The contest organised by the National Institute of Professional Secretaries (NIPS) at a special function held at Hotel Blue Diamond, the secretaries vied with each other to get to the top spot. This was a culmination of a month-long procedure in which the secretaries had to go through various tests that had been designed exclusively for the contest. The first step - applying for contest in itself is a round in which the participants are judged, the format and the style of the application being the clinchers.

This is followed by a written test that helps screen the contestants. On the day of reckoning, the ladies were put through the grind as they went through a group discussion and a personal interview. In the end there were six semi-finalists who were out shone by the three finalists - Sonia Sharon taking the top honours, Navaz Vesuna being adjudged the first runner-up and Kavita Ferreira the second runners-up. The chief guest at the function was N Balachandran, executive director, Kinetic Lease andFinance Ltd.

Two of the winners will be representing the Pune chapter of NIPS in the All India competition to be held at Mumbai later on. Here's to efficient secretaries!