Welcoming in a a grand style

There was an American high in the city on Thursday as Atul Nishar, Regional President, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), hosted Mumbai���s very first welcome reception in honour of the new US Consul General Paul Folmsbee and wife Juanita.
The evening witnessed a wonderful turnout of Mumbai���s corporate and social circles to meet the new Consul General.The over 100-year-old ballroom at the SoBo fivestar seemed to overawe master of ceremonies Tom Alter who quipped that nobody in the room was that old but he was getting there! And getting to the venue were our very own Bollywood babes Eesha Koppikhar and Neha Dhupia. The Bollywood brigade boomed on with the arrival of Fardeen Khan accompanied by wife Natasha.
Talking of wives, Atul Nishar���s wife Alka Nishar was also there, smiling sweetly at the entrance as she also welcomed the many guests.
The happy Americans in the room included US Embassy Charge d���Affaires Stephen White, US Trade Commissioner Richard Rothman with his Indian wife Tabu, American Center director Elizabeth Kauffman, media officer Christine Dal Bello and Brian Brown who gave a vote of thanks. Enjoying the night were Sheriff Indu Shahani, Municipal Commissioner Dr Jairaj Phatak, Ness Wadia, Raell Padamsee, Farid Currim, Gary Lawyer and wife Anita, Divya Palat and Aditya Hitkari, Vijay Kalantri, Vasant Bhandari, Munna Zaveri, Esther and Raju Daswani and Pankaj and Farida Udhas. Pankaj did not sing but Suneeta Rao took to the mike and let her voice do all the talking. And post-dinner, couples occupied the dance floor as everyone celebrated the friendship between India and America.