Canada India Foundation (CIF).

Sarah Treleaven swanned among the suits and saris at Liberty Grand. Photography by Tom Sandler 

As the politicos and captains of industry mingled cheerfully at the inaugural Canada India Foundation Gala, awaiting speeches by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the former president of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, the ballroom of the Liberty Grand was enlivened by expensive suits and a dazzling array of vibrantly coloured saris.

Before dinner, MP Michael Ignatieff, a member of the Canada India Interparliamentary Association, declined a blue cocktail that looked "like antifreeze." Mr. Ignatieff checked out the VIP crowd, which included MP Bob Rae, hotel magnate Steve Gupta, SkyLink chief executive officer and CIF chair Surjit Babra, and the consul-general of India, Satish C. Mehta. As Mr. Ignatieff's wife, Zsuzsanna Zsohar (resplendent in a black gown and copper jacket), amusedly brushed something off the front of his suit, he remarked that we were in the company of the "future of India."

The capacity crowd moved slowly to their appointed tables, stopping to take pictures in front of the blue and gold satin-draped tables. The background music was soon replaced with an impressively electric performance from singer Azalea Ray. OMNI Television's Angie Seth and MP Patrick Brown emceed the $500-a-plate evening, and had the unenviable task of wrangling the animated audience.

Dr. Kalam spoke about the future of a developing India. The Prime Minister took the stage to praise the CIF's push to strengthen business ties between Canada and India. But it was Dr. Sam Pitroda, the telecommunications entrepreneur and winner of the CIF's Global Indian Award, who stole the show with his charismatic recounting of how he rose to lead India's telecommunications revolution.