Marketing guru Philip Kotler said criticism of the leadership award in his name to Prime Minister Narendra Modi was regrettable, in comments that might clear the air over the raging controversy that has erupted over the past couple of days.

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Modi won with the first Philip Kotler Presidential Leadership Award, but opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi has questioned the award’s credentials. Gandhi “congratulated” Modi, saying the award was so famous that it has no jury.

I want to congratulate our PM, on winning the world famous “Kotler Presidential Award”!

In fact it's so famous it has no jury, has never been given out before & is backed by an unheard of Aligarh company.Event Partners: Patanjali & Republic TV :)https://t.co/449Vk9Ybmz— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 15, 2019

But in an interview to The Marketing Journal, Kotler said it was his organisation, the World Marketing Summit (WMS)

, that presented Modi with the first Philip Kotler Presidential Leadership Award.

Kotler said he was not able to make the trip to India because his physician advised against travel and so he asked his friend, marketing professor Jagdish Sheth — a columnist for CNBCTV18.com — to do the honours in his place.

Kotler outlined the criteria for the selection process. A Kotler Leadership Award leader is one, according to him, who:

believes in representative government and in social justice.

believes that a good society will build a healthy business climate.

encourages businesses to practice the triple bottom line, namely to balance profits, people, and the planet in their deliberations.

sincerely and wholeheartedly works for the Common Good.

Kotler, hailed as the father of marketing, had congratulated Modi on the award.

I congratulate PM @narendramodi for being conferred the first ever Philip Kotler Presidential Award. He has been selected for his outstanding leadership & selfless service towards India, combined with his tireless energy. (1/2)

— Philip Kotler (@kotl) January 15, 2019

The award honours India, in as much as it honours PM Modi, he said in the interview.

The award was conferred on Modi on Monday by the World Marketing Summit (WMS) whose event in December was co-sponsored by GAIL India and partnered by Ramdev's Patanjali group, Republic TV and a number of other companies.

First Published:Jan 16, 2019 9:33 AM IST