Sarbendu Basu: 7th June 2023

CONTENTS

01 02 03 04
Why do we need What How do we How are we going
Differentiation? Differentiation? Defferentiate? to get these?
 01
Why do we need Differentiation?
• There were 5 Durga Pujas in Palava Alone last year- Leave aside some 2000+ in Greater Mumbai. In Palava
alone- BFP Durga Puja was a “Also ran- small affair” - the big daddy had been PBA.

• Durga Puja is a costly affair. The cost can not be dependent on contributions and petty donations- if it has
to sustain and prosper. Big Sponsorship and Stall sale is the only way to sustain and survive. Else-

• Depending on member contribution and Chanda as primary revenue is neither sustainable nor scalable.

• We need a very quick scale up and visibility to get significant sponsorship/ stall sale revenue. For that:-

• We need to STAND OUT from the crowd of Durga Pujas and offer an unique story to sell
 02
What Differentiation?
• Creating an Identity or a Story- That will set BFP and its Durga Puja Apart and Different from all other Pujas.

• It will Create :

1. Visibility and Recall about BFP and its Durga Puja.. to public and prospective sponsors.

2. A strong Differentiating Story- will help the Sponsorship Hunters to get entry and get sucess.

3. It will increase footfall and public interest in BFP Durga Puja and hence will create platform for us to
charge higher for our stalls and sponsorships next year.

4. A concerted effort from all members of sharing the Story across along with PR oppertunities and
involvement of high value individuals in the Puja- will create a very strong idenity and future
sponsorships. (Will illustrate it later in the slides).

Example of Differentiated Identities:

1. Ramakrishna Mission Durga Puja- About “true” puja

2. North Mumbai Sharbojonik: About Celebrity visits
3. Durgabari Ballygunje: About true to roots “ghoroa” pujo
4. Whole clamour about having UNIQUE theme Pujo in Kolkata
 03
How do we Defferentiate?
• Option 1: Grandaur: Big Pandals / Unique Pratima / Lighting Blitz/ Huge Mela: But it costs BIG BUCKS-
which necessiates Political support.

• Option 2: Project Image of : Socially Concious / Social Contribution / Intellectualy Stimulating Puja and
use all might on SM and PR to bring that forward.

• It doesnt involve huge spend

• Can be readily executed- as there will always be NGO / Organization connections with in BFP or a
little outside
• Builds a very very strong story to present before prospective sponsors- We are no longer asking for
Puja sponsorships- But asking for support in a social cause. Same when we are asking for “chanda”
to retail public.
• Completely out flanks the competing Puja Comittees- No more competing for space, pandal, lights,
food etc....”WE ARE DIFFERENT”
• A little bit of connection in print/electronic media (TV/FM)/ Influencers and SM- Can do super
wonders!
• Strong story to influence PCMA to get concessions- will discuss this in more details further
Not Just Theme- THE PUJA WITH A PURPOSE
 BFP Durga Puja - Empowering and Celebrating the Women in
our Community- Some doable pointers
• Inviting Orphan Girl children from orphanages to be a part of Puja & take simple bhog.

• Inviting Old ladies from Old Age home to come and participate in festival & Take bhog.

• Make in kind donation to the orphanage & Old Age home by setting up a drive in Palava.

• 5 days- 5 prominent Lady achievers come and does the puja opening/ sankalp etc- It can be Lady Govt
officials/ Police/ Armed Forces/ Sports/ Education/ Business leaders. Let her address the members during
puja and interact (Creates a huge opprtunity for PR and SM Promotions)

• NGO or Govt outlet/ stalls- Explore the NGOs who would want to come and interact as a part of their
connect/ drive

• Facilitate the 10th and 12th Girl childs -pass outs/toppers on stage- if possible ALL of Palava Residents.

• Get a religious speaker to speak about Worshiping the Female force (Prefferbly from RK Mission/ Bharat
Sevasharam Sangha/ Gaudiya Math)
 04
How do we get these?
• Orphanages & old Age homes: Plenty available. With all earnestness we want the residents to be a part of
the festivities as one of our own. “Khusiya baant ne se badti hai”. We also will pledge that we will conduct
a annual/half yearly drive for donations in palava through BFP.

• Prominent Women Speakers:

• Lady Govt Officials/ Police/Armed forces- through member connections and relationships
• 4 schools in Palava- with Lady Principals
• Business leaders/ CEOs/ Doctors/Professors of Prominent Univ/ Institutes: Member connections
• 2 female board members of Lodha and 3 Senior Management comittee members
• NGOs and Govt Depts:
• Mangal Prabhat Lodha- Cabinet Minister - Maharashtra in Women and Child Development!
• Swadhar (Institute for Development of Women and Child)- Mumbai
• Unnati- by Lodha Group..

• Religious Speakers: Use member connections to approach RK Mission/ Bharat Seva Shram/ Gaudiya Math
etc for pro bono speakers- This increases the visibility and credibility

Each of these are possible in a matter of 6 to 8 weeks if we resolve to and all of us comes togather
 What are the inter linkages? What is it in for us?
1. Stand out as “Different” in a very good way to public as well as potential donors. Makes
donation/Sponsorship solicitation much easier as it is now a “NOBLE CAUSE”

2. Get milage from PCMA - by getting involvement from Mangal Prabhat Lodha or his office at least.
Unnati - an initiative by Lodha group works on empowering women- their involvement can come as
important leverage when discussing concessions from PCMA.

3. Team to check how we can get donations in BFP puja as CSR...

4. Apart from member and non member chanda and sponsorship and kiosk sale- we can utilise donation
drive for orphage and old age home amongst all residents of Palava and beyond....can even reqquest the
schools to get their students behind it.

5. Utilising Member contacts- we can use these activities as a story in print/ tele/ fm media. Utilise the
younger members/ member children to run a SM PR and influencer support.

6. All speakers/diginitories to be made members of BFP- Imagine the network and leverage it will be create
for us for future

7. Orphanage/Old age home/ School children involvement- will get Pandal Footfalls extremely high- it
will enable us to derive much higher rent from stalls and kiosks next year.
 What do we need?
• A project team of 4 to 6 members working on it for 2/3 months to connect the dots and getting the
people/organizations involved.

• Puja operations management and normal collection drive to continue as is and is not in the perview or
influence of this project.

• Theme, Decoration and Cultural events to be aligned with the “Purpose” - by the respective comittee
members.

• Identify a team of 2 to 4 young members/ Member children who will work on SM promotion and digital
content and branding.

• Donation to orphange or old age home etc to be from a seperate drive that will be run on premises of puja.
No amount from Puja fund will be solicited

• Probable pick up and drop of dignitries

• Bhog for orphan and old age home members during puja days- we can count probably 15 /20 heads

• Momento for Dignitaries.

 LAST AND NOT THE LEAST

If we get even a couple of these smiles or do a positive impact on

society- It would be a truely successfull Durga Puja