Amdavad Toastmasters Newsletter June 2020

CHATTER

June 2020

WE WE ARE ARE INFINITE INFINITE Exclusive Interviews DTM Biswajit Adhikari TM Dilip Thakkar

PR campaign Activities in Quarantine Members contribute!

Amdavad Toastmasters Club Magazine

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Table of Contents 3

President's Message TM KP Jani

5

Editor's Address

TM Aditi Iyer

Struggles of Today, Strengths of Tomorrow

Tete-a-tete with TM Dilip Thakkar

TM Amit Kumar Singh

Dear Toastmasters TM Srishti Rathi

Club Events

29

24

Member's Achievements

Club Achievements

12

22

TM Bhanu Mishra

TM Vranda Rathi TM Sameer Savaliya

25

18

Things Happen When Mistakes Are Made Article Snippets

10

Member's Activities

Q&A with DTM Biswajit Adhikari

19

23

TM Harikrishna Pansuriya

TM Simran Motwani

TM Vishal Modi

8

Five Catalysts

A Journey of Endless Learning

14

17

16

Love Thyself

The Marathon

Club Events

11

Bingo

6

TM Radhika Shah

9

TM Nitin Bairagi

4

TM Varun Bhargava, TM Ramesh Krishnan

Madam Contest Chair

7

15

Chatter team

Keep Learning, Keep Failing

About the Club

28

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Chatter Team

The Crew TM Harikrishna Pansuriya- VP PR Alchemists became chemists when they stopped sharing knowledge.

TM Varun Bhargava- Editor Time changes everything. That's what people say.

It's not true. Doing things changes things.

TM Ramesh Krishnan- Editor Are we all lost stars... trying to light up the dark?

TM Aditi Iyer- Designer Be you, bravely.

TM Meghraj Tater-Â Designer Don't go through life grow through life.

TM KP Jani- Proofreader I believe in camaraderie. Watch each other’s back. The true spirit of soldiers.

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President's Message

When the going gets tough The tough get going TM KP Jani

This adage could not be more relevant than today. It is amazing to see the entire community of Toastmasters suddenly come closer, and join hands to extend moral support to each other, to face and fight the ongoing pandemic.

Amdavad Toastmasters Club (ATM) was among the pioneers to take the prudent decision to continue business as usual by switching to the digital medium.

With the help of a tech-savvy group of members, the club was almost immediately connected online, to the global network of Toastmasters. Consequently, the number of meetings, educational sessions and seminars that one can attend has increased exponentially as there is always a meeting being held in one or the other part of the world.

The perfect example of online collaboration is this newsletter, which is being published entirely online, from conceptualization to completion. My sincere compliments to the editorial team for their commitment, hard work and enthusiasm in bringing this wonderful magazine to you. Kudos to the authors, artists, and photographers for their invaluable contribution.

The Executive Committee Members are the face of a club. We are blessed to have such an energetic, enthusiastic, and innovative dream team of leaders at ATM. They have raised the standards of the club to new heights in all departments. The fact that we are once again the President’s Distinguished Club, is a testimony to their competence.

Their initiative, contribution, and leadership in creative club activities such as the outdoor meeting and the participation in Ahmedabad Food Fest, 2020, speak volumes of the rigour and pride our members take in showcasing ATM. The Club is particularly grateful to our beloved member, TM Dilip Thakkar for arranging a complimentary stall for ATM at Ahmedabad Food Fest - the third year in a row - and promoting our PR and membership building effort. We were honoured to have our stall visited by our District Director, DTM Venkata Ramana Dittakavi who was extremely happy at the involvement of the members in promoting the Toastmasters among the people of Ahmedabad and Gujarat

Our primary focus is, of course, the members of the club. All the activities and planning at ATM revolve around the development of its members. The Vice President (Education) has been meticulous in promoting the Pathways program, tracking progress and ensuring that members achieve their educational goals. That is one of the reasons why the club has put up a stellar performance at various levels at the Area, Division and District contests.

Our meetings, with their flair, are an attraction in the Toastmasters fraternity as well as the guests. The encouragement exhibited by the club officers and the members in welcoming and interacting with the guests has resulted in eight new members joining the club over the past five months.

I would like to sincerely thank the Immediate Past President, TM Girish Kulkarni and his Executive Committee for handing over the legacy of a strong and healthy club with a highly motivated team of members who have kept the banner of Amdavad Toastmasters Club flying high with pride and honour.

Thank you,

KP Jani, ACG, ALB, President

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Editor's Address

Life can be hard!

When we were approached by the magazine coordinator and the Vice President (Public Relations) of our club, TM Harikrishna, to be the editors for the club magazine, little did we know the gravity of the task that lay ahead of us. Any tabloid or newsletter usually lists the designation of an editor as the most prestigious one of the lot, which is the reason why we were not only humbled by the offer but also enthusiastic in doing justice to the position.

With the beginning of a two-month journey, we were of the notion that the duties of an editor entail streamlining the articles with the incumbent theme, but a thousand words later, there’s a realization of the amount of perseverance and patience that is expected of the flag-bearers of this newsletter. As the journey comes to an end, one filled with our own share of ups and downs, deliberations and fun, we have tried to create a magazine that, in our opinion, makes an effort to uphold the values of a Toastmaster as well as the rising standard of Amdavad Toastmasters Club. This has driven us to reach a unanimous decision of the theme We are infinite.

The club is a diverse community of people, each bringing their own flavour and talent to the American Corner Library each Sunday. We were inspired by our enthusiastic members to reflect everything that encompasses the character of this club. The club held outdoor meetings, educational sessions and even took pride in our nation by conducting a Hindi-English meeting. Such was the case till March when the pandemic hit us. And to be honest, it hit us hard. As our worlds have turned upside down, one thing that has remained in its place is the meeting every Sunday. The unwavering commitment of Toastmasters, not just in this club but across the globe even during these dire times have inspired us to put in just as much effort for the magazine as the members do to continue and participate in the club meetings online.

At a time when everyone is distressed, our club has seen its members rise and shine at events such as Area and Division Level contests. The PR Team has successfully implemented two awareness campaigns and the members have found new ways to cultivate and promote their skills and passion. We truly are infinite.

No magazine can be complete without the contributors – the proofreader, the designers and the Executive Committee, and most importantly, you - who have been supportive and proactive at each and every stage of our progress.

Life can be hard but the virtue of sailing through hardships is endowed only on a few. We are fortunate to be a part of a group of people who know how to set the sails.

He knows not his own strength who hath not met adversity.

– William Samuel Johnson

Thank you,

TM Varun Bhargava

TM Ramesh Krishnan

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Articles

Madam Contest Chair TM Radhika Shah

“Hi Radhika, this is Khushboo, the Area Director. How about taking up the role of the Contest Chair at the Area Contest next week?”

Being a mother of two pilots (Air Force and Air India), I was accustomed to hearing “Yes Sir” (on the phone) and “Yes Mom” (in the house). I instinctively blurted, “Yes, Sure.”

A quick “Thanks” and the call was over. I was ecstatic at first like a sixteen-year-old being asked for a date from the high school football pro. Then suddenly, panic gripped me like a heavy chain around my neck. As realization kicked in, I could see the events unfolding. I’d never taken up the role of a Contest Chair before. Also, only four days were left for the contest. And did I tell you that this was going to be the first of its kind? an online contest!

Then I remembered reading the following lines:

The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, but the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

I calmed myself, stopped worrying, and began to think, prepare and tackle the assignment.

The first place I looked for help was the Toastmasters International (TI) website. It’s a trove of reference materials available to download for free which clearly lays down the procedures and norms to fulfil any role in any Toastmasters event. After sorting out the required documents, I got the name, phone number and email IDs of all the contestants from the Area office and emailed them the relevant forms to be signed and returned.

The contest chair script is simple and straightforward to prepare. I had to practice reading it with the appropriate speed and pauses. Unlike an offline contest, the online contest had a few more nitty-gritties to address such as the screen presence, audio and internet connectivity. I got to know that in case of network drops, the contestant would be allotted 30 seconds to re-join, or would be disqualified. That’s a tall order! I decided to request contestants to keep another device ready as a stand-by. This helped and we did manage to rescue one of our contestants during the event.

On the day of the Contest, the contestants reported an hour early for their briefing and to draw lots to decide the speaking order. I briefed them about the contest rules, forms and timings. I confirmed the correct pronunciation of their names, and informed them to pin the timer’s video on their screen before their speech commenced, to ensure seeing the Green, Yellow and Red screens.

The contest began with a small introduction. All the role players carried their responsibilities pretty well.

The role was enthralling, and I felt that people from all ages and from different walks of life can take up this role and take something away from it.

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Articles

Struggles of Today, Strengths of Tomorrow TM Amit Kumar Singh

I joined Tata Motors, Pantnagar as a But he stood by me and advised me Graduate Engineering Trainee in to have patience. He reminded me 2010. After completion of probation that at the organization, I was enrolled in the department of production - From humble beginnings Engine and Gearbox. Soon after, I come great things. We was asked to increase the must endure the productivity of the manufacturing lines for our newly launched hardship, just like a products Iris and Zip. Leaving for work for the first shift at 6:00 in the morning and returning home by 7:00 in the evening, completely exhausted me; I was left with no time for my personal or spiritual development. My hands remained full of dust and dirt and the shirt was soaked with oil and grease while I was managing the operators and technicians. It was quite often that I had to face criticism and humiliation by my managers, for the mistakes made by the operators.

It seemed like I was always at war and yet, I never complained and worked like a Lieutenant leading from the front, constantly inspiring and instilling enthusiasm in my team to achieve targets.

What bugged me the most was that despite all the hard work, I wasn’t getting enough recognition. This became a part of my routine and left me dejected and frustrated. After a lot of contemplation, in order to have a change in the scene and to reorganise myself, I decided to switch my department to New Product Introduction. Not only did Human Resources turn down my request, but they also downgraded my performance during the appraisal.

It made me a bit pessimistic and put me in a negative state of mind.I started thinking about quitting my job. I have decided to discuss the matter with my father – my guiding light in all uncertainties and darkness and asked his permission to pursue higher studies. However, my father reminded me of our financial situation and the unpaid education loan and advised me against taking any hasty decision.

farmer, to harvest a better and peaceful life.

With this motivation, I resumed my work with gusto and renewed vigour.

Thereafter, at the factory, I formed a Self-Directed Team (SDT) called Navchetna through which we managed to increase the productivity of the manufacturing line from 50 vehicles per shift to 150 vehicles per shift.

Under my guidance, the SDT won: Quarterly SDT Competition and the annual SDT Competition (2012-13) Gold award in Quality Circle competition-QCFI Delhi Chapter (2013-14) Excellence award in NCQC, Kolkata (2013-14) Gold award in Quality Circle competition-QCFI Delhi Chapter (2014-15) Par excellence award in NCQC, Pune (2014-15) Slowly, my work started gaining recognition and my reputation preceded me. I was promoted to the position of Manager with added responsibilities and a bigger team. I was now in charge of two assembly lines and new projects in the Assembly Shop.

Keeping in mind my father’s advice and my goals, I cleared the written examination and the interview, alongside work, for the PostGraduate Programme in Indian Institute of Management, Kashipur.

Although it was quite difficult to keep up with my studies and the new role at work, I kept working on both fronts. For the next 2 years, I studied 3 to 4 hours every day after returning from work.

During the course, I chose projects which were familiar to me and were related to the assembly line in order to be productive in both places. Since I managed both my studies and work ably, I got promoted in April 2016.

Later on, after working as the Shop Head for 8 months, I applied for the “Sales and Marketing” job within the organization and got selected after facing multiple rounds of interview. I was offered the position of Government Sales Head in Ahmedabad, Gujarat During the first 3 months, I struggled to gauge the customer requirements but unfortunately, the sales figures for the next three months were zero. My boss, blunt in his approach, asked me to perform or opt for a transfer.

Once again I was in the same loop of struggling with new challenges; but owing to my hard work and past experiences, I was more composed this time. I took suggestions from various colleagues, read relevant articles in professional magazines and started to rectify my mistakes.

Rather than depending on dealerships, I chose to make touchpoints/build relationships directly with every customer with a personal touch. I always kept my customers in the loop, assisted them technically and guided them with suitable products for their respective applications.

Within 6 months, I achieved the desired results with my new sales approach. I was awarded the Star Galaxy Award for two consecutive years, 2017-18 and 2018-19 for the highest sales, setting a new benchmark at the national level.

In the end, I would like to say, Your Struggles of today help in developing the strength you need for tomorrow.

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Club Events

Synergy 2020 WINNERS International Speech Contest 1.

2.

3.

TM Preeti Pathak TM KP Jani TM Biswajit Adhikari

Table Topics Contest 1.

2.

3.

Online Meeting

Outdoor Meeting

TM Preeti Pathak TM Vranda Rathi TM Aditi Iyer

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Articles

The Five Catalysts TM Harikrishna Pansuriya

The sapling of leadership was first planted in my life during my undergraduate degree when I strived to save the sinking boat of Team Jaabaz - a student team which built an off-road vehicle for competing in the US - managing a team of 35 members and a budget of 20 Lakh Rupees. It included facilitating the shipment of the vehicle to the US and partnering with universities.

From thereon, leadership has become an integral part of my life.

Thus, when I was presented with an opportunity to take up the role of Vice President – Public Relations (VP-PR) of Amdavad Toastmasters Club, merely six months into my Toastmasters journey, I grabbed it without a second thought.

On the first day of my tenure as the VP-PR, a herculean task lay in front of me. As a part of my responsibilities, I was the designated Event Chair for a promotional campaign at Ahmedabad Food Festival, 2020. Each responsibility such as arranging for props, promotional materials (Brochures, bookmarks etc.), assigning stall duties to members and much more seemed alien to me as the event was an unanticipated challenge. But when life throws such challenges at you, your attitude towards them defines your character, as an individual and a leader. Due to my proactive approach and the trust on the swiftly-formed Festival team, we could pull it off together with success.

The creative genius handled the branding of the project, the ‘yes’ man handled the documentation and all administrative activities and the loyalist managed finances of the team and eventually took over as a team manager in the succeeding year. This is how I utilized the team’s strength efficiently.

The third is to encourage members to take ownership. A decisive person can easily take responsibility for his actions, productive or otherwise. The person who dances to the tunes of their leader can only go so far as following instructions.

Fourth, consistently executing a task requires a detailed roadmap. A work schedule is nothing but a timeline planned in advance which the team can abide by. It allows you to revisit your with a clock ticking in your mind.

This event kickstarted my journey. Evaluating the needs of the club, I set goals for the next 6 months. A daunting task on the list was implementing creative ideas consistently.

After some research, I figured out a set of five techniques which, when put together, can be a catalyst to solve any problem.

The first step is to form a team. Forming a team is not about selecting the right members but about selecting the appropriate task for each member. I openly welcome people from different cultures, mindsets and talents and try to assign them responsibilities based on their forte.

Second is the freedom to your team. If you trust your team, you need to give them the freedom to try new things. The team members should have the courage to try something creative and unconventional which will lead to learning irrespective of the results. The creative ideas that our PR team has been bringing to the table are a consequence of creative freedom.

When I was a Team Manager (Marketing & Finance) for a project during my undergraduate course, I had three team members: a creative genius, a loyalist and a 'yes' man.

The fifth is recognition. In my professional career, I have come across a manager who thought that if he praised his team, they would expect higher salaries.

He did not feel that a few words of appreciation and recognition could make his teammates work with twice the enthusiasm and rigour. Toastmasters has taught me to highlight and appreciate the positive aspects of a person and then address the points of improvement. For me, recognizing the efforts of my team has helped boost their energy.

Readers can recall the innovative activities that the PR team has initiated and executed in the last five months. Not only at Amdavad Toastmasters but in my professional career as well, these catalysts have helped me emerge as one of the most productive leaders. I feel that these techniques are conducive for shaping the leaders of tomorrow. When we are a part of an organization whose motto is ‘Where leaders are made’ then what better place can there be than Toastmasters International to imbibe leadership lessons?

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Articles

A Journey of Endless Learning TM Simran Motwani

I got the opportunity to be the Master of Ceremony (MoC) at a club contest last September. I grabbed it but later, I realised that my performance wasn't up to the mark on the contest day. I was quite upset. I then learned how to tackle different situations, prepare myself for the next time, keep the audience engaged, and have backup plans.

How far can a community take you forward?

Well, I can only speak for Toastmasters.

Being an expressive person I found myself comfortable with public speaking and decided to build a career in it.

It was in June last year that I was searching for a platform to develop my public speaking skills.

I attended an open forum meeting at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) where - after interacting with a few people - I learned about Toastmasters International. After attending a meeting at Amdavad Toastmasters Club I found it to be an interesting place to sharpen my skills and hence joined it.

For me, public speaking was all about how well you communicate and I had never focused on several aspects of being on the stage such as timing, use of grammar and use of filler words. As a public speaker, It is also important to moderate your thoughts in a positive manner. After becoming a Toastmaster, I learned these aspects and their importance to become an immaculate speaker.

Apart from the verbal cues, nonverbal communication in the form of facial expressions and body language also captivate the audience. I was lacking these skills as well. 65% of any speech’s delivery is impacted by them. At Toastmasters, I improved my effectiveness at interpersonal skills in training sessions, where the audience expressed immense satisfaction. I also gathered the courage to host events outside the club which gave me confidence.

These skills have been ingrained in me to such an extent that I note down the filler words and grammatical mistakes for daily conversations.

I’ve started to keep a track of time for every task I take up and worked on improving my listening and observational capabilities. My body language has improved by leaps and bounds. My friends and family noticed this beautiful change in me: transforming negativity to hope.

Thanks to Toastmasters, I’m becoming a better version of myself.

Having completed nine months with the club, there hasn’t been a single moment when I have felt bored or detached. I find each and every facet of the club intriguing, be it the contests, the joint meetings or the training programs; there’s always something to take away. At the same time each Toastmasters Club is unique: the more you attend meetings at other clubs, the more you discover.

Learning happens when you step out of your comfort zone.

Toastmasters provides a platform to develop your impromptu speaking skills as a part of Table Topics where an individual, with butterflies in the stomach, creates a speech and delivers it in a matter of minutes. You’re afraid but your fellow toastmasters are always encouraging you to get up and try. You either win, or you learn.

Six months later, I became the MoC for the International Speech Contest and Table Topics Contest (Synergy 2020). I took it as a challenge and performed far better than before. I received appreciation and was ecstatic.

This could not have been possible without the contest team and fellow toastmasters. They made me believe that I can achieve what I set out to do. There was a feeling of satisfaction, but learning never ends.

Toastmasters International is the ocean of knowledge that has not only helped me in my personal life but professional life as well.

And to this ocean, I have a few words to say:

We speak for Laughter, We speak for Tears.

We speak for Madness, We speak for Fears.

We speak for Calmness, We speak for Screams.

We are the toastmasters, We create Dreams.

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Activities

Art in Quarantine

TM Vranda Rathi

When the country was only beginning to grapple with the pandemic called COVID-19, our master storyteller TM Vranda Rathi came up with an ingenious idea to encourage kids to think and draw creatively. She planned out an activity where the kids would use the letters of the English alphabet to write as well as design words, by doodling, coloring and pattern making.

To our surprise, not just the kids, but adults as well came up with some intriguing results. Here’s a glimpse.

Helping Hand

TM Rohit Ahuja

Our Club member Rohit Ahuja has decided to contribute 10 percent of his earnings to feed at least two families daily.

COVID-19 has deprived a lot of daily wage earners living below the poverty line and forced them and their families into hunger and starvation.

As a well-placed and employed scientist, He feels that it is his moral duty to ensure food for his starving fellow Indian family members, irrespective of diverse caste, creed or religion.

He says, “Toastmasters has taught me to volunteer and serve humanity; I urge my fellow members through this magazine to come forward to help our kin.�

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Interview

Q&A with DTM Biswajit Adhikari DTM Biswajit Adhikari is one of the charter members of Amdavad Toastmasters Club and was instrumental in establishing the first community club of Gujarat. He completed ten years with the Toastmasters community this year. He has served Amdavad Toastmasters Club as Treasurer, Vice President(Education) and President. He went on to serve District 41 as the Division Governor for Division D.

He’s currently working with VIVRO Financial Services Pvt Ltd. as Assistant Vice President (AVP).

The members from the magazine team, Aditi and Meghraj, had a tete-a-tete with him recently. Here is a peek into the personal values and experiences of the first DTM of Gujarat.

1.What inspired you to join Toastmasters?

When I first visited Gurgaon Toastmasters Club in 2010 as a guest, I got the opportunity to witness the International Speech Contest of the club. I was so impressed with the quality of the speeches and the conduct of the contest that I immediately decided to join Toastmasters. Next Sunday, I attended the regular club meeting. I realized that not only had I made the right decision, but also the best one for personality development and self-growth.

2.What is your forte as a Distinguished Toastmaster - Communication, Leadership or Both?

My journey of learning at Toastmasters has taught me that the more you dive into the ocean of knowledge, the more you realize that there is a lot to learn. It is unfathomable.

I feel I have just learned the alphabet of both the skills. I have miles to go to develop a forte in both fields.

3.How do you manage to pursue Toastmasters and club activities along with your professional, personal and recreational commitments?

In the first four years of my Toastmasters journey, I spent an enormous amount of time - almost 5 to 6 hours a day - for various activities within and beyond the club. Toastmasters was the sole passion that I pursued back in the day. However, that was not sustainable in the long run. After I became a father in 2015, I slowed down considerably in my journey yet remained connected to the club and never deviated from my purpose of joining the program: to become a good communicator. Slowing down or limiting my engagement keeping in mind my other priorities has helped me to take out time to pursue other activities such as reading and balancing various roles of my life alongside Toastmasters. This has made my experience more meaningful and satisfying.

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Interview 4.What challenges did you face while starting the first community Toastmasters Club of Gujarat and how did you overcome them?

Three major challenges to start a community club are –a minimum of 20 members, a designated venue and the collective commitment of members. We faced all the three. I received the first list of people who had shown interest in Toastmasters from DTM Deepak Menon who is our incumbent International President. Upon contacting them, I found that they were reluctant to pay the fees even though they found the program useful.

Getting members who are ready to pay for the membership fee was an important step without which we could not charter the club. After struggling for a while to get members, we realized that only family and friends can help us achieve our goal. We reached out to them which resulted in a closely knit group of familiar people. We continued with our strategy of ‘refer a friend’ till we reached the magical number of 20 over a period of 18 months. We faced the challenge of finding a venue not once but twice. Our passionate members, TM Sanjay and TM Bibhu, helped us in securing the venue for the club in both instances. TM KP Jani got us the handsome donation for the club from his acquaintances which helped the club to turn the finances from red to green. Owing to the collective effort of all the charter members, we could overcome these challenges. We received a lot of encouragement, support and guidance from DTM Vinay Jain and DTM Brillian S K as well.

5.What has been the most challenging role so far in your journey as a Toastmaster?

The biggest challenge is to be an effective mentor. While it does not take much to take up that role, it is extremely difficult to make a meaningful contribution in the transformation of the mentee. I have mentored many members and even several clubs in the last decade. I am glad that I have succeeded several times but also failed to inspire the mentees at other times.

Till date, becoming an effective mentor continues to remain the most challenging role for me.

6.Why do they call you the ‘walking encyclopaedia’ of Toastmasters?

That’s really flattering. I am yet to learn and figure out many aspects of Toastmasters. I was fond of reading, understanding and interpreting the rules of Toastmasters. Finding answers to my curiosities and those of fellow members of our club and other clubs has helped me to further my understanding of the same. I used to help members in their queries regarding rules and rituals, which is why members just call me the same in jest; not to be taken seriously.

7.What do you think has been your most outstanding achievement as a Toastmaster?

I have not achieved anything outstanding. Whatever little I have, among those, I consider my role as a mentor as my best achievement. Like a potter shapes the clay, a mentor gives shape to a learning mind. Remembering how my mentees connect with me to share their dilemmas, fears, new ideas and to recall how my words of encouragement made a difference to them is highly fulfilling as a mentor. Witnessing the success of mentees gives me a great sense of satisfaction.

8.What message or word of advice would you give to the members of Amdavad Toastmasters Club?

I urge the members to stay focused on one’s action and efforts. Be ready for a long haul. Unlike maggi noodles, soft skill development takes years. Be patient with yourself and don’t get distracted by the results. One may win or lose the contests, may or may not win awards in the meetings, may or may not receive the recognition for the volunteer and leadership services. Favourable outcomes like winning may make us complacent, create a false sense of accomplishment or even cause arrogance. Unfavourable outcomes may douse one’s enthusiasm. We may get derailed from our track and our mission due to the high importance attached to the fruits or rewards owing to our efforts. Hence, it is better to stay absolutely focused on one’s actions and efforts irrespective of the outcome with equanimity.

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Articles

Dear Toastmasters TM Srishti Rathi According to a survey, about 75% of the world’s population suffers from glossophobia, the fear of public speaking.

Have you ever been in a situation which strained your neck muscles, ran chills down your spine, made hands and legs to tremble and caused profuse perspiration? I first experienced this in my fourth grade, when I had to deliver the news of the day in the morning assembly.

It was more of a compulsion and less of an activity, for me, to get up on the stage and speak. Later, in the school, I participated in elocution, recitation, narration and many more activities and events; you name it and I had done it. In those rare opportunities , I tried to improve but always had a feeling that I was only“school good”. Soon after, studies took the front seat in my life and public speaking was pushed aside. As I completed my schooling and entered college, I realized that I had to attend towards pursuing my hobbies while the time was in my favor. That meant honing my public speaking skills.

Hence, I searched Google and found a club that addressed my need and criteria of activity. I attended a couple of meetings as a guest, and by the end of the month, I was christened “Toastmaster Srishti”.

You must be a Toastmaster to understand its magic and that was true in my case as well. Over the following few weeks, I started being regular and punctual in the meetings.

Few months passed and on one Friday evening, Snehal (Toastmaster of the Day for the next meeting) called and asked me if I could be the Joke-master for the upcoming meeting. My answer was a resounding ‘Yes’, and why wouldn’t it be?

Have you ever been in a situation which strained your neck muscles, ran chills down your spine, made hands and legs to tremble and caused profuse perspiration?

I was comfortable and fearless on the stage with an encouraging audience which always boosted my self-esteem.Since then, I have taken roles of Ah-counter , Grammarian , Table Topics Master, Toastmaster of the Day and even delivered my icebreaker speech . I have participated a couple of times in the table topics session as well. With such a flying start , I believe there is a long way to go, a lot to learn and most importantly a lot more friends to make . I look forward to playing the roles of Timer , General Evaluator and Speech Evaluator, which I consider particularly challenging.

To conclude though I confess that I am just a few months old – an “infant Toastmaster”, and have years to go before I can finally sit back and reflect on my Toastmasters’ journey. I am convinced that I have chosen the right path to a fulfilling future.

A Big Thank you to the dear magic house that we call Amdavad Toastmasters Club.

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Articles

Keep Learning Keep Failing TM Nitin Bairagi Most of us have encountered failures at some point in our lives. Be it student, personal or professional life.Failure is not uncommon and is, in fact, an integral part of life. Think of a toddler who learns to walk only after multiple failed attempts. All famous personalities have tasted this fruit called failure.

Here are a few examples: 1. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry. Potter series of books, was once a waitress. She wrote the first installment which went on to become one of the best selling books in history. The book had been rejected by a dozen publishers earlier. The only reason it got published at all was because the publisher's eight-year-old daughter begged him to publish it. In her own words, “Failure is so important.

We speak about success all the time. It is the ability to resist failure or use failure that often leads to greater success. I've met people who don't want to try for fear of failing.”

2. Michael Jordan, one of the best basketball players of all time once said “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game-winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Interestingly, he didn't make his high school basketball team on his first attempt.

History is replete with such inspiring stories such as those of Abraham Lincoln, Charlie Chaplin, Charles Darwin, Walt Disney, Stephen Hawking and many more. The lesson learned from all these stories is to never stop believing in yourself. Whenever you are in doubt, inspire yourself with these stories of heroes and their transformation from failure to success. The only thing that matters is how you react to and learn from that failure.

Zig Ziglar, the famous American author and motivational speaker once said, “It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce that counts.” Failure can only be avoided if we stop trying and give up, which leads us nowhere. In fact, failure should be considered a teacher, not a deterrent. Start something that entices you and keep on trying until you succeed.

3. Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and didn't read until he was seven. His Failure has its own benefits in our life. some of them teacher described him as "mentally slow, unsociable are: 1. Humility and adrift forever in his foolish dreams." He was 2.

Resilience and Maturity expelled and refused admittance to Zurich 3. Adaptability and Innovation Polytechnic. The University of Bern turned down his 4. Development of perspective PhD dissertation as being irrelevant and fanciful.

Success can be deferred, not deterred. In the words of Winston Churchill, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Success is nothing but stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” The only thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve is the fear of failure.

While writing this piece of article, I counted the failures that I have gone through in my life to date. I have shared some of them in my speeches at Amdavad Toastmasters club.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Success is nothing but stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm

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Games

ATM Bingo RULES Tick off every box that you have experienced in this club Try to tick off as many as possible

Attended online meeting

Was involved in the speech craft program

Froze on the stage during a speech

Have played a role in the EC

Have won in the club level contest

Did not put your phone on silent during a meeting

Have reached the meeting venue before it opened

Have borrowed a pen to mark the ballot paper

Have mentored a toastmaster

Have voted for themselves during the ballot

Attended a joint meeting

Exceeded the time limit by more than one minute

Have participated in all the roles of a meeting

Have prepared the board for a meeting

Have read the Competent Communicator (CC) manual

Have evaluated a speech

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Articles

Love Thyself TM Aditi Iyer

The great thinker and propagator of positive thinking, Norman Vincent Peale once said, “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence on your own powers you cannot be happy and successful.” This sums up how I envision confidence.

The dictionary also enlists self-confidence as ‘a feeling of trust in one's abilities, qualities, and judgement’.

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence on your own powers you cannot be happy and successful.

I’m currently an engineering student studying in a renowned technological institute in Ahmedabad.

Like every other student of science, I have gone through the gruelling examination called the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). JEE is like an Agni-Pariksha (trial by fire), that every science student needs to cross; years and years of burning the midnight oil is tested in a span of 3 hours.

I believe that the exam is not the worst part of it all.

It is the preparation for the exam that wears everyone inside out. Most of the aspirants appear for the exams with preparation and help rendered by the coaching institutes, where students are trained for a period typically of two years.

The lure of studying in the most prestigious academic institutions in the country called IITs is hard to resist. Like every other effort we put in, everyone including me started with great enthusiasm.

Everyone is trying to do their best. In my experience, I felt the paradox of having no specific method for achievement for such a tough exam. The coaching institutes believed in shattering one’s credence to a point, from where it was impossible to rebuild. But, I, blinded by the dream, took practice tests at the coaching institute every week and failed. I failed miserably. Being a smart, bright student in the past, I was aghast. I could not accept those scores. So I tried again but to no avail.

I feel that I didn’t fail the exam but the expectations that I had set for myself.

By the time I reached the 12th grade, I could hardly recognize myself. I sacrificed everything I loved in hopes of achieving my goal. I struggled every day but never stopped. So I endured. There were some successes, but none as grand as I expected. My selfconfidence was crippled. I felt anxious for the most part of the day. But even with these signs, I couldn’t stop. By the time two years were over, I could not look at myself in the mirror. I would think of myself as a failure who couldn’t achieve anything. The books that I read on positive thinking, attitude and self-belief weren’t motivating enough.

The coaching institutes make you believe that any institution that is not an IIT is just not ‘good enough’.

At times, they mock your skills by saying that you are fit for ‘third-grade’ colleges only, with the opinion that students will study even more and get better.

Thanks to my hard work, I got into one of the premier engineering institutes in Gujarat; an institution I am now proud of. Back then though, I hated myself for not getting into the college I wanted and hated the IITs for not accepting me.

People told me that I was lucky to be admitted into my current college and my hard work had paid off.

For the mind that had lost all hope; any college that was not an IIT was still insignificant.

It’s been almost a year since JEE and I’m much happier now. But during this entire ordeal, I lost my self-confidence. It shook my belief system and completely changed me completely. It took me a year and my parents’ unwavering support to get back what I had lost.

As I reminisce, I think that every experience in life makes you wiser. I, through anguish, have experienced this excruciating yet beautiful journey of loving myself.

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Articles

The Marathon TM Vishal Modi

It all started in 2010 – the year Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) organized its first-ever marathon event in Ahmedabad. I had enrolled myself in the shortest category - a 6 km ‘dream run’. For me, it was like a small party: we walked and jogged and had fun with friends. Back then, I was not aware of what a marathon was, and why people ran in such a way.

I believe that if you want to live a life full of achievement, success, fun, and adventure, you need to dream big and the first step is to make your bucket list. As marathon running became popular, it was soon included in my bucket list. I noticed that marathon events were Once an individual has gone through held annually in winters and every the process for 3-4 months, he or she life-altering benefits: year I resolved to participate and experiences food habits, body form and aura, all complete them. undergo a remarkable change.

After years of planning, last August When I started training for 2 hours straight, I found that it was not as I finally decided to run a half marathon (21.095 km). I enrolled easy as it sounded. One might be into a three-month training alone, talking to one’s self the entire program and stuck it to my board. I time. It is more of a mind game than a also downloaded motivational test of stamina. podcasts, followed runners on Instagram and bought a new pair of shoes and clothes. Such was my dedication to create an environment around me that reminded me of my goals. I never realized how repeating the insignificant act of putting one foot ahead of the other will have a sweeping effect on the body and mind. To qualify for a medal and a certificate, I had to run 21 km in three hours which boils down to an average of 7 km an hour. To prepare for this I had to train for at least 2 to 2.5 hours a day. Running is the secret pill to motivation, focus and memory.

“If you don’t rule your mind, your mind will rule you.”

(Eluid Kipchoge, the first sub-two hour marathon runner)

10 km in, and you stop hearing the clutter in your brain from a recent breakup (with your significant half).

Soon, you realize the futility of each personal battle that consumes your energy and peace.

13 km, your limbs surrender. You are left with a few kilometers more to go but without thrill.

This is when you push for the extra mile and not succumb to your weaker self. It hurts. Your brain is stuck in a dilemma, if you should stop or keep moving. This is the time your mind overrides I always thought that running would your body.

You pull on. help me escape my problems; on the Eventually, you emerge a contrary, it gave me the courage to champion. This form of discipline, face them head-on. perseverance and determination Imagine yourself stepping out of your helps you complete a marathon. home, pumped up for the next run.

You decide to run 15 km today, a During the half marathon event, couple more than yesterday, and at the 18th kilometer marker, I It instantly releases: (a) dopamine in your body, a want to beat that. And then you saw a cop who asked, “How do chemical causing one to feel happy, begin! you feel?” to which I replied, “I and can’t feel my legs.” He said, 3 km later, the chaos on the street “That’s fine.” As he laughed, I (b) serotonin, the one that boosts fades away. thought he was crazy. Now I the mood. know he was just reassuring me 6 km later, the screaming in your that I was not going to die. head from your boss is washed away.

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Interview

Tete-a-tete with TM Dilip Thakkar One of the most thoughtful and profound personalities in Amdavad Toastmasters Club is TM Dilip Thakkar.

Most of us know TM Dilip as the owner of Gopi Group who doesn’t speak much during meetings and is found ardently listening to other speakers, but only a few among us, who reach the meeting venue before the stipulated time, understand his discipline and punctuality in attending meetings, perfectly balancing the enthusiasm and energy of the club with his composure and diligence.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, TM Dilip joined his father early on in his life to support the family with their business. Not many would identify selling tea as a business in modern times, but the zeal and the will to progress were ingrained in him since his introduction to the industry. Since then, he has ventured into avenues such as restoring heritage sites and transforming them into appealing hotels and places of tourism.

He has also been instrumental in the establishment of Jalaram Paratha House, a name that can be commonly found in every nook and cranny of Ahmedabad these days. Being a founding member of Food Entrepreneur’s Associates (FEA), he participates in the social causes of the food industry, from small home based startups to restaurants and resorts.

TM Dilip’s unwavering commitment towards learning drives him to achieve more. We have been provided this wonderful opportunity to devour his slice of life and share it with all of you.

1.What motivated you to pursue a degree in management after a distinct qualification of Bachelor’s in Psychology?

Firstly, in my generation, there was no one in my family who was as educated. I completed my schooling at Class 12 after which I saw everyone choosing their colleges and career streams. I had been into business since the age of 14 and I used to love meeting and interacting with people so I chose the subject of Psychology. I completed it, but my education did not take off immediately. I wasn’t able to attend classes regularly and my assignments as I had to accompany my father in the business. So I was somehow able to complete my degree in Psychology and then, I opened a restaurant near VS hospital.

Every day, I used to see the doctors at the hospital conversing with their colleagues in English and somewhere inside, I felt that my degree in Psychology would not take me further in life. One day, as I was passing through a place called Juna Sachivalay in Ahmedabad I, saw many students wearing a pair of black pants and white shirts. I felt it might be a law college, but there I saw a small board with the name Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition. So I went in and enquired. They said that this is a degree that takes three years to complete and is a course in hotel management that will help you run your hotel or any industry related to catering services. The decision of joining this course changed my life. With a Rajasthani background, I had the inherent nature of hospitality and so, I was able to start a business and then attend a management degree, which is usually the other way around. With a degree in Psychology, I have been able to read different people in the business and it has also allowed me to touch a few hearts. The degrees have been helpful in my daily activities for sure.

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Interview 2.What is the secret of your meteoric rise from the humble beginnings of a tea stall to something as niche as Gopi Coconut Centre?

One of the strong points is the joint Marwari family culture inherited by us. My brother and I along with my father were the pillars of the business from the beginning. All of us were proud and accountable. We used to look after the business when either one of us was unavailable and in all cases, maintained its integrity. We made sure that we knew our strengths and weakness like they were the back of our hands.

The second aspect had to do with my father being in the hotel industry. He started out slowly with a tea stall and moved to a Paratha House and we rose gradually, not all of a sudden. As we learned more about the business and the society we live in, we expanded accordingly. Third would go to the innate nature of business in the family. We aimed at providing quality food at affordable prices with adequate hygiene and this would be the foundation of what we want to stand for at any point in time. I also had a professor named RK Chopra from RK Chopra Public Speaking Institute who gifted me a book called In Search of Excellence and that provided me with a different perspective to everything I witnessed.

The benefit of being in the food industry is that it has helped me to serve people that way as well. Even if I did not have much to give in the monetary sense, the least I could do is provide them with food. I believe that if you are capable of helping an individual in the slightest way, you should try to do that. It helps to bring happiness in the truest form.

3.What inspired you to help people through your profession?

I believe it started from my family. My family was quite humble in that respect. My father was a police constable who earned around 80 rupees. He had to borrow 400 rupees for his first business- the tea stall.

I understood how it felt to be in debt of others and from those experiences I developed a mindset to help people those in need since I did not get those experiences first-hand. The current food industry is very integrated in that aspect. If an individual travels from his hometown to join the industry, he is provided with food, a place to stay, clothes and salary. I also looked at another aspect beyond this: if there was an individual studying in class 11 or 12 who wanted to join the business, I used to ask their reason and in that way I was able to not only provide him/her with basic education but also income which his or her family was dependent on. I would advise him/her to study in the morning and work in the evening. This was again intended to help out people in something that I could not achieve or do as there was no one to guide me in my youth. Growth cannot be an individual process, you only grow when the people around you grow with you. This was instilled in me by my family. We used to take care of all the education expenses of our employees and today, they are quite happy that they were supported as well as taken care of.

4.What inspired you to help people through your profession?

I belong to a typical middle class family and did not have a chance to go to a convent school. I used to study as far as my family could afford. English was

not taught to us at school as I did my schooling in Gujarati medium, but once I joined IHM, I found that it was compulsory to communicate in English. I struggled with it. My father was of the opinion that it is important to complete basic education and anything more a choice than a compulsion. I felt that I was missing out on a few things by not learning the language. When I visit the club, I see 50-odd well qualified individuals. I always feel that I leave each meeting with something new or useful. That is the case even when I sit with individuals owning fancy cars during my NGO initiatives. This is due to my mindset that says that there is no age to learn. I did not have the opportunity to learn many things in my childhood but now I have the fire in my belly to learn those things that I have missed out on and beyond.

I’ve completed 57 years recently, but that passion to learn is still there. I have also encouraged a few colleagues to join Toastmasters but their attitude has been ‘ Why would I want to spend my time each Sunday (a weekend)?’

5.In dire situations like the recent pandemic, it is the responsibility of capable citizens like us to step up and help the needy. What do you think could be a good place for us to start?

We need to understand that Amdavad Toastmasters Club cannot provide food packets or groceries to

PAGE 21

Interview people during these times but can provide what we have and what we know. We are learned, have the ability to listen and have a good command over the language, so one thing we can do is to lend an ear to people, because in such a situation, the crucial thing that people want to do is express themselves and be heard. No one knows what the future holds, so if we can talk to them and tell them that things will be fine, they might feel relieved. As a toastmaster, our job can be to hear, guide, motivate and inspire them. We need to tell them that it’s not the end of the world and there’s still hope out there. Several times, we receive messages over WhatsApp that say that God gives us many U-turns in the journey of life.

We need to remind people that the show is not over and it must go on.

People might not talk to their families out of fear of putting them under stress, and they might not talk to their friends due to the fear of judgment. So, we should be someone who is simply willing to listen without haste and with compassion.

6.As an entrepreneur, how do you keep yourself mentally fit and healthy, especially in these testing times?

Though the lockdown has been here for about 60 days, I have never been attracted to any vices even before this. I keep myself away from tobacco and alcohol. I don’t even consume beverages such as tea and coffee. Snacks like pickle and papad - though tasty - are a big no for me. I don’t mind other people having them but I feel that these aren’t essential to me. I prefer not to add items such as onions, garlic, garam masala and other spices to my food that might be a catalyst to anger and frustration.

My mother was a holy lady, and I feel that I have imbibed several values from her. I think that I’ve been calm and composed since childhood and don’t remain angry towards someone for a long time.

I watch as little TV as possible and avoid shows that portray negative aspects of life. I engage myself in reading positive and motivational articles. Apart from maintaining a clean home I also practice Feng shui. The fragrance of incense sticks (agarbatti) brings peace and positivity to any place. I prefer clothing that is easy to the eye and a perfume that might be liked not just by me but by those interacting with me as well.

7.After almost 3 years of being associated with Toastmasters, what do you take away from each meeting, and what message do you have for the community out there?

I’d like to tell you how I got introduced to Toastmasters. My daughter, who’s in the US is a part of the community as well and she suggested that I join the public speaking platform based on my interest in taking initiatives to interact with people and hosting and leading events. I feel shy in saying that in the past three years, I have been able to deliver only three speeches at the club. My day begins at 10 in the morning and ends at 12 midnight, so it’s tough to keep up but I’m always there when the club needs me.

A few years ago, I met a Toastmaster from Hyderabad who mentioned that I might attend club meetings and say nothing during the meetings, but I always take something away from them. I abide by that principle as well. The feeling of oneness in the club and the aura of the club is exceptional. The energy that members bring to the club and the encouragement that they provide to each speaker who struggles with their first time on the stage, and much more are things I revere. I can say with certainty that I will be a part of Amdavad Toastmasters Club till my last breath.

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Club Events

Grammar Campaign With the announcement of the nationwide lockdown on 24th March, the PR-team was quick to recognize the opportunity presented to them. The result was a 21-day Grammar Campaign, raising awareness about the subtleties of English Grammar to fellow Toastmasters and testing their learning through quizzes. The campaign not only helped the club members brush up on their language skills but also cultivated a feeling of productivity during these testing times. The campaign lasted 21 days, teaching and testing members on Prepositions, Tenses, Verbs and Articles. Member participation was enthusiastic and encouraging, and most of them shared their learnings and queries over WhatsApp. The campaign came to an end on 14th April with incredible success.

Mental Health Awareness

Mental Health Awareness Month (MHM) occurs every year in the month of May. Each year, a theme is adopted to de-stigmatize mental health and to spread awareness on the same. The theme for this year is Tools2Thrive. The PR-Team has been on the lookout to help the club members and the community. MHM was precisely the need of the hour with the pandemic being a cause of anxiety and depression among individuals.

The tools brought to light by the VP-PR team are not only focused on helping an individual recognize such issues but also on tackling them head-on.

The tools are: Tool #1 – Reading at least a book through the course of the month.

Tool #2 – Develop a new habit or change an existing habit.

Tool #3 – Positivity in the face of adversity or loss.

Tool #4 - Listening to your emotions.

Amdavad Food Festival Amdavad Toastmasters Club was presented with the opportunity to spread awareness about public speaking and the Toastmasters initiative through the Amdavad Food Festival held from 3rd to 5th January, 2020. We were generously provided a stall by our fellow Toastmaster Dilip Thakkar. The event saw a huge footfall of budding speakers of all age groups who participated in some fun activities and engaged themselves with the seasoned Toastmasters to learn more about the intricacies of the club, its activities and its significance.

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Articles

Things Happen When Mistakes Are Made TM Bhanu Mishra It was at work, on 15th November 2019, when we received the news that our Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Manager was leaving the organization. A farewell was planned for him in a small hall with the entire team, where the CEO spoke a few words about the dedication and consistency of the outgoing executive. Once the CEO concluded his speech, he asked the Manager to address the gathering.

After the Manager’s remarks, our CEO offered us the opportunity to talk about him. I decided to go on stage, as that very morning I had read a quote that said, “Don’t let any opportunity pass by you, they don’t come as often.” I had never faced such a large audience before.

Suddenly, I was on the stage facing more than 80 people. Everyone was staring at me as if I was an alien. My mind went blank. My pulse was racing, feet were trembling and I stuttered. Each second felt like an hour and I was speechless. The only option for me at that point was to leave the stage and I followed suit. It was an embarrassing moment, and I felt helpless. It had been just two months since I joined the organization and I was hardly acquainted with anyone around.

I was disappointed in myself. I didn’t go to work for the next two days nor did I contact anyone at the office.

Later, I decided to work on improving my public speaking skills so that I don’t face such a situation in the future. I googled for public speaking courses, institutes and workshops around and found Amdavad Toastmasters Club. My primary needs were for the place to be helpful and affordable and I found the club to be fulfilling both the things.

I visited the club as a guest a few times, understood the environment, and discussed my concerns with senior members. They were supportive and encouraging.

I joined the club on 10th December 2019. The experience has been life-changing for me. I took up several roles, delivered speeches regularly and progressed towards conquering my fear of public speaking in a short span of time. I was encouraged by the club members and rapidly improved with their feedback and suggestions.

Two months later, on 14th February 2020, I was given an opportunity to deliver a speech on Pulwama attack martyrs to the same audience at my very office. The audience was touched. They felt connected, motivated and charged with the love for their nation. I felt like I had “arrived”. The credit goes entirely to Amdavad Toastmasters Club.

Though I’m not a person who believes in awards, I was humbled when I won the best participant award. I earned back my respect which I felt I had lost on the day our SEO manager’s farewell. I got the recognition and respect of my colleagues in the office.

I’ve had several takeaways from this journey but one has changed me the most:

"Things happen when mistakes are made. Make as many as you can.”

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Articles

The Art of Storytelling TM Vranda Rathi

All of us are storytellers, revealing a bit about ourselves to people in every-day conversations. It is the easiest way to plant our ideas into the listener’s mind, and the oldest form of education for all ages. In the present day, even businesses use storytelling in various ways, from corporate presentations to market research as well as human resources, for motivating and encouraging employees.

A good story needs a central idea which you wish to convey. You can paint the landscape of your story with characters and bring them to life with intricate details. You can also have vividity in words and dialogues and a surprise element to hook your audience to make your story engaging. An effective conclusion or a solution to problems is generally a meaningful takeaway for the audience.

Emotions and expressions speak as loud as words, if not more. Your posture, gestures, movements of hands and feet help the audience to visualise a story with realism.

Belief is a big word and it matters the most in storytelling. If you believe in your story and tell it straight from the heart, it will surely touch the listener’s soul and will be remembered for long.

Each one of us has a story waiting to be told. Sometimes, we hesitate to share our stories because we are afraid of being judged.

Shed your inhibitions and create a safe environment for others, so that stories can be told and heard freely. Let us tell the tales that bring hope, create ideas, solve conflicts and make this world a better place.

How To Work Efficiently?

TM Sameer Savaliya

After being unable to secure a seat in 2009 at Government Dental College and Hospital (GDCH), Ahmedabad, I was dejected. That year, I read a book titled You Can Win by Shiv Khera. I didn’t understand how things are done differently back then. But a year later, I ranked eighth in All India Post Graduate Medical Entrance Exam (AIPGE), seventh in Gujarat and sixth for the House job at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

After the results, I tried to relate to the things that I had executed differently.

Razor-sharp focus Pushing my limits Collaborating with like-minded and hardworking individuals with a shared dream.

Today, everything seems simple in hindsight, but life is complicated. It’s easy to relate your efforts with success, but there’s always a possibility of an unwanted outcome. How do you relate to that?

I believe that we also need a book called You May Lose alongside You Can Win. Bill Gates has said “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.”

Our concentration, focus and persistence impact the outcome. But these are not the only things that decide the kind of work we do, great or poor.

Continuous learning is the best habit that we can cultivate within ourselves.

Efficiency follows.

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Member's Achievements

Above and Beyond TM Dhanraj

TM Radhika

Advanced Communicator Bronze

TM Girish

TM Hiren

Advanced Communicator Silver

Advanced Communicator Bronze

Competent Communicator

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Member's Achievements

Above and Beyond TM Karuna

TM Abhisha

Competent Leadership

TM KP Jani

TM Varun

Competent Communicator

Level 1 Innovative Planning

Level 1 Innovative Planning

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Member's Achievements

Congrtulations Toastmaster Preeti for winning Division Level Table Topic Contest KP jani Biswajit Abhisha Vranda Snehal

Aditi Jitendra Yash Karuna Ranjan Prashant Dilip Snehal

Kailash Rashi Radhika Dhiren Meghana

Appreciative

Grateful

Abhisha Kamalkant Ranjan Radhika Harikrishna

Passionate

Compassionate

Orator

Vikas Vishal Parv Sameer

Abhisha Yash Vibrant

Confident

Inspiring

Radhika Kamalkant

Jitendra Srikant Dhanraj

Toastmaster Preeti from the Lens of ATM Members Content Credits- TM Girish

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Club's Achievements

10/10 DCP Goals The Toastmasters Distinguished Club Program (DCP) helps clubs provide its members with a consistent and qualitative experience. The DCP includes 10 goals that each club tries to achieve every year. These are covered under the umbrellas of four areas, namely, Education, Membership, Training and Administration.Our club is proud to announce that we have accomplished all the 10 goals for the year July 2019 - June 2020.

Renewal Campaign Award The District Public Relations Office came up with an initiative - 'Celebrate The Renewal Month', which was aimed at appreciating the importance of Toastmasters in our lives and its relevance to our growth story. As a part of the campaign, we conducted a Toastmasters themed meeting in the month of March, where we discussed the history, milestones and our club’s journey and achievements so far.

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Amdavad Toastmasters

About the Club Amdavad Toastmasters Club was established in 2012 by a few aspiring individuals who wanted to introduce Ahmedabad to the art of public speaking and put the city’s talent among the distinguished speakers of the world. Since then, the club has produced several power-packed performers who have, not only made a name for themselves, but also helped nurture budding orators, professionals and leaders.

The club holds regular meetings at the American Corner Library, Ahmedabad on Sundays, 10.30 AM to 12.30 PM. It strives on the fact that each individual has the potential to hone their skills which can propel them to a future embellished with RISE: Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence.

Executive Committee TM KP JANI PRESIDENT

TM ROHIT SECRETARY

TM ABHISHA VP EDUCATION

TM KAMALKANT TREASURER

TM DHIREN VP MEMBERSHIP

TM KAILASH SERGEANT-AT-ARMS

TM HARIKRISHNA VP PUBLIC RELATIONS

TM GIRISH PAST PRESIDENT

About CHATTER Chatter, Amdavad Toastmasters Club’s bi-annual newsletter was started in 2013. Being the mouthpiece of the club, Chatter has witnessed some amazing work by the members across different professions, age groups and ideologies.

The newsletter is a prominent platform for the members to share their skills, talents, avocations and much more.

Every six months, a new magazine team with fresh faces comes together with a theme that signifies the progress of the club through thick and thin.

This time, the theme is called ‘We are Infinite’ to showcase the immense perseverance of the people in the club in these trying times.

AMDAVAD TOASTMASTERS CLUB (Club No. 2472534, Division A, Area A1, District 98)

We meet every Sunday from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

301-302, American Corner Library, Sun Square, Nr. Reganta Antarim, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad - 380015, Gujarat

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Amdavad Toastmasters Club