COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
From The Editor’s Desk “Celebrate who you are in your deepest heart. Love yourself and the world will love you.” ― Amy Leigh Mercree
Beena Mandrekar Newsletter Editor, District 98
September is a month filled with fun festivities and contests. Toastmasters are walking the tightrope, balancing
joy, forgetting all old hurts and rejoicing in the
meetings, surviving office, with
sharpening skills
new bonds that we create. Then be it the annual
enjoying family
for
We celebrate each festival with a wonder and
ritual of protection that a
and
brother offers or the
their a
robust welcome of Lord
rib
Ganesh; be it the rice
tickling contest. All
harvest celebration of
in good fun and all about
work
and rain flowers festival
life
of Onam or the birth of Lord Krishna with
balance.
slippery bodies climbing over each other to reach
We are just back from a wonderful session of the
the prize; the joy amongst all of us is universal. In
World Championship of Public speaking where
Maharashtra the farmers celebrate Pola – a bull
Toastmaster Aditya Maheshwaran did us proud by
worshipping festival and 5th of September is cele-
standing tall as the 1st runner up in a photo finish
brated by us as Teachers’ Day!
contest. The winner was Mohammed Qahtani - who gave a heartwarming speech and deserved every bit of the accolades he received. In order to understand and evaluate the contents of his speech we had organized a contest open to all toastmasters in good standing. We got an overwhelming response and have published 4 best evaluations in this issue. In the Bible Corinthians 5:8 the English version reads:
Significantly in toastmasters this is the season for renewals. Promising once again to serve the club follow the mentors and in turn lead the ones who have joined. The circle of life is always turning. So many reasons to rejoice! So pull out those drums dear Toastmasters, and let the magic begin!
“Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”. www.d98tm.in
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CONTENTS
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Features
11
COVER
Fun, Festival & Contest SANTOSHANAND ADKAR
Tech Mahindra Toastmasters Club Pune
Articles
6
VETERANS TALKS
Lifelong Bond
32
BRILLIAN S K
SPEECH EVALUATION CONTEST
World Championship of Public Speaking
District Director 98, Toastmasters International
2015
8 A Part of Destiny
POWER OF WORDS
VINAY VASUDEV
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Tech M Pune Toastmasters Club
Don’t keep calm its contest time
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9
MILESTONE MEETING
Three Tips
GENESIS 400th Milestone Meeting
Getting More.. ...from Toastmasters
VIKRAM SIVAKUMAR
Toastmasters club of Barclays Pune
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10
DISTRICT 98 CORE
KNOW YOUR LEADERS
Real Magic of TM
The Magic
39
SOWMYA CHAKILAM
TEAM
Area Director, F1
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CONTENTS
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
18
VIVA LAS VEGAS
The Toastmasters International Convention 2015
15
12
INTERVIEW BY SANJEEV
THE THREE MUSKETEERS
Inseparable Bond Of Love For Raksha SONALI MUNDADA
Vice President Membership TMCP -Central
How to crack the Humorous Speech Contest
13 The extra marital affair PRETAM AREKAR
17 INTERVIEW BY SANJEEV
Mahindra Mumbai
Toastmasters
Club,
On Being a Champion Evaluator
PHANI BHAGWAN
Tech Mahindra Toastmasters Club
21 PreZSentarium AMAN RAI
President, ZS Toastmasters Club Toastmasters International
MANASA INAMPUDI
Oracle Hyderabad Toastmasters Club
3 ways to be connected with your
District 98 on the GO ! Follow us on
@d98tm Facebook ‘district98’ Website d98tm.in Twitter
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CONTENTS
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
TABLOID A DIGITAL FLYER TO CONNECT YOU ALL Know what’s going on in other Divisions/Areas/Clubs
Mail us your Division/Area/club achievements to make your clubs presence in TABLOID Let us know how unique is your club Happenings @ your Division/Area/Club Acknowledge your club members while they complete CC,CL
For more information please visit www.d98tm.in/site/tabloid.html
connect@d98tm.in
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TED CORCORAN
Ted Corcoran and the Sing Song SHIREESH NADKAR
Toastmasters Club of Pune
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THE SACRED PLACE
INTERVIEW BY SHIREESH NADKAR
Kumbh Mela
What does the future hold for you?
TORAL GOSALIA
Margao Toastmasters Club (Goa)
SHIREESH NADKAR Toastmasters Club of Pune
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Fun Contests Fiestas...
INTERVIEW BY PAVAN PUNJABI
Aditya’s Perspective
JERVIS PEREIRA GOA-YMCA Toastmasters
PAVAN PUNJABI www.d98tm.in
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
A Lifelong Bond
"You need an attitude of service. You're not just serving yourself. You help others to grow up and you grow with them." – David Green
Dear Friends, First
week
of
September the nation celebrated
Raskha-
bandhan, a festival that emphasizes and aims to strengthen the bonds.
brother-sister Continuing
the spell of renewing bonds, at Toastmasters it is time to RENEW our ties to strengthen the bond of sharing, learning and growing. I look forward to reaping benefits of being a toastmaster by renewing my membership. Though it may seem clichéd this is the only platform for us to experiment, enjoy and exult. Yesterday on our D98Core WhatsApp group
“The best part of being a Toastmaster is the finer aspects of communication
AD Anupriya Sinha shared the story of Jai Nara-
and leadership we learn from mem-
yan from Smedley Speakers Society, District
bers across the border”
92. Jai, in spite of being visually impaired completed his Advanced Communication Silver.
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
I am sure he will continue to contribute and help
Signing off with a quote by Past International
others. This is one such story that proves - we can
President Helen Blanchard
achieve excellence if we focus and channelize our energies effectively. Each one of us must aim to
“If you get out of Toastmasters all there
be a service leader. Leadership is not about a
is to get out of Toastmasters, you’ll
position, it’s an attitude. If we have a positive
never get out of Toastmasters” - it’s a
attitude, nothing can stop us from achieving excellence. As toastmasters we have a critical role
lifelong bond.
to encourage, motivate and help members become better as communicators and leaders. This is possible only because members volunteer to serve as Club Officers / District Officers /
Brillian S K District Director, District 98, Toastmasters International
Volunteers at events. You too can change lives offer your service as a volunteer, mentor and groom new members, take up a role or help organize contests. There is no greater joy than knowing, you helped someone become better!
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
A Part Of Destiny…
Hi friends I would like to share a wonderful part of
No idea at that time, what they were talking about
my life which made me a confident person by
but I was happy that day.
bringing out what was hidden inside me. Yes, that’s I enrolled the same day and attended almost every
right, I am talking about toastmasters.
meeting without fail. I finished my CC in 6 months I was working at a client location in the USA and
and played a role of VP education for two terms. I
my job was to interact with client managers to help
wanted to get more exposure and learn more so I
them solve problems and build the business. In the
decided to join a second club in 2013. You will
account
definitely enjoy if you get enrolled in mul-
manager, you can imagine how
tiple clubs. I can guarantee that as you
important,
with
will get your slots for speaking more
people is. I saw a poster one day
often and can finish the education awards
on a notice board at my client’s
quicker. I finished my ALB, was a contest
office about Toastmasters. I had
chair in the area event and participated in
heard about the club from one
the District conference twice.
IT
industry
as
an
networking
of my colleagues in India and I was always keen on joining but never got the time.
I thought this time; I should not miss the opportunity and called that number. Then I began the Toastmaster journey on 5 Sep 2012. I still remember my first day as a guest and I was overwhelmed by the response I received and also
Then I moved to India on my work and found a club right there in the office. Yes, I am a member of Tech M Pune Toastmaster club and have now finished my ACS and my journey of becoming better speaker and leader is on the right track.
spoke about the meeting experience, everybody applauded and said it was almost like an Ice
Vinay Vasudev, ACS, ALB Tech M Pune Toastmasters Club
Breaker. www.d98tm.in
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Getting more from Toastmasters If you are a fairly active toast-
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
And no – Nobody will laugh at you,
master, attending about 2 meet-
unless you are in a humor contest,
ings a month, then you have
in which case they will laugh even if
spent at least 100 hours with
your jokes are bad. Contests are
toastmasters last year. What did
the fast track to learning.
you get out of these 100 hours? I try to maximize my 100 hours
3. Everybody is an evaluator
and learn as much from them as
If you are giving a speech why
I can. I believe my growth accel-
should only one person evaluate
erates when I keep my learning
you?. Be hungry for feedback, eve-
antenna up. Here are 3 quick
ry member of the audience can
ways you can do so too.
give you an evaluation. Initially I
1. Don’t treat toastmaster meetings like television
used to get feedback from just the evaluator and
Maximize the time you spend at a meeting and
missing a wealth of information from the audience.
keep the brain muscles active. Take notes about
Three questions I commonly ask after every speech
every speech you hear. Think about the speech
are:
and wonder why it worked or didn’t work. If you are confident, you could share your views with the speaker and if you are not confident – share it
few trusted mentors. However I realized that I was
a) What did you like about the speech? b) What will you remember?
with someone sitting next to you. This will keep
c) Was there something you didn’t understand?
your brain active and you will learn a lot about
Each of these is a very open ended question, allow-
speaking. If you heard something inspirational,
ing a person to comment on anything that made an
note it down. There is a treasure trove of ideas at
impact on them. These questions are also aimed to
these meetings and would make a good read
avoid directive feedback (“you must move your
when you need inspiration.
hands by 45 degrees”). Without directive feedback, I only obtain general views and feelings that people
2. Raise your hands often
felt. It further prevents me from getting into an
Now that you are actively using your muscles at meetings, it’s also time to do more at meetings. Toastmasters is a safe environment. Make use of it by performing all the roles – from timer to language evaluator. Use it as an opportunity to
analysis paralysis because of excessive suggestions. Keep going… Congratulations, you are now actively using your muscles at the toastmaster meetings, taking up roles before you are ready and asking everyone around
learn. Raising your hands often also means you
you for feedback. Keep going, keep setting yourself
compete in all contests. We are competitive by
new goals, help your fellow speakers and most
nature and contests force us to learn. Oh yes,
importantly – have fun!
you’ll never be ready, so do it before you are ready.
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Vikram Sivakumar Toastmasters club of Barclays Pune
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
The Magic
And then, like magic, everything fell into place. I think Harry Potter was around with his magic wand. Eshaan came, Gopinath stayed and they were kind enough to take up the roles then and there! Alfred mesmerized and Rajshekhar....made people cry!
The best part was that apart from the SOWMYA CHAKILAM Area Director, F1
icebreaker speeches, the other speeches by Alfred and Rajshekhar also got a standing ovation! I looked around for Harry Potter...but he wasn’t there.
‘Oh I can’t take it anymore!’ I reacted strongly when I read
Then I realized, there was magic, no
in the mail that some of the role players had backed out. My first
doubt, but it was not a fantasy but the
reaction, as usual an emotional one, resulted in a broken heart
real magic of Toastmasters!
and a headache. My immediate reaction was calling my savior Harsh. ‘All will be well’ he said in his sotto voice. I wanted to
No matter how tired we are after a day
scream blue murder.
of work, no matter how far the place of the meeting is, no matter if we have
When things go wrong they go horribly wrong. Murphy was at
to go back and work, each and every
his best today because most of the people were in meetings all
person present there, made this magic
through the day. Madhu patiently took all the things into her
a reality.
stride and made all the arrangements at the LCC campus, while
Let me tell you...each one has made an
Hemanth took care of our journey to the other branch.
impact on me today. And I will not wait till tomorrow to tell you that.
I was sulking big time! Things were not going as I expected. We arrived at our campus on
And then, like magic, everything fell into place. I think Harry Potter was around with his magic wand.
time, but things were
yet to be done. Oh
gosh! Why
agree to have this
Thank you Toastmasters, from the bot-
meeting at LCC? Will people come? Do they know? Will we create
tom of my heart, you have made a
an impact? Will everything be alright? So many questions!! And
difference in my life!
did
we
my headache reached its peak!
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Fun Festivals and Contests
As people wait for the festive season, we as toast-
As the calendar turns the month of August …
masters wait eagerly for the contests to begin. On a personal level I am thrilled to
….. the festive season gets a most warm
bits as I am participating in the
welcome, and fun is an unlimited by
humorous contest, representing
product. Raksha Bandhan (bonding of
the Tech Mahindra club at the
brothers and sisters), Janmashtami (Birth
area level. This is a first for me
of Lord Krishna), Ganesh Festival…the
and
list is endless. What inspires me most about the festivals is that people gather together in a happy mood and make time to participate in each of these events. This feeling of intermingling and giving back to society is really good.
the
excitement.
What’s best about such competitions is that you learn a lot while hearing others speak and learning is always a fun. You get their perspective and can compare it with your won. It’s always a challenge to convince ourselves to participate at different levels of the toastmasters
The Janmashtami festival with its collective effort
hence
of
contests, however after watching the videos of Aditya Maheswaran and other champions; your confidence greatly increases and eggs you to do more for your club.
reaching the top to collect the prize money and the Ganesh fes-
I am proud to take Tech Mahindra to the area level. Last year I had taken part in the table topic speaker contest and was second runner-
tival is particularly close to my heart.
up and that has boosted my confidence. Networking with various other clubs is the byproduct of such meetings and I am sure people will start looking out for me the next time there is a contest. Santoshanand Adkar Tech Mahindra Toastmasters Club Pune
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
THE THREE MUSKETEERS . . .
My elder sister Roopali has al-
INSEPARABLE BONDS OF LOVE FOR RAKSHA
ways been my idol. She is the one who has taught me to be responsible and to fight against all odds, Raksha Bandhan, the festival of celebrating the
with a positive attitude. I have never told her but I
bonds of love, fights, pranks, care, togetherness
owe her lot for my success and the kind of person I
and protection between brothers and sisters! All
am today. Truly speaking I am not sure where I and
these words bring forth bitter sweet memories and
my family would have been if it wasn't for her hard
I love to wallow in them. For me this festival has
work and sacrifices and the clown inside her who
always been particularly important to celebrate
made us smile in times of difficulty. She is a great
with my sisters! We are three of us: Roopali, Sonali
enthusiast and the person my family loves to have
and Deepali. And we are the apple of our parents’
around.
eyes. Their pillars of strength and pride. We do not
Finally, I would like to share a quote by Clara Ortega
celebrate the festival in the traditional way by tying
who perfectly defines my feelings! “To the outside
Rakhi on our wrists. Rather our bond goes beyond
world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sis-
that. We always look out for each other. If I am out
ters. We know each other as we always were. We
late my younger sister calls me up and my Dad is so
know each other's hearts. We share private family
relaxed with the thought of her playing the cop
jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family
that he doesn’t care at all. The younger sister acts
griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time.”
like the protective brother.
Love you sisters!
It’s easy enough to bribe her of course and my Dad is none the worse for the knowledge. But my mother’s anger will make any ice cream melt.
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Sonali Mundada Vice President Membership TMCP -Central
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
The extra-marital affair
During our first meeting, I knew this was where I
By the time I finished college I had 8
wanted to be: in her company. As a professional it is important to know your basics but it is equally
charming girlfriends and it was not
important to be able to communicate them effec-
one- sided.
tively. Fortunately, Mahindra started its own club and I joined it in Feb 2010 as a charter member. The
Two of them have gone on to become famous Marathi actresses and one became the actress in my life, my pretty wife. Things were progressing well but still something was amiss and that was ‘A MISS’. 5 years ago I met my 9th girlfriend and commenced my extra-marital affair. Would you like to know her name? Though a Miss, her name is Toastmasters.
I would sit behind a tall fellow and hide myself to avoid speaking. Finally I decided enough was enough and exactly nine months later I delivered my 1st speech. I received a standing ovation and I thought I had moved a mountain. Only later did I come to know every icebreaker gets a standing ovation.
I first saw her on the portal-no not a matrimonial site- it was my company portal. What is this Toastmasters Club, I wondered? Will it teach me how to make a variety of toasts or will it teach me fine drinking etiquettes. All doubts were cleared when I attended a demo meeting.
My club president came up to me and said “I see something in you” and literally forced me to participate in the humorous speech contest. Before that I didn't even know what humor meant. 2010, I participated in my first humorous speech contest. I stood 2nd at the club contest and qualified for the
As an introvert I always considered public speaking as one of my biggest fears.
first 9 months were terrible, especially table topics.
area contest. At the area contest I got good response from the audience but did not win. I was disappointed but I noticed a sea change in me. The following year, I participated with better preparation and reached the division level with my speech. Larger stage and a larger audience. I was placed 2nd runner up. An inner voice screamed but another said,
‘did you really think you deserved to win?’ Learning from earlier mistakes I again participated the next year. Again I reached the division level. The Audience was enjoying my speech and cracking up at my jokes.
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
… Contd But in those elated moments I had forgotten that those moments added up to one of the important factors
of
toastmasters,
Having worked on all three fronts, I participated in the humorous speech contest yet again. At the division level I saw myself competing with the past
time
district champion. Fellow Toastmas-
management. Suddenly I saw the red
ters, patience and persistence always
card flashed by the timer. To avoid
pay. I won at the division level.
disqualification on account of time I concluded
my
speech
Final destination was Puri. Due to the
abruptly.
district having more areas, first I had to
Hoping against hope I felt, going by
participate in the semifinals. I crossed
the audience reaction, this year I will
the 1st hurdle and Miss Toastmaster
make it to the district final. But alas I
said: ‘Honey, we are almost there,
was in second place. 3rd year in a row
don’t lose your rhythm.’ At the Finals I
my dream was shattered. The solution always lies within the problem. I learnt from my problem: to work on timing to face the bigger stage to make my audience laugh.
gave it my best shot. I can never forget those nail biting moments when the District Governor took the mike and announced: Winner of the humorous speech contest 2013 is: Black Pearl Pritam Arekar. Mahindra Toastmasters Club, Mumbai
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
How to crack the Humorous Speech Contest Toastmaster Phani Bhagawan, from Tech Mahindra Toastmasters, is one of the most inspiring Toastmasters of Hyderabad. He was previously a member of Advanced Toastmasters Club of Hyderabad and CSC Hyderabad. A man of extraordinary talent, he was a District Level Humorous Speech Runner up in 2012. In TM parlance, he is not only known for his brilliant evaluation skills but also for his brilliant sense of humor.
His
core
strength
lies
in
devising
exceptional body language and whip-smart expressions. In conversation with TM Sanjeev, he shares some of his tips and tricks of the trade for HSC contest.
Sanjeev: Thanks TM Phani for sparing your pre-
cious time for Communicate98, Newsletter. How has your journey been, so far in Toastmasters?
on how to approach HSC. It is the toughest ever contest in TM parlance. Phani: The core strength of a humorous speech is its
Phani: It was truly a wondrous journey. I’m very passionate about public speaking since school days and thus I treat Toastmasters as my best investment. I’ve been a part of TM clubs in Chennai and Hyderabad. The collective wisdom that I gained out of this experience is fascinating. Toastmasters
Your inputs will give a glimpse to the contestants
have
extremely
talented
done with a lot of reasoning and research, as every minute detail is supposed to fetch a great reaction from the audience. I worked on my script for more than a month and a half. With every stage we pass, we should keep on refining the script to its best form.
and
amazing people all around. The amount of encouragement, warmth and love we receive here is second to none. Sanjeev: This is a Contest season in TM. You
being a District level contestant, one of the finest and mesmerizing speakers of Hyderabad, we would like you to throw some light on the Humorous Speech Contest.
script. I believe that the scripting work should be
Sanjeev: To emotionally drown people in a pre-
pared speech is very easy, but to make people laugh for a second even is quite difficult. A contestant has to make them laugh for 450 seconds, and that is a big challenge. What tips and techniques do you recommend for writing a good script? How do we know to get solid ideas, which will click with audience?
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
… Contd
Phani: It is because successful speakers don’t resort to
Phani: Humor is not a super natural occurrence
forced humor or body language. The criticality of hu-
and it can come from your own life. The basis and
morous speech is: timing, pause, body language, voice
body of all my humorous speeches were based
modulation. Facial expressions should be in harmony
on real life incidents with a curlicue added to
and very well in sync with the script. A little more or
them. I personally feel that, there can always be
less of the same will spoil the show. The aura that the
an outlook for more creativity if we take excerpts
speaker creates at the start should be sustained till the
from our own life. We can bring in lot of varia-
end. And to a great degree, a humorous speech con-
tions in body language and voice modulation as
testant should be funny by nature, so that humor
we would have already seen and observed the
comes naturally.
characters in front of our eyes. And most
Sanjeev: How to do an audience analysis?
importantly, it will be a sincere wonderment to
Phani: Sense of humor varies from place to place. It is
the audience if we can “feel” the script, and
always important to check whether our humor matches
perform.
the sensitivities and understanding of diversified audience or not.
Sometimes, a successful comedy
Sanjeev: Sometimes if the first line does not
performance in club, area and division might complete-
click with the audience, the contestant goes
ly fall flat at the district. So time and again, to do audi-
blank or into shock and never recovers from
ence analysis, it is recommended to perform in front of
that. How should we handle such scenarios?
a mixed audience and take critical feedback from every
Phani: Humorous speech is more about playing with the sensitivity of the audience. At the end of
individual so that we can assess the standard of the script
the day, audience response is all that matters. The start or the initial 1-2 minutes are crucial because that is when the audience starts making an active interpretation of the nature of the speaker and the sense of the speech. The first impression that gets registered in their minds will stay significantly throughout the speech. The approach should be in such a way that, a solid connection gets established between the speaker and the audience in the initial few minutes through a good humored act. Sanjeev: Why are some contestants able to
generate humor and maintain consistency throughout the speech and why do some fail?
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
On Being a Champion Evaluator Manasa Inampudi is one of the most popular and dynamic toastmasters from Oracle Hyderabad Toastmasters.
She
mesmerizes
the
audience
whenever she is on stage. Her power-packed critical evaluation skills add
value to a Toastmaster’s
speech. She says she is a voracious reader, but she likes reading people rather than books. Currently, she Manasa: I visualize myself presenting a good is an Area Director of Area E2, of Division E. She evaluation and feel happy. was a
District Level Contestant at ISC (2013) and a
Speech Evaluation contestant (2014). In conversation with TM Sanjeev, she shares some tips and techniques for Evaluation Contests.
Sanjeev: How should a contestant
perform
differently than others to win the contest? Manasa: Be Yourself and be genuine.
Sanjeev: How did you begin your evaluation jour- Sanjeev: In terms of analytical skills, which are the ney? What were you like in the beginning and things a contestant should avoid and should include in how far have you progressed in your evaluation the speech evaluation? journey? Manasa: Since my toastmasters journey begun, I Manasa: What to avoid and what to include depends have evaluated different speeches at various club
on the speech and the speaker.
meetings. Sometimes even when I was not an evalu-
Sanjeev: If a champion speaker gives one of his best
ator I used to analyse speeches and discuss with my
speeches, sometime you won’t get a single point to
mentor. That really helped me to become better at
find to improve. In such scenario, what techniques
analysis. But I was not that motivating. Then I
do you recommend for the contestants to instantly
worked on motivating the speaker through my eval-
look into.
uation. As learning something is a continuous process, there is a lot to learn and a lot to improve.
Manasa:
Forget that there is a champion speaker in
front of you..
Sanjeev: What are the methods to evaluate a speech in a contest? Which methods do you rec- Sanjeev: During summation of an evaluation, which ommend for the contestants?
things should a contestant remember?
Manasa:
Manasa: During summation speaker should remem-
There are no specific methods to
evaluate. It is one’s own personal preference.
ber what all points he covered prior to summation.
Whichever method it is, it should be simple enough for speaker to remember the evaluation.
Sanjeev: On the contest day, what will be your advice
Sanjeev: How do you usually prepare before you to contestants before they come on to the stage? go for an Evaluation Contest?
Manasa: It is natural to feel nervous before going on to stage, so feel it. www.d98tm.in
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Viva Las Vegas
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
I am quite unashamedly a fan of Toastmasters Conventions.
The Hall of Fame was a fabulous ceremony where all those Districts that achieved Distinguished status
Last month,
during 2014-15 were recognized. There were 21
we were in the Entertainment Capital of the World,
President's Distinguished Districts, followed by 10 Se-
Las Vegas. The venue for The Toastmasters Interna-
lect Distinguished Districts and 23 Distinguished Dis-
tional Convention 2015 was the luxurious 49 year old
tricts. Sadly District 41 was not one of them. However
Caesars Palace Hotel.
District 41 won an award for Excellence in Education &
Among the many outstanding events, some of which
Training
took place simultaneously, let me recount a few of them.
The 10 Speech Contest Semi-finals were conducted
The Opening Ceremony was a grand affair and being
with three contests running simultaneously. There
Las Vegas, there was an Elvis Presley look alike belt-
were 96 contestants in all. What an absolute treat to
ing out his songs, with dancers jiving to the music.
watch! The most exciting moment for me was when
Then there were the Showgirls! In the colourful pa-
TM Aditya Maheshwaran competed. His Lost & Found
rade of flags, the Indian flag was carried by our Dis-
speech was phenomenal. At the end of the contest, we
trict Director Brillian S.K.
waited with baited breath for the results. Aditya won! He would now compete in the Finals! www.d98tm.in
18
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
...Contd
The candidates were asked what and how they would contribute to their position and the Board, how they would handle issues of Integrity, etc. The Convention ended with the President's Banquet and Dance. It was a glittering ceremony with the induction of the newly elected officers and Directors parading to the dais, followed by an elegant sit down dinner.
The Business Meeting & Elections were absorbing and an eye opener. Only the President & Parliamentarian were on stage and all Toastmasters were encouraged to attend. President Murad conducted the meeting with aplomb. Electronic Voting was used effectively and the results were declared almost immediately. A proud moment for our Region was
All the functions were well organised, with a mini-
when Nagaraj Rao, DTM was elected as International
mum of fuss and without any confusion. A notable
Director.
sight was the distribution of over 200 awards and trophies. There were just 2 persons on stage - 1 to
The highlight of the Convention was the Finals of the
hand out the trophy and the other to present it.
International Speech Contest. It was hard fought and
Something worth emulating!
electrifying! But in the end…...Mohammed Al
An unusual event that took place every night was the
Qahtani from Saudi Arabia was crowned the 2015
“Sing Song” conducted by Past International Presi-
World Champion of Public Speaking. Our own Aditya
dent Ted Corcoran. This is not an official event but
Maheshwaran was second and Manoj Vasudevan
has become a tradition with convention addicts. It
from Singapore was third. For the first time in the 90
was most enjoyable after a tiring day!!
year history of Toastmasters, all three winners were
The fellowship and camaraderie was outstanding and
Asian!
delegates mingled and chatted as if they had known each other all their lives. We met many old friends
The Golden Gavel function was formal but gratifying.
and made many new ones too. There was a lot to
This year's recipient was Nobel Laureate, Moham-
learn and take home. The International Convention is
med Yunus of Grameen bank fame, who dazzled us
well worth the time and money spent! Start planning
with an inspiring speech.
for the 2016 Convention in Washington DC, USA.
That same evening was the Candidates Showcase.
Mukta and I will be there!
Every candidate running for office, whether contested or uncontested, had to answer questions for 10 minutes in Table Topics style. www.d98tm.in
Shireesh Nadkar ACB,ALB Vice President Education Toastmasters Club of Pune, Area C1
19
Don’t Keep Calm IT’S Contest Time During the days of Kings and Queens
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
It is even more difficult when you practice a flawless speech and
people must have wanted their sons to then you deliberately infuse misbe cavaliers…when mine was born
takes in it to serve as the
though I also wanted him to be
‘evaluator’s
something similar, well almost ... a Gav-
Sachin did just that. He crafted a
elier!
gem
The Orators Toastmasters Club recent-
Jalianwallah Bagh massacre and
ly participated in the humorous speech
then went on to deliver it in a
of
and evaluation contests and as usual ‘flawed’
brownie
a
speech
points.
on
the
manner. The contest-
we had an internal warmup to that. ants, four in all, educated objecThe warmup in fact was quite heated
tively in the
as the evaluation contest was held in
test rules, evaluated his speech and TM Chetan Joshi topped the
the first week and was closely followed
evaluations and went on to represent the club at the Area level.
Toastmaster con-
by the humorous speech contest in the The Humorous Speech contest was equally fulfilling. We had three following week.
contestants, three great speeches. New toastmasters proved that
The evaluation contest was spearhead-
they could be as funny as their senior counterparts. They made us
ed by a brilliant speech by TM Sachin
laugh and fall off our seats as they narrated their experiences on
Ghangurde. It is difficult to relay a
love affairs, or as newbies in office. Finally TM Deepthi Valsan
speech in an evaluation contest when
fittingly went on to represent the club at the Area level.
you know you are going to be evaluat-
TM SUSHOBHAN DUTTA The Orators Toastmasters Club
ed over and over again by so many speakers.
Poster by :Pradeepthi Kalapala TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club Pune
www.d98tm.in
20
PreZSentarium
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
With PreZSentarium, the ZS Toastmasters Club Since its inception, the ZS Toastmasters Club has al-
was successful in integrating itself more with the
ways tried to promote and publicize itself by holding
professional aspects of its company by creating a
office wide events on a semi-annual basis.
competition specifically to identify presentation skills among its employees. This helped us in
During this cycle, the club tried to push the envelope
spreading the awareness about Toastmasters
further by introducing the 1st annual office-wide presentation contest called PreZSentarium, which involved ZS employees across all levels; from senior managers to newly joined associates, competing against each other by showcasing their presentation skills.
The event received an overwhelming response in terms of the interest shown towards the topics and number of registrations. With an attendance of more than 50 people for the event, the club was successfully able to
and sowing the idea that the club, like the com-
pull off a great show.
petition, provides a conducive environment for professionals to develop their communication and leadership skills.
Aman Rai President, ZS Toastmasters Club Toastmasters International
www.d98tm.in
21
GENESIS 400th MILESTONE
Year after year, meeting after meeting, Genesis is
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
The video was not only well edited but also had
now the oldest Toastmasters Club in Pune
soothing
and also the first Community Club of Pune. To
ground
celebrate the 400th meeting, there was no
Though I joined
better
this
day
than
5th September
2015,
backmusic.
club
a
celebrated as Teachers’ day.
month back but
There are moments called good, better and
watching
best but I witnessed a meeting which was
video gave me a
above and beyond my expectations.
feeling as if I was
the
As it is said, “Well begun is half done.” The Sergeant-
a part of this family for a long time.
At-Arms TM Komal Agarwal had a unique way of cap-
The milestone meeting saw 3 prepared speeches
turing the audience’s attention with a small game.
out of which two were Competent Communicator
Toastmasters were thrilled and excited right from the
speeches and one was an Ice breaker. Wonderful,
beginning of the meeting.
inspiring speeches which
The backbone of Genesis,
had us glued to our seats.
DTM Rama played the Toast-
And as a tradition of Gene-
master of the Day and al-
sis, every Ice-breaker and CC
lured the audience by her
speech received a standing
commendable
ovation.
anchoring.
TM
Radhakant
She opened the meeting
along with TM Ameet and
with quotes and stories of
TM Prabhat, the Table topic
how Genesis was formed.
masters transformed the
The Gravellier Toastmasters sang an inspirational
idea of Table topics and conducted dumb charades
song and captivated the audience within minutes. We
and threw random words to the speakers with
were enticed by a beautiful video by TM Aishwarya
which they had to form sentences and complete
Chandrasekaran on the journey of Genesis from the
the speech. This session was absolutely interesting
year 2005.
and engaging.
www.d98tm.in
22
...Contd
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
It was our pride and privilege that we had TM Jose, the
We had other special Toastmasters and guests who
senior most Toastmaster of Pune who graced our
added happiness and joy to every minute of the
meeting with his presence. We were also glad to have
meeting. Indeed everything which is planned well
our, Division Director-Div C, TM Nitesh Agarwaal to
gets executed well. And being in Toastmasters,
share his opinions on our milestone meeting. On the
networking surely involves sumptuous snacks and
occasion of Teachers’ day we had the opportunity to
knowledge-sharing
felicitate Mrs. Padma Ayalur, German faculty of St. Ur-
Toastmasters. That was the way the meeting end-
sula’s Junior College, Pune.
ed- the 400th Milestone Meeting of Genesis Toast-
with
innumerable
masters Club of Pune. TM VIddyulata Limkar Genesis toastmasters Club Pune
SEARCHING FOR A CLUB?? Go to d98tm.in > District 98 > Club list
Enter club name or club id Click on the result
please visit www.d98tm.in/site/clublist.html www.d98tm.in
info@d98tm.in
23
The Sacred Place – Kumbh Mela
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
The Mela marks the direction of wisdom or light. Creation of the universe is supposed to have originated here and it is supposed to be the center of the earth.
Profound joy, excitement and anticipation are the
It is held four times every twelve years, rotating be-
hallmarks of an upcoming festival. India is a land
Yamuna and Saraswati rivers; Nasik on the Godavari
blessed with an array of festivals which comprise of
River; Ujjain on the Sipra River; and Haridwar on the
celebrating births, harvests, colours, lights and na-
Ganges River.
ture.
Bathing in these rivers during the Kumbha Mela is
The term used by Indians for ‘Festival’ is ‘Uthsava’, a
considered an endeavour of great merit, cleansing both
Sanskrit word which literally means removal of
body and spirit. The Mela marks the direction of
“worldly sorrows or griefs.” Thus every festival in
wisdom or light. Creation of the universe is supposed to
India is experienced with great fervor and joy. A
have originated here and it is supposed to be the center
unique concept to the festivals also exist which re-
of the earth.
lates to our individual growth and the festival called
Kumbh is the confluence of all cultures. It is the symbol
‘Kumbh Mela’ is at the forefront of this.
of spiritual awakening with the eternal flow of humani-
Sacred site festivals in India, called melas, are a vital
ty and is a confluence of nature and humanity. It is con-
part of the pilgrimage tradition. Celebrating a
sidered the source of all energy and makes the individu-
mythological event in the life of a deity or an
al refect on their sins and blessings received, wisdom
auspicious astrological period, the melas attract
and ignorance, darkness and light. Holy rivers are the
enormous numbers of pilgrims from all over the
symbols of the lyrical flow of humanity. Rivers are indi-
country.
cators of the flow of water of life in the human body
According to the scholars, it is believed that when
itself. For all who believe in life after death, a dip in the
Gods and demons were having a fight over the
holy river at the Kumbh Mela offers a space to cleanse
nectar, Lord Vishnu flew away with the pot of
and purify oneself for the onward journey of life and
nectar spilling drops of nectar at four different plac-
thereafter.
tween Allahabad at the confluence of the Ganges,
es; where now the Kumbh Melas are celebrated every 4 years. www.d98tm.in
Toral Gosalia Margao Toastmasters Club (Goa)
24
Ted Corcoran and the Sing Song
During the Convention, I was able to get an oppor-
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
In 1985 he joined a new Toastmasters Club being formed in Dublin and resolved to not get involved, but
tunity of having a long chat with Ted Corcoran, Past by the end of that meeting he was elected as President. International President (2003-2004), the first non- He had no ambition to advance any further but well American to be elected President of Toastmasters wishers encouraged him and “raised the ceiling” each International. time. In 1988, he became the District Humorous speech Ted joined the Irish Railways as a clerical officer and champion, in 1966 International director and Third Vice rose to become the Station Manager of the largest President in 2000. He became International President in station in Dublin and then it’s Operations Director. 2003. He says,” We all have ceilings. Sometimes it only He served as the Head of Safety of Irish railways for lifts when others lift it for you”. Ted believes that such 10 years and retired in that position.
achievement is attainable by anyone.
How did he join Toastmasters? He had heard about Toastmasters but was not motivated to join until he was at a dinner meeting and was asked to say Grace. His memory failed him and he just could not remember the first line. As the expectant crowd waited for him to speak, he was rescued by another dinner
”Everyone can get a little higher and the only thing that is stopping you is your personal ceiling. It doesn’t matter where you start, it’s where you finish that counts.”
guest. That is when he decided to join Toastmasters. www.d98tm.in
25
...Contd
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Ted has attended 23 International Conventions and
At the 1992 Convention at Ballys in Las Vegas, as
makes it a point to always attend the Hall of Fame
was the custom then, delegates would attend the
ceremony and congratulate all the winners. He is
Hospitality suites hosted by the Candidates and
always ready to moderate any panel discussion or
have a drink, chat and then move on to the next
assist the Board at any event. He is part of the
suite. Ted and his friends Brian O’Conner and Ed
Advisory Committee of Past Presidents, who are the
Breen got bored and decided to sing at the next
reservoirs of corporate knowledge and a big
suite. Since Ted did not harbor any illusions about
support group for the TMI officers. As watchdogs, it
his singing abilities, he became the MC. Soon the
is also their duty to let people know when things
crowd became bigger and bigger and the Sing Song
are going wrong!
was born. They started with “Molly Malone” and
Ted is renowned in Toastmasters for starting the
ended with “ Oh Danny Boy”. It started out as an
tradition of the “Sing Song” at International
event for overseas Toastmasters only, but since
Conventions. You will not find this event in the
1998, members from all over the globe have joined
official programme but it is there at each
in. Mukta and I have enjoyed being a part of the
Convention. There is no fixed venue but it is advised by word of
...he became the MC. Soon the crowd became bigger and bigger and the Sing Song
Sing Song at 3 Conventions and in fact, it has been one of the high-
mouth and by 11 pm,
was born. They started with “Molly Malone”
lights for us.
there are around 40
and ended with “ Oh Danny Boy”.
One tradition that continues to this day is
people from all over the world gathered around, singing songs in
that at the end of the event, everyone gets up, joins
different languages and enjoying themselves. He
hands and sings the popular Irish Ballad “Oh Danny
says it is “unofficially official” and quite well
Boy”. Ted’s humor and leadership have been major
supported by TMI. The President and Officers in
contributing factors to the success of the Sing Song.
their individual capacity, also find their way there.
Hats off to Ted!
For some Toastmasters it is the main reason to attend the convention!. How did it all start?
Mohammed Qahatani
Shireesh Nadkar Toastmasters Club of Pune
the World Champion
of Public speaking 2015 -16 will be the Star Attraction at Confluence - Semi Annual district conference of Toastmasters of District 98 at Hyderabad.
www.d98tm.in
26
What does the future hold for you?
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
At the International Convention in Las Vegas, I managed to talk to some people, in spite of their busy schedules. A common question I asked all of them related to what the future holds for them. These are their answers:
SHIREESH NADKAR | Toastmasters Club of Pune
After stepping down as International President, he planned to go back and serve his District and Club. However he will continue to serve
on
of
Toastmasters has become a way of life
Directors as Immediate Past
for him and he has been constantly
President, and also as the
learning since
Chairman of the International
he
Leadership Committee for 2
Toastmasters
years
the
in 2002. He
Advisory Committee of Past
completes his
and
the
Board
then
on
Presidents thereafter.
term
joined
as
ID
when the new International President Mohammed Murad
Board of Directors is installed and then he will make up his mind whether to
“The advantage of coming second is that you can
remain as a POD (plain ordinary
come back next year!
Toastmaster) or campaign for the
Each
position of 2nd Vice President.
year
is
a
wonderful experience.
Breaking News: He has decided to run
When you keep doing
for the position of 2nd Vice President.
it again and again, you evolve as a speaker.
International Director Deepak Menon
Each year when you come back as a new speaker with a new speech,
then
you
progress.� WCPS2015 1st Runnerup Aditya Maheshwaran
www.d98tm.in
27
Fun Contests Fiestas...
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Fun can be amplified with the spirit of healthy contests (like games at a party). Fiestas, well, when you’re competing to grab a plate with one hand, a fork with the other while maintaining your place in line with one leg and balancing yourself out with another, it sure is fun! Especially if you’re watching someone else do it. The larger picture, of course, is that none of these experiences are limited to simply Toastmasters. Be it family get togethers, picnics with JERVIS PEREIRA | GOA-YMCA Toastmasters friends or offsites with colleagues... they play the same e sounded the last clarion call for articles. tune while tugging at our heartstrings. Perhaps this phe-
H
“Toastmasters” he said, “ Our newsletter needs an nomenon began with ancestral fire gazing at the end of article. You can choose any of the three topics. ”
a the day after the hunt. So it truly is a bit of ancient wis-
And, as I set about sharing some thoughts on the dom. subject, I realize its really difficult to look at them in- All three of these words have one thing in common dividually. You see, they may be in different places in though…it brings people together. The beauty lies in the dictionary... but golly gee, they all exude the knowing that with Great Crowds comes great deals of same idea!
Fun… and stomachs to feed. It works the same from club meetings to Semi Annual events.
How many contests have turned into fun fests? Be it It keeps board meetings from becoming ‘bored’ meetthe recent humorous speech and evaluation contests ings, team huddles becoming team ‘hurdles’ and preheld, or the earlier International Speech and Table vents get togethers from being ‘forget them forevers’. Topics contests? In my humble opinion, they all melt Just the right mix of these three elements is transformainto the same experience. Let me see, The last time tional to social dynamics. these three got together wasn’t at the Ganesh festi- Now you know the secret of having a great time. Throw val (though it is an arguable thought) but it was cer- in a variety of people, add a dash of game sprinkle in tainly at Oration 2015 (notice its not Oration’s’..wink some cha (a) t and voila... an instant good time mixture. wink). There were... Contests, A fun night and And people wonder what the big deal at Toastmasters certainly long lines for the Fiestas!
is! The next time you plan a party, and can’t for the life of
Contests have a way of bringing people together, so you figure out how to bring people together, just redo Fiestas.
member... Fun, Contests and Fiestas. www.d98tm.in
28
Interview: Aditya’s Perspective
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
It was a proud moment for India when Distinguished Toastmaster Aditya Maheswaran won the first runners-up trophy at the World Championship of Public Speaking at Las Vegas in August 2015. The eye candy of India - Aditya has a huge fan following both in and out of the Toastmasters fraternity. 10 years of Toastmaster journey, a lot of hard work and perseverance brought Aditya Maheswaran
Aditya for the second time to the WCPS stage and
Pavan Punjabi
this time he emerged as a true WINNER. Toastmaster Pavan Punjabi got an opportunity to talk to Aditya Maheswaran recently. PAVAN
Congratulations Aditya for being the first runner up at the World Championship of Public Speaking! You have truly made India proud with this achievement. How does it feel? ADITYA
Oh! It feels great. I want to thank all of you who supported me via Facebook and have been my well-wishers through different mediums. It feels great to represent the country and end up victorious. I think the process was even more gratifying. The learnings associated with it and the fact that I can share those learnings with other members around me. So, it is definitely a great feeling.
PAVAN
Does it feel a “Scratch” for not winning the championship trophy? ADITYA
(laughs) That’s a tricky question. No, Not all. Mohammed Qahtani delivered a great speech and deserved the victory. I agree with the results; so there is no scratch at all. In fact the press asked a similar question and I said that the only difference between Qahtani and me is that now he can’t compete and I can still compete in future if I want to. So, it is more fun competing. PAVAN
Aditya, you did taste the stage last year. Do speakers like you feel nervous the same way as budding speakers like me feel? ADITYA
There are two ways to feel nervous. The first one is the nervousness of delivering a speech in front of the audience; which is common in Toastmasters and outside. But that kind of reduces overtime if you have been at that level. The second nervousness is due to the fact that you compete at every stage. Only one goes on to the next level at each stage and so you cannot afford to be second (laughs) at the semi-finals. www.d98tm.in
29
...Contd
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
ADITYA
…. I would say it is more of an anxiety because you try to better your own performance. I had been there last year and my aim this time was to better my performance over last year. Winning or losing doesn’t matter; it is how you compete with your last performance. So, that type of anxiety is always there at each level as you proceed further. PAVAN
How did you prepare yourself over the failure that you faced last year at the World Championship? ADITYA
I wouldn’t say it as a failure as I did bring the trophy but not in a way that I wanted it to be. However, you kind of know yourself. There were some points in my speech last year that were not up to the mark. I did ask myself what I can do differently. I worked on my mistakes and ensured that I did not repeat those. I will make mistakes but those should be new mistakes and not the one that I made earlier. Polishing yourself time and again is more gratifying than anything else. PAVAN
Of course, “Scratch” was all about polishing yourself. ADITYA
(laughs) Right, in a way… yes.
PAVAN
In Toastmasters or outside, there are always 3 types of speeches. One that we write, one that we practice and one that we deliver. What difference do you see from the first stage of writing till the delivery or post that? ADITYA
I think one mistake that people make in terms of public speaking is that they start with writing and in whatever form the speech is, they take it to the stage and deliver it. As musicians will say “Music is something that you hear between the two notes, it is not the notes itself.” Similarly, public speaking happens even before you put pen on paper. It includes a lot of reflection. You have to ask questions like why should I deliver this speech, what value add or impact would this speech make to the audience. Once you get answers to these questions, you prepare robust content with clarity. Once the content is made, you have to fine tune it. Contests help in doing that as you are allowed to deliver the same speech at the club, area, district levels. Each time you give the speech and go to the next level, you kind of reflect on it and fine tune it and that makes a good speech. Really the music happens between the notes. Preparation and Presentation are the two end stages but what happens in between is a lot of reflection, what your personality is and what your brand as a speaker is; how you are leveraging that. Once you get answers to all these; writing down a speech and delivering becomes an easy task of public speaking. www.d98tm.in
30
...Contd
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
PAVAN
How do you lose yourself to find such beautiful, unique topics for your speeches? ADITYA
Over the last few years, I have consciously had an audit of what gives me good ideas. We think of messages that would inspire the audience and then craft a story around it. I do the other way round. I think of incidents that happened in my life. I do not even know what message would come out of the incident. A simple example is a scratch that happened to my car that made me hurt my loved ones. When I thought of this incident it dawned on me that there was an emotional message attached to it. Do not pressurize yourself to find a message. I would suggest starting with an incident and weaving your story around the incident. If you pressurize yourself on what you want to speak and deliver, then you won’t be able to give a personal touch to your speech. You should be authentic and let the message emerge through the incident.
PAVAN
Do you feel you were a born speaker? ADITYA
I think only babies are born, everybody else is made (laughs). I was naturally inclined towards public speaking but it is only in toastmasters that I learned to refine my skills. PAVAN
When you are on the stage, how much of you is the real Aditya and how much of you is the Toastmaster Aditya? ADITYA
That’s a great question because always you find a common complaint about Toastmasters means people become different on stage and there is lot of theatrics and dramatics involved. I always try to converge my personality so that my school friend or my grandmother or whoever is in the audience, they all should like my speech. There should be an essence for everyone listening to my speech. When you think of your speech as a normal speech and not a toastmasters speech then you achieve your converges. Your speech should work in whatever forum you are delivering it then it is not about a TEDx Aditya or a Toastmaster Aditya or a Rotary Aditya. Of late I feel that I am more of myself on stage than the Toastmaster Aditya. PAVAN
Thank you Aditya for taking time out for this interview. I wish you all the luck for your future and look forward to hearing you. ADITYA
Thank you Pavan! I wish you all the luck for your newsletter and your future endeavors.
www.d98tm.in
31
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Evaluation contest
Your movement on stage was purposeful and
Mukta Nadkar |Toastmasters Club of Pune
controlled. There was no unnecessary and Mohammed today was YOUR day! You
loud drama. Instead your actions were
owned the stage, delivered a sensational
meaningful and conveyed the message
speech and truly won the hearts of all.
loud and clear - sometimes just on
I have never felt such excitement, an-
their own, without the necessity for
ticipation and connection as I did
words.
when I heard you speak. The circling of the hand and a quesWhen I saw the cigarette in your
tioning look on your face depicted
mouth as you began your speech, I
so well the action of your son scrib-
wanted to scream, 'Mohammed what
bling on the wall with a childish look
are you doing'? And you coolly replied,
of defiance. Beautifully done!
as if to me‌ 'What?' What a start! And
Mohammad,
from that very moment, you had the
charmed
audience in the palm of your hand and
presentation, message and smile.
you continued to enthrall for the next
You have illustrated and reinforced
7 minutes.
Your speech embodied every element of a
WINNER Of Evaluation Contest
great speech and you drove home a simple yet poignant
today,
you
the world with
have your
your message with ĂŠlan. And your Conclusion was a heartfelt appeal to choose and use words with care because they have
the power to damage or heal, destroy or mend.
message - the 'Power of Words' and the impact it has in our lives. The 3 examples of your son, the academic and
So what could you have done better or differently?
your friend perfectly illustrated your message. And
Should I be funny or should I be serious? What do I
although most speeches tend to be serious in the
say to the best 'Humorous Speaker' in Saudi Arabia
International Competition, you surprised the audience
and the best 'Serious Speaker' in the world? Hu-
with so much humor. Every word, every line that you
morously I say, stand taller, add power to your
delivered, engaged the audience and they were
voice, refine your movements, but seriously I say,
constantly looking for more.
do not change. You were brilliant. You captured our hearts!
Your language was simple and understandable, yet powerful and impactful. Every word was from the heart and
Thank you for an inspiring speech. You have given
nothing seemed contrite. It echoed in your voice which
us a simple and straightforward gift - your mes-
conveyed such emotion and you got the audience to
sage, and I will always remember the 'Power of
laugh, cheer and gasp!
Words'. Thank you Mohammad.
I could see that you genuinely believed in the 'Power of Words' and how they could destroy as in the case of Nasser, or win over as you did, your son. www.d98tm.in
32
COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Evaluation contest Karan Gupta | DELOITTE TOASTMASTERS
The ideas were all the same, but they were all jumbled up into a con-
I
tinuous similar paragraph. Discrete
will divide my evaluation into two
sentences would have made a parts – First, the things that the speaker did well and his strongest points. Then I will point out some areas of
greater impact. The speaker gave us numerous examples of
improvement which could be considered
how words can manipulate to evil
by the speaker. I will summarize my evalu-
ends - the cigarette story, his
ation at the end.
friend's story.
The title of the speech is direct and imme-
He should have included at least
diately conveys the speaker’s intentions
one instance where words evoked
and motives. The topic chosen was quite
such passion and goodwill from
appropriate given the audience in ques-
people that it changed the world
tion. The speaker used the stage and his body language quite effectively to his advantage. The moment where he kneels down to
1st Runner Up Of Evaluation Contest
covey that he is talking to his son - it was a picture painting a thousand words I immediately knew what was happening in that transition in the story. Another moment was where he took several strides forward to convey “rushing to the hospital”.
for the better. The speaker could have presented this instance in stark contrast to his friend's story - how on the
one hand words can destroy lives but on the other they can enrich them. The story about his son, while endearing, was not entirely relevant to the plot of the speech. There were instances where transitions did not make sense. For example, the speaker spoke about how the words
Vocal variety was used to great effect to create life-like characters on stage. The speaker used a perfect blend of body language, pauses and vocal variety to create these characters. The caricature of the scientist talking about global warming and the alcoholic rant of the friend: both excellent portrayals.
the speech. He began on a humorous note with the cigarette example and kept punctuating his speech with humor in the opening and body to get the audience warmed up for the serious message.
numerous uses of the crutch word and at unnecessary speaker
about his friend. The underlying message of the speaker was clear - words have power, but he didn't spend
was
we should use that power to make the world a better place. His concluding lines and the final crushing of the cigarette did make for an impactful conclusion, but it didn't drive home the point that words should be used for good
There are a few areas of improvement. There were
The
pel but then launched into a personal story
sufficient time developing his conclusion that
The speaker also made effective use of humor throughout
places.
of famous people are sometimes taken as gos-
constantly
which seemed to be the speaker's concluding thought.
connecting
disconnected sentences through it.
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Evaluation contest VIPUL JAIN
It was a humorous, dramatic and a very colorful speech; colorful because of the use of crayons. Humor is the shortest distance between two people and you exhibited great confidence to pass on
It was quite similar to the climax of a Bollywood movie. The act about the scientist again showcases how the message is not well communicated, and behind the message again there is the “power of words”.
Areas of Improvement: As you started your speech, you held the cigarette in your mouth, ignited the lighter and raised your eyes to show a non-verbal expression asking us if we are surprised… This could have been more elaborated. It could have added more humor and made the audience realize, what is happening. In the story when you are scolding your child and then pampering him on the next day, the direction in the message that you want to convey via a series of three stories, which were full of drama, humor and tragedy. The story about the father and the kid reminds me of the scolding I gave my daughter, when she did the same thing with crayons on the drawing room walls. You kept us attentive throughout the speech, especially the voice modulation while scolding your kid on the first day and pampering him, the next. It was a part of our day to day life. Indeed it is the power of words that makes or breaks the person. “As you sow so shall you reap”- the
which you were scolding and the direction in which the child is writing on the wall is different, both of you should be facing each other. To summarize: In a nut shell - you succeeded in delivering your message that “Words carry immeasurable significance: The universe was created with a word; rulers have risen and fallen by their words; "Words are powerful. As the Scriptures indicate, they can create and destroy, build and burn down, save and condemn.
story about the father and his young son reminds us the kind of relationship my friend has with father, the climax in the story kept us intact and we realized that it was just the power of words could save his son. www.d98tm.in
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Evaluation contest Priya Mathur | CMC Hyderabad TM Club
Mohammed Qahtani’s speech was like sunshine. Sunshine that is there every day but each day it brings in a new experience. We all know the power of words but your speech today has once again reminded us of its importance and effects with a new perspective. I have the evaluation in 3 parts 1.
What I liked about
your speech. 2.
Suggestions
for
improvements 3. Summary of my evaluation
2.
Additionally you just touched upon
Pride as the main virtue that enables words to be powerful. There are many other aspects that could have been elaborated to enhance the
What I liked about your speech... A)
scope for the audience to realize and implement
You looked totally relaxed, prepared, and were
confident that whatever you said was right.
- emotional stability, loneliness, family togetherness, something for your children etc.
B) Then you added lots of examples to empower your message (generic and specific).
The best thing that I liked about your speech is the fact that you had humour, joy, sadness eve-
C) You involved the audience – asked questions which you didn’t expect them to answer instantly but you allowed sufficient time for them to think about it
ry emotion packaged together to make your speech lively with a wonderful message – “A single word can make life and the world beautiful “ Overall I can say Congratulations for
Areas of improvement 1.
a wonderful speech. If you could work a little on
The example on cigarette was not convincing
enough for a start as compared to other examples. It
the improvements I have suggested, then I am sure you would be truly inspirational.
was a little unclear for the initial few moments how this would link to title - Power of words.... Cancer- Diabetes – snicker bar – tobacco farming. This brought in the ambiguity whether to believe “Smoking kills “or not. Rather you could have started with your son’s example writing on the wall with crayons. That touched me.
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE
BRILLIAN SK DISTRICT DIRECTOR
CHANDRASHEKAR DP PROG QUALITY DIRECTOR
ARVIND NAIR CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR
FARIDA DSILVA DIAS DISTRICT ADMIN MNGR
NISHANT MEHTA DISTRICT FINANCE MNGR
SRINIDHI DASAKA DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATION
CHINMAYA DAVE DISTRICT CHIEF JUDGE
SOMNATH B DISTRICT WEBMASTER
BEENA MANDREKAR
MOHAN KARAMBELKAR
PANKAJ KOTHARI
PRASAD SOVANI
DISTRICT NEWSLETTER EDITOR
DISTINGUSHED CLUB PROG MNGR
DISTRICT PARLIAMENTARIAN
NOMINATION COMMMITTEE CHAIR
CHETAN THAKKAR DISTRICT LOGISTIC MNGR
ANAND KUMAR CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR
ANKIT JAIN ASST CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR
HITENDRA BHADANG CREDENTIALS CHAIR
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE
NIKHIL SALVI DIVISION B DIRECTOR
NITESH AGARWAAL DIVISION C DIRECTOR
RAVI TEJA MARUPPU DIVISION E DIRECTOR
ARUNA THAPA DIVISION F DIRECTOR
PRITAM AREKAR
NAMRATA SRIVATSAVA
PRAMOD MOHANDAS
REEBA GEORGE
AREA DIRECTOR A1
AREA DIRECTOR A2
AREA DIRECTOR A3
AREA DIRECTOR A4
VIPUL JAIN
SAHIL SHARMA
EKNATH HOLE
CHETAN THAKKAR
AREA DIRECTOR B2
AREA DIRECTOR B3
AREA DIRECTOR B4
MOHIT CHABRA DIVISION A DIRECTOR
AREA DIRECTOR B1
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LEO PAULOSE DIVISION D DIRECTOR
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE
NAGAPPAN P
RAHUL KALE
ANUPRIYA SINHA
ARUN NAWGE
AREA DIRECTOR C1
AREA DIRECTOR C2
AREA DIRECTOR C3
AREA DIRECTOR C4
AKBAR KHAN
SHAILESH NATU
SANJAY UPADHYAY
TUSHAR SONJE
AREA DIRECTOR D1
AREA DIRECTOR D2
AREA DIRECTOR D3
AREA DIRECTOR D4
NAVNEET PERI
MANASA INAMPUDI
RAJASEKHAR M
PAVAN S
LAKSHMI KIRAN M
AREA DIRECTOR E1
AREA DIRECTOR E2
AREA DIRECTOR E3
AREA DIRECTOR E4
AREA DIRECTOR E5
SOWMYA C
VIKRAM C
MANISH R
DARSHAN KHANNA
PRATHIMA M
AREA DIRECTOR F1
AREA DIRECTOR F2
AREA DIRECTOR F3
AREA DIRECTOR F4
AREA DIRECTOR F5
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
TEAM NEWSLETTER EDITOR , District 98
BEENA MANDREKAR WEBMASTER , District 98
SOMNATH BHATTACHARJEE
NEWSLETTER LEAD
SANJEEV PATRA Representing Hyderabad, Divisions E & F
NEWSLETTER LEAD
AISHWARYA CHANDRASEKARAN Representing PUNE
NEWSLETTER LEAD
PAVAN PUNJABI Representing MUMBAI AREA B TECH TEAM
SHALINI GANDHAM
NEWSLETTER LEAD
COLIN SAVIO COELHO REPRESENTING GOA
TECH TEAM
RAJIV PINGALE
TECH TEAM
MIHIR MANDSORWALE
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
R E M R FO EAM T
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COMMUNICATE 98 | SEPTEMBER 2015
Mohammed Qahatani
the World Champion of Public speaking 2015 -16 will be
the Star Attraction at Confluence - Semi Annual district conference of Toastmasters of District 98 at Hyderabad.
Disclaimer: Although great care has been taken in bringing out this issue, we apologize for any inadvertent errors or omissions. The newsletter contains individuals views of contributors, District 98, the District Director or the Editor may not subscribe to the same. You may report errors, miss-outs and suggestions to newsletter@d98tm.in www.d98tm.in
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