Ideas to Namo-Revive and support the ancient Indian art of Storytelling


Why the Ancient Art of Storytelling Needs to be Revived in India
(Co-authored by Dr Amit Nagpal & Prakash Hindustani)
There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories. - Ursula K. LeGuin
Back to Storytelling
(Image Source-Cameron Uganec, The Hootsuite Blog)
Storytelling-The Omnipotent Medicine
Storytelling is universal. It transcends languages, cultures and everything else. And the world is going back to storytelling. From Harvard Business Review to LinkedIn, from Social Media Examiner to Hoot suite, everyone in the western world is going gaga over storytelling.The craze for storytelling is so much in USA that storytelling trainings and workshops are as packed as Justin Bieber concerts. What is so magical in storytelling after all?
As we move from the broadcast era to the digitorial era, everyone owns ideas which move through social networks and obviously stories dominate. In fact, the authors have explained in detail about how Mr Narendra Modi used storytelling for his election campaign very effectively. (Refer to Prakash’s book on Narendra Modi and Dr Amit’s article’ “7 Es of Mr Narendra Modi’s Storytelling”)
The time has come to tell new stories about India to the world. We need to make more Indian organisations as global brands by telling the right stories. We need to change the limiting beliefs of Indians and replace old baggage with new set of beliefs and a pride in India. Is storytelling the cure for all these ills? Let us see.
India is already respected for storytelling, as our friends from across the globe have always been telling us. Our epics like Ramayana, Mahabharat, Puranas and so on still remain our epic achievement. By reviving storytelling, the country will benefit in following ways:-
Brand Building through Storytelling
Building ‘Brand India’ through storytelling (including correcting negative perceptions).
We have focused too much on tourism and ignored the overall India brand. New stories are needed about how India is incredible in more ways, for example as superpower in IT and other emerging technologies.
Building Indian companies into global brands
We need to make more Indian organisations as global brands by telling the right stories. It goes without saying that the best way of building organisation and product brands has been storytelling.
Building ‘Brand India’ in the eyes of Indians- Creating pride
Indians need to hear new stories about India too, about India’s achievements which create a sense of pride. To build the real ‘Brand India’ every Indian has to believe in it and communicate it in our foreign travel, to rest of the world.
Storytelling as a personal development tool for Life Coaches & Trainers
Replacing old beliefs with new beliefs-The most powerful training for any individual or any organisation is changing its hardwired, limiting beliefs. Wondering how storytelling can change beliefs? Beliefs cannot be changed actually and, the old beliefs have to be replaced with new beliefs. (These principles are used in the commando training of NSG Black Commandos)
Trainers have been using stories since long, but understanding the power of story in-depth, will help them develop even more conviction and take the pains to find the right stories for every topic. There is a rich collection of short stories in a new eBook by Dr Amit, “I too want to be a Storyteller.” (download here for free)
Storytelling as a healing tool
Healing the past baggage- We have not been proud of being Indian for centuries now. There is too much baggage of the past as individuals as well as citizens. Lot of hardwork is needed to shed the old baggage and develop pride in the country. In this new book (to be released shortly) “Holistic wellness in the New Age”, a chapter has been devoted to the topic “Storytelling as a healing tool.” (Published by 'The New Age Foundation')
Storytelling is Universal
The corporate world needs storytelling lessons too. NGOs have always used stories which strike an emotional chord to raise donations and funds. May be the famous doctor ‘Hakeem Lukmaan’ did not have medicine for every disease, but storytelling seems to have a cure for every problem. Deepti Pant, a storyteller, based in New Delhi is doing interesting work on innovation and storytelling through her "Truth School"
We hope our PM and his team help revives storytelling as part of the “Ek Bharat, Shsrestha Bharat” (One India, Excellent India) strategy. As we all know, it is not enough to be excellent, we must communicate our excellence to the world.
Reviving the art of storytelling through government support
As our Honourable Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi is encouraging citizens to give him ideas through social media for an "Excellent India", it is the intention of the authors to bring to light, "the powers of storytelling" to the attention of Indian PM and his team.
Besides the above, revival of storytelling will help the country and economy in the following ways:-
a) More export of story based literature, films and so on.
b) Employment creation for storytellers
c) increase foreign exchange inflow by developing Indian authors and professionals as global personal brands. For example, if Indian doctors become global personal brands, it will lead to more foreign exchange through medical tourism.
d) Storytelling will also preserve and support local languages and cultures. (As Prakash Hindustani demonstrates in this humourous Facebook post which he wrote in local Malwi language, about his interactions with Mrs Sumitra Mahajan, Honorable Lok Sabha Speaker)
Conclusion
S is for Storytelling-Rajesh "Raj" Setty, well known serial entrepreneur & business alchemist (based in Silicon Valley) rightly points out in his article “Birds fly, fish swim and human beings tell stories.”
Let's write and tell India's rocking story to the world.
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Author Profiles
Dr Amit Nagpal
Dr Amit Nagpal is an Online Branding Expert, Social Media Influencer & renowned Storyteller. His unique skill lies in inspirational storytelling, anecdotes/ storytelling on social and online media for brand building. He has more than 15 years of work experience in training/coaching and corporates. He has a unique personal story and has featured in several TV, newspaper and online interviews. He tweets at @DrAmitInspires. To follow/connect on social media, visit OneBio.Me.
Speaker/Trainer-He has conducted training for reputed organisations including Accenture, Tata Communications, GD Goenka World Institute, PRSI, DMA and so on.
Coach-He has coached many CEOs, knowledgepreneurs and top professionals in brand storytelling.
Author-He is a LinkedIn Influencer and his blog “Enlarge Excel Evolve” is listed among best business blogs on Alltop.com. He has published 2 books and several eBooks on brand building.
Prakash Hindustani
Prakash Hindustani, a well known name in hindi journalism nationally, with almost four decades of work experience, is especially renowned for introducing many innovations in newspapers/TV/ online platforms. He holds a Masters in Journalism from the reputed Makhanlal Chaturvedi University, Bhopal and started his career in media with Nai Duniya newspaper in 1978. He worked as Senior Chief Sub-Editor at Navbharat Times, Mumbai for many years thereafter. After Navbharat, he spent few years with Dainik Bhaskar, and then joined ‘In Time’ TV Channel (Hinduja group).
In 1999, he joined as Founder Editor of world’s first Hindi website www.webduniya.com. In 2001, he launched his personal website www.prakashhindustani.com and was among pioneering Indian journalists to have a personal portal. After working for few years with ‘Chautha Sansar’ newspaper, he joined Digicable cable TV channel and currently heads Rajastan, MP and Chattisgarh operations of the channel.
To know more, visit www.prakashhindustani.com/
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