One of the Sri Lanka’s successful Marketing / Brand strategists and Tacticians, and, by the words of the Marketing Industry, “Sri Lanka’s Brand Guru”, eminent author cum philosopher of TRAVIS BRANDSOLOGY (The 1^st Asian Philosophy for Brands) and co-author of “The Book for Entrepreneurs” in India, Hashan Travis Haputhanthri recently addressed the Second National Seminar on Higher Education in India at the Centre for Education Growth and Research (CEGR) in India  where he spoke about "Needs of Corporate from the Higher Education".

CEGR of New Delhi invited Hashan Haputhanthri to be at the Head Table on this occasion which was graced by India’s top guns in Higher Education and Specialists for Skilling India. He also became the 1^st Sri Lankan to address the CEGR conference.

Hashan spoke about the self-founded concept called the “Talent Model” by explaining that “there are three levels of talents - Surface Talents, Detected Talents and Hidden Talents. Corporates must understand that there are Hidden talents in individuals which drive Detected and Surface talents, and thus cultivate them. This is the art to close the unskilled gap. In every layer there are gaps created. As leaders we must close these gaps by educating co-workers.”

Speaking further, Haputhanthri added another model indicating that “Higher education is nothing if you cannot convert Data to Information and then Information to Intelligence. It is like you have to convert Education to Higher Education and then to Wisdom. If it is not, then you can find the LOGIC and the MAGIC.”

“Education cannot be understood by most of the so-called educationists since the particle element is missing. The gap is widening between a Guru and a Teacher. What makes one a Guru? This is a question that you must ask and find answer. For me it is a person who has contributed, offered and is developing the fraternity. He / she must work for the development of the tribe and rigorously bring new learning to make the environment rich. A guru is a role model where he leads others shoulder to shoulder. A guru is a gigantic character who helps his students immensely – like Disapamok. The teacher can be a guru if he/she ceaselessly helps students to achieve greater heights. To do that he/she needs guts. Corporates need to understand this concept, in learning to bridge the gap of the skilled and the unskilled. Many corporates do not understand this. There is gap due to many reasons. But the fundamental is not understanding the skills level of an individual.”

Hashan Haputhanthri is the Head of Marketing for TVS Lanka which markets two wheelers and three wheelers. Having more than 19 years of brand marketing experience in both food and non-food, Hashan headed brands like Nivea, Maliban Biscuits (instrumental in launching Maliban Smart Cream Crackers) and in Fiji Islands – Sunquick, Weetbics, Royal Tea, Island Chill Mineral Water and 30 other major brands. Hashan has done research in Inca, Egypt and Sri Lankan symbology. He has further researched color psychology and Namelogy as well. Brand marketing and non-conventional marketing are his inventions. The newly revamped Diploma in Strategic Brand Management for SLIM is also his invention.