AT THIS YEAR'S NASSCOM 2003, CEOs NOT only deliberated on issues, but also managed a debut on the catwalk. CEOs from top software companies walked the ramp along with the super-models, flaunting designer wear. Among the many CEOs who strutted down the ramp included expert Vijay Mukhi, Rajeev Kaul, Managing Director of Microsoft (India), Lalit Kanodia, Chairman of Datamatics, Harish Mehta, co-founder of Nasscom, Som Mittal, President & CEO, Digital GlobalSoft, Deepak Ghaisas, CEO, iflex Solutions (India), Ashank Desai, Chairman and Managing Director, Mastek and Arun Kumar, President and Managing Director, Hughes Software Services. The shy Nasscom president Kiran Karnik didn't get on the ramp, though.

“The intention was to portray Indian CEOs in a more progressive mold,” says Harih Mehta, who conceived the concept. Nitish Bharadwaj materialized the concept (who played the role of Krishna in the tele-serial Mahabharath). For him, it was a challenge to choreograph a fashion show that was a marriage between two entirely different streams—the glamour of fashion and the globally competitive Indian IT industry. It was the first time people saw a lighter and alluring side of the CEOs.