It is a small film that details the story of Shyam Saran Negi, a 97-year-old retired schoolteacher from Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh, and India’s very first voter.
Created by Ogilvy & Mather for Google in its ‘Pledge to Vote’ campaign, it is a story that is relevant to India's current political situation, a story that tugs at the heartstrings, and one that aims to inspire every Indian.
As the story goes, India's first general elections were held in early 1952. But, an exception was made for Kinnaur in anticipation of the snowfall, and elections were held there in October 1951. That is when Negi, lovingly known as Masterji, got a chance to cast his first vote.
Since then, Negi has voted in every single election, including each of the 15 Lok Sabha elections. The years have not diminished his belief in democracy and the power of elections. As Sandeep Menon, Director, Marketing, Google India noted: “The 2014 general elections are about capturing the imagination of millions of both first time as well as experienced voters. The video was developed to inspire Indian voters to vote this election.”