EEMAGINE: Growing Together Leading Forward
ES. Youโve led Catpro Events for over 27 years and now serve as EEMAโs EVP. How has your leadership experience shaped your contributions to Indiaโs events industry?
PVN Vidyasagar. My experience of 28 plus years has taken me through a wide array of experiences and places through various events for the corporate world and the government. These interactions have helped me understand the vagaries of various issues that are faced by the industry at different stages and has helped me guide us through the same. The perspective broadens every day and this only helps me and my other collaborators and friends in the industry.
ES. Can you outline the core theme and objectives of EEMAGINE 2025? What set this yearโs edition apart?
PVN Vidyasagar. The core theme of EEMAGINE this year was to grow ourselves as companies and individuals through learning, collaborations, etc. This year’s edition was a first in many ways – A record attendance because of which we had to close registrations 15 days prior to the conclave. The launch of a code of conduct for the industry and our members. The launch of the first phase of the Health and Safety initiative. An evolved launch of the We Care initiative with the POSH module. Amidst the serious business, we also had the lovely settings and location of the Fairmont Udaipur and the phenomenal service and food set up by the hotel. An unforgettable experience.
ES. How is EEMA, through EEMAGINE, responding to emerging trends such as AI integration, health safety standards, and experiential design?
PVN Vidyasagar. EEMA, through EEMAGINE and throughout the year , conducts various workshops on multiple subjects, both online and offline, for members and the industry at large. At EEMAGINE, we had international speakers who lead the way in their core areas, who shared their experience and knowledge with us. As I mentioned earlier, the first phase of the health and safety module was also launched, which will help members self assess the same on site, live and hopefully, will be the beginning of a safe environment for the industry.These workshops will continue through the year and will constantly be updated, based on current day needs, as we move along.
ES. Looking ahead 3โ5 years, what goals have you set for EEMA through the lens of EEMAGINEโs evolution?
PVN Vidyasagar. EEMAGINE is an annual celebration of our industry. Where we get together to learn, collaborate, evolve, celebrate each of our members and their companies and the work that they do. The goal is to make EEMA and EEMAGINE larger and more inclusive, more relevant, become the voice of the industry to the government and external world, and address the common goals and needs of all our members. We have a long way to go as an industry, as a body and collectively, we intend walking that path together. Miles to go. This can only be achieved by working together also with allied sectors and industry bodies. Upskilling ourselves, New talent coming into the industry, Government recognition for an industry status, a safe working environment for the people in the industry, Green initiatives. Music licensing rationalisation. Quite a bit to be done. Quite a bit being done. All the efforts of the current NEC will only show up once they fructify. As we say, its all work in progress.
