India Adda, the Hub for Conversations on India at Davos: IBEF

NEW DELHI and DAVOS, January 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

The IBEF India Adda was abuzz today with delegates from business, government, media and accademia - both from India and abroad - engaged in animated conversations on India and the world. The day saw Mr. Anand Sharma, Minister for Commerce and Industry keep a hectic schedule engaged in meetings with business leaders from multinationals from diverse industries. Interestingly, business leaders had also organised pre-scheduled meetings at the India Adda. This lived up to the spirit of India Adda, which has aimed to provide an enabling environment for dialogue and discussion connecting people from diverse streams.

The India Adda received some of the most prominent business leaders from India and abroad like Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Executive Vice Chairman, Infosys, Mr. Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Forge, Mr. Vineet Nayyar, Executive Vice Chairman, Tech Mahindra, Mr. C P Gurnani, CEO, Mahindra Satyam and Managing Director, Tech Mahindra, Mr. Aroon Purie, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, India Today Group, Mr Ashok Vemuri, President and CEO, iGATE, Mr Sanjiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv, Mr Malvinder Singh, Executive Chairman, Fortis Healthcare, Mr Shivinder Singh, Managing Director, Fortis Healthcare, Mr Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Group, Mr Rajiv Memani, Chairman, India, Ernst & Young, Mr Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief, The Indian Express, Mr Suhel Seth, Managing Partner, Counselage, Mr David M Rubenstein, Co-CEO, The Carlyle Group, Mr Rene Hooft Graafland, Member of the Executive Board, Heineken NV, Mr Simon Henry, Chief Financial Officer, Royal Dutch Shell plc, Mr Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive, Diageo plc and Mr Harish Manwani, Chief Operating Officer, Unilever to name a few. Mr Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra was also present at the Adda.

During the whole day, the IBEF team engaged closely with foreign and Indian business leaders seeking their perspective on market expectations, the India standing at Davos and in the global context. The foreign delegates reaffirmed their confidence in the market and its vast potential adding that the market could only be expected to grow in the future - a sentiment which was also resonated in the India outlook sessions at the Congress Centre at Davos 2014.

Interestingly, almost all delegates displayed a keen eye complimenting the vibrant ambience made live by the miniature princely court art and the Warli art form, which depicted the development and progress made by the Indian economy in recent years. Clearly the artistic rendition of contemporary India complete with airports, roads, telecom and buildings brought live the picture of today's India. The Postcards from India - a collection of business messages depicting the depth and breadth of India business opportunity across sectors - were a runaway success.

Obviously the Taj hospitality stood out. As the day progressed, there was seamless change in menus with the experienced team drumming culinary delights for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the snowy magic mountains of the Davos Alps, masala chai to Assam and the Nilgiri and the specialty teas exuded the warmth of Indian hospitality. As in the previous years, the spice laden chocolates, courtesy the Spices Board of India, continued to be a draw at the India Adda, particularly the chilly chocolates.

"The Adda, as IBEF intended, has truly emerged as the hub for conversations on India and the world. More importantly, it is playing its part in building the nation brand equity," said Ms. Aparna Dutt Sharma, CEO, IBEF.

About India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF)

India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) is a trust established by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. IBEF's primary objective is to promote and create international awareness of the Made in India label in markets overseas and to facilitate dissemination of knowledge of Indian products and services. Towards this objective, IBEF works closely with stakeholders across government and industry. www.ibef.org

Primary Media Contact: Mr. Abhinav Punshi, [email protected], 91-124-4499609

Secondary Media Contact: Mr. Kuldeep Singh, [email protected], 91-124-4499609