Vodafone reaches out to more through Surajkund Mela

Surajkund or Lake of the Sun is a dusty small town in Haryana, on the outskirts of Delhi. Every year, February 1-15, it gets transformed into a sprawling and comprehensive craftsmen's village. The Surajkund Mela is not just the biggest artisans fair in the country; it is also unique as there are different themes to the fair every year.

Speaking exclusively to Adgully, Rajiv Kohli, CEO - Delhi, Vodafone said, "The thought behind organizing the Suraj Kund Mela is to bring alive the cultural heritage of India and other SAARC countries. Year 2011 was the fifth consecutive year of our association with Haryana Tourism Ministry for promoting this fair. Our association with this platform reiterates our commitment towards making our contribution towards the society and conserving the rich Indian cultural heritage."

The Mela experiences a footfall of approximately 50,000 people per day from Delhi and NCR region. The theme of the mela this year is Andhra Pradesh. Vodafone did various customer centric initiatives such as PCO booths and various interactive activities. In addition to this, Vodafone also provided E-ricks around the Mela to offer ferry rides for the convenience of the visitors. E-ricks are environment friendly battery operated rickshaws that were developed by Eco Activate. These ricks were introduced in Delhi in August 2010. Honorable Chief Minister of Delhi; Smt. Shiela Dikshit flagged-off the E-rick and announced the launch in the capital. Vodafone employees performed a nuked natak at the Chaupal area in the mela. The play brings to light various issues affecting the society. Clean Up Drive is also being planned by the Vodafone Employees to ensure a clean environment post the culmination of the Mela.

The main objective of this initiative is to reinforce Vodafone as a brand that adds value to the lives of its customers through its customer centric initiatives like association with platforms like Suraj Kund Mela. And also position Vodafone as a responsible corporate, actively contributing to the conservation of Indian artisans. Vodafone also wanted to share insights into Green Initiatives by Vodafone like E-ricks ' Eco friendly mode of transport and Clean Up Drive ' Employee Engagement Program.

"More than the benefits from this association, it's the cause that is more compelling for us to take forward our association with this event. It's overwhelming to see the amalgamation of various artisans and craftsman coming together and showcasing their art forms. With reference to Vodafone's continuous associations with Suraj Kund, the recall was immediate and it gave us yet another opportunity to connect with our customers," Kohli further added.

The theme that changes every year, works on two levels. First, it has a state theme, which dictates the look of the entrance, the fair grounds, and the setting. One can get the specific ambience of the particular state-the characteristic colors, materials, architecture, furniture and decorations. The other is less cosmetic and more purposeful-each year highlights one craft, and about half the stalls are dedicated to that. And there are a total of about 400 stalls.

For instance, if the theme is pottery/terracotta, stalls display various kinds of pottery and clay craft available in the country. The stalls also function as workshops, where artisans from all over the country make their wares: pots, vases, urns, molded images, trinkets.

This is the public anticipation to something new and exciting each year. One can trace this trend to the very beginning of the Vodafone-Surajkund association.

Kohli said, "Customer centric initiatives are imperative for us to stay ahead of the curve in this competitive environment. Also innovation is a key driver for us, be it the product and offerings or even the customer connect programs. Associations like these help us reach out to a larger audience and create an instant recall."

In India, every state represents its own culture through different art forms and we all know how much we enjoy being part of it.

"Vodafone regards its role as a socially responsible organization. That keeps us on the lookout for opportunities to connect with the society and make our contribution to it. Vodafone has always been happy to help. In the future as well, it will continue supporting the cause it believes in," Kohli explained. | By Janees Antoo [janees(at)adgully.com]