Public relations has evolved from business and industry to be applied in various sectors including government, non-profits, and healthcare. The document discusses the history and development of public relations in India from ancient times using edicts and reporters, to the modern era with the establishment of agencies and PR becoming a recognized profession. It provides context on the objectives, need, and scope of public relations, highlighting its role in building understanding and goodwill between organizations and their various publics or stakeholders. Finally, it discusses the importance of including public relations as its own department in the hospitality sector given its cross-functional nature and need to work independently with all departments.

1. 1) CONCEPT OF PUBLIC RELATION: Public relation as a concept was critically evolved in
business and industry and it subsequently spread to other areas of human activity. This
profession is immensely applicable in government and public institutions like corporations,
municipalities, universities, hospitals, professional and social service organizations. Public
relations were in practice in people’s daily life even before the emergence of industry, business
and government. Public relations are the result of the action inherent in an individual, an
institution or an organization. Public relation is never a monopoly of pr practitioners. In fact
members of an organization and especially those in leadership, management and supervisory
positions have a very important pr role to play. People who adopt the art of public relations stand
better chance of survival and success since they can always find areas of mutual interest. They
can use modern methods of communication and persuasion which go a long way in establishing
mutual understanding. a) Meaning of public relation Public is a group of similar individuals, an
assortment of persons having similar interest, problems goals and circumstances. It is generally
from such sources that opinions emerge. Public comes in many forms and sizes. They have a
multitude of desires and wants. Public has its own likes and dislikes which sometimes can even
be strong. Employees are one form of public and employers other form. Other members of the
public are dealers, wholesalers, brokers and investors. Each of these groups tries to attract a
distinct audience with its varied tools and techniques. In short public is any group of people who
share a common interest. b) Relations: It is the outcome of mutual understanding which is
derived from the process of sharing of the common interest. The need to establish relation with
one another is created because of human wants. The respective wants of two individuals will
affect their relationship. Therefore one must understand the wants of those involved in order to
understand any relationship. c) Public relations: By the integration of the above two human
element viz. public and relations we get public relation. It is a profession that is a part and parcel
of management function.
2)DEFINATION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS:- • The business of generating goodwill toward an
individual, cause, company, or product. • The acts of communicating what you are to the public.
This is not to be confused with publicity, which is just one of the methods used in
communicating the image. • Activity, communications, or press coverage that is designed to
enhance the prestige or goodwill of a company. • Any activities or events that help promote a
favorable relationship between a company and its customers and prospects; activities used to
influence the press to print stories that promote a favorable image of a company and its products
or services. • The promotion of a person, company, idea, public body etc. Pictures may be used
to assist in this. • Communication with various sectors of the public to influence their attitudes
and opinions in the interest of promoting a person, product, or idea.
3)HISTORY:-This section briefly describes the development of public relations in India. Scholars
hold different views about the starting point of public relations in India. Some experts claim that
public relations in India traces back to about 2000 years when rulers used persuasive communication
to disseminate information and instructions to their publics . Emperor Ashoka in 320 B.C. laid the
foundation of public information in India by using rock edicts and official reporters to help in his
governance. During the struggle of independence, Mohandas K. Gandhi utilized newspapers to build
public opinion against the British rule. History of public relations in India has three

2. components or phases: Propaganda, publicity and public information, and public relations in the
modern post-independent India.
First Phase (1500 BC- 1858): During this period, propaganda was predominant model of
public relations in India.
Second Phase (1858 - 1947): Publicity and public information
Third Phase (1947 to date): Mostly asymmetric model of public relations
In 1923, the British government established the Central Bureau of Public Information, which later
became the Press Information Bureau and was incorporated into the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting after independence.
In 1943, business enterprises like House of Tata, Dunlop, Unilever, and Phillips initiated efforts for
public outreach. Tata opened its first public relations office in 1943.
After independence, growth in public relations in India was not organized. In the late 1950s and early
1960s, large business houses in India started utilizing public relations services. In the 1950s, foreign
companies and family-run businesses in India, who marked the growth of export business in the
country, dominated domestic trade and commerce. During this period, print media industry in the
country flourished and it gave rise to publicity and product advertising work. In addition, politica l
relationship management was considered an important management function during this period.
During 1960s, private sector underwent restructuring and development in India while the public
sector still managed the core industries of the country. This rapid industrial growth and
diversification helped in the advancement of public relations. Since most of the public sector
organizations were government owned these units were answerable to the parliament through
bureaucracy. During this period, most of the public relations practitioners had background in
journalism and were closely associated with the press. Media relations marked an important aspect of
the profession and practitioners were responsible for media exposure of the organization through
newspaper and radio. Practitioners were also involved in organizational communication through
house journals, exhibitions, and trade fairs.
Most of the public relations practitioners during this period were employed in Public Sector Units
(PSU) funded by the general public and were therefore accountable to the public. Since the private
sector, during this period, had negligible presence compared to the PSUs it was not concerned with
strategic public relations management . The image of public relations officers in this period was that
of spin-masters or a fixer. Their responsibilities included arranging parties to please the key persons
who were in influential positions in the government. Publicity through media was also considered an
important job of the public relations officer. Public relations officers frequently utilized the personal
influence model to accomplish objective of positive media coverage and government relations.
Therefore, public relations was mostly in charge of hospitality management and publicity of the
organization and was not research based or strategically planned .
In the 1970s, with the establishment of Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) public relations
received a strong professional support. In addition, in-house and consultancy public relations were
born during this period. Due to the economic and infrastructural growth, advertising agencies
proliferated in the Indian markets and provided the opportunity for interaction between public
relations and advertising. Corporate advertising, printed materials, and exhibition pavilions were
developed by this collaboration of in-house public relations and advertising agencies. During this
period, public relations function also gained recognition as a profession within the organization .

3. During mid-1980s, Rajiv Gandhi introduced reforms for a liberalized economy in India. This period
also marked the beginning of investigative journalism in India. This exposed many businesses to the
practices of crisis and reputation management. The most significant development of this period was
the establishment and growth of public relations agencies in the country. Melcole PR in collaboration
with Ketchum Public Relations and Oglivy & Mather PR opened up their offices in India. Hindustan
Thompsons’ IPAN and the Taj Hotel’s Good Relations were also started in this period.
Finally, in the 1990s, with deregulation of several industries in India, public relations reached its
peak in the country. With the establishment of open economy reform and liberalized industrial
environment, country was open to foreign direct investment. In the competitive market, businesses
frequently employed public relations services to build their reputation and collaborated with external
counsel to capture the market positions in India. It was during this period that the new school of
public relations, inspired by the western paradigm, gained momentum in India . Several agencies
witnessed high growth in their public relations operations and several independent public relations
agencies sprung up in the Indian market. The growth in public relations was fueled in part by the
foreign capital from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States (Bovet, 1999). In India,
foreign investment in 1993 grew to $1.5 billion from $300 million in 1992. Several privately owned
companies started offering their IPOs and demanded public relations expertise.
Bardhan (2003) noted that the relationship between the dominant coalition and the public relations
personnel is less open in cultures like India because a high power distance exists within the society
(Hofstede Cultural Dimensions) which dictates a hierarchical structure in the organizations. On the
same lines, Sriramesh (1992) asserted that in class-oriented societies like India, elitist power holders
dominate organizations. The senior executives and the management decide what departments are
necessary in the organization and the department structure. In his ethnographic study, he found that
several small private sector organizations in India had a tendency to disregard public relations as a
viable tool
4) OBJECTIVES OF PUBLIC RELATION 1) To promote mutual understanding. 2) To
persuade individuals, groups etc. 3) Help in fund raising. 4) Change the behavior and attitude of
the public. 5) Influence people. 6) To win friends. 7) Avoid risk involved in misunderstanding.
8) Prepare and supply the public with information about the organization like price, quality,
export, employment and other special features. 10) Provide information about the activities of
the company, to the press and writers. 11) Liaise, counsel and advise. 12) Improve internal staff
relations. 13) Help the public to love life and work for better or for worse without conditions. 14)
Undertake a public relation education programme. 15) Forestall attack by the competitors or
opponents. 16) Create and maintain image and reputation of the company. 17) Promote goodwill.
18) Correct misconceptions and clarify on criticisms of its policies and practices. 19) Establish
relations with the federal and state legislators, agencies. 20) Undertake a campaign of public
education about an industry or profession and its contribution to the public. 21) Communicate
with the employees on their benefits, accident prevention, labor relations and collective
bargaining. 6
22) Establish press relations, publicity articles preparation, press release, photographs. 23)
Undertake programmes like sales training courses for retailers, whole sellers. 23) Undertake
programmes like sales training courses for retailers, wholesalers. 24) Sponsor dealer and
distributor relations schemes. 25) Ascertain public opinion, conduct opinion research and
understand public attitudes on the organization, profession and practice. 7
5) NEED FOR PUBLIC RELATION In the present age the human society has become so
complicated and differentiated that individuals at least in the develop countries is no longer able

4. to live without adequate information and communication. It is a fact that in this increasingly
automated world man can no longer exist incomplete isolation. The need for public relation
arises due to the following three fundamental factors. 1) Communication: To be the means of
communication have reached to almost a stage of perfection. It is possible to receive information
at any given period of time. Though the adequate information is theoretically but no means it is
guaranteed in each individual case so public relation is needed. 2) New information order: It is
very difficult to answer we are correctly inform. There are various sources like countless
lectures, books many discussions in radio and television. But we can not guarantee the
correctness of the information. The information is without direction and it is incomplete or
inaccurate. Information is without direction and it is incomplete or inaccurate. Information must
be prepared essential information must be separated from three wheel matter. The interest of the
receiver must be aroused in the right direction. Here there is a need for public relation. 3)
mutuality and understanding: Mutuality is based on interaction between consideration for public
opinion and the need of communicator to inform and establish contact. Understanding is created
by providing inside into a reporting on all necessary matters. Confidences cultivated by bringing
the aim of the organization into harmony with public interest. In these ways the goodwill of the
company is won among the general public.
6) SCOPE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS. There has been misconceived opinion about the scope or
field of public relations activities. In lectures and articles published one is apt to gain the
impression that public relations concern industry and commerce only. In such an instance it can
only be said that one tends to overlook the fact that public relations, particularly in this decade,
has entered all sectors of public life, not excluding religion, and that it how has a virtually
unlimited field of application. The following examples demonstrate the wide field of public
relations activities in industry and commerce. In our market economy there are information gaps
which cannot be filled by the interaction of supply and demand via prices, costs or wages. This is
when public relations activity steps in. It provides information on Planning technical and
organizational developments, inventions and their potential utilization, or it issues at regular
intervals company reports which provide a deeper insight into the structure of the corporation
than the public can otherwise obtain. The relations activity is becoming increasingly necessary
for the procurement of economically essential production factors. It makes it easier for
corporations to tap the money-market or to finance their projects by issuing bonds or shares. It
can also help them to find new personnel when necessary, and thus level out personnel
fluctuation without reducing the desired working mobility. Finally it is easier for a corporation to
acquire land from a community if the corporation cultivates public relations and endeavors to
bring its own interests in harmony with those of the community. Public relations activity may
support marketing. In its various forms it may contribute decisively to successful frictionless
business activity. The principles of reciprocity underlying public relations is for the corporation
an incentive to improve performance, because it helps the Corporation to overcome a difficult
situation. Today the public relations profession has entered even in to the fields of hospitality,
tourism, institutes, in education and to a variety of other sector.
7)INTRODUCTION OF PR IN HOSPITALITY AND HOSPITAL SECTOR: As a hotelier, you
need to select the best executive team possible to streamline daily operations, maximize revenue,
monitor exposure, stay ahead of your competition, increase repeat business, while managing a million
other things every day. Selecting your executive committee members traditionally consists of the following

5. areas: Operations, Sales, Human Resources, Accounting, Engineering, Rooms, Food and Beverage. All
these executive team members represent specific areas of the hotel that generate revenue, as well as
influence and interact with the guest experience.
But, why isn't your Public Relations or Communications professional on the Executive team?
For years, the role of an in-house Public Relations Manager or Director usually fell under the hand of the
Director of Sales and Marketing. The position typically includes handing all media requests, facilitating
press inquiries, producing messages, press releases, announcements, media pitching, compiling media
lists, gathering press clippings and maintaining photo archives, organizing trips, monitoring the news
environment, and most importantly, creating the public relations plan and helping form the
communications strategy for the hotel. This person is also responsible for establishing and maintaining
mutually beneficial relationships between the hotel and the media.
This is a very specialized expertise that many hotels tend to outsource it because true hospitality PR
professionals are few and far between. So, properties think it makes more sense to spend money to
outsource large agencies for communications counsel, when they could hire a specialized professional to
do the job in-house. Some properties have had Directors of Public Relations for years or specialized
independent consultants, and I'm happy to see that more and more hotels and resorts are doing the
same. But, there is still a misperception.
The Public Relations Director needs to have his/her own department, regardless of a property's size
because it interacts with all departments, not just with Sales and Marketing, as it has been conveniently
pushed under that umbrella, and wrongfully so. Public relations professionals service all departments and
need to work independently in order to better function with the property. For instance, when a story that
has to do with the hotel's HVAC system, the PR Director needs to work with Engineering to promptly get
the necessary information for the reporter. Similarly, the PR Director is responsible to media train the
General Manager, Director of Sales, or the Concierge for a TV clip or a radio spot. And if the PR Director
creates a crisis communications plan, s/he needs to meet with all departments in order to create a
comprehensive plan.
PR is so unique, and while it relates to some of the Sales and Marketing activities, it still carves its own
niche. PR and Communications are so important and critical in overall hotel operations that need to
function independently in order to be efficient. For example: imagine if a PR Director notices something in
the news that could become a potential crisis for the property very quickly, yet has to wait to talk to the
DOSM, who would then have to call an emergency Executive Meeting. Imagine the time wasted to follow
the chain of command and protocol, rather than giving the PR Director the empowerment and privilege to
contact the General Manager's office directly to provide the necessary communications counsel.
Sales and Marketing, and Public Relations have such similarities it is no wonder why hotels arrange their
marriage. Similarities may include:
 Both are interact with the public, but at different capacities
 Both focus their efforts to the maximize the hotel's exposure
 Both need to generate and reflect the proper image of the hotel
 Both need to convey the same message to the public and audience alike to maintain consistency
 They are both involved with marketing collateral, promotional events, web, advertising campaigns,
other branding content
Some differences may include:
 PR Directors do not solicit business directly as Sales and Marketing
 Sales and Marketing do not talk directly to the press (unless there is no PR representative)

6.  PR creates story angles and secure placements
 PR talks to editors not to event managers for potential business
 Sales and Marketing puts together packages to create demand
 PR takes those packages and place them in the news to get buzz
 PR creates communications strategy that aligns with Sales strategy
 Sales and Marketing put together a charity event to create business leads.
 PR will shape the event into a newsworthy angle that will attract editors to write about it and create
photo opportunities for the hotel
PR certainly helps Sales and Marketing with their outreach initiatives, by adding directly to the word the
mouth (WOM), maximizing exposure and setting a hotel ahead of the competition. For that purpose these
two departments need each other. But, I think the rest of the hotel needs to better understand the function
of PR, to effectively utilize all of its potential, which involves much more than just serving Sales and
Marketing. Your PR professional has the responsibility of creating your hotel's message and filtering it to
potential guests. Communication should be a property-wide initiative, and Public Relations, whether or
not it must report to Sales, it certainly deserves its own seat on every hotel's executive team.
Public Relations plays a very vital part in health care sector. In today’s world communications is
an integral part of life. In India both public and private hospitals has PR department but the
awareness about PR should be spread more. As in small towns there is lack of any PR
department even the people have very less idea about PR.
8)METHODOLOGY: While doing this project I have taken help the research path of both
primary as well as secondary research. Firstly I understood the importance of this project of PR
as Public Relations is very important for our day to day life. I have select this subject as I thought
that this two field is very important for us. In the course of this project I did Data collection by
interviews, mail-interviews, questionnaires etc and also took the help of secondary research.
9)DATA COLLECTION: It has been done done in two parts, metro city and small towns. Data
collection has been done by research instruments like direct interviews, self-administered
questionnaire, mail survey, telephone survey, observation study etc.
A]DIRECT INTERVIEWS: Direct interviews has been done with the public related with
organizations like ADITYA BIRLA SANKAR NETRALAYA,MEDICA SUPERSPECIALITY
HOSPITAL,PEERLESS HOSPITAL,ITC HOTEL,ITC SONAR BANGLA HOTEL,PARK
PLAZA HOTEL,HOSPAX NURSING HOME etc and the normal public on the basis of a
sampling plan with a set of prepared questions.
B]SELF-ADMINISTERD QUESTIONNAIRE: The respondent ,in this method, is requested to
fill up the questionnaire personally. These questionnaires were sent at hotels, hospitals and
homes to be picked up, at later pre-determined time. This type offers advantage to respondent to
fill up in the free time. This is useful with certain types of public.
C]QUESTIONNAIRE: This is a set of questions based on the topics. It has been asked to the
public as they are familiar with PR or not, what are the improvements should be done etc.

7. D]MAIL-SURVEY: It is another form of self-administered questionnaire, which is delivered and
returned by post. A prepaid envelop is sent to ensure response. Sometimes, questionnaire faxed
and respondent is requested to send back the reply by fax. Also, e-mail surveys are made.
10)DATA ANALYSIS:
Q:1:DO YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM PR?
IN KOLKATA
IN SMALL TOWN
YES
KNOWS VERY LESS
NO
YES
KNOWS VERY LESS
NO

8. Q:2:WHILE YOU VISIT IN HOTELS OR HOSPITALS DO YOU NOTICE PR
DEPARTMENT?
IN KOLKATA.
IN SMALL TOWNS.
Column1
YES
MAY BE
NO
YES
MAY BE
NO

9. Q:4:DO YOU THING MARKETING AND PR SAME THING?
Q:6:ON YOUR OPINION AS AN INTERNAL PUBLIC WHY PR IS NEEDED?
YES
NO
NOT SURE
AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS
TO BE UPDATED BY PR
DEPARTMENT
LESS WORK PRESSURE ON YOU
JUST A ORNAMENTED
DEPARTMENT

10. Q:8:WHAT HELP DO YOU TAKE WHILE VISITING HOSPITAL?
11)RESEARCH FINDINGS: After conducting research on different government as well as
private hotels on both Kolkata as well as small towns I found that people are aware about Public
Relations more in Kolkata in compare to small towns. Today publics knows the relevance of
communication and public relations. They want to take the good services of Public Relations in
hospitals and hospitality sectors.
12)CONCLUSIONS: We can conclude on the note that though there is lack of awareness about
Public Relations but there is huge scope of growth in the Public Relations sector in future.
TO KNOW THE WORK PATTERN
OF THE HOSPITAL BETTER
TO TAKE INFORMATION ABOUT
THE TREATMENT FACILITIES
TO TAKE THEM AS
COMMUNICATION MEDIUM
WITH OTHER DEPT.
OTHER REASONS

11. QUESTIONNAIRE:
Q: 1: DO YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM PR?
Q: 2: WHILE YOU VISIT HOTELS OR HOSPITALS DO YOU NOTICE PR DEPATMENT?
Q: 3: DO YOU KNOW WHAT PR IS EXACTLY?
Q: 4: DO YOU THING MARKETING AND PR SAME?
Q : 5: AS AN INTERNAL PUBLIC DO YOU AGREE PR IS ESSENTIAL IN
ORGANISATIONS?
Q: 6: AS AN INTERNAL PUBLIC WHY PR IS NEEDED?
Q: 7: DO YOU TAKE HELP OF PRO IN HOTELS AND HOSPITALS?
Q: 8: WHAT HELP DO YOU TAKE WHILE VISITING HOSPITALS?
Q: 9: DO YOU THINK THERE IS STILL LACK OF PR WORKS IN HOSPITALS AND
HOSPITALITY SECTOR?
Q: 10 :DO YOU THINK THERE IS SCOPE OF FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS?