This week, Bollywood’s most trusted publicist, Dale Bhagwagar, served as one of the esteemed judges at an investigative journalism competition titled Kuch Toh Gadbad Hai. This competition was part of the grand inaugural global inter-school festival, Aikyam, hosted by Utpal Shanghvi Global School in Juhu, Mumbai.
Through the Kuch Toh Gadbad Hai competition, students from various colleges explored the power of investigative journalism, making it one of the festival’s standout highlights.
The Aikyam event witnessed participation from over 25 schools with a footfall of around 1000 students, creating an atmosphere filled with talent and unity. The glittering event was jointly hosted by Utpal Shanghvi Global School and Prabhavati Padamshi Soni International Junior College, Mumbai.
Adding a touch of celebrity glamour to the occasion, Bollywood’s renowned PR guru, Dale Bhagwagar, graced the Kuch Toh Gadbad Hai competition as one of the esteemed judges and provided insightful input to the 15 finalists both before and after the competition.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Jai Bhayani from the organizing team of Aikyam, as well as Pratha Kerawala, the head of hospitality at Kuch Toh Gadbad Hai, for inviting me to judge this competition,” said Dale Bhagwagar. “The enthusiasm and talent displayed by the participating school students were fabulous, and I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with everyone,” he added.
“I had a wonderful time engaging with the team members, evaluating the investigative pieces, and judging the participants during a mock press conference that took place. Many of the participants showcased immense potential and talent, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they emerge as the leading journalists of tomorrow,” he concluded.
Dale Bhagwagar has been a stalwart in the fields of journalism and public relations for over three decades, making him one of India’s longest-serving media professionals. He embarked on his journalistic career at the tender age of 14 while still in school, where he penned weekly articles for a children’s magazine in a local newspaper in his hometown. He later joined a newspaper and worked as a Sub-Editor and Reporter on the Business Desk.
After relocating to Mumbai, he joined a film magazine, where he served as a Chief-Sub Editor and Reporter, and subsequently freelanced for numerous publications, including The Indian Express and The Asian Age.
Eventually, he transitioned to Bollywood PR and has, over the years, handled the Personal PR for prominent personalities such as Hrithik Roshan, Shilpa Shetty and Priyanka Chopra, while also managing news media for films like the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Don and Farhan Akhtar-starrer Rock On!!
Notably, Dale Bhagwagar is the only Indian publicist to have been quoted in international media outlets, including BBC World, BBC Radio, Sky News, CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
