NANDITA DAS GAUTAM GAMBHIR INVITED TO DEA RETREAT

Bollywood actress Nandita Das and cricketing star Gautam Gambhir are likely to provide company to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) officials who are going on their annual break next week. "Actress Nandita Das and cricketer Gautam Gambhir are invited for the sixth Annual Retreat of DEA officials, which will be held on April 5-7 at the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) in Faridabad," a senior finance ministry official said. Finance Minister P Chidambaram is also likely to attend the retreat. He had attended such retreat in 2008 also, the official added. Traditionally, the annual retreat used to be held in the month of January, ahead of the Union Budget. However, this time, it is being organised in April as the Finance Minister was not in the country.

During the retreat, DEA officials would participate in various activities such as yoga sessions and playing a cricket match with NIFM trainees. Officials of rank of deputy directors and above will also be a part of the retreat. DEA Secretary Arvind Mayaram will also attend the event. The annual retreat was started six years ago by the then DEA secretary D Subbarao to promote camaraderie among officials of various ranks and provide a break from office work. Last year, Bollywood actress Chitrangada Singh and lyricist Javed Akhtar had attended the retreat. At the 2009 retreat, the ministry had invited filmmaker Shekhar Kapur to hold a workshop on cinema in Sohna while in 2010, actor Aamir Khan had attended the retreat held in Faridabad.