Dreamers United: The ITCH Summit 2024 Inspired Extraordinary Pursuits

The ITCH Summit 2024, which concluded recently, was organized for the student community of Miles SoBA and media & advertising aspirants from across the country to provide them with the knowledge and inspiration needed to do good for themselves and society. The summit fostered a gathering of dreamers, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and social activists who embody the spirit of turning dreams into reality. The event, created and curated by Mr. Prateesh R Nair, Founder & CEO of Agency M and Miles School of Branding & Advertising (SoBA) showcased remarkable inspiring stories from the esteemed speakers, leaving a lasting impact on each attendee.

The ITCH Summit featured Mr. Chandrakant Salunkhe, the founder and president of SME Chamber of India, as the chief guest. The event also revealed a collaboration between Agency M and SME Chamber of India to develop branding solutions for SMEs' "Made in India" products, harnessing the expertise of student interns from AgencyM to tackle real biz challenges of SmE's,  thus contributing to the nation-building and progress.

As the insightful event unfolded, Mr. Prateesh R Nair, Founder & CEO, Agency  M and Miles SoBA said, “The ITCH Summit 2024 is more than just an event; it’s a testament to the power of aspirations  & dreams and the collective drive to transcend boundaries. Through inspiring narratives and shared experiences, the summit amplifies the spirit of possibility and fosters a community dedicated to realizing dreams.”

The event commenced with a welcome address by Mr. Vinod Madhavan, Vice President-Academic Affairs, Miles SoBA, followed by the ceremonial lamp lighting by the Guest of Honor Mr. Chandrakanth Salunkhe, CIndia andMD - Macro Group of Companies and Founder & President - SME Chamber of India and Mr. Prateesh R Nair. The summit unfolded with thought-provoking talks by luminaries such as Mr. Shekhar Naik, Former Captain of Indian National Blind Cricket Team; Ms. Kalpana Saroj, Padmashri Awardee and Businesswoman; Mr. Ankur Chawla, Entrepreneur and 26/11 Survivor; Ms. Sunitha Krishnan, Padmashri Awardee and Founder Prajwala; Nanjiyamma, National Award Winner and Tribal Folk Singer and the dynamic duo JordIndian.

Addressing the attendees, Nanjiyamma, National Award-winning singer, was thrilled to meet the students at The Itch Summit 2024. While sharing her journey, she wished the students took inspiration to do great in their respective lives. Representing the popular YouTube duo, JordIndian, Vineeth "Beep" Kumar encouraged the participants to find their own truth instead of trying to compare their lives with others. He also emphasised on nurturing a hobby and be the best version of oneself.

The highlight of the summit was the grand unveiling of Guthli: Seeds of Today, Trees of Tomorrow, an Indian Ad Film Festival, which is a brainchild of Mr. Prateesh R Nair with an aim to cultivate a future where a single seed, the guthli can blossom into a multitude of trees. Guthli will serve as a launchpad for aspiring students, symbolizing a commitment to nurturing creativity and originality in advertising. Mr. K V Sridhar and Mr. Piyush Pandey graced the occasion, underscoring the festival's mission to cultivate the next generation of advertising visionaries.

Guthli’s launch also highlighted the significance of the Piyush Pandey and KV Sridhar scholarships for deserving students, which promises to be a celebration of ads, brands, ideas and original work by young minds.

Reflecting on the initiative, Mr. Piyush Pandey said, “This is the need of the hour. We need more Guthlis – the seeds of today. Only when we plant them now, they’ll flourish into beautiful trees tomorrow, bearing great fruits in the future.”

Encouraging the aspiring Guthlis (students who wish to pursue a career in the branding and advertising domain), Mr. K V Sridhar said, “Only when one is able to build successful one-on-one relationships with their family and friends, one will be able to connect well with hundreds of customers. This trait will enable one to have great career in advertising and marketing and build great brands.”

Guthli – Ad Film Festival, through workshops, masterclasses, and networking opportunities, aims to empower young creators and redefine the landscape of advertising. It stands as a testament to the power of creativity and the potential of unconventional thinking.

The ITCH Summit 2024, orchestrated by the student committee of Miles SoBA and led by interns Preethi Rajaram and Rohit Sharma, showcased the hard work, passion, and talent of the student interns.

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