It was weekend on the greens for corporates

Where do you think the top corporate and finance decision-makers and senior government executives as well as regulators celebrated Valentine's Day?

Certainly not with their spouses "" at least not all through the day, that is. Rather, G N Bajpai, chairman Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), teed off at the Aditya Birla Invitation Golf Tournament on Saturday.

The Birla group clubbed golfers in groups of fours in accordance to their handicap.

Why golf? "Well, one really cannot get 160 corporate and financial chiefs, not to mention government officials and regulators playing soccer or hockey. Especially when one considers the oldest participant is well over 80 years old and has asked for a buggy," said Birla Sun Life Asset Management Company vice president marketing and communications Ravi Sharma.

"Success in golf depends a great deal on skill, practice, concentration, good manners and honesty. Very much like the qualities required for long-term success in the corporate world. This tournament portrayed business acumen with finesse in a leisurely fashion," said Aditya Birla Group director financial services S K Mitra.

The two-day tournament, which ended today, saw corporate heads such as Procter & Gamble managing director Bharat Patel, M&M executive director Arun Nanda, Tata Tele.com chief financial officer Vivek Sett, Marico chairman-cum-managing director Harsh Mariwala, Salomon Smith Barney CEO Brian Brown, McKinsey & Co principal Leo Puri, and S K Mitra himself. Senior government executives have also been invited as being among the high-networth individuals.

In fact, the Birla group received a phone call from the Commissioner of customs, M C Thakur, to participate in the tournament.

"We did not know he was an avid golfer," said company officials, who had sent out 179 invitations.

At the end of the day, the longest drive was won by Ratish Palon, owner of Hotel Orchid. Sulkashana Chowgule was declared the best lady golfer.

The winner of 0-14 handicap was Nohar Nath, director of Nath Industries, and 14 to 24 handicap winner was Akshay Gupta, a budding golfer. The runner-up in the 14 to 24 catogery handicap was Chokar Doshi, owner of Karma Lquid Lounge.