Indian Association of Secretaries & Administrative Professionals (IASAP), headed by Vijayalaxmi Amin, President, All-India, celebrated Administrative Professionals (AP) Day on Saturday, 27th April at a gala event followed by sumptuous lunch held at Hotel Ginger IHCL, near Mumbai Airport.
A panel discussion was held on this year’s AP Day theme, “The Influential Assistant: Shaping Strategy, Steering Success.” The panel comprised Dr. Vaishnavi Sharma, Independent Economist; Bapsy Patel, Asst. VP & Head, Facilities & Admin., Tata Realty & Infrastructure Limited; Maria Pontes, Past President, All-India, IASAP and Retirement Lifestyle Coach & Author; and Rashna Ardesher, Hon. Secretary, IASAP and Executive Assistant, Ernst & Young LLP. Zarine Commissariat, Past President, All-India, IASAP and on the Board of Directors of Lions Club of Bombay Queensway, moderated the Panel.
While Dr. Vaishnavi Sharma and Bapsy Patel were introduced by Binaifer Daruwala, Vice President cum Hon. Treasurer of IASAP, and Executive Secretary, Tata Services Limited; Zarine Commissariat, Maria Pontes and Rashna Ardesher were introduced by IASAP’s Immediate Past President, All-India, Kashmira Gamadia.
Some pearls of wisdom from Bapsy Patel, “We are ourselves responsible for our own constant upgrade. There are many educational kits and tools out there like Udemy and Treks that one can use to hone their skills. Always keep in touch with SOFT SKILLS for these will help you cope with a range of situations. Be self-motivated and keep learning. Attitude always trumps aptitude.”
Maria Pontes’s views on Secretaries and Admin. Professionals being Influential Assistants: “Think of the office like a football game: the CEO is the team captain, but the Administrative Professional is the quarterback - always a step ahead, scheduling meetings and getting everything ready. They make sure everyone is in the right place at the right time, guiding the team towards success with their smart thinking and quick actions.”
Rashna Ardesher advised, “Be multitaskers, prioritise your work in case of work pressure, be cool, calm and composed, be effective in your verbal and written communication skills, improve your listening skills, problem-solving and decision-making skills, and, most importantly, be FLEXIBLE in the mind. All this will help navigate complex business scenarios with confidence.”
Dr. Vaishnavi Sharma’s words summed up the AP Day event, “In the world of corporate leadership, Secretaries or Admin. Professionals are not just a luxury - they are the UNSUNG HEROES behind the scenes, keeping the gears of day-to-day operations running smoothly. From managing schedules to handling correspondence, their invaluable support allows the boss to focus on strategic decision-making and driving the company forward. Without them, the boss is left juggling countless tasks, highlighting just how essential, how competent and efficient Secretaries and Administrative Professionals truly are.”
The IASAP Newsletter, The Professional Secretary, compiled by IASAP Past President and Editor, Moti Vazifdar, was released at this event by Dr. Vaishnavi Sharma and Bapsy Patel.
The Vote of Thanks was delivered by IASAP’s Governing Council member, Kashmira Pastakia, Executive Assistant, HDFC Securities Limited.
The event was a grand success. IASAP has been serving the secretarial community for 52 years, by arranging programs at national and international levels. IASAP is a non-profit Association and has its Head Quarters (H.Q.) in Mumbai and is also present in six cities of India.
