Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI)

What Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI) does

Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI) is a not-for-profit industry body founded on 24 January 2005 in Chennai (rebranded to its current name on 9 July 2008) and dedicated to advancing rural marketing practice in Asia. It serves a member base of over 200 individual and corporate members spanning advertising and communications, media, IT, academic, activations, last-mile distribution, FMCG, banking and financial services, automotive, agriculture, and consumer durables sectors. Core products are the Flame Awards Asia and Flame Student Awards recognition programs, the Rural Conclave and Agri Conclave conferences, the Rural Fintech and Financial Inclusion Forum, the Rural Immersion Programme, and newer vertical forums on Rural Mobility & EV and Rural Sustainability & CSR, supported by a Knowledge Centre of case studies, white papers, and budget analysis.

The association does not operate proprietary technology in the conventional sense; rather, it runs a portfolio of branded initiatives delivered through digital platforms (rmai.in and dedicated event microsites), physical events at venues across Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Gurugram, and partner-hosted formats with institutions including ICAR-NAARM and Welingkar Institute. The business model is a community-led subscription plus transaction-fee hybrid. Recurring revenue comes from tiered membership fees — Platinum (Corporate) at Rs. 35,000/year or Rs. 75,000/3 years, Gold (Individual) at Rs. 25,000, Star (Vendor/Partner) at Rs. 30,000, and Student at Rs. 1,000 — with voting rights accruing only after three consecutive years of Platinum membership. Transactional revenue is generated from delegate fees (e.g., Rural Fintech Forum at Rs. 10,000 members / Rs. 15,000 non-members; Rural Immersion at Rs. 25,000/delegate for three days) and award entry fees (Rs. 10,000-15,000 per entry), supplemented by undisclosed sponsorship from corporate partners. Governance is provided by an elected Leadership Team (President, Vice President, General Secretary, Treasurer) drawn from member companies, supported by a small New Delhi-based Secretariat.

Name

Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI)

Legal name

Rural Marketing Association of India

Website

https://rmai.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RMAI is a not-for-profit industry body, founded in 2005, that serves over 200 corporate and individual members across advertising, FMCG, BFSI, agriculture, and automotive sectors through rural-marketing awards, conferences, an experiential immersion programme, and a knowledge portal. It operates as a subscription-and-event-fee-funded community platform spanning India and Nepal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association / Industry Body Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Congresses (THAHAJAI), Sales Kickoffs (SKOs) & Revenue Summits (THAHAMAB), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Rural marketing association
• Industry body services
• Trade awards programs
• Conferences and conclaves
• Membership subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: RMAI generates revenue through tiered membership fees: Platinum Members (Corporate) at Rs. 35,000 + 18% GST per year or Rs. 75,000 + 18% GST for 3 years; Gold Members (Individual) at Rs. 25,000 + 18% GST; Star Members (Vendors/Partners) at Rs. 30,000 + 18% GST; Student Members at Rs. 1,000 + 18% GST. Voting rights are reserved exclusively for Platinum Members upon completion of three consecutive years of active membership.
2. Event and Delegate Fees: Revenue is generated from participation fees for flagship programs: Rural Immersion Programme at Rs. 25,000 + 18% GST per delegate for 3 days; Rural Fintech Forum at Rs. 10,000 + 18% GST for members and Rs. 15,000 + 18% GST for non-members; Rural Fintech Excellence Awards at Rs. 10,000 + 18% GST per entry; Leadership Excellence Awards at Rs. 15,000 + 18% GST per entry.
3. Not-for-profit industry body: RMAI is described as a premier and not-for-profit industry body devoted to furthering the cause of Rural Marketing in Asia. As a not-for-profit, any surplus is reinvested into programs and initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

RMAI operates as a not-for-profit industry association that delivers tiered membership subscriptions, flagship awards programs (Flame Awards Asia, Flame Student Awards, Leadership Awards), knowledge conferences (Rural Conclave, Agri Conclave, Rural Fintech Forum, Rural Mobility & EV, Rural CSR Conference), a three-day Rural Immersion Programme, and a Knowledge Centre with case studies and white papers. Members include corporates, individual professionals, vendors/partners, and students active across rural marketing, advertising, media, IT, last-mile distribution, agriculture, BFSI, automotive, and FMCG sectors.

Product overview

RMAI is a not-for-profit industry body devoted to furthering the cause of Rural Marketing in Asia, offering a portfolio of award programs, conferences, experiential learning programs, and knowledge resources. The core offerings include the Flame Awards Asia and Flame Student Awards (recognition programs), Rural Conclave and Agri Conclave (knowledge conferences), Rural Immersion Programme (experiential learning), Rural Fintech Forum (financial inclusion platform), and specialized conferences on Rural Mobility & EV and Rural Sustainability & CSR. The association provides a Knowledge Centre with case studies and market research, supported by a tiered membership program (Platinum, Gold, Star, Student) offering network access, event discounts, and industry insights to over 200 individual and corporate members spanning advertising, media, IT, academic, and activation sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flame Awards: Annual awards recognizing excellence in rural marketing in Asia
• Flame Student Awards
• Rural Immersion Programme
• Rural Conclave
• Rural Fintech
• Digital Dot Rural
• Agri Conclave
• Leadership Awards
• Rural Mobility & EV
• Rural CSR Conference

Products and services

• RMAI Membership Program Tiered membership program offering access to RMAI's member network, early access to event content, industry alerts, knowledge portal publishing, job section access, and discounted event participation. Available in Platinum (Corporate) at Rs. 35,000 + 18% GST per year or Rs. 75,000 + 18% GST for 3 years; Gold (Individual) at Rs. 25,000 + 18% GST; Star (Vendors/Partners) at Rs. 30,000 + 18% GST; and Student at Rs. 1,000 + 18% GST. Voting rights are granted to Platinum Members upon completion of three consecutive years of active membership.
• Flame Awards Asia Annual awards program that recognizes and celebrates the best corporate and individual rural marketing works across Asia. Over 300 delegates attended the 2019 edition; winners have included Impact Communications (13 metals), Group M Mindshare (6 metals), and Anugrah Madison (5 metals).
• Flame Student Awards Student awards program that creates awareness and interest in the Rural Marketing domain among management students across India, recognizing best B-school projects in the rural segment. Over 200 delegates from corporate and B-school students attended the 2019 edition.
• Rural Conclave Annual knowledge and networking platform that brings together industry leaders, policymakers, and rural marketing professionals to deliberate on challenges and opportunities in rural markets.
• Rural Immersion Programme A flagship three-day experiential learning initiative combining classroom sessions and village immersion to provide participants with comprehensive understanding of India's rural and agricultural ecosystem. Conducted at the NAARM Campus in Hyderabad.
• Rural Fintech Forum A flagship platform addressing financial inclusion challenges in rural India, bringing together fintech innovators, policymakers, financial institutions, and rural entrepreneurs to build inclusive, technology-driven financial solutions. Held in partnership with Welingkar Institute of Management.
• Rural Fintech Excellence Awards Awards program recognizing outstanding innovations and impactful initiatives driving financial inclusion in rural India across categories: Leadership & Innovation, Product & Service Innovation, Impact & Partnerships, and Emerging & Future-Focused.
• Agri Conclave Annual agricultural conference examining how governance, technology, finance, sustainability, and enterprise can work in synergy to build a future-ready rural landscape.
• Agri Conclave Awards Awards honouring outstanding contributions in India's agricultural ecosystem across categories: Technology & Innovation, Finance & Value Chain, Sustainability & Climate Action, Allied & Mechanization, and Leadership & Impact.
• Rural Mobility & EV Conference Conference focused on electric mobility in rural India, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss opportunities and challenges of EV adoption in rural markets, with associated awards for Rural Mobility Innovation, Electric Two-Wheeler Initiative, Rural Charging Infrastructure, Rural Mobility Financing, and Startup of the Year.
• Rural Sustainability and CSR Conference Strategic forum focused on shaping the future of rural development through responsible business practices, enabling dialogue on how CSR, ESG priorities, and public policy can address sustainability challenges.
• Leadership Excellence Awards Awards recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and created measurable impact in India's rural and emerging markets, with three age-based categories: Rural Young Changemaker Award (Under 30), Rural Emerging Leader Award (30-40), and Rural Impact Champion Award (Above 40).
• Digital Dot Rural An initiative focused on digital transformation and technology adoption in rural markets.
• Knowledge Centre Collection of case studies, white papers, market analysis, and expert insights on rural marketing topics available to members, including 'Decoding Budget for Bharat' budget decoding studies and market sentiment assessments, with 'Ask the Expert' and 'Rural by Topic' articles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 individual and corporate members across 15+ sectors including advertising & communications, media, IT, academic, activations, and last mile distribution
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• CASE Construction EquipmentflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 May 2026CASE Construction Equipment served as Powered By sponsor for the Rural Sustainability & CSR Conference 2026 (May 8, 2026) at India International Centre, New Delhi. Puneet Vidyarthi, Head Brand Marketing - APAC & India at CASE Construction Equipment and RMAI President, delivered the Welcome Address at the conference.
• ICAR-NAARM (National Academy of Agricultural Research Management)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026ICAR-NAARM served as Knowledge Partner and venue host for the Rural Immersion Programme 2026 (February 18-20, 2026) at the NAARM Campus, Hyderabad. Dr. Gopal Lal, Acting Director of ICAR-NAARM, participated as a keynote speaker on Leadership in Agriculture. NAARM's academic infrastructure supports the 3-day experiential learning initiative.
• Seedworks International Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026Seedworks International served as Associate Partner for the Rural Immersion Programme 2026. Several Seedworks executives served as speakers: Baljinder Singh Nandra (Chief Government & Regulatory Affairs Officer) spoke on Overview of Indian Agriculture, and Neha Sivaprakasam (Chief Information/Digital Officer) spoke on Agri Technology & Innovation.
• Insight India NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026Insight India Network served as a knowledge and program partner for the Rural Immersion Programme 2026. Syed Nizamuddin (Associate Vice President) served as speaker, and Khurram Askari (Founder & Managing Director) spoke on Indian village economy and the paradox of digital age for farmers.
• NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026NABARD (represented by Shrikant K Zambre, Deputy General Manager) served as speaker and knowledge contributor at the Rural Immersion Programme 2026, covering Government Policies & Schemes, credit, insurance, subsidy mechanisms, and the role of banks and cooperatives.
• Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (WeSchool)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025Welingkar Institute of Management served as Host and Knowledge Partner for the Rural Fintech and Financial Inclusion Forum 2025 hosted by RMAI on November 7, 2025, at Welingkar Institute, Mumbai. Welingkar faculty and students actively contributed to organizing the forum, which brought together industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, and academia to deliberate on rural fintech and financial inclusion.
• SBI General InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2025SBI General Insurance supported the Rural Fintech and Financial Inclusion Forum 2025 as Sponsor Partner. Priya Sampat Kumar, Sr. EVP and Business Head at SBI General Insurance, served as moderator for Panel 1 on Rural Credit & NBFCs and as jury member for the Rural Fintech Excellence Awards.
• FACE (Fintech SRO Partner)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACE served as Fintech SRO Partner for the Rural Fintech and Financial Inclusion Forum 2025, contributing to discussions on the rural fintech regulatory landscape.
• Sadhan (Sector Partner)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSadhan served as Sector Partner for the Rural Fintech and Financial Inclusion Forum 2025.
• BrandScout (Digital Partner)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBrandScout served as Digital Partner for the Rural Sustainability & CSR Conference 2026.
• Ernst & Young (EY) (Tabulation Partner)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerErnst & Young (EY) served as Tabulation Partner for the RMAI Leadership Excellence Awards 2026, providing independent evaluation and tabulation services for the award assessment process.
• Gaon Junction (Print Media Partner)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerGaon Junction served as Print Media Partner for the RMAI Leadership Excellence Awards 2026.
• afaqs! (Digital Media Partner)supportingGTM or Marketing Partnerafaqs! served as Digital Media Partner for the RMAI Leadership Excellence Awards 2026.
• BrandScout (Digital Partner)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBrandScout served as Digital Partner for the RMAI Leadership Excellence Awards 2026.
• AFQS (Digital Media Partner)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAFQS served as Digital Media Partner for the Rural Fintech and Financial Inclusion Forum 2025.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI): IAMAI is a not-for-profit industry body representing digital and internet companies in India, with similar event-driven, membership-funded operating model. Both bodies organize flagship annual forums and awards, and increasingly overlap on rural digital / fintech topics where RMAI's Rural Fintech Forum competes for the same sponsor mindshare.
• Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI): ASCI is the self-regulatory body for advertising content in India, serving a similar industry-association function for advertisers and agencies. Both ASCI and RMAI operate as not-for-profit bodies convening advertisers, agencies, and policy stakeholders around marketing best practices in India.
• Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI): AAAI is the primary industry body for advertising agencies in India, with overlapping membership (Group M, Ogilvy, Madison agencies are RMAI corporate members) and similar mandate of representing marketing services professionals. Both bodies run annual awards and industry recognition programs serving advertisers and agencies focused on the Indian market.

Broad incumbents

• NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies): NASSCOM is a leading Indian IT/ITES industry association with a similar not-for-profit, membership-and-event-funded operating model. While focused on IT rather than rural marketing, NASSCOM runs comparable flagship forums, awards, and policy advocacy, and competes for the same pool of large-enterprise sponsorship dollars.
• Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM): ASSOCHAM is a major Indian industry chamber operating with a similar not-for-profit, event-driven, membership-funded model. RMAI's corporate members overlap significantly with ASSOCHAM's, and both bodies convene conferences and awards targeted at large Indian enterprises across BFSI, FMCG, automotive, and agriculture verticals.
• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII): CII is one of India's largest industry associations, with similar not-for-profit, membership-funded structure organizing events, awards, and policy advocacy. RMAI's many corporate members (ITC, HDFC, Kotak, JSW, Maruti) are also CII members, and CII runs parallel rural development and agriculture initiatives that intersect with RMAI's mandate.
• PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry: PHDCCI is a major Indian industry chamber with a comparable not-for-profit, event-and-membership-funded structure and overlapping corporate member base across BFSI, FMCG, and manufacturing. Both bodies organize industry conferences and policy advocacy targeted at the same large Indian enterprise sponsors.
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI): FICCI is a premier Indian industry chamber with comparable not-for-profit, event-and-membership-funded model and overlapping corporate member base (HDFC, ITC, Maruti Suzuki, JSW). Both bodies organize marquee annual events and policy advocacy and compete for sponsorship from the same large Indian corporates.

Regional players

• Indian Newspaper Society (INS): INS is the apex body of the Indian newspaper industry, with a comparable not-for-profit association structure representing media owners. RMAI member Amar Ujala is part of the broader Indian newspaper ecosystem INS represents, and both bodies engage with rural media audiences — a key RMAI distribution channel.

Others

• Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI): AMFI is the not-for-profit industry association for the Indian mutual fund industry, with a comparable membership-funded, event-driven model. Both RMAI and AMFI serve as industry self-regulatory and convening bodies, and they increasingly intersect on rural financial inclusion topics (a key RMAI Rural Fintech Forum theme).

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rmai_tweet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RMAIofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/rmaiofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rmaiofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/ruralmarketingassociationindia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI)