MRSS India Moves into Social Research

MRSS India has added a Social Research Practice, and appointed former IMRB International Director Dr.Srikant Patel to lead it.

The company, formed in 2012 by Majestic MRSS co-founder Raj Sharma and former Nielsen India MD Sarang Panchal, last year became the first MR agency to be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. As Head of the new Social Research Practice, Dr Patel (pictured) brings more than seventeen years' experience in research, most recently as IMRB International Group Business Director. Earlier he spent fifteen years working with Nielsen, as a Team Leader and Profit Center Head. His involvement with large-scale national projects spans health and nutrition; water, sanitation and hygiene; surveys of children; women's empowerment; and baselining CSR activities.

Chairman Raj Sharma says of the launch and appointment: 'From the time MRSS has got success in the B3G space, we have been eyeing the 'Social Market Research' space. We could have either acquired a specialist firm OR a specialist leader and we went for the latter. We strongly believe that this step will result in significant revenues for us in the coming years'.

Separately, the company's FPO, announced in September, was successfully completed today, raising up to Rs10 crore, according to the Exchange.

The firm, whose offer includes eye tracking, mobile analytics, video analysis, automated audience measurement and sensory sciences, is online at www.mrssindia.com .