Mastek's 30th anniversary: a stakeholder evening, then a corporate family day for 5,000

Customers, channel partners and employees gathered for cocktails and networking in a venue that balanced professionalism with warmth. The centrepiece was a dance performance, traditional and contemporary, by children from a Mumbai NGO that works on education and rehabilitation for children and that Mastek had supported for years.

The performance made that partnership visible. NGO representatives then spoke about how the support had changed individual lives, and guests approached them afterwards to ask about volunteering and further help. Leadership speeches covered the 30-year journey, from early struggles and breakthrough moments to client relationships spanning decades, and were kept short so the performance carried the emotional weight.

ICE India worked with employee teams for a month. Professional choreographers assessed skill levels and built routines to match them. Some groups chose Bollywood numbers, others Western pop, and a few attempted stand-up comedy.

Rehearsals ran weekly after work hours, with choreographers filming sessions for practice at home and WhatsApp groups keeping each team coordinated. Costume guidance kept acts visually cohesive, and technical run-throughs before the event prevented surprises on stage. The aim was to protect employees from awkwardness while letting their talent show, so acts were stage-ready, not improvised.

With around 2,000 children expected among the 5,000, entertainment had to hold interest all day and give parents confidence. Toddler zones (2 to 5 years) offered soft play, supervised crafts and storytelling. The 6 to 10 section had games, face painting, magic shows and inflatables. Teens (11 to 14) had sports, video game stations and music.

Professional supervisors trained in safety managed each zone. Parents wore wristbands matching their children's, lost child protocols were in place for quick reunification and medical staff were stationed nearby. Parents could then join the adult programme knowing the children were looked after.

Multiple stages prevented bottlenecks. The main stage ran employee performances and professional acts, while secondary stages held children's entertainment at the same time. Music and comedy rotated, so there was always a choice and nobody was herded toward one programme.

The mix spanned generations: Bollywood singers for older attendees, contemporary bands for younger staff, magic shows for children and clean-material stand-up for adults.

Multiple cuisine stations kept queues short: North Indian, South Indian, Chinese and Continental, with separate children's menus, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, dessert stations and beverage kiosks across the grounds. Meal timings were staggered by zone and colour-coded tokens managed flow, with staff watching queues and redirecting crowds to quieter stations.

Parking was planned with shuttles from remote lots. Toilets were provided to required ratios, medical stations had ambulance access, and lost-and-found, information desks and entry and exit security were staffed. Extra food, backup generators and additional medical staff were held in reserve for anything above projection.

A large Mumbai venue became festival grounds. The build included several staging areas with professional audio-visual systems, tenting for weather protection, flooring against mud if it rained, lighting for the evening and generator systems powering everything.

Colour-coded sections, signage between zones, maps at the entrance and uniformed staff made navigation simple. At registration, pre-printed badges, colour-coded wristbands and welcome kits with maps, schedules and food tokens kept arrivals orderly despite the numbers.

Two events, not one

Stakeholders needed sophistication and families needed easy access. Separate days let each audience be served properly under one theme.

Purpose over polish

The NGO performance showed Mastek's values through people rather than a video.

Preparation for non-performers

A month of choreography, rehearsal and run-throughs let employees perform with confidence.

Reserves at scale

Spare food, power and medical cover meant a surge or failure stayed a small problem.

A family day for 5,000 people needs permissions, covered in the licences guide, and crowd movement, covered by event logistics. ICE India also plans other corporate events such as family days.