MOHAMMED
KHAN - BUNDLE OF CREATIVE ENERGY  |
He is a creative genius who recently
won the highest accolade of the  advertising
world. The coveted AAAI's Premnarayan Award for
outstanding contribution to Indian advertising. After
37 years in the business, Mohammed Khan, Chairman and
Creative Director of Enterprise Nexus is a legend
of sorts. A little known fact is that he hails from Hyderabad.
Mohammed Khan was born into an illustrious family 59 years
ago. A descendent of Todar Mall, the well-known revenue
minister in King Akbar's court, Mohammed's paternal grandfather
was the legendary Maharaja Kishen Pershad, the Prime Minister
of Nizam, a calligrapher, a poet and artist. His maternal
grandfather was Nawab Dawood Jung. Mohammed lived in Banjara
Hills, although then it was only a jungle unlike today's
posh residential area.
After studying at the Jahagirdar's School (now
the Hyderabad Public School) and St George's
Grammar School, he completed his pre university at
Hyderabad's Nizam College. From there, he shifted
to Delhi, for a Bachelor in English literature, at the
prestigious St. Stephen's College. Advertising
happened, when a friend suggested the option. In Mohammed's
words: "As soon as I heard that (about advertising),
I knew I could do nothing else."
Thus began a long and illustrious journey. Mohammed did
a course in advertising in London and began his career
as a copywriter there. Soon after his return, he worked
for DaCunha and MCM. In 1973, along with
two colleagues, he founded the advertising agency Rediffusion.
He then started Contract, a subsidiary of HTA
and became the first Indian to win a Clio Award
for his Superphone ad. ("If you have to talk, you
don't have to walk"). Contract went on to win the
Clio award for three successive years. At this point,
he took a break from advertising and returned to Hyderabad.
But he couldn't stay away for long.
The field of advertising called him back. And, in 1983,
at the age of 42, Mohammed established Enterprise,
which eventually became the Enterprise Nexus Communications
Private Limited. After winning numerous national and
international awards, Mohammed Khan today leads a comfortable
life in Mumbai. In spite of all the awards, Khan still
looks forward to do better. But can he improve upon himself?
After all it was he who coined the slogan for Jenson and
Nicholson, "Whenever you see colour, think of us".
An ad that is still running. 27 years later! Awaiting
to be bettered.
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| - Divya Unnikrishnan |
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3:36:55 PM 
