Brand
Mangalore: Shaken and Stirred
By Harish
Bijoor
Once upon a time, not so long
ago, Mangalore was a quiet little coastal town in Karnataka. Well known for its
culture, its dance, its music, its coastal cuisine (that has many a person,
including the writer, salivating) and more.
Outside Mangalore, you heard of
the city as the destination you had to go to when you wanted an engineering or
medical seat for your son, daughter, sister, brother or cousin. Or if you were
headed to some very revered temple spots.
Over the last 5 years however,
Mangalore has been making news. And this news is not all about how it is
emerging to be a tourist destination of much impact. Not because the area
boasts of a rich eco-heritage, but for reasons completely different and
completely chaotic.
We had the now-famous Pub attack
led by Pramod Muthalik, followed by the reactive Pink-chaddi campaign. The latest
piece of turd to hit the ceiling is the Padil home stay attack on youngsters
celebrating a birthday party, with friends, cake and beer. And in-between we
have had sundry church attacks, desecration of altars, pulling out of couples
that looked “not married” out of buses and beating them up as well. And
possibly what’s been swept under the carpet of fear is much more than what’s
been reported to date in media.
Every event listed above had Mangalore
make news in a big way. In a negative way that has had Brand Mangalore painted
as a small little town with hordes and hordes of ‘goondas’ roaming the streets,
all looking to impose a Taliban-style living. All looking to inflict a regressive and retrograde style of
living altogether. The city has also managed to earn for itself an image of
being totally young-unfriendly!
Now, I do believe this is where
the brand disaster really starts. A “young-unfriendly” Mangalore is really a
big worry to carry as an image-tag for Brand Mangalore. Let’s remember two things. 54% of the
population of the country (including Mangalore as well) is below the age of
25. Add to it the fact that Mangalore
and its surrounding areas that cover Manipal, Surathkal and more are younger
still.
Let’s also remember some facts.
Greater Mangalore (the area that includes Mangalore and its surroundings) today
boasts of colleges of higher education that attract students from all over India
and indeed all across the developing world at large. The listing is
mind-boggling. Here goes. 17 Engineering, 6 medical, 5 Dental, 14
Physiotherapy, 19 Nursing, 13 Industrial Training, 6 Hotel Management, 9
Polytechnics, 6 Hotel Management, and the list goes on.
The point to note is that Mangalore
is much more than what Mangalore was. Mangalore today boasts of a Diaspora
audience of young people from all over. All younger than 25.
Mangalore is therefore one of
India’s biggest educational hubs. Mangalore hosts not only all these colleges of
higher education, but also hosts students from all over. Add to it the fact
that the hearts of many a parent and relative lives and beats in Mangalore,
where their wards now study and live. Mangalore has therefore a heart that
beats for it all over India and elsewhere. Mangalore is insular no more.
Events such as the ones that have
rattled the name of Brand Mangalore in recent days rattle not only the local
citizenry and the people of Karnataka, but they rattle many a brand sentiment
all over. Brand Mangalore has earned for itself in recent years the image of
being intolerant, insular and young-unfriendly. This cannot remain. This can
only prove negative to Mangalore as an education hub of significance.
Let’s remember what happened to
Australia and its image in recent years with the issues that had killings and
allegations of racial slurs all across. Parents and students alike, when they
think Australia, they think thrice, if not twice. We don’t want Mangalore going
that way as well. Or do we?
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Harish Bijoor is a brand-strategy specialist & CEO, Harish Bijoor
Consults Inc.
Twitter.com @harishbijoor
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