The best brains in banking stepped out of boardrooms to raise a toast to members of their fraternity at the 10th FE India’s Best Banks awards in Mumbai on Saturday. It was Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s first visit to India’s financial capital after presenting the Budget, to give away awards in 13 categories of banking and three newly instituted awards — Best Banker of the Year, Best Innovator and Lifetime Achievement award.

On an evening dedicated to excellence in banking at the the Taj Mahal hotel, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan,Maharashtra Finance Minister Dilip Walse-Patil and corporate leaders such as Mukesh Ambani, chairman, Reliance

Industries, rubbed shoulders with Deepak Parekh, chairman, HDFC, KV Kamath, ICICI’s non-executive chairman, Naina Lal Kidwai, group general manager and country head, HSBC, SS Kohli, chairman and MD, Indian Infrastructure Finance, winners of the coveted banking awards and members of the jury besides other distinguished personalities.

After the awards, there was a riveting panel discussion, titled Lessons from the Turmoil: New Challenges in Profitability and Growth.