The Hindu Business Line : Nasscom turns to sports to facilitate networking

WITH the anti-outsourcing heat in the US fraying the nerves of Indian IT honchos, the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) has turned to sports in an effort to unwind.

Nasscom is organising a `Night Golf Tournament' at the DLF Club in Gurgaon this Saturday and has invited the who's who of the information technology industry, bureaucracy and the diplomatic corps to mix pleasure with business.

The big names that would be seen teeing off in the unique event include the Japanese Ambassador, Mr Yashuni Enuki, the Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Mr Pradip Baijal, the Prime Minister's Private Secretary, Mr Ajay Bisaria, and Mr Deepak Ansal of the Ansal Group.

The IT big-wigs include Mr Rajiv Kaul (Microsoft), Mr Vikram Talwar (EXL Services Ltd), Mr Shekhar Dasgupta (Oracle India) and Mr Vijay Thadani (NIIT).

"While we have taken care to invite regular golfers, those uninitiated to the game can take a crash course at the Golf Training Academy. Others, who find the game too boring, can take to swimming or tennis," the Nasscom Vice-President, Ms Sangeeta Gupta, told Business Line.

Ms Gupta said that the event would provide a networking opportunity for the IT professionals.

Care has been taken to involve people from all walks of life so that there is a more healthy exchange of ideas.

"Till now, all networking events were held indoors as seminars or discussions. We decided that there has to be an event that will bring a large number of people together with no strings attached," Ms Gupta said.

Nasscom has also managed to rope in sponsors like Maruti Udyog, Canon, Reebok and Hughes for the event and hopes to make it an annual feature.