Mumbai: In line with its continued thrust on ‘Innovation’, Future Generali India Insurance Company (FGII), has launched its annual report for FY 2022-23 in a never-seen-before avatar. This report comes in the form of a book and is one of India’s most comprehensive cricketing memoir-cum-annual report. The annual report consists of a specially curated collector’s item – a section on Game Changing Moments – penned by the sports journalist, Ayaz Memon.
The book encapsulates the vibrant journey of Indian cricket since 1932 – showcasing a remarkable voyage through 18 pivotal Game Changing Moments that have reshaped Indian cricket’s narrative and left an indelible mark on the nation’s collective consciousness. The report is, further, enriched by exclusive interviews by Memon with four cricketers across different eras – Mohinder Amarnath, Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman and Mithali Raj.
The memoir-cum-annual report was launched by cricketer Anil Kumble, in the presence of the author of Game Changing Moments Memon and Future Generali India Insurance MD & CEO Anup Rau, along with other dignitaries. Host and actress, Mandira Bedi, anchored the ceremony, and Kumble faced a few turners from her repertoire – reminiscing the long climb of Indian Cricket to its present glory and his experiences. At the event, Memon narrated a book chapter, beautifully brought to life through a sand art presentation. To add an exciting twist to the proceedings, Kumble took centre stage and performed an extraordinary act by bowling to Rau. The climax occurred when Kumble’s delivery to Rau struck the LED screen, shattering it and revealing the long-awaited annual report.
Indiantelevision.com on the sidelines of the launch of the book, caught up with FGII’s MD & CEO Anup Rau
Edited excerpts
On the brief about the book launch
We always make our annual report interesting to connect with our stakeholders. We had a comic book format, we had it as a cookbook. Last year we sold 3500 for the Bollywood blockbuster report. This year is cricket, which we believe it’s kind of a new religion in this country. I do believe there’s a lot of inspiration businesses can take from sport because my personal view is that be it sport or be it business, It’s a combination of both science and art. It’s not just science alone, I think it’s somewhere the intersection of these two. Ayaz has beautifully penned 18 pivotal moments of Indian cricket like from the time when we made a debut, to the recently concluded WTC finals, and back to back series with Australia, which is one of my personal favourites. And obviously, the 83 World Cup, 2011 World Cup so on and so forth. We also believe we will gain changes in many ways in terms of the way we approach our business, we’re in terms of product distribution technology, by having products for same sex couples being an employer of choice where we tried to be an inclusive employer in many ways. Today, close to one per cent of employees are differently abled, for instance. So you will see a lot of that being captured in the book. And obviously, it’s very interesting reading, and it’s for a good cause in case whatever the proceeds go to charity.
On including cricket in the annual report and any strategy behind it
The idea was just to make it interesting. I do believe that one of the things we really want to do is to make sure that some of these financial numbers and figures and understanding is more accessible to the public at large and one of the ways to do this is to make it interesting and easy for people to understand. And the annual report just attempts to do it.
On some inputs about the book and the reason for being a must read for cricket enthusiasts
That’s because it captures the history of the game through some of India’s best and most pivotal moments. It takes your eyes, it’s taken us right from our first match. In 1932 to what’s happening right now, we got interviews with legends like Mithali Raj, VVS Laxman, Mohinder Amarnath etc. Today Anil Kumble was himself on stage. Like I said, businesses and sports inspire each other. Not just that, cricket’s success on the field has a very real impact on Indians. And if we do well we will spring in our step that we want to do well, we get inspired by and so on and so forth.
On any more such initiative in future
We’ll see. I mean there’s a new annual report for next year, so let’s see what we will do with that!
