It’s been a hectic few days for the 150-odd CEOs and senior officials of top US companies, in town with their spouses for Fortune magazine’s annual global conference being hosted for the first time in India. While day-long panel discussions with top Government officials and ministers as well as the Indian industry’s captains initiated them onto the challenges and opportunities for doing business here, the evenings were designed to help the visiting CEOs soak in India’s Soft power.

While Union Commerce and Industry Minister hosted mocktails and snacks at Red Fort with three live Army bands on Monday evening, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit organised a cultural extravaganza the next evening at Purana Quila — complete with traditionally decorated elephants, performances by Shiamak Davar’s dance troupe and Louis Banks’ band belting out jazz and fusion.

After Nath’s do at the Red Fort, a dozen personalised dinner parties were on concurrently in the Capital — the 300 visiting delegates were split into a dozen groups and treated at the homes of Delhi’s who’s who — from corporate and industrial families to fashion designers, entrepreneurs and Government officials. Apart from industrialists Gautam Thapar, Azim Premji (who played host at a friend’s residence), Gautam Dalmia, Hari Singhania, Navin Jindal, designer Priya Paul were also those who played host.

The visiting heavyweights included the likes of Goldman Sachs chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein, Motorola’s chief technology officer Padmasree Warrior (who steers the company’s $4 billion R&D programme), Dell chairman Michael Dell, Cisco chairman and CEO John Chambers among many others.

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