BCAS President CA Zubin Billimoria’s Message for the Month of July 2026

My Dear BCAS Family,

The month of July signifies not only the beginning of the busy compliance and assurance season but also heralds the onset of a new academic year at BCAS, coupled with the new leadership team taking over.

I would like to welcome CA Kinjal Shah as the President and CA Mandar Telang as the Vice President of the Society for the academic year 2026-27. Kinjalbhai is an experienced professional who has been associated with BCAS for several years in various capacities and is also a techno-savvy administrator with an eye for detail. Mandar is a solid professional in his chosen field of Indirect Taxation, methodical in his work, and tech-savvy. Alongside them, CA Kinjal Bhuta, CA Mrinal Mehta, and CA Samit Saraf complete the team of youthful office bearers who will bring vibrancy and push the Society to greater heights in the coming years.

As part of our ongoing self-reflection, the Managing Committee formulated a comprehensive five-year strategic plan for the Society in 2023–24, structured around six key pillars (reach, professional development, networking, advocacy, Yuva Shakti and chartered for change), which is midway through its implementation. During the year, to implement these themes into meaningful outcomes, we identified several focused projects and strategic verticals, each of which was reviewed through periodic monitoring and key actionable plans. The overarching theme binding the implementation of various projects and initiatives was Logistical and Administrative Excellence, reflecting our continuing ISO accreditation, which was further renewed until 28th February, 2029. Accordingly, we have continued to focus on strengthening operational efficiency and ensuring the smooth execution of programmes, events, and internal processes. Continuous efforts were made to streamline events and administrative functions, improve coordination mechanisms, and enhance the overall effectiveness of programme delivery and backend support systems.

SEVEN STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:

Considering that we are in the seventh month of the year and as the seventy-seventh President, I would like to focus on seven strategic initiatives that I believe will go a long way toward building and strengthening the Society’s professional development and visibility in the coming years.

•  Appointment of Sherpas – The formal appointment of Sherpas in 13 cities during the year played a key role in connecting with members, facilitating local engagement, and supporting the Society’s outreach efforts across the country.
• Town Hall and Sherpa-Led Events – These were conducted at Jaipur, Kolkata, Thane, Indore, Coimbatore and Vadodara with help and support from local associations in certain cases, covering diverse topics, depending on the needs of local members. These events fulfil a key finding from last year’s membership survey, in which outstation participants longed for more in-person programmes on contemporary topics.
• AARAMBH and FALCON Initiatives – Through the AARAMBH – MAKING ARTICLESHIP COUNT initiative, we engaged directly with students by sharing practical insights, real-life experiences, and guidance from young Chartered Accountants who have recently walked the same path, with the aim of getting students and youngsters familiarised with the Society. Under the FALCON (FROM ARTICLESHIP TO LEADERHIP CARVING ONES NICHE) initiative, BCAS offers aspiring graduates an opportunity to interact and learn from young Core Group members who have walked the path before them. The initial sessions under these initiatives were conducted at H.R. College of Commerce & Economics and N M College of Commerce & Economics, respectively.
• Sakhi Circle and Women’s RefresHER Courses (Nari Shakti Initiative) – The formation of the Sakhi Circle, a women-only study circle, provided a dedicated platform for women CAs to converse, connect and collaborate on professional and technical developments in a supportive environment. During the year, 3 meetings were held by senior women core group members on topics aimed at encouraging women’s uniqueness and on soft skills. During the year, the Society also launched Specialised RefresHER Course under the BCAS Academy Platform exclusively for women CAs, covering relevant technical, regulatory, and professional subjects to help members stay updated in an evolving professional landscape. A total of 14 sessions were conducted during the year by experienced women subject-matter experts.
• SAMVAD with BCAS – This was launched as a PODCAST SERIES, wherein recorded conversations with renowned speakers on certain topics that inspire insights and shape the future, moderated by the President and Past Presidents, were released. These were all recorded at our own in-house studio.
• Collaboration and Outreach Initiatives – The Society continues to deepen its existing collaborations with IMC, CTC, WIRC – ICAI, amongst others. Further, during the year, an MOU was signed with SIMSREE to focus on relevant professional opportunities and research and a campus visit and lecture meeting was organised during the RRC at IIM-BANGALORE. During the year, the Society continued to collaborate with NITI Aayog, the premier think tank on policy and planning initiatives, and with the Bharti Institute of Public Policy – Research Division of the Indian School of Business (BIPP), by participating in a multi-stakeholder workshop on reforming tax policy consultation in India. BCAS also hosted an outreach programme in association with the Office of the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax – 4, Mumbai, to raise awareness of the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 2025, and the Income Tax Rules, 2026, which came into effect from April 1, 2026. The session was conducted under ‘Prarambh 2026’ initiative of the Income Tax Department.
• Reading Club – BCAS recently launched the ‘BCAS Reading Forum’ with the objective of reviving the BCAS library and creating a community around the idea of reading through discussions, curated conversations, and reading-led engagements.

To conclude, I would like to reflect on BCAS’s journey and its commitment to collective progress over the past 77 years with the following quote from Henry Ford, which aptly sums up our ethos.

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”

As we end another year, I would like to place on record my deep appreciation to all the members, office bearers, Past Presidents and other stakeholders for their co-operation and allowing me an opportunity to serve. May God bless you all, and may God bless our beloved BCAS!

A big thank you to one and all!