The search has been on for the past one and a half months and is to culminate in a mega event to be held in New Delhi on January 8, 1999.

According to Television Eighteen India Ltd managing director Raghav Bahl, "We are looking for the most talented, prospective manager - a person who displays leadership capabilities, capability to work with people, who possesses problem solving abilities, a person who has strong analytical skills, and finally, a person who would provide the most creative solutions to real, day to day situations."

The idea with the event is to focus on students in management schools. "This event is focussed at management schools. We are getting down to the lowest level to obtain the most talented and prospective manager," says CNBC Asia regional manager (sales and marketing) Krishna Srinivas.

Candidates are to be selected based on athree-tier system - the business school level, regional level and finally, the national level. Each candidate is required to initially undergo a question and answer round followed by the rapid fire section, the personality round and the general knowledge round. Additionally, the candidates will have to analyse and provide suitable working models for case studies.

The event will be judged by a jury consisting of some of the most eminent corporate personalities, management gurus, experts in corporate areas and professionals. The jury is to be announced soon.

Candidates who get through the school level will then move on to the regional level and about 12 candidates will finally be selected for the national level.