Touchwood Entertainment Organises Virtual ’Matchmakers Conclave’

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Weddings | July 8, 2020 | News

Touchwood Group Matchmakers Conclave

Seventy-five matchmakers from across India joined a virtual ‘Matchmakers Conclave’ (MMC) organized by Touchwood Entertainment on July 3rd, 2020.

The Conclave sought to recognize matchmakers and build a platform for community building, growth, cross-promotion, lead generation, revenue maximization and to create business opportunities. The event attracted participants and attendees not just from India but also Turkey and UAE.

The event was hosted by emcee Sanchali Arora. It started off with a virtual curtain-raiser by Vijay Arora, Director, Touchwood Entertainment, in the form of a keynote discussion with Rashmi Kapoor, MD, Sycorian Matrimonial Services.

Arora stated that matchmakers being the interface of the client, should be addressed as Influencers. He noted that MMC’s main agenda was to provide the matchmaker community with a structured platform focused on community building. With guidance, and working together, he expressed confidence that matchmaking could establish itself as a unified and respectable Industry.

Kapoor said, “Matchmaking plays a pivotal role in one’s life and matchmakers are among the most hardworking individuals.” She listed challenges faced by matchmakers in her address.

The virtual conclave comprised four sessions besides a ‘Power Talk’.

Power of Networking

The first session themed ‘The Power of Networking’ featured Roshan Abbas, MD,  Geometry Encompass and President – EEMA; Mandeep Singh, CEO, CPM India; Vijay Jatwani, Golden Matrimonial Services; and Rita Sawhney, Owner, Rita Sawhney Matrimonial.

The importance of networking was established by Abbas and Singh through their personal experiences. Abbas cited EEMA’s journey from its origins and how the event industry came together, formed the association and benefitted through networking. On the issue of building trust raised by Sawhney and Jatwani, the group concluded that the most pragmatic solution would be a platform such as the Conclave, where such issues can be discussed and solutions figured.

Power Talk

One of the sessions featured an insightful discussion between Priya Shah, Director, Priya Shah The Match Maker, and Touchwood’s Arora.

Speaking for the community, Shah said, “We matchmakers are the hardest working professionals in the world. For any parent, their child is their only responsibility but matchmakers bear the responsibilities of so many children. And they don’t shy away from it and work hard towards bringing the right match together.”

Fairtrade Practices

A session of the Conclave dedicated to fair trade practices featured Siddharth Ganeriwala, Founder/CEO, Aura Integrated Services; Ankur Kalra, Founder/Chief Experience Officer, Vibgyor Brand Services;  Unique Jatwani, Director, Golden Matrimonial Services; and Geeta Gupta, The Perfect Matchmakers.

Gupta and Unique Jatwani raised several challenges faced by matchmakers, such as code of conduct, data theft, fallacious information, and the poaching of trained employees by offering higher pay, leading to data being compromised.

The Mool Mantra

Participants in a session focused on venues were Shaili Kumar, Regional Director of Sales, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts; Fuat Ersoy, MD, IMWF; Rajiv Kapoor, GM, Fairmont, Jaipur;  Deveyn Jatwani, Golden Matrimonial Services, New Delhi; and Arvind Garg, Lagan Matrimonial, Chandigarh.

Yamini Singh, VP - Corporate Strategy and Marketing Communications, Eastbound Group, was the moderator. The session served as an eye-opener for the hoteliers, providing them an insight into the business. It also exposed them to potential business opportunities through effective collaboration with matchmakers.

Satya Vachan

One of the sessions was billed ‘Satya Vachan: Client Diaries’. Speakers were Pradeep Jain, Owner, Country Inn, Sahibabad; Anil Mittal, Director, Sujata; Ekta Vohra, Sr. Matchmaker, Wedding Alliances; and Geeta Kahnna, Owner, Cocktail Matches.

Touchwood’s stated attempt was to create a structured platform for matchmakers, get them respectable recognition as an industry, as they are the creators of a fairytale beginning.