First of all hats off to the IFA Galaxy guys – they brought off a stunning show – the annual meet of the stars in Chennai. To put together a show where 500 people attended, the timing was brilliantly followed – from the start to the end. The food was great, and the arrangements in general were top class.

Now the caveat: I was overwhelmed with the number of people whom I met – I have collected about 30 visiting cards, which means about 60 people met me – and my apologies for running out of cards. I was surely carrying 30.

Another caveat: I am going to talk about the event and will not name anybody – because it will be unfair on those people whom I forgot to mention.

Brahmano, Bhojana Priyar…! well as a true blue Brahmin I reached perfectly in time for a huge range of breakfast, but had only one/ 2 items and was busy meeting the visitors! I realized that there was a brilliantly laid out menu, and most of the people enjoyed it. Met the office bearers of IFA Galaxy – Ramesh Bhat – I had met him earlier in 2009, but the others I had not met.

The session started with an invocation to the Lord and they also played Vande Matram by A R Rahman..You have to be a non Indian to remain unemotional when this song is played!

Many speakers, panel discussions, and very well handled by the compere – and I thought he was only a trainer! The Bell Captain made sure that everybody entered the hall at the right time, and that the speakers finished on time.

Had an opportunity to speak to an audience of about 500 people – and this far surpassed my previous best of about 100 people. There were more people in one row here than in my normal class. I hope my lecture and my ppt (should be available with IFA Galaxy’s Srini ) is useful and the IFa community benefits by this. The IFA community is pretty maligned and needs a body which DEALS directly with sebi and not through the FPSB or the AMFI created bodies. I still hold that Amfi is NOT (repeat NOT) a representative of the industry IT IS ONLY AN UNION of manufacturers. Clearly there is a conflict of interest between Amfi and IFAs – and this will NEVER EVER be brought up to sebi. When the upfront commission was abolished Amfi was vocal about it (it had something to lose because the amc which was taking money from the client and paying to the agent). However tomorrow if Sebi does tinker with the trail commission (which it will) Amfi will be silent on that issue.

IFAs you are big -and it is time that you organize a big all India event in Mumbai (home of Sebi) along with ALL other associations in the country and tell SEBI that an SRO can be created by all of YOU, without the help of ……..!!