Bonding with the boss

While bosses do commend their assistants during the year, their presence at the Administrative Professionals Day is the best acknowledgement of their confidence in their assistants, summed up Pankaj Sampat, general manager, Taj President, partner sponsor of the annual boss-secretary luncheon organized by the Indian Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals (IASAP) on April 21, 2010.

"Many Parsi bosses along with their secretaries had also attended this function,” reported Jeroo Irani, senior manager, Central Bank of India and the current president of IASAP. Among them were Yazdi Desai, joint managing director of Writer Corporation, Homai Daruwalla of the GMR Group, Hector Vesuna, general manager, Central Bank, Aspi Katgara, managing director and CEO (chief executive officer) of The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank Limited, M. K. Sonawala, general manager and corporate company secretary, Tata Services Limited. Altogether over 250 secretaries/administrative professionals along with their respective executives from the corporate, government sector, public, private, foreign banks, law companies and other firms attended the function at Taj President to show their solidarity with an event observed globally on the Wednesday of the last full week of April.

On Administrative Professionals Day (from left) S. Sridhar, Pankaj Sampat, Usha Jani, Pansy Reilly, Balfour Manual, Malini Shankar, Homai Mehta; (below) Mehta felicitating Shankar and Jeroo Irani

"Under the strong leadership of our president emeritus Homai Mehta, our president Jeroo Irani, her able governing council and supported by our sponsors Taj President and Blue Dart Express Limited — committed sponsors for the past 23 years — the afternoon began with an introduction by compere Zarine Commissariat,” mentioned the press release. The theme this year being "Power of Commitment,” Balfour Manual, vice president, western region of Blue Dart, reminded the audience that commitment is not merely the expression of interest or action but the perseverance to sustain one’s drive and focus, without distraction, on the set goals. Demonstrating exemplary commitment is an administrative professional who never gives up and not only manages the numerous tasks entrusted to her but also manages the boss and his mood swings, supplemented Sampat.

Chief guest Malini Shankar, principal secretary, government of Maharash­tra chose to dwell on "power,” and elaborated how every form of power, whether electrical, official, social or political could be used, misused or abused. She recommended that the IASAP start a special chapter for the secretaries of the government to improve their level of professionalism and poise. Shankar then released the newsletter edited by the untiring Moti Vazifdar.

With IASAP entering its ruby jubilee, governing council member Katy Dhondy made an inspirational and nostalgic presentation covering the activities of the organization over four decades. After a vote of thanks by vice president Wilma D’Costa, the participants enjoyed the sumptuous spread by chef Ananda Solomon and went home with happy memories and a memento presented by Central Bank of India, noted the write-up.