Stage set for 145;Banking Oscars146; tonight

All roads will lead to The Hilton, Mumbai, on Friday, as the curtain lifts on The Financial Express8217; India8217;s Best Banks Awards. The cregrave;me de la cregrave;me of the corporate and financial world will be in full attendance at a glittering ceremony to celebrate the best of Indian banking. And giving away the awards will be the celebrated reformer, India8217;s finance minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram.

So, whether it is the biggest names among nationalised banks, or the cream of private and foreign banks, the best will be honoured on Friday night. The awards, into their 10th edition this year, celebrate the best among nationalised banks, old private sector banks, new private sector banks, and foreign banks. This year, Canara Bank and Corporation Bank are the top two in the nationalised banks category, Karur Vysya Bank and Federal Bank are the best in the old private sector bank segment, ICICI Bank and Yes Bank are the winners in the new private sector banks, while Citibank and Bank of America top among foreign banks.

The FE awards also celebrate success stories across other important operational areas 8212; strength and soundness, growth, profitability, efficiency and credit quality, and are the result of a detailed and scientific survey put together in collaboration with Ernst 038; Young, FE8217;s knowledge partner for the project.

In keeping with the FE Best Banks theme for this year, Banking: 2010, the awards function will also have an added attraction. Some of the biggest names in the banking, financial and corporate world will slug it out in a panel discussion on the need for banks to have greater balance sheet strength in the new environment, aptly titled 8216;Because size does matter8217;. The panelists: State Bank of India chairman OP Bhatt, HSBC CEO Naina Lal Kidwai, ING Vysya CEO Vaughn Nigel Richtor, Tata Motors MD Ravi Kant, microfinance icon Vikram Akula and ICICI Bank8217;s deputy managing director Chanda Kochhar.

All in all, an evening which promises to be a heady mix of serious debate and unbridled celebration.