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Mr. Sam Balsara, the Chairman & Managing Director of the Madison World, one of the largest ad-agencies in India, has been honoured by the ‘AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award’ 2009. The official ceremony was held at the Taj Lands End by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) where Mr. Colvyn Harris, President of Advertising Agencies Association of India presented the award.

The AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award is the most prestigious honour to be given to an individual in India for his/her outstanding contribution to the Advertising Industry.

Mr. Balsara has played a pioneering role in the development of professionalism in the advertising industry in India. Besides, the outstanding contribution made by Mr. Balsara to the industry with his enthusiastic and selfless participation in the agenda of the AAAI, ASCI, IAA, Advertising Club, etc also remains a major reason for this award.

On this occasion Mr Harris stated, “Sam is an extremely respected professional and an acknowledged leader in the Industry. With over 35 years of experience, Sam is a powerhouse of energy, ideas, enthusiasm and humility. His contribution to the Indian Advertising Industry has been outstanding, especially his enthusiastic and selfless participation in driving the agenda of the AAAI, ASCI, IAA, the Advertising Club."

"He has been championing industry issues, be it the Government, the media fraternity, apart from working spiritedly to get various bodies like IBF, INS, ISA, on to a common platform. He is indeed an inspiration to us all and a most deserving recipient of this award this year," continues Harris.

“Sam is known for his fair play and when it comes to competing he always upholds the highest standards of professional integrity. By bestowing this honour on Sam, AAAI salutes his contribution to the Indian advertising industry”, added Mr Harris.

Mr Nagesh Alai, Vice-President, AAAI presented a Salver to Mr. Balsara on this occasion and said that Sam deserves this Award for the vision, passion and zeal with which he has grown one of India’s most successful and diversified communications companies.

While thanking AAAI for the honour, in his acceptance speech covering his exciting journey, trials and tribulations, challenges and high and lows Mr. Sam Balsara highlighted some key issues that AAAI should look at moving forward.

“We must engage with our advertiser friends to discuss future sustainability of the industry through fair compensation, so that adequate investment in attracting and nurturing talent for the future takes place. But before we do that we must make up our minds that we want to be counted as professionals of the highest calibre possessing high intellectual capital and let us resist the temptation of becoming or being seen as opportunist businessmen,” said Mr. Balsara.

“Another suggestion is to institute a Client Credit and Process Rating system that allows us to objectively assess every client’s record on its ability to adhere to payment deadlines so that all clients are not treated in the same brush stroke and simultaneously we must initiate a dialogue with our media friends to bring in the concept of sequential liability,” added Mr. Balsara.

Earlier, Mr Madhukar Kamath, Immediate past President, AAAI, described Mr. Balsara, “Sam is the 'little Big Man' of the Indian Advertising Industry. A wonderful study in contrasts. Short in height but tall in stature. A disarming demeanour that hides a dogged determination. A true blooded Madisonite but an Industry person first. A natural leader yet an excellent team person. Works 12 hours a day but finds an extra 18 to be everywhere you look. Sam is truly a unique bundle of talent and energy. Above all, a wonderful human being.”

Also present at the award ceremony were Mr Bharat Patel, Chairman, ISA, Mr G Krishnan, TV Today, Mr Hormusji Cama, Bombay Samachar, Mr Jacob Mathew, Malayala Manorama, Mr Pheroza Bilimoria, Business India, Mr Brahm Vasudeva, Hawkins and Mr Raj Nayak, NDTV among others.