‘Team MAIA’ at Hindustan Times Corporate Challenge 2008
Dhiren Gala- Manager, Operations, MAIA Intelligence
It was a perfect day, bright & a bit cold Saturday morning. MAIA Intelligence team – as named by the organizers ‘MAIA team’ was in a perfect mood since morning. I started early from home, from central suburbs towards Wellingdon Catholic Gymkhana, Khar. Reporting time was 9:00 am, though I reached at 9:15 a.m., was the first from MAIA team at least. Many teams had already arrived early morning & had been practicing.
The event was HT Corporate Challenge 2008 organized by Hindustan Times for 32 corporate teams spread across two days i.e. 9th - 10th Feb, 2008. The competition was mix of indoor & outdoor games. The games being played were Rink Football, Box Cricket, Badminton, Table Tennis & Water Polo. We Indians being cricket manic, had almost two teams ready for playing cricket, but as per the rules only one team per game per corporate was allowed.
Our team had days of practice during & after the lunch hours for the games they participated since the day of our enrollment in the event. We had almost two teams ready for cricket (you can understand that, we Indians are crazy & love to play cricket) but as per the rule we could have only one team per game, & as team leader, I somehow could convince few of them to participate in Football. Sorry guys!
In a proud display of corporate camaraderie, “Team MAIA” competed with other corporate participants from 32 companies. Our cheer leading colleagues & their families too joined the Corporate Challenge which resulted in an impressive 21 men and women from nearly every department at MAIA (including the CEO), some trainees, and some for their first race ever.
The sparing instincts from the board room were now on the playing field.
After the games, we gathered for food and drinks and enjoyed the soothing DJ music. Energetic crowd with white T-shirts & caps that gathered in the blustery dusk at Field on Saturday evening… some more ready than others, to brave the weather. It was cold & breeze bought the chilling & shivering. But the spirit & cheering of the game kept everyone warm.
February 9 was the last day of the winter season experienced (except for noon), but not the last day for MAIA team to support & become cheer leaders for the entire team. Like what MAIA product 1KEY does for the enterprises. Brings smiles on the face of CIO, CEO & the business users at the operational level.
It was indeed an enjoyable challenge for us which refreshed the entire mood and made a perfect weekend. At the end of course our cricket team reached till Quarter Finals and then being played under the night focus lights, we could not continue further & lost to MTV. By the end of the day everyone of us were tired not by playing on the field but also by cheering our team at the top of our voice, claps & whistles.
“You win some, you lose some… it’s part of the game”. But, It will remain as a memorable day for the entire MAIA team – an experience never to be forgotten!
More photographs of MAIA team @ HT Corporate Challenge, 2008
Posted on February 20th, 2008 by Dhiren Gala
Filed under: View Points & Perspective
The pictures really shows your team spirit…
Rupesh, you are right - as always MAIA has that team spirit to win, both on & off the field.