MUMBAI: The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) will be presenting the AAAI Premnarayen award for outstanding contribution to the industry to Advertising Avenues chairman Goutam Rakshit.

The award will be presented on 21 July in Mumbai. Last year, the AAAI Premnarayen award was given to Lintas India chairman and managing director Prem Mehta.
This award is the most prestigious award the AAAI confers and is akin to being inducted into its Hall of Fame. Rakshit, now joins the ranks of the chosen few who are honoured long before they retire.
Rakshit began his professional career at Cadbury and rose rapidly to head its marketing team. Incidentally, he can take credit for launching the Bournvita Quiz Contest.

After a successful stint at Cadbury, Rakshit joined Clarion Advertising before setting off to start an agency called Advertising Avenues along with Ashok Roy and Gopi Kukde.

Advertising Avenues was one of the hottest agencies in the 80s and has to its credit the path-breaking Onida campaign.

Rakshit has been president of the AAAI and chairman of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA). He played a major role in bringing and helping organise the AdAsia 2003 in Jaipur. He is now chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).

Incidentally, 21 July will also be the date when the AAAI kicks off its Diamond Jubilee celebrations with a seminar wherein the opening speech will be given by BBDO Worldwide CEO Andy Robertson.