On the eve of Women’s Day, the Crystal Room of Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Hotel lay sparklingly awaiting the IMC Ladies Wing’s annual women’s day event. Several women and a few nervous men greeted each other with disarming smiles. The theme, ‘Mumbai - A Fine Balance’ was close to all our hearts here at Verve, which distributed copies of its January In Memoriam issue to all the guests present.

Engaging keynote speakers like Shobhaa De and Suhel Seth led the audience through a range of topics including politics, education and security. While De’s sentimental speech paid tribute to Mumbai’s indomitable spirit, Seth’s fiery words came as a sharp jolt. Mumbai Sheriff Dr Indu Shahani highlighted what can and should be done about security issues in the city. Topics like Slumdog Millionaire, women’s issues, and elections reigned supreme.

The conclusion, a light-hearted session by Bharat Dabholkar, came as a relief to listeners, who after the delicious Taj lunch couldn’t get their thinking cells reworking. His witty speech and skits had the audience roaring with laughter.

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