Team Inventive, on February 19th, went into an extended V-Day mode, as they got an opportunity to interact with their colleagues at the picturesque Fort Jadhavgadh, where they could bring in their family to meet their super bosses from the Americas
Waking up on a beautiful Sunday to meet workmates may seem like an awkward proposition. but the Sunday of February 19, 2023, unfolded with many pleasant surprises! With Inventive celebrating Family Day, the leadership who were in India for the first time – CEO Chris Leger, Matt McDowell, Monique Watford, and Benjamin Vazquez – along with the managers and team leaders and their families were invited to spend the day at the picturesque Fort Jadhavgadh.
Around 11, when most of the Inventive extended fam had arrived, it was decided to capture the day and its moments with some pictures. We all sat on the steps ascending the Fort and made ourselves busy giving our best poses to the flashing eye. We were given a glorious welcome with the blowing of the traditional Marathi tutari (trumpet) used to usher royalty and their guests back in the days of the Maratha regime. And, then the traditional tilak was put on each member’s forehead.
A cooling welcome lemonade later, everyone was excited to take a guided tour of the Jadhavgadh Fort and relived the history of those times. Every member was provided with an audio device and headset to listen to references while looking at artifacts explaining each aspect of the Fort’s heritage right from when the first stone was laid or cut. A good hour-long tour and Team Inventive was ready to relax with refreshers, mocktails, and beers and make it feel like a Sunday picnic, exchanging notes on each other’s lives.
Lunch was a gala affair! Around us were tables laden with Maharashtrian and North Indian fare for every discerning tastebud. If you looked around, you’d have seen dining tables with fascinatingly colorful plates laden with different food items – each representing the personality and the food habits of its occupants. While Monique had to catch a flight back to the US, Chris, Matt, and Benjamin enjoyed the delicacies and were adventurous enough to try some spicy dishes as well.
Lunch extended into high tea with delectable sandwiches, snacks, and biscuits as accompaniments. Conversations and piping hot tea and coffee flowed generously around us, and we cherished the moments we were spending there.
As all good things come to an end, it was soon time for a wrap. And it was an even more delightful closing of the day than when we started. Our HR and Admin team made each employee feel special by giving everyone gifts and personalized “Thank You” cards appreciating the support of the family members, be it, spouses or children, to the organization. Even the gift bags had so much thoughtfulness behind them. Made of jute and with Bython’s new branding, the goodies included saplings for employees and giveaways for families.
It was a non-working team lunch meeting in appreciation of our accomplishments for the year gone by and in anticipation of a brighter path to higher achievements. While our Chairman Bhupinder Gulati, affectionately BG to many, was sorely missed, Team India can surely boast CEO Chris and his team Matt, Monique, and Benjamin had a memorable time with all of us. Cheers for all that was achieved in the super hectic week that was, and bravo to all that this year promises to bring to us!
