Dileep raises key issues in book ‘IIFA: The Other Side’

Tourism industry official cum professional Dileep Mudadeniya in his personal capacity has released a book on Sri Lanka’s hosting of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) in 2010.

Titled ‘IIFA: The Other Side,’ the book in Sinhala, Dileep’s first, recaps the efforts which went in to it, the challenges faced and its success, in addition to highlighting some key issues with regard to the Tamil Diaspora, media, and Lankan artistes, as well as the importance of people at large supporting similar high profile global events to be hosted in Sri Lanka.

At the time of IIFA, Dileep was the Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and a key member in the IIFA Steering Committee.

The IIFA Awards was a hot topic in 2010 given the wide publicity it drew, both positive and negative, locally and internationally.

The book outlines the origin and how the entire event evolved to be one of the biggest events in the country. It also refers to the challenges, difficulties and operational obstacles faced by organisers at various points and the strategies adopted to overcome the same.

It also refers to allegations made against the event and what role the media should have played in developing wider public opinion against pro-LTTE protests in India in front of various Indian artistes.

It also discusses the political context in which the entire event was organised and the numerous attempts taken by pro-LTTE groups to cancel the event. However, the author states that without understanding the total political context in which the entire event was executed by isolating various incidents, there is an attempt to reprimand those who made this happen and its effects on the entire development of the country.

It is also interesting to note that the book has been presented with an open heart for all those who have a real need to make Sri Lanka the ‘Wonder of Asia’ and for those who are committed to it and for those who face a number of difficulties during such process.

The book ends with the role of international events in branding the nation and the benefits of such a branding exercise. The author also critically analyses the “post-event wisdom” of many people, including public officials, which does not help the country’s development goals.

The book has eight chapters which include ‘What is IIFA?’, ‘How IIFA came to Sri Lanka,’ ‘Practical Difficulties and Obstacles,’ ‘Feedback,’ ‘Analysis of Media Value and ‘Return on Investment’ and ‘Nation Branding through Events’. The book also has colourful pictures to describe all key developments and events connected to IIFA.

Dileep is a graduate from the University of Colombo. He is also an Attorney-at-Law, a Chartered Marketer and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He has a MBA in Marketing and was awarded the TOYPE – Top Outstanding Young Person of the Year 2010 – for public sector.

Whilst the book is his first publication, he has contributed for many research articles in a number of local and foreign publications. The book can be obtained from Nidahas Publications, No 151, Nawala Road, Nugegoda. Tel 2813480.