Public relations will have to adapt to rapid advances in technology while remaining rooted in India’s social and cultural realities if it is to support the country’s long-term development goals, Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) said at a meeting with a delegation of the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) in Dehradun.
The delegation met the Governor at Lok Bhawan on Saturday and invited him to the 47th All India Public Relations Conference, scheduled to be held in Dehradun from 13 to 15 December.
Singh said public relations has a role in interpreting what he described as India’s “soul” – its social fabric, cultural values and public sentiment – and in communicating these in a structured and accessible manner. He added that effective public communication is a necessary component in achieving the Union government’s Viksit Bharat @ 2047 vision, since large-scale development programmes rely on citizen awareness and participation.
With artificial intelligence, quantum technology and other digital tools reshaping information flows, the Governor said the responsibilities of communication professionals have expanded. He noted that technology adoption in PR, whether in data-led insights, content creation or outreach, must be aligned with India’s cultural and social context to retain credibility and relevance.
Singh also said that public relations should not be viewed only as message dissemination or image management. According to him, strategic communication can help provide direction to public discourse by putting facts, context and policy choices in front of citizens and stakeholders in a clear manner.
On the use of social media, the Governor stressed the need for responsible and evidence-based communication. He pointed out that positive, factual and public-oriented messaging can influence behaviour and debate, particularly at a time when misinformation and polarised narratives circulate easily across platforms.
During the interaction, the PRSI delegation presented the Governor with the conference brochure and outlined the organisation’s activities and objectives. They informed him that the theme of this year’s convention is “Role of Public Relations in Viksit Bharat @ 2047”, with sessions expected to cover areas such as government communication, corporate and financial PR, crisis management, digital strategies and the integration of emerging technologies.
More than 300 delegates from different states are expected to attend the three-day conference in Dehradun. Against the backdrop of Uttarakhand’s Silver Jubilee year, the delegation said special sessions will focus on the state’s development trajectory over the past 25 years, key milestones and future priorities. These discussions are likely to examine how communication strategies have supported policy roll-outs, investment promotion, tourism outreach and citizen engagement in the hill state.
Those present at the meeting included Joint Director of Information Dr. Nitin Upadhyay, PRSI Dehradun Chapter President Ravi Bijarniya, Secretary Anil Sati, Treasurer Suresh Bhatt, and members Sanjay Bhargava and Vaibhav Goyal.
