Mumbai-based Pratish Nair is managing director and — together with ad guru Prahlad Kakkar — co-founder of the Prahlad Kakkar School of Branding and Entrepreneurship (PKSBE, estb.2016). This new B-school has been promoted in association with Whistling Woods International, the well-known Mumbai-based media and communications institute established by Bollywood filmmaker Subhash Ghai 12 years ago.

Sited within the state government’s Dada Saheb Phalke Chitranagari (Film City) in Mumbai, PKSBE offers a one-year certificate course in film production and branding and a two-year fellowship programme in business and entrepreneurship. PKSBE is affiliated with the Media & Entertainment Skill Council of the National Skills Development Corporation.

Newspeg. Last month (February) PKSBE launched an eight-week incubation programme for tech start-up entrepreneurs in association with Carleton University, Ottawa. Facilitated by the university’s Canada-India Centre for Excellence, the incubation centre will also promote cross-cultural learning through student exchange programmes.

History. A commerce alum of Mumbai University, Nair is a serial entrepreneur. After managing the family’s granites importing and marketing business in New York, he returned to Mumbai in 2004 and promoted Crossroads Training Solutions to train corporate employees in inter-personal skills. In the same year he promoted Elephant Solutions, a firm which offers leadership training, and in 2009 Kashi Films, a cinema production company.

In 2016, Nair teamed up with Prahlad Kakkar, one of India’s most celebrated ad film directors and founder of Genesis Films (estb.1977), to promote PKSBE with the objective to “teach students to breach the barrier of fear which inhibits creativity and growth and to produce socially conscious warriors and winners in a global economy”.

Direct talk. “The distinguishing feature of PKSBE curriculums is that they provide experiential learning which prepares our students to confront real-life business situations. For instance, students enrolled in the business and entrepreneurship programme are obliged to promote a business venture in the second year and are subsequently introduced to venture capitalists. At PKSBE, we prepare our students to take risks. That’s why adventure sports is an integral part of our curriculums. Students have to compulsorily participate in activities such as sky diving, mountaineering, survival boot camps, deep sea diving, etc to help overcome their greatest fears. This helps them develop life skills and prepares them for entrepreneurship, risk intelligence, decision making and crisis management,” says Nair.

Future plans. Nair has initiated discussions with film schools abroad to offer their study programmes in India. “We have also applied for accreditation by the globally renowned education provider, City and Guilds, London. We will continue to do our best to produce creative entrepreneurs and film makers,” vows Nair. 

Dipta Joshi (Mumbai)