications is only growing.
PR and Communications is moving beyond a support role to become a strategic imperative, demanding sharp judgement on what to say, when to say it, and how to navigate crises."
Rishi Seth, Founder and CEO, Evoc
"National PR Day is an occasion to remind us all that in this age shaped by AI-slop, misinformation, information overload and shrinking attention spans, public relations is one of the most strategic and effective disciplines for organisations and leaders. PR has always had a fundamental role in building trust, credibility, and shaping public understanding, but today this role is more critical than ever. In fact, few disciplines can match the strategic value of a well-run PR program in helping organisations engage with stakeholders with clarity and conviction.”
Lovina Gujral, COO, Candour Communications
"It's a very interesting time to be in the PR industry in India, and I mean that in the best way. For most of the last two decades, our job was to earn a client a mention in the right publication, in front of the right reader, on the right day. While that hasn't gone away, what is changing is that there's now a second audience reading everything we put out but they don't buy newspapers. A new layer of truth has emerged. When someone asks an AI model about a category or a brand, the model answers from whatever the open web has decided is true about that company. That's the real reputation layer forming right now. PR has always been about shaping what's said about you when you're not in the room. That room just got a lot bigger. PR agencies that will matter over the next ten years are the ones that stop thinking of themselves as media relations shops and start thinking of themselves as credibility engineers for humans and machines alike. On this National PR Day, that's the bet we are making."
Madhvendra Das, Co-Founder, The Good Edge
"I believe PR's sweet spot lies in becoming a strategic tool for managements and leaders from all walks. National PR Day during this year of amazing global newsflows is a timely reminder for us PR practitioners to become a lot more strategic in client interactions and to harness AI effectively as an enabler. We also need to attract a lot more top talent to our industry."
Chetan Mahajan, CEO and Founder, Maverick
“PR is transforming, not fading. The craft of earning influence now plays out across media, policy, digital, and AI ecosystems, but the core of the discipline has not changed. It remains about earning trust, not chasing attention. At The Mavericks, we choose fewer, deeper partnerships, measuring success in business impact rather than noise, and treating reputation as the most strategic form of capital a brand owns: the one asset that compounds over time.”
Aman Dhall, Founder, CommsCredible
"PR has evolved from a relationship-led function to an intelligence-driven one. Today, it’s not about moments of visibility, but about building a narrative that is consistently discoverable across media, search, social, and AI. If your story isn’t structured, it simply won’t show up where decisions are made.
The biggest misconception is that one headline or viral campaign can shift perception overnight. It may create attention, but trust is built through consistency. Perception doesn’t change in spikes—it compounds when messaging is clear and aligned across touchpoints.
PR now sits at the core of how businesses are evaluated. Stakeholders form opinions before any interaction, based on what they discover and validate online. This makes narrative clarity and credibility critical.
Going forward, PR will bridge online intelligence with offline confidence. Companies that invest in structured storytelling won’t just be more visible—they’ll be more trusted. Because today, it’s not just visibility that matters—actual intelligence does.”
