I love ICSI National Conventions for knowledge, networking and new places. This was the turn of Southern India regional office of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India to host this yearly event. ICSI National Convention 2017 was held in Kazhakoottam (कष़ऽक्कूट्टम), a suburb of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. This time about 1200 attained the National Convention which is claimed to be the second highest turnaround for ICSI National Convention. This high turnaround certainly puts pressure on organizers but attendance in technical sessions was reduced to less than 50% of total delegates, thanks to Kerala and Kerala Tourism. Kerala Tourism is one of most proactive state tourism department/company in India.
This national convention had a good line-up of religious gurus than any other national convention. This was a deliberate attempt to seek guidance for corporate governance code from dharma more specifically Hindutva, not beyond that. Sadguru Jassi Vasudeva in it pre-inaugural session clearly said that if a person follows dharma in its real sense there is no need for any corporate governance code. I agree, there is correctly no need for any code any law if a person follows the concept called dharma… but we are not dharma people but peoples of rituals. As Sadguru Jassi Vasudeva said Indian philosophy is god less concept governed by Karma, your karma, not god, will make your present and future. ISKCON have some of best orators, well educated and articulated. They always deserve a good mention.
After religious gurus, this national convention has political leaders dictating their political wisdom to the professional crowd. This year is a politically charged year for ICSI where all leaders from Prime Minister of India to State ministers used its professional platform for political mileage, attacking their political rivals rather than communicating with professionals and critics explaining thought process, visions, and future course action and presenting data for professional consumption. We can never expect that a speech from any political leader will completely be without political aims. Thankfully, this national provided a balanced platform to political leaders of all major political thought process and parties. Recently Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated golden Jubilee year of ICSI in Vigyan Bhawan with his much talk about politically sparked slide show and speech. This national convention had Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, Finance Minister of Kerala Dr. T. M. Thomas Isaac, Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Pallath Joseph Kurien, Union Minister of State, Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation , Parliamentary Affairs Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal with their politically flavoured speeches.
Oh! You want my views on technical sessions. Organizing a good technical session is always a tough task for any institution. Best speakers either charges exorbitantly or came with so many riders. So, we never expect good speakers in any conference unless the topic is new and speakers seek public platform for own publicity. Hence, I find two sessions; one on Insolvency and Bankruptcy and another on Goods and Service Tax worth mentioning. A session on NCLT was average with good speakers. All other sessions might be good but easily avoidable by delegates. Delegates were not much motivated to attain the session on motivation itself, nor seems these motivational speakers.
First-day lunch was traditional Sadhya of Kerala. A significant number of delegates did not have the idea, what it was and how to enjoy it. In evening dinners, south Indian and Kerala food were good and I enjoyed it completely. However, due to improper tagging of food items, I could not tell my readers what I had. Pineapple vada, Ripe Banana vada, and many similar items served in tea brakes were good but just out of a refrigerator. At first culturing evening dedicated to local music, few delegates missed so-called national music – Hindi film songs.
This time open house was deliberately post valedictory session losing its worth and shine. Unfortunately, most delegates skipped most important, democratic and noteworthy annual session of the national convention. This might be a success politically but failure democratically. I simply have no question to ask on good work of sitting council of ICSI and walkout intentionally on its failure. ICSI might be next Delhi, where both opposing and ruling parties were out of state political scenario; one for not questioning and another for no answering.
Like most delegates, I also skipped few less worthy session for networking and sightseeing.
I have few suggestions of ICSI delegates particularly from my own northern India:
- Please learn to enjoy local food and songs in all national conventions more than Chinese food and English songs. After all local food, culture and songs are Indian – unity in diversity of Indian Culture should not be an imposition of Delhi – Mumbai culture – vulture to all. Please feel proud of rich Indian heritage.
- National Conventions have free weekends – one or two days, use them for sightseeing. Knowledge and Networking is your object too.
- Sadhya (traditional food served on day one) is going to be known as among best Indian food. You failed to enjoy first opportunity to love it, due to lack of your knowledge. I loved it and have one of the best Sadhya again after closing plenary of the national convention with all total quarter century dishes.
See you soon in next national convention in Eastern India.
AishMGhrana 