Mumbai: In pursuit of excellence and to identify, foster and reward the culture of evolving globally acceptable standards of corporate governance among the Indian companies, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is organizing the "ICSI National Award For Excellence in Corporate Governance" award function for the year 2009 on Saturday, December 19, between 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at International Convention Hall, Bombay Stock Exchange Limited, Mumbai.

The event, which started from 2001, aims to celebrate collective excellence to identify the best among the excellent and the first among equals.

The award since then is conferred annually, adjudged by a Jury headed by the Chief Justice of India (Retd.) and comprising personalities enjoying unparallel eminence in their respective fields.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh will preside as the Chief Guest of the function with other guests of honour Mr. T. S. Vijayan, Chairman, Life Insurance Corporation of India and Justice R. C. Lahoti, Former Chief Justice of India.

Mr. Datla Hanumanta Raju, President, the ICSI will deliver the welcome speech and the celebration will commence with the debate on "Are independent Directors truly independent?" and "Shareholders' Democracy- is it myth or mission?" at 4:00 p.m.

The panel of judges includes Mr. Arun Nanda, Executive Director & President Infrastructure Development Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, Mr. Ashok Chhabra, Partner, Dua Associates, Mr. Govindraj Ethiraj, Editor-in-Chief, UTV India, Mr. Madhu Kannan, MD & CEO, Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd. and Mr. Prithvi Haldea, CMD, Praxis Consulting & Information Services Pvt. Ltd.

After the speech of the guests of honour, the Chief Guest, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh will present the awards to two best-governed companies where Company Secretaries of awarded companies will also be felicitated and one lifetime achievement award.

This will be the ninth consecutive award to be conferred on companies for promoting the cause of good corporate governance.

The programme will conclude with the remarks and vote of thanks by the Secretary & CEO of the ICSI, Mr. N. K. Jain.

The ICSI National Award is bestowed on the basis of the decision of the jury relying on the information provided by the companies in response to the questionnaires, information available about the company in the public domain and gathered from various accessible sources including feedback provided by the regulatory bodies and analysis made by the ICSI on the information so gathered.