Communicate 98 August 2017 Edition

Communicate. Collaborate. Celebrate.

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FEATURED A TIMES NOW JOURNALIST UNVEILS HIS WORLD

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THE OPINION PAGE

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MASTER ORATOR CHAMPIONSHIP 2017

#TheSecretIsOut

DISTRICT CHIEF JUDGE ON JUDGES AND JUDGING

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MENTOR MOMENT

HE IS NOT MY MENTOR; HE IS FAMILY

AUGUST 2017

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO BY RAWPIXEL.COM VIA UNSPLASH

(On “Cover Story”) The article on the DOTP was well crafted and extremely delightful to read. It gave a sneak peak into the proceedings and made me reminisce the days spent with the district leaders.

TM Chandrashekar DP, Elan Toastmasters Club, Hyderabad (On “Mentor Moment”) As a mentor, it's always a challenge to decide how much to push your mentee. This was an excellent article demonstrating the perfect balance!

TM Deepak Mahesh, Tech Mahindra Infocity Toastmasters Club, Hyderabad (On “Cover Story”) The event was very well covered. Let's work on better awareness and intrigue for the District Newsletter.

TM Pramod Mohandas, TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club, Mumbai (On “The Toastmaster Professional”) The short story presented by other members of family, i.e., Toastmasters is a mark with a buoy. The articles are really good but if possible then it should be briskly decisive and matter-of-fact, without hesitation or unnecessary detail.

TM Poonam Shah, Diamond City Toastmasters Club, Surat (On “From the Archives”) Liked the article because it resonated with my desire to visit a club in another city. In fact I want to do it in Singapore itself, but didn't. Next time surely. Liked the nano tales contest. Have a Haiku contest next time!

TM Beena Mandrekar, Baner Toastmasters Club, Pune Really appreciate the variety of flavour in every section, looking forward to Unleash segment in the Newsletter. Would love to see Members on Cover page in future editions!

TM Parakh Kukreja, Mahindra Toastmasters Club, Mumbai

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IN THIS ISSUE

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CELEBRATING THE MILESTONES

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COVER STORY COMMUNICATE 98 FEATURES

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13 MENTOR MOMENT

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HUMANS OF D98

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THE OPINION PAGE

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aRISE MOMENT

FROM THE ARCHIVES UNLEASH

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CONTEST OF THE MONTH

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THE WIRE

22 THE COMMUNICATE 98 TEAM 3

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LEADER SPEAK THE TOASTMASTER PROFESSIONAL

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DISTRICT 98 OFFICERS

OUR DISTRICT OFFICERS (2017-2018) Arvind Nair Ravi Teja Marrapu Leo Kurians Paulose Chandrashekar D P Patrick Pereira Nishant Mehta Niteash Agarwaal Chidanand Pradhan Hasnain Changi Raunak Kulwal Vinod J Sharma Akshay Chillal Siddharth Suman Anant Katyayni Smita Mishra Shijin Sreeraman Ajay Hiraskar Dhanraj Kamdar Dipankar Das Mahesh Puranam Manish Kamdar Debahooti Basu Tanmaya Panda Parakh Kukreja Prashant Sampat Kannagi Mishra Poonam Kumar Chris Kingsley Seema Rani Vijay Bhanushali Pramod Kiwande Ravi Parikh Mayank Naidu Priya Lekha Ajit Shah Sapna Ohri

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District Director Program Quality Director Club Growth Director Immediate Past District Director District Administration Manager District Finance Manager District PR Manager District Logistics Manager Division Director - Div A Division Director - Div B Division Director - Div C Division Director - Div D Division Director - Div E Division Director - Div F Division Director - Div H Division Director - Div M Division Director - Div P Area Director - Area A1 Area Director - Area A2 Area Director - Area A3 Area Director - Area A4 Area Director - Area B1 Area Director - Area B2 Area Director - Area B3 Area Director - Area B4 Area Director - Area B5 Area Director - Area C1 Area Director - Area C2 Area Director - Area C3 Area Director - Area C4 Area Director - Area C5 Area Director - Area D1 Area Director - Area D2 Area Director - Area D3 Area Director - Area D4 Area Director - Area D5

Aparajitha Chakilam Ankur Agarwal Rahul Ghelani Priya Mathur Anutosh Ghosh Pavan Kumar Tulsija Shefali Johar Prudvinath Malepati Narita Rai Subramanyam KV Abhishek Shukla Tanay Tejasvi Asha Pratyasa Sunil Sharma Dr. Tejinder Singh Rawal Shubhangi Pandey K Srikanth Ravi Sharma Pratibha Jithesh Umme Salma Babrawala Navin Raj Abraham Vinay Prabhu Mhambre Shreya Kanabar Angad Sathe Syed Moazzam Daimi Ravi G. Motwani Swapnil Sonawane Pramod Mohandas Arjuna Shivangi Usha Udayshankar Atul Morey Eknath Hole Karan Gupta Mukta Nadkar Shireesh Nadkar Suryaprathap Reddy K

Area Director - Area E1 Area Director - Area E2 Area Director - Area E3 Area Director - Area E4 Area Director - Area E5 Area Director - Area E6 Area Director - Area F1 Area Director - Area F2 Area Director - Area F3 Area Director - Area F4 Area Director - Area F5 Area Director - Area H1 Area Director - Area H2 Area Director - Area H3 Area Director - Area H4 Area Director - Area H5 Area Director - Area H6 Area Director - Area M1 Area Director - Area M2 Area Director - Area M3 Area Director - Area M4 Area Director - Area M5 Area Director - Area P1 Area Director - Area P2 Area Director - Area P3 Area Director - Area P4 Area Director - Area P5 District Training Manager Club Extension Chair, Hyderabad Club Extension Chair, Pune Club Extension Chair, Mumbai Credentials Chair District Newsletter Editor District Chief Judge District Parliamentarian District Web Master

CELEBRATING THE MILESTONES 10TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING OF HYDERABAD TOASTMASTERS CLUB 16TH JULY

150TH MEETING OF TOASTMASTERS CLUB OF PUNE NORTH EAST 25TH JULY

QUEST HYDERABAD TOASTMASTERS 4TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING 28TH JULY

50TH MEETING OF STAGECOACH HYDERABAD TOASTMASTERS 28TH JULY

150TH MEETING OF INFOSYS TOASTMASTERS HYDERABAD PRAKRITI 3RD AUGUST

200TH MEETING OF MAHINDRA TOASTMASTERS CLUB, MUMBAI 10TH AUGUST

MUMBAI TOASTMASTERS CELEBRATE THEIR 500TH MEETING 19TH AUGUST

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COVER STORY

MASTER ORATOR CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 #TheSecretIsOut “Toastmasters is a 92-year-old organization. Yet how many people truly know about it, or the value it adds? It is still one the best kept secrets in the world. We want to change this and spread the word of Toastmasters.” - Unveiling MOC 2016 at Hyderabad.

What began as a lunch conversation among a dozen District leaders has become a phenomenon. MOC 2017 Season 2 received over 2000 student registrations. The prelims were conducted in 7 cities across Andhra and Telangana. The Grand Finale was held at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. This is story of the Master Orator Championship, conducted by the members of Divisions E, F, and H of District 98.

THE VISION A sentiment often repeated within our community is, "If I had known about Toastmasters when I was younger, my life would have turned out much differently”. This was the primary motivation of engaging the student community. When you get students interested in something, you engage with their parents, their faculty, and even their friends and relatives. This leads to an exponential benefit for all those involved.

Instead of giving lectures and doing promotions, a contest is a more exciting path to take. MOC is modeled on the International Speech Contest, leading to structured learning among students and exhilaration for all involved.

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COVER STORY

THE MEMBER VALUE PROPOSITION True Toastmasters are evangelists. Get four people in a room with one and they will get an earful within the hour.

MOC offers innumerable opportunities to members to talk about Toastmasters. It gives opportunities to speak, lead, judge, organize, and spread the word. Now, while this is what Toastmasters do all the time, organizing a contest or conference in your own house is a relatively easy proposition. All those involved are after all, members.

TM TRINATH - PROGRAM QUALITY LEAD

MOC offers a different challenge. Members have to speak to the student demographic, their families, teachers, friends, and college management. They have to work harder to convince those who are not Toastmasters to see its value. This enhances the members' persuasion skills.

In keeping with our core objective of building leaders, MOC relies heavily on volunteers who do not hold District or Division offices, while operating with the full support of the Division leaders. This helps the District Officers to carry out their regular duties without undue burden and simultaneously exposes newer members to organizing and leading large events and teams.

THE CONTESTANT EXPERIENCE THE WINNERS: DEVAYANI REDDY-1ST (CENTRE), S. GAUTHAM REDDY-2ND (RIGHT), SUMA-3RD (LEFT)

I caught up with the 10 finalists to talk about their MOC experience. The one thing that came up right away was “Breakfast should be added to the agenda”, met with enthusiastic nods from everyone present.

There was a nervous energy as we gathered around the lectern on stage to talk. The briefing had just concluded and they had drawn for position. Each had arrived to the MOC stage from a different road - through a teacher, an alumni, a college senior, meetup group, posters, Toastmasters in their area, and previous years’ winners spreading the word.

A theme that kept coming up as we spoke was how this was the first formal, professional event at such a prestigious forum, ISB Hyderabad, that they had all attended. There was high praise for the organizing team who had ensured a smooth, exciting, and tense contest at such scale.

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COVER STORY A contestant talked about how coming up with his own speech content had fired up all areas of thinking and imagination. Another talked about the networking opportunity, the chance to attend other such events in Toastmasters. They talked about expressing themselves, building confidence as introverts, and the opportunity to speak in front of nearly 400 people.

TM VENKATA - EVENT DIRECTOR

"If we can move even one person, that makes this all worth it."

CREATING STUDENT LEADERS “Today I am not here as a finalist, but as a Toastmaster!” said Yashna, the event host and finalist for the 2016 contest. MOC has created a new, rare breed of student leaders who have pulled of feats that we Toastmasters can only be amazed by. One of the colleges closely associated with MOC, BVRIT Hyderabad, chartered a college club after they saw the immense value the movement brings. The BVRIT students managed logistics for prelim rounds, leaving no stone unturned in the preparation. They visited colleges all over the city on their own to get more registrations.

TM ARJUNA AND YASHNA MC'S FOR THE GRAND FINALE

Bhavana and Reshmi from Guntur were finalists in 2016.

After their experience, they wanted Toastmasters to come to Guntur so with some mentoring, they conducted 9 meetings in the city without any outside support. When the team approached them for Guntur registrations in 2017, they pulled out all the stops, getting over 800 registrations!

These stories are repeated over and over in different contexts. This mega event in the Division E, F, and H calendar has transformed the lives of the dozens of members, students and families that it has touched. The Master Orator Championship is here to stay.

The member without whom this event would not have been a reality, much less the spectacular success it is today, is the youngest Toastmaster you will meet, Venkata Dittakavi. As humble as he is visionary, he is the ideal we all aspire to be.

When I asked him about the road ahead for MOC, he said that their initial Vision 2020 was 5000+ registrations across AP and Telangana. With 2000+ in the bag in 2017, MOC has set an even more ambitious target of 6000 registrations next year and a promise to spread to Mumbai and Pune. #TheSecretIsOut! Edited and compiled by Karan Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

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COMMUNICATE 98 FEATURES PAUL OOMMEN TIMES NOW CORRESPONDENT

covering both AP and Telangana. What is even more challenging is that Telugu media has several regional channels, more than any other state in the country. Hence, the national media also tends to pick up a lot of stories from these states.

We work long hours, 6 days a week and on Sunday, when our body is craving for some sound sleep, could be when an important news breaks.

There were days when I had to put aside my personal commitments and leave for work. However hectic it may be, the satisfaction of breaking a story and speaking for the people is what keeps me going.

A A JOURNALIST’S JOURNALIST'S JOURNEY

A mechanical engineer by training and former Cognizant employee, Paul Oommen became a journalist by following his heart. He is a Times Now correspondent for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. We give you a glimpse of his exciting life and the unique world of broadcast journalism.

1. Take us through your world. Give us a glimpse of your daily routine.

My day begins with reading various newspapers to see possible stories that can be picked up. Social media is an important tool too and journalists’ WhatsApp groups are a major source of information. A lot of people connect to us using social media to let us know about stories that need to be highlighted. The best part of my work is that I get to meet new people almost on a daily basis.

Apart from Times Now, our stories get picked up by Mirror Now as well as ET Now, which highlight local and business news respectively. We end up working harder on such days but this gives me the opportunity to do more stories, which is an advantage for me as a reporter.

2. Journalism is a draining profession. How do you manage?

Broadcast journalists need to put out news as soon as possible. It is a highly competitive field as channels require their correspondents to put out information first, before competition channels.

It is always a war out there, a war to put out verified, precise information - first. It is a 24x7 job as it requires us to be always available on call. My work is particularly demanding since I work in a bureau, which only has 1-2 correspondents

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3. You often report on controversial topics. How do you do this with sensitivity and professionalism?

They often say in journalism that if your story doesn’t really offend anyone then what you’re doing isn’t impactful. Most often, powerful politicians are involved. There are days I’ve got calls from ministers’ offices asking me to not highlight the negative news. We only put in more effort to uncover the truth in such cases.

Our work demands us to be in places which are dangerous. A building collapse, a site where a fire has happened, the epicentre of a cyclone, a train derailment are some locations where I have been lately. The bloodshed can send chills down the spine, the cries of people in pain can leave an indelible scar on you. But even then we have to stand and tell the world out there what exactly is happening.

Being sensitive towards the feelings of people and sharing only verified information is something that all journalists are trained to do but sadly in the race against time, people tend to forget these golden rules.

4. What are the suggestions you would like to give Toastmasters on the essence of communication and leadership?

There are two kinds of Toastmasters I’ve met - the first are those who are great orators and the second are those who are striving hard to get there. All those who actually find time to become a Toastmaster are those who have leadership skills and wish to hone them. I would advise members to not miss out on any opportunity that comes their way. Build contacts, communicate, and hone your leadership skills because you never know when these will come to your rescue.

Edited and compiled by Sindhusha Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

LEADER SPEAK

TÊTE-À-TÊTE WITH CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR, DTM LEO PAULOSE As we surge forward into the term, DTM Leo shares his vision of a strong and collaborative District 98.

DTM LEO PAULOSE DISTRICT 98 CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR

As the Club Growth Director, what is your goal and vision for this term?

I have a three point strategy for this year:

Can we focus on improving their experience thereby reducing our club losses and growing more effectively?

Yes, we can and we will!

> Clubs Supporting Clubs; #ClubLeadershipLessons I believe that a majority of all club related challenges can be addressed if clubs better collaborate among each other.

Many times, it is this lack of collaboration and mutual synergy that keeps clubs from attaining their potential. I want to fundamentally change this and build revitalized connections among clubs. Imagine the awesomeness that we would be able to achieve if clubs depended on each other for support and guidance!

The Club Extension Teams are a new concept introduced District wide. What purpose do they serve?

We have amazing ideas that come from each part of our District. One such idea was the concept of "Club Extension Chairs" that Hyderabad introduced. This year, we decided to take this and roll it out across the District.

> Differential Focus on Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities; #RevitalizedGrowthD98 For us to grow effectively as a District, differential focus on the various kinds of cities we have is critical. The same strategy is not applicable to all cities. Tier 2 cities require a different level of support and nurturing to take off. My aim is to help provide this additional support to upcoming cities so that they can achieve their full potential. We would like to add many new cities to our map. Let's become a truly diverse District! > Focus on Membership Experience; #BackToBasics For me personally, it's not about irrational growth but about effective growth. Yes, we need to increase our numbers but not at the cost of our member's experience. Each and every one of them is our brand ambassador.

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The main objective of these teams is to work hand-inhand with the Division and the Area Directors on new club leads. This serves two purposes: (1) Reduces the load from the District Officers and gives them more bandwidth to focus on other responsibilities. (2) Gives more members an opportunity to get exposure to club growth related activities (watch your mailboxes for e-mails!). We hope this change will help work wonders!

What do you believe in - larger number of clubs or richness of member experience?

It’s a blend of new members and richness of their club experience that makes our District great. It is time for positive change. Let's join hands and make awesomeness happen!

Edited and compiled by Fatima Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

THE TOASTMASTER PROFESSIONAL TM PADMAJA CHOUDHURY MUMBAI TOASTMASTERS

Being buddies with VPs and helping my club with contests and meetings was altogether a different learning experience. It helped me build leadership qualities which in turn restored faith in my capabilities.

Helping our Secretary as a buddy opened doors to the creative world and its limitless potential. This role made me aware of the different artistic ways of approaching a simple thing like writing Minutes of the Meeting.

The prepared speeches gave direction to my thoughts.

They showed me how to start and end my conversation.

Toastmasters gave me the platform where it was alright to fail, only to rise up again.

MY GREEN ROOM There comes a moment in life when we realize we lack something in and around us and change becomes necessary to succeed.

I always believed that I could give eloquent speeches.

Later, it dawned on me that giving a speech in front of an audience and extracting information from an expert over the phone are poles apart.

Till a few months back I could not fathom myself walking up to a stranger but today, I’m at ease. Last but not the least, Toastmasters gave me friends for life.

The stage became my green room. Every time I go up on stage, I come down as a new person. To sum it up, Toastmasters has been an amazing learning experience. It has been a journey of rediscovering my true self against all odds. I will always thank the Universe for helping me stumble upon the Toastmasters universe.

Edited and compiled by Fatima

My work demands me to make multiple phone calls and extract information for my stories. Initially, it was a humongous task for me. Moreover, a stammering speech and nervousness compounded to a whole new level while interacting with industry experts.

The revelation that I was a rookie in this world with little know-how about the subject matter was never my concern, but it was my fear of failing that was not letting me sprint towards success. This fear did not let me ask the next question as I thought that person at the other end will assume me to be a fool.

It was only later that I learned that one of the key important traits of being a journalist is to be shameless.

Toastmasters were thorough in its guidance on my road to be the shameless journalist. The role of Ah! Counter made me aware of the ‘Ah's’ that I used while having a conversation. The roles taught me to glue my ears to what the other person was saying. It’s been extremely helpful in garnering knowledge about my field from every word possible.

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Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

MENTOR MOMENT TOASTMASTERS ROHAN AND RAVI

attracted praise. I once told him, ‘’Ravi Bro I want to be like you!” He replied, ‘’Instead of being Ravikumar be Rohan Patwardhan”. This reply gave me confidence and I feel nice that I am on track to becoming Rohan Patwardhan.

The spark of positive motivation which Ravi lit in me was enough to become a fire. This is when I got to know why Toastmasters gives you Mentors. They show you how you are different. You are good. You will develop. Before I met Ravi my family was worried about my lack of confidence and the occasional bout of overconfidence.

But after Ravi became my mentor, my progress chart always showed positive results. My parents were surprised to see my confidence on stage and asked how it had happened. The answer was obvious; only one name came from my mouth – Ravikumar.

MY MENTOR, MY FRIEND, MY FAMILY

My relationship with Ravi is not just that of a mentee. Not of a friend. He is family, always there for me through thick and thin. From my experience I can definitely say that Mentors and Mentees should not be only formal friends.

They should be an extended family like Ravi is for me.

Indeed Ravi for me is not a Mentor, not a Friend. He is Family.

Edited and compiled by Karan

Ravikumar. I think this name for me is more than just my Mentor. It is a much deeper relationship that I share with him. I call him "Ravi Dude". He is that person who I trust absolutely. My journey with Toastmasters started in July 2015. I was new to this fraternity and I did not know anybody.

Ravikumar was the first friend I made in our club. When I joined the club, my first two speeches were given impromptu and I was a little overconfident about my skills. But on a personal level, I felt something was wrong because the connection with the audience was missing. The charm and the magic of the speech were missing.

I spoke to Ravi after that and though my speeches were not that great, he just talked to me like a friend would to another over a cup of coffee. He always supported me, guided me, and gave me very important tips in developing my overall personality, not only in Toastmasters but also in my professional life. Ravi’s charm and his command over the language always

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TM ROHAN PATWARDHAN, TOASTMASTERS CLUB OF PUNE Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

HUMANS OF D98

STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART TM Ashraf is the President of the Toastmasters Club of Pune South East. He has represented the club at both Area and Division levels, in Humorous and International Speech contests. This is his story, in his words.

I had already made up my mind to join Toastmasters before attending my first meeting. Actually, I do not know whether I am an accidental or a natural Toastmaster. When I was at school, I was a very nervous and shy kid. Of course, I had friends, but I was quite reserved and would actually avoid people.

But let me tell you one more thing. I have always had a loud voice, even as a schoolboy. One day—I was in 7th standard at the time—my teacher asked me to take part in a play for our Annual Day. Initially, I was reluctant but then I thought, “Let’s give it a try!”.

As we rehearsed the play, I could sense my confidence growing. And then came the Annual Day. Everyone appreciated my performance. It was then that I thought I could be a good public speaker. There was no looking back. I took to public speaking like a fish takes to water.

While I was working, I felt that I needed more public speaking opportunities. I decided to search for clubs and groups related to that. It was through the Internet that I found out about some ‘Toastmasters club’. I told myself, “Hey! This is wonderful. Here’s a club where I can practice public speaking and it’s there so close to my office and where I stay, right in my backyard!”

That weekend I attended my first ever Toastmasters meeting and informed everyone that I have already decided to join the club.

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TM ASHRAFALI JAGIRDAR TOASTMASTERS CLUB OF PUNE SOUTH EAST This was the start of my Toastmasters journey, even though I had to wait for five weeks to formally join Toastmasters due to a technical issue. I got an opportunity to give my first speech in my second meeting itself. I was only too happy to get some stage time.

I have been an active and energetic Toastmaster for more than two years now. It has increased my confidence, helped me make a lot of friends, and given me a lot of fun. And I hope to keep on going and going!

I would like to add one thing here: I am a Toastmaster because I really enjoy being a Toastmaster. It is my passion. When I give any speech or take up any responsibility, I don’t necessarily look at specific personal and professional goals. I just love it!

As the President of TMCPSE, I have one message for new members. Toastmasters is what you make of it, so make sure to put in your best effort even as you thoroughly enjoy it!

Edited and compiled by Taaha Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

aRISE MOMENT

RISING TO THE OCCASION In June 2016, I nominated myself for the post of VPEducation and in the interview, they asked me questions about being capable and being responsible. I answered confidently and was elected for the post. Little did I know that this experience was much more than what I was expecting.

My tenure started smoothly with themed meetings, mentor mentee mappings in place and members benefitting from it.

In August that year, for the first time in our club's history, the entire Executive Committee participated in the Club Humourous Speech and Evaluation Speech Contests, with good speeches and evaluations. For me, it was quite an achievement for the club!

Soon came the time for the Joint Area Contest and our club, ADP Hyderabad Toastmasters, was chosen as the host. The Area Director turned to me to take the role of Conference Chair which I gladly accepted. Having three District Officers in our club was a blessing for me. I kickstarted the preparation with guidance and suggestions from my mentors Ravi, Surya, and Vamshi.

First, I had to make a team and my mentors couldn't help me here as they had their own Area Contests to look after.

I wanted the active Toastmasters of my club to help but most of them had won the Club contest and couldn’t organize the Area contest. I also did not want to hinder their preparation and thus could not seek their assistance for the Joint Area contest.

So I requested TM Diwakar, the SAA of our club and some active members from other club to help and they obliged.

Despite all the difficulties, I was finally able to put things in order with some help from the Division Director and my volunteers. All role players were in place, the preparations were complete and we were ready for the D-day!

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TM SUDHIR BATHAM MENTOR POOL MANAGER, DIVISIONS EFH But as they say, always expect the unexpected. It started to rain on the day of the contest, delaying the contest officials and participants. At the last minute, the Contest Chair met with an accident and could not report to the venue. Guided by our Division director, I immediately filled in for him and conducted the contest smoothly with help from the role players and guest volunteers. Everything went smoothly.

I learned a lot from that contest experience and my tenure as the VP- Education. When someone asks me what I learned from Toastmasters, I say ‘Team Work’. I tell them I learned how to build a team; I learned to not give up; to ask for help; to keep moving forward despite challenges.

This June, I completed my term as VP Education. I can say this for sure - I learned how to be a better person and a better Toastmaster.

Edited and compiled by Disha Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

THE OPINION PAGE ADDRESSING ADDRESSINGDISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICTOFFICERS OFFICERS OFFICERSAT AT ATMUMBAI MUMBAI MUMBAI ADDRESSING

ON JUDGES AND JUDGING As the speech contest season approaches yet again, we all want to be a part of the excitement. We want to see the best and most deserving contestants get a podium finish. Then why is it that we’re often disappointed with the results?

I think it's fair to say that we face many challenges when it comes to judges and judging at Contests. These could be: > Lack of adequate and practical training > Lack of maturity > Lack of objectivity > Lack of integrity

DTM MUKTA NADKAR DISTRICT CHIEF JUDGE

It could be a bit of each or even a combination of these factors. If we spend sufficient time on preparation and training, we can groom Toastmasters to be fine judges. We can easily take care of these challenges.

I am therefore convinced that if we can challenge ourselves to be the best judges we can be, we will find the best, mostdeserving winner. We need to ask ourselves:

But I think the bigger issue is apathy, a lack of commitment or the desire to serve. Why can’t we get 5-6 quality judges for a club contest, when we have over 200 Toastmasters trained in a city? Why do we have to depend on the same 20-30 members every time?

> Can I be objective and score as per the criteria on the ballot? > Can I be fair and impartial, whether the contestant is friend or foe? > Can I mark solely on the contest performance and not on my perception of the contestant?

I think it is time to address this problem. I think it is time for each one of us to volunteer and take on the responsibility of being a judge. Let us make it our mission to help in choosing that best, most deserving speech contest winner, every time.

If your answer is YES to the above, ask the same questions with ‘Will I’ instead of ‘Can I’. And if your answer is YES once again, I think we have already found extraordinary judges and our contests will be in safe hands!

One expects that the winner will be top ranked in most judges’ ballots. But this is often not the case. The winner could be one who is placed second or third on most ballots. Is there anything wrong with this?

Enjoy the Contest Season!

I don’t think so. Because the marks given for content, delivery and language will vary from one contestant to another and a few points could tilt the balance. A solution to this situation is to ensure that we have competent judges and possibly a greater number of judges.

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Edited and compiled by Prathima

Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

FROM THE JULY ARCHIVE

TEACHING KIDS LIFE SKILLS THROUGH STORIES “Do this!”, “Don't do that!”. The chorus never ends. Isn't it irritating to be continuously corrected and advised?

Indeed, nobody wants to be at the receiving end in this case.

Still, we have a responsibility of instructing kids about do's and don'ts. Perhaps we could do it this way—as most of us like listening to stories, why not use stories to teach kids?

Let me share a real life incident. My three year old daughter Reya used to hardly talk to any people other than her family. I tried explaining to her how important it was to speak up, but to no avail. Since I hadn’t come across stories that help kids deal with their day to day challenges, I decided to come up with “A Tale of a Tongue”. Here’s the story.

“Once upon a time, there was a girl called Tina. Tina felt comfortable speaking only to her family members. Her parents kept encouraging her to speak to others but without success.

One day while playing Tina got lost in a forest. She came across several people but was not comfortable asking for help. She tried finding her way out but only got deeper into the forest. Tired, she fell asleep under a tree. When she woke up, she saw her parents who had managed to find her. Out of joy, she wanted to shout "Mamma!" but she was speechless. Worried, her parents asked her to open her mouth. Tina’s tongue was missing! Tina started weeping.

Next day, Tina’s tongue came and sat on her windowsill and told Tina that it had left as Tina didn’t make proper

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TM JYOTI HEGDE GOA YMCA TOASTMASTERS CLUB use of it even in her hour of need. Tina promised to change and convinced her tongue to return. From that day, Tina started greeting and speaking to everyone known. Tina and her tongue lived happily ever after.”

Reya liked the story. She could relate to Tina. The visual image of the tongue talking to Tina made it more interesting than listening to a boring lecture.

Since I found that telling stories works well while teaching kids life skills, I came up with a few more stories; 'DARE to Answer!' to answer questions in class, 'Battery Down!', to eat breakfast and 'The Third Option' to understand the importance of self motivation.

Instead of repeatedly saying “do this”, “don't do this”, it is more relaxing for both the parent and the child if the message is conveyed through stories. So the next time you want to share an important message with your kid, try weaving a story around it and see the difference!

Edited and compiled by Taaha Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

UNLEASH

TMÂ SUDHANSHU DIAMOND CITY TOASTMASTERS CLUB

TM JOY HANS THE XLRATORS MIYAPUR

AWAKE, BREATHE FIRE LIKE A DRAGON

ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE

Awake, breathe fire like a Dragon, Ignite the hibernating thoughts, I have come a long way but, something I lost down these roads.

T alent is the potential, hidden in our heart O pportunities are what actually set us apart A ssuming for success, no that’s not smart S peaking is the best way to make a start

Oh! The things I wanted to do, that someone I wanted to be, those things which I once knew, the wind of time made it all flee.

T oastmasters is the stage to learn it all M istakes are corrected like an issue small A nd whenever you tumble or have a fall S omeone does catch you, even before you call

What happened? Someone asked, life happened is how I resolved, giving up on what I once dreamt, conforming to how the life evolved.

T ogether we learn here, together we teach E veryone learning to practice what they preach R ising above excuses personal to each S uccess for all, yes together we will reach.

Conscious to sub to unconscious mind, the path my dreams chose to follow, filling me with this world's facade, grabbing my soul, making me hollow.

A peek into those dreams rocks my world, the sight of happiness and lots of cheers, now this dragon-fire shall light my path, eliciting zeal to live, a life beyond fears.

Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

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THE WIRE TM UJJAVAL MODI FROM AMDAVAD TOASTMASTERS BECOMES A DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTER 25TH JULY

CLUB OFFICERS' TRAINING PROGRAM, GOA 30TH JULY

AMDAVAD TOASTMASTERS CONDUCTED A SPEECHCRAFT AT PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS JULY-AUGUST

PERSISTENT SYSTEMS PUNE MEETING WITH SPECIAL ADDRESS

BY ANAND DESHPANDE, FOUNDER AND MD 12TH AUGUST

MASTER ORATOR CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 2 GRAND FINALE AT INDIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, HYDERABAD 12TH AUGUST

VADODARA TOASTMASTERS CLUB CELEBRATE WINNING BEAT THE CLOCK AWARD 18TH AUGUST

JOINT HINDI MEETING ON THE OCCASION OF INDEPENDENCE DAY - TMCP SOUTH EAST, TMC OF AMDOCS, OPULENT TMCP CAMP 19TH AUGUST

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THE DTM ROADMAP

ROADMAP TO DTM

BY TM ROHAN PARAKH AGNEL TOASTMASTERS, MUMBAI 20

CONTEST OF THE MONTH Presenting the best PUNdits of our District!

FIRST PLACE My old girlfriend didn't like graphs. Must be the reason she's on the ex-axis and I'm on the why axis TM Praneeth, Diamond City Toastmasters Club, Surat

SECOND PLACE

THIRD PLACE

He slit his wrist for her.

The doctor put him on IV. It was all in vein.

When a male ghost saw a female ghost, it was love at first fright.

Akbar Khan, Goa YMCA Toastmasters Club

Vinay Kumar Srivastava, Agnel Toastmasters Club, Vashi

SPECIAL MENTION Content and Creativity got married.

Their child was named as NEWSLETTER. Arjuna Shivangi, Elan Toastmasters Hyderabad

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NITEASH AGARWAAL DISTRICT PR MANAGER

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MEHENDI STYLE ART INK ON CANVAS

TM V. A. SNIGDHA, TECH MAHINDRA TOASTMASTERS CLUB, HYDERABAD

DISTRICT 98 WEBSITE www.d98tm.in

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