Loading ...Namita Joshi
Following a ten year hiatus, the 18th Annual Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP) Conference announced its return to the diverse City of Toronto over the Sept. 4-6, 2009 long weekend. Attended by 800 delegates from across North America, the Conference provided an opportunity for delegates to network, exchange ideas and strengthen ties.
Toronto’s South Asian community stepped up to volunteer their time and talents to ensure an energizing conference with just the right touch of Bollywood glamour and amusement to keep attendees looking forward to each new event. Farah Merchant, Conference Director, highlights the difference in working for a company versus a Not For Profit organization such as NetIP where, “motivating volunteers is harder and team members should have friendships fostered”. Indeed, integral to the conference is the hope that personal friendships will lead to stronger business relationships in the future.
Planning the conference in less than a year, the NetIP Toronto chapter created a platform for high calibre speakers and panelists to engage delegates in a conversation about how they can affect positive change in the world. The popular keynote luncheon packed a strong double punch featuring CNN Economy correspondent Ali Velshi and The Hon. Bob Rae, Liberal Foreign Affairs critic. Mr. Rae spoke of the unique Canada-U.S relationship in which mutual respect allows us to have our differences and yet enables us to reach across the table to work together for a common ideal. Mr. Velshi’s address underlined the importance of honesty and accountability in both journalism and financial institutions. Over the course of three days, often animated panel discussions stimulated delegates to consider a spectrum of issues including, the effect President Obama has on the political landscape, the superpower and super poverty of India and the ways in which individual entrepreneurs have broken the glass ceiling in Toronto. A panel of fashion, beauty and publishing entrepreneurs was also popular. Of special interest to many delegates were the accredited continuing education sessions in the fields of medicine, law and accounting. Dr. Arvi Grover led the Continuing Medical Education session on cardiovascular diseases in the South Asian population. As the Director of Cardiology at both Cleveland Clinic Canada and KMH Laboratories, Dr. Grover saw a multi levelled importance in being involved with the NetIP Conference. He believes, “a conference of this size allows for the opportunity to reach many people with the important message that we need to be aware of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as smoking, inactivity and poor diet, we are not immortal. I am especially interested in raising the awareness of heart disease in women, who traditionally have been treated differently than men. Also, this really is a unique opportunity to network with multiple professionals from a variety of fields.”
If the response to the Annual Conference is any indication, NetIP Toronto has positioned itself to become a leader in professional networking in the South Asian community. Samatha Tipirneni, a delegate from Illinois left Toronto feeling that she had “lived outside of the box and grown” in only three days. Sometimes, three days is all it takes to notice a change.
Namita Joshi resides in Toronto. Photo courtesy of Projected Life Photography.
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