PULSE - District 82 Toastmasters

Envision

Volume 3 Issue 1

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In Conversation with the

International President elect

DTM Mike Storkey

Fun Facts about D-82

How it all Began A Brief History of the Oldest Club in D-82

The Art of

Toastmastering The Club Experience

Siyane Toastmasters Club

Ovations 2016

A Leadership Journey

Table of Contents

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The Big Three 03 District Director’s Address

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How it all Began – A Brief History of the Oldest Club in D-82

05 Program Quality Director’s Address 06 Club Growth Director’s Address

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Toastmasters in the Limelight 08 In Conversation with the International President Elect – DTM Mike Storkey 10 Toastmaster of the Year – TM Noorain Nadim 12 The Club Experience – Siyane Toastmasters Club

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Fun Facts about D-82

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Ovations 2016 – A Leadership Journey

14 Quick fire Questions with TM Ramakrishnan 16 Raise a Toast to TM Milton

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The Art of Toastmastering 24

Begin Strong and End Strong

26 It’s important to Speak Up

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The Big Three

District Director’s Address DTM Sudash Liyanage For the last 10 years, I have enjoyed being a Toastmaster. It was truly a blissful experience.

From my participation at the very first Ovations of 2006 as a volunteer (prospective member) to date, Toastmasters has kept me engrossed with several activities and opportunities.

Dear Toastmasters of District 82, It’s been a joyful journey!

My participation at Ovations and Reverberations was a pilgrimage. I was able to record a hundred percent achievement at Ovations. I was engaged in opening over 35 clubs, sponsored 6 new clubs and mentored 7 more clubs. I was a member of the organizing committee for all four Ovations held in Sri Lanka including being the Conference Chair of Ovation 2012. I enjoyed attending varied installations from simple ones to flamboyant ones to meet and greet many members and applaud their achievements, though at times it felt a bit tedious.

That’s my engagement in brief, which has elevated me gradually to be your District Director for the Toastmasters year which begins on the 1st July, 2016. I am truly humbled and proud to be the District Director of my dear family of Toastmasters as your servant leader, of District 82 the marvel of Toastmasters International.

Whilst expressing gratitude for your confidence placed in me, I wish to place on record and recognize the countless contributions made by our own committed leaders of the past and present who made this rock solid castle named D82 for us to crown. I recognize not just them

but every Toastmaster in the past and present, from my 1st day in Toastmasters to date, who made me strong with words of wisdom and advice, made silent and salient evaluations, helped me along the way in kind and creed, assisted in sweat and tears, mentored with love and affection… I owe my journey to every one of you.

This is not only the most opportune time to pay my gratitude to the entire membership but also to humbly urge every one of you to be with me to give voice to the potential of our membership.

I am fascinated in Buddhism; the Lord Buddha is a visionary leader who placed and pronounced his goal with the end in mind.

Similarly, please join me in making District 82 “the best President’s Distinguished District in the world of Toastmasters”, when we reach 30 th June 2017.

How do we do that and how do we measure that? We do that by realizing the Toastmasters’ philosophy of ‘believing in individuals and keeping the program simple and enjoyable’.

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First, Let us revisit the three missions: The mission of Toastmasters International –

We empower individuals to become effective communicators and leaders.

The mission of the District – We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.

The mission of the Club – We provide a supportive and

positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

Accordingly, I shall guide and direct my able District team and extended team of true volunteers to serve every club in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka in achieving excellence by becoming a Distinguished Club and to have a minimum of 20 active members. District team shall launch programs to support building sustainable new clubs and to retain existing clubs with special emphasis on club quality.

Equally, I urge every club officer to fulfill your duties by keeping in mind that quantity is a by-product of quality. As a club officer, please engage fully in serving your members to achieve his or her plan for the year, which in turn would make your club a Distinguished Club.

Members, let us engage ourselves to realize the Toastmasters promise we took in becoming a member by involving fully in club activities to evolve as better communicators and leaders. Let us inculcate the values of Toastmasters that our decisions, behavior and attitudes would always be based on integrity, respect, service and excellence.

Secondly, I want you to enjoy the journey by keeping it simple. Do your speech or role to the best of your abilities, bring variety and fun to the meeting agenda, relish the joy of camaraderie, meet and greet other Toastmasters at conferences, organize family events and theme events and above all enjoy the satisfaction of serving as a member helping another member in your club.

Thirdly, I want every member to enrich your lives with Toastmasters, may it be in your career, or profession, within the community or at home. Enrich yourself by actively participating in the program and development of skills. Impart and share your knowledge with everyone you come across, help in assisting a distant club, mentor and coach members, make the word of mouth the strongest medium to let the world know of Toastmasters. In other words, enrich yourself to be the brand ambassadors of Toastmasters.

Whilst being fully aware of the challenges we could come across in the New Year, we are confident that following a simple logic of ‘planning the year and taking action to achieve it collectively’ by reaching everyone’s goal 100% – which I named “Operation 100%”.

As Dr. Smedley once said, “I would rather be rich in friendship than in money. It’s a privilege to make a contribution to the welfare of my fellow Toastmasters”.

My dear Toastmasters of district 82 let us begin our journey with the end in mind, let us engage, enjoy and enrich ourselves in pursuit of becoming “the President’s Distinguished District in the world of Toastmasters”

Happy Toastmastering!

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Program Quality Director’s Address DTM Ajantha Jayawardena Another year has dawned bringing with it new goals, possibilities and for some of us, new responsibilities.

This is an exciting time for all of us, especially the new leadership team as they take upon their shoulders the task of leading the District towards achieving its goals.

Personally, as the newly elected Program Quality Director, this year will be challenging for me. Whilst thanking you for placing your trust in me once again, I assure you that I will serve the organization to the best of my ability. I also take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to all of you for your unstinted support given during my term of office as Club Growth Director last year. I sincerely hope that I can count on your valuable support this year too.

Aiming for excellence has been part of our traditions .Our founder Ralph Smedley urged our clubs to “strive to reach the highest standards of performance, not for the sake of winning, but for the sake of giving its members best service.” The outcome of this quest for excellence was the Distinguished Club Program. Our goal for this year is to achieve Distinguish Club Status for all the clubs in the District ,thereby enhancing the member experience. I sincerely hope that with your support we will be able to achieve this goal.

“When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality” – Joe Paterno Thank you, Ajantha Jayawardena Program Quality Director

When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality - Joe Paterno

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Club Growth Director’s Address DTM Suganthi Periasamy Dear fellow members, Greetings and wish you a great (new) Toastmasters years ahead!

As I assume office as the Club Growth Director, I look back at the years that I have traversed through and feel grateful for all the learning and experience that this mighty ocean called Toastmasters has provided. Many a times, I have heard stories on how one accidentally became a Toastmaster. Well, here comes the untold story – I too became a Toastmaster by accident! My club President then happened to be a team member in the project that I had recently joined. It was that time of the year when the club officers were frantically searching for people to “convert” them as Toastmasters to achieve the Smedley award. I stand as a testimony to that conversion! 3 months down the lane, it was time for elections and I was bestowed the opportunity to serve as the Club Secretary. Since then, I have not looked up.

Honing my public speaking skills and acing through leadership roles, I have come a long way. Toastmasters has now become a part and parcel of my life, and I am glad that I met with that “accident” that day.

Let me share another untold story. When I was in 2nd grade, my father got transferred and we had to move from Tindivanam (a small town

about 100 kms from Chennai) to my native place Salem. Tindivanam was a small town compared to Salem. Having studied in a small school in a small town, my new school in Salem was quite intimidating. I was neither able to follow what my batch mates spoke nor was I able to understand what the teachers taught.

I was not quite comfortable in conversing in English. While my batch mates could recite multiplication tables by heart, I was still struggling with addition and subtraction. After a few days, I refused to go to school. I literally begged my parents to take me back to my old school where I was celebrated as one of the best students. My mother being the person that she is, will never give up on anything easily. She narrated a story, which I thought would be apt for all of us.

In the world of pet training, the concept of invisible fence is used. Using flags or cones, a boundary is marked and the dog is trained to stay within this invisible boundary. Over a period of time, the flags or cones are removed and the dog adapts to this invisible fence. The dog will, now, never attempt to go beyond the invisible boundary that it has been trained in. My mom

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told me that my mind is also like that of the dog, adapted to the invisible boundary. Slowly, she encouraged and coached me to come out of that shell of invisible fence. Slowly but steadily I made progress. That year, I passed my exams as the class topper and when I graduated from school, I was awarded the “Best Outgoing Student” of the year. That one story made all the difference.

All that it takes is, to attend club meetings, give speeches or take up meeting roles – let us break the panels of the invisible fence one by one. Don’t be hesitant to try out new leadership roles or new speech ideas. Only when we decide to venture further, we will know how much potential we all have within ourselves. Let us not be afraid to experiment and experience!

My dear fellow Toastmasters, all of us have joined this movement with some objective in mind – it could be to improve one’s speaking skills or to hone one’s presentation skills or to explore leadership roles. Whatever the objective may be, many a times, the invisible fence makes us takes a lag in achieving that goal. Sometimes, we ourselves mark an invisible boundary for us. Sometimes, we allow others to forcibly place us in an invisible boundary and succumb to it. Whatever the case may be, my fellow members, all that I ask of all of us is, let us shatter that invisible fence and explore the world of Toastmasters.

On that note, here’s wishing all of us a wonderful & eventful Toastmasters year!

All the best!

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Toastmasters in the Limelight In conversation with the

International president elect

DTM Mike Storkey

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What was your first Toastmasters meeting like?

Please describe it to us.

And what convinced you to become a member?

The first Toastmasters meeting I attended was the demonstration meeting of the Whitsunday Club in North Queensland, Australia. Lesley, my wife, and I were encouraged to investigate and found an enthusiastic group of young potential members together with a team of existing members from the sponsoring club all having a great time. Unfortunately the timing was not right for us and in fact it was two years later when we actually became members. Neither of us joined to improve our public speaking or to become leaders, but as we lived in a resort holiday town on the Great Barrier Reef there was little social life after the sun went down so the reason was do something socially together. We have not been disappointed.

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How different would your life have been without Toastmasters?

I find it hard to imagine life without Toastmasters. After over 26 years it has become an integral part of my life. A life with the friendship, challenges, personal development and travel opportunities provided by Toastmasters. The hardest thing to describe to a potential member is just how life changing Toastmasters can be.

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What is one quality that you believe every leader should possess?

There are so many qualities that a leader needs but there is one that stands out in my mind and that is integrity. I place that above all others for, without integrity, the other qualities can mean little. There is one other quality that is vitally important and that is the ability to listen.

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Which leadership role in Toastmasters did you find most challenging.

The most challenging Toastmaster role was a club role, that of Vice President Education. Being directly involved with the programming of 20 plus members, ensuring that each gets the opportunity to reach their individual goals without favouring one over the other, can be challenging. Additionally there are times when the VPE has to be firm and gently encourage some members when their enthusiasm or self-confidence is at a low ebb, yet maintain a certain perspective, always putting the members’ needs first.

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Three things you learned from your Toastmasters journey

The three things I have learned on my Toastmaster’s journey are: 1. Enjoy the journey, it is a life changing experience that has to be lived to be appreciated.

2. Personal communication is the glue that binds our communities together.

The ability to have something to say, the ability to know how to say it and the confidence to say it permits individuals to make a difference.

3. Communication and leadership are inextricably linked. I know of no leader who is effective who is not also an effective communicator.

We all have roles to play in our family, community and professional lives and Toastmasters provides the skills in both leadership and communications to enable us to contribute in each arena.

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

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What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

To those considering taking on a leadership role for the first time, be sure you make the commitment taking into consideration the motivation, is it to serve and add benefit to those you seek to lead? Do you have the time to devote to the task? Are you aware of what the role entails and what support is available? Toastmasters provides the skills you need in order to enable you to take the opportunity to lead when it comes your way. Do not expect to know everything about the prospective leadership role, remember that Toastmasters is an experiential learning organization and we learn by doing the job, not necessarily knowing all there is to know before we take on the leadership role. I urge everyone to step outside their comfort zone, step up to the challenge and seize the opportunity.

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What legacy do you hope to leave behind at Toastmasters International?

The legacy I want to leave behind is that of an organisation that truly “Remembers the Member� by providing an equality of service and opportunity to all our members irrespective of where they live, their social status or their language or cultural differences.

In addition I believe that we need to concentrate more on our membership retention by recognising the obligation we have to look after the members we already have, whilst still seeking to expand Toastmasters into new and developing markets.

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What do you love most about being a Toastmaster?

For me the answer is easy, it is seeing ordinary people achieving extraordinary results. To participate in some small way in the growth of others by being a mentor and possibly a role model and at the same time personally developing one’s own skills is an experience not to be missed. We are not here to make better Toastmasters but to make better people.

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

Toastmaster of the Year

TM Noorain Nadim

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How different would your life have been without Toastmasters?

I’ve been with Toastmasters for a little over two years now. This amazing forum has indeed changed my life! I was quite reticent as a child, and I’d choose a book over socialising any day. My mom would often tell me that there is a little world outside of books too, and she pushed me into participating into extra-curricular activities. I started participating in elocutions and debates, and that was my first taste of public speaking. While I enjoyed writing and preparing for these activities, I would feel really nervous when I got onto the stage. It was not that I didn’t enjoy speaking before an audience; I thoroughly enjoyed it! But I really wanted to learn how to manage my nervousness. I joined Toastmasters in 2013 after I completed my under-graduate studies, and here I am! While Toastmasters has enabled me to speak with confidence on stage, it has given me a bigger gift – the gift of finding my personality. Now, thanks to the various roles I’ve taken up as a Toastmaster, I think I’ve started understanding myself a lot better.

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Why do you think you were awarded the Best Toastmaster in District 82?

Honestly, I never imagined that I would win this prestigious award!

It still feels surreal. I think I was given this award because I enjoyed experimenting as a Toastmaster. I started off with a motto to do well as a speaker and a role-player in my club – Chennai Toastmasters Club. Soon, I decided to challenge myself a little bit more by moving out and speaking and taking up roles at other clubs. I was fortunate to have different lessons come my way – either through contests, or through different leadership roles. Every single time I’ve done something in Toastmasters, I’ve realized how it never is about me or anyone else. It can never be because no matter how much you think you’ve done, you walk out with a world of learning from everyone else around you.

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How different do you think your life would have been without Toastmasters?

My life would have been really boring! I don’t think I would have grown much in my personal and professional spheres too. So I’m grateful for the gift of Toastmasters in my life.

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Share a memorable moment from your Toastmaster Journey?

My most memorable moment would be during Ovation 2015.

I was at the end of my term as the President of my club and as the Newsletter Editor of the District, and I was tired. I felt like I was constantly working, and that I had failed to have any work-life balance whatsoever. I would go to work, and come back home and work too, only in the latter, it was for Toastmasters. I was starting to question my reasons to join the forum. That was when I was fortunate to have an angel step into my life.

It was Day 1 of Ovation in Colombo, and it was time for lunch.

As everyone was in line at the lunch queue, I was fortunate to see DTM Deepak Menon, the then International Director of Toastmasters International. I had met him once before at a Toastmasters event in Chennai, and I was excited to see him again. We sat down for lunch together, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, I shared my predicament with him. He looked at me casually and said – “You need to get your priorities right, and manage your time better. If you do that, then you will never tire of Toastmasters!” I did what any smart Toastmaster do – asked him to become my mentor!

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

I haven’t looked back since then. I had stopped giving speeches regularly and that helped me momentarily forget the primary reason I joined Toastmasters. With the help of my mentor (yes, DTM Deepak said “Yes”!), I was able to correct that. That helped me feel a lot better as a Toastmaster. Over a period of time, I was able to actively and consciously manage my time better too, and now, I’m so glad I’m still a part of this wonderful forum.

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What was your experience at your first Toastmasters meeting like?

I was bowled over by the quality of speakers I had witnessed during my first Toastmasters meeting. I was still in college, and I had decided to drop by the Chennai Toastmasters Club one Sunday to see what Toastmasters was really all about. I had heard about Toastmasters in passing about a decade ago during a summer camp, and I knew that it was for people who wanted to improve their communication skills.

In my club, the guest feedback session is conducted at the end of the meeting. I felt so incredibly nervous after seeing everyone speak during the meeting that I left the meeting hall before it was my turn to speak. I’m so glad that I became a Toastmaster soon after, i.e., a year and a half later.

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What are the few tips you would like to recommend for every Toastmaster to become a better communicator?

Keep speaking! Some days might be good, some days might be really good, and some days – not so good. Toastmasters gives us a forum to fail and learn. The best way to take advantage of it is by taking up every opportunity that comes your way to communicate.

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What would you like our members to remember when confronting challenges in their leaderships roles?

I’ve learnt that it’s important to never give up. It’s easy to feel burnt out because we work in Toastmasters over and above our regular work. If you ever feel like you’re facing a challenge, it’s important to talk it out – with your friends (Toastmasters gives us many), or mentors. That really helps get the load off your shoulders. Once that’s done, you will be able to steer yourself back onto track, and onto the glorious way of reaching your goal.

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

The Club Experience

Siyane Toastmasters Club 1

What do you think makes your club stand apart from all the other Toastmasters clubs?

I believe it is the members who make the club unique. Being a community club, the membership here has a unique combination of youth and maturity. It consists of university students as well as professionals from a myriad of professions who are eager to learn, enjoy and help bring out the best in each other. It is the bond amongst all members that holds the club together. The club truly radiates the club mission set by Toastmasters International which is to provide a supportive and positive learning experience to its members. Anyone who walks into a club meeting at Siyane Toastmasters Club would feel the vibe of a group of people who truly practice the core values of Toastmasters which are integrity, respect, service and excellence.

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Why do you think this award was presented to you out of all the other clubs in the district?

The achievement of goals set by the District (including the GG+, Club Quality Award, achieving all three membership ribbons) and the contribution made by members of Siyane TMC by going ‘beyond the club’ (participation in Division and District conferences as contestants and role players, facilitating Speech Craft, participation in Toastmaster Awareness programs). These were done with the genuine intension of giving exposure to club members to enhance their skills while spreading the goodness of Toastmasters all around. We are humbled and honored by the fact that the District recognized these contributions.

Share a memorable club meeting

One of the most memorable meetings we had was a meeting held in a location different from our regular venue. It was on Valentine’s Day. It was held at the Gampaha Botanical Gardens. The venue was perfect for the meeting theme. Everyone came dressed in red. A significant observation on the day was the fact that all the speakers who performed that day were very energetic and emotional about their speeches; probably due to the change in venue. One of the highlights of the meeting was a very interesting and entertaining panel discussion about love where individuals from three different relationship statuses – single, in a relationship and married – were represented. The table topics were tagged on roses and handed over to the speakers. Overall, it was a fun filled and memorable meeting.

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

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Did members consciously work towards earning this award? If yes, how?

When the club was initially making its plan for the year, there was a lot of focus given towards enriching the membership with knowledge as well as with opportunity to participate in as many activities as possible to enhance their skills in terms of communication and leadership. Going beyond the club was one of our main objectives. The club quality award was ideal to work towards, since it had obvious benefits in terms of membership and improving club quality. The executive committee took up a lot of care to ensure that things were not rushed at any time but went as per plan or as close to the plan as possible. There were a few ‘leaders without titles’ who contributed in many ways in club activities that made this achievement a reality. When the best club award criteria were announced close to Ovation, it was so satisfying to see that we qualified in most of the areas mentioned.

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What qualities do you think a club needs to be the best?

The values set by Toastmasters International – Integrity, Respect and Excellence. In addition, a set of leaders who lead by example and a set of members who genuinely support each other and are genuinely happy and elated to see a fellow member succeed.

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How strong is the bond between club members (Support your statement with an example)

The bond we have is not limited to Toastmasters. There was one time when a member of the club fell seriously ill. She was diagnosed with cancer. All the members got together to collect funds for her operation.

Members got together and prayed for her speedy recovery. This event brought together even the members who are not regulars at the club. This showed the strong bond we have.

We come together in a time of need and offer support to one another.

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As a member, what does your club mean to you?

I joined the club to eradicate my fear of public speaking, but I never thought that it had so many paths to take. Siyane has the blend, bond and beauty that brings out one’s true capabilities. It is truly where leaders are made. The club is what it is because of the membership. It is a place where you find people -as Edmund Lee says – “who see greatness within you, even when you don’t; see it yourself”.

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

Quick-fire Questions with

TMÂ Ramakrishnan

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Talk about your greatest achievement in Toastmasters

My completion of Advanced Communicator Gold and Advanced Leadership BronzeÂ

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Have you ever fumbled on stage? How did you handle it?

I have never fumbled on stage.

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Your happiest moment in Toastmasters

Winning the Lifetime Achievement Award

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What was your impression of the first Toastmasters meeting?

Exciting

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Which Toastmaster do you admire the most?

DTM Aditya Maheswaran

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How has Toastmasters impacted your life?

It has given fluidity to my expression.

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

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Your feeling when you stood on stage and received the Lifetime Achievement award

The biggest life lesson Toastmasters has taught you

Be relevant. Make your point.

Honoured

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How integral has your family been in your Toastmasters journey?

What does the award mean to you?

Very co-operative

My prize for having been a part of the Toastmasters movement for 7 years

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What do you think is the biggest change that you have seen in the Toastmasters community till now?

The strangest table topics you have had to speak on

Beggars can’t be Choosers

Out the box thinking

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

Raise a Toast to 1

Your happiest moment in Toastmasters

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Describe your first Toastmasters meeting.

What was your impression?

Every moment in Toastmasters has been a moment of happiness.

Because it has made me come alive. The thrill of speaking in front of an audience, the kinship you feel towards fellow Toastmasters and the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and grow as a leader, a communicator and a person are some of the greatest reasons I feel alive when I am at Toastmasters.

I had been working at Lucas TV for 30 years. After resignation, it was Toastmasters that made the crux of my life. I was taken to Coromandel Toastmasters Club. There I had the pleasure of getting to know DTM Saro, DTM Adithya, late DTM Karthik and TM Rajesh who played key roles in the meeting. I was so impressed that I joined the club on the very same day. Back then Toastmasters was a serious affair. We’d have debates. And I was always an eager participant. Several eminent Toastmasters were regulars at the clubs in Royapettah and K.K.Nagar. Those fond memories have still stayed with me.

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Which Toastmaster do you admire the most?

Through Toastmasters, I have had the immense pleasure of meeting DTM Adithya. DTM Adithya’s mere presence changes the ambience in any club meeting. The moment he walks into a club, he becomes one with the club and her members. He doesn’t shy away from a role. On the other hand, he snatches each role with a certain enthusiasm. And in recent times, I have observed this enthusiasm in budding Toastmasters like TM Noorain, TM Sivadas, TM Manoj, TM Tamililakiya, TM Vaishnavi and TM Vishnu.

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Toastmasters in the Limelight

Toastmaster

Milton 6

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Winning the award was such an emotional moment for me. I swear I felt like I was winning an Oscar. I was called on stage by the master of ceremonies – TM Alex. And as I took my first few steps on the dais, the audience stood up in respect and broke into a thundering applause. The gesture of presenting me with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ and the standing ovation as I received it were proof of how welcoming and accepting the Toastmasters community has been of me and my contributions towards it. Thrilled by the reception, I delivered a one minute heart-felt vote of thanks – especially thanking DTM Sastharam and TM Ram without whom my presence at Ovations would not have been possible.

Have you ever fumbled on stage? How did you handle it?

I fumbled on stage at the Table Topics contest in the Coromandel Club. I had a severe case of contest fever and I didn’t handle it too well on stage. But isn’t that what we all learn at Toastmasters?

Learning to pick yourself up after every fall?

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our feeling when you stood on stage and Y received the Lifetime Achievement award?

What does the award mean to you?

Your struggle through a leadership journey and how you handled it

I have had several challenging leadership opportunities at Toastmasters. But I pulled through every obstacle because of team work.

I also thank TM Raman from Coromandel Toastmasters Club without whom my long love affair with the community would have been cruelly cut short. And TM Sriram who took me to different clubs in the District and broadened my horizons beyond my home club.

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One thing you would like to see change in Toastmasters

In Toastmasters there are lots of opportunities to improvise. I have observed that clubs such as CTM in Egmore add their own mix of flavor to a regular Toastmasters meeting. They have roles such as idiom-master, joke-master and poetry-master. These are great ways to spice club meetings up a bit.

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How it all Began –

A Brief History of the Oldest Club in D-82 It was at a Rotary meeting many years ago that the seed was planted. An American Rotarian, who was a guest at the meeting, accredited his formidable voice to Toastmasters and this sparked the initial interest.

After this an informal group began meeting regularly, led by the late Mr. R B Ekanayake. In 1982, the American Ambassador Mr. John Reed who was a member of the Kiwanis club and the Toastmasters club in the USA, lent his patronage to this group.

Whenever he attended a function, he would identify potential members for both Kiwanis and Toastmasters. He used to go around asking for names and addresses of reasonably good speakers and everyone wondered why? He used to brief the informal group about Toastmasters but ideas were very new and hazy about this organization. Informal meetings were held at the American Center at Flower Road and later at the Orient club with the late R. B. Ekanayake, the late Sam Samarasinghe and Haleem Ghouse. Amongst others was Ambassador John Reed who was also a regular attendee at these meetings. However, these meetings were more fellowship than educational and soon the group was searching for their Toastmasters identity.

The late Mr. R. B. Ekanayake, who was then a senior official of the People’s Bank, was the prime mover behind the formation of the first Toastmasters club. He can truly be considered the father of the Toastmasters club in D-82 along with Desmond Van Cuylenburg, Bernard Jayaratne and the late Sam Samarasinghe, as his able assistants. In February 1983, he gathered 23 persons to attend the initial meeting which was held on 10th March 1983 at the residence of late Georg Rajapakse, Attorney-at-Law. Mr. Ekanayake summoned this meeting in his capacity as organizer of the Colombo Toastmasters Club.

The inauguration of the club was held on 7th May 1983 at the American Center, Flower Road, Colombo 7 with 14 of the 23 people present. Prior to this meeting, various informal meetings were also held at the residence of Mr. Desmond Van Cuylenburg.

At the meeting held on 7th May 1983 the following were elected as the first office bearers of the club: President – Sam Samarasinghe Vice President Administration – Dr. Robert Benjamin Vice President Education – Haleem Ghouse Secretary – R. B. Ekanayake Treasurer – Bernard Jayasinghe Bulletin Editor – Paddy Gunasekara Seargent-at-Arms – Janaka Edirisinghe In the next 18 months, the club would meet at the Capri, the Colombo Jaycees Secretariat, Ceylinco Hotel and on occasion, the U.S. Embassy Auditorium. Committee meetings were generally held at the Orient club. Monthly dinner meetings were held at Hotel Galaxy, Colombo 2. The charter ceremony was held on February 25th 1984 at the Hotel Lanka Oberoi. The chief guest was Hon Gamini Dissanayake. At the end of 1984, the membership had expanded to 35 members. The office bearers of 1983 continued throughout 1984 and at a general meeting held on 9th November, 1984 new office bearers were elected for the year 1985. The charter anniversary was celebrated on 1st March 1985 at Hotel Ceylon Intercontinental. The chief guest was the late Hon. Anandatissa De Alwis and the guest of honor was the late Hon. Justice Percy Colin-Thome. R. B. Ekanayake was

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elected president for 1986. In 1986, the decision was made to move to Hotel Ramada Renaissance (now Cinnamon Lakeside).

The third charter anniversary celebrations were held at the then Hotel Ramada Renaissance on 27th February 1987 with the Chief Justice Hon S. Sharvananda being the chief guest. The fourth charter anniversary celebration were held on 2nd March 1988 at the then Hotel Lanka Oberoi (now Cinnamon Grand) with Hon Gamini Dissanayake being the chief guest.

In 1988-89 the late Mr. Paddy Gunasekera became the President and for the first time a Best Speakers Contest for Toastmasters was held, and it was won by Yusuf Jeevunjee. In 1989-90 Haleem Ghouse became President and another “first” the All Island Best Speaker Contest was held in 1989, at the then Hotel Ramada Renaissance. This project was sponsored by the Bartleet Group and the Project Chairman was Asgi Noordeen.

The winner was Mohamed Adamally. In 1990, Asgi Noordeen became President and the 6th Charter Anniversary Celebrations were held on March 9th 1990 with President J R Jayewardene as Chief Guest. The Best Toastmasters Content in 1990 was won by Faizal Salieh and The All Island Best Speakers Contest was won

by Rajiv Goonetilleke. The Project Chairman was S. Nallainathan.

During the Presidency of Haleem Ghouse the idea of having seminar on speaking dawned. It was on the experienced shoulders of our founder member Haleem Ghouse that these ‘speechcraft’ programs came to be structured, developed and carried out. Romayne Diaz was instrumental in the administration of the programs, together with other club members, The speechcraft programs were a success and sought after by many corporate companies. One such corporate unit was the Sampath Bank. Following the success of the speechcraft program at the bank, the Sampath Bank Toastmasters Club

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was formed. Also, as a result of the Public Speaking Program the Millenium Toastmasters Club was founded. Because of the interest of TM Mohanlal Grero the Champion Junior Speaker Contest was initiated, with sponsorship from The Lyceum International School.

The first Competent Toastmaster (CTM) and Able Toastmaster (ATM) of the Club was Haleem Ghouse. In the early years of the 21st century a young man, by the name of Balraj Arunasalam was quietly making his mark, first as Treasurer of the Club for about 3 years and then as the President 2002-03 of The Colombo Toastmasters Club.

Toastmasters’ boasts of both communication and leadership, and these two skills were present in this calm and soft spoken person, the latter skill being more advanced than the former.

Thus, the need and desire to make Toastmasters grow beyond Sri Lanka. This was achieved through the hard work and determination of Balraj Arunasalam and Toastmasters club began sprouting corporate entities in Sri Lanka and India, along with community clubs.

The Colombo Toastmasters Club became the parent of Toastmasters in South Asia, and Distinguished Toastmasters Balraj Arunasalam is now the First Vice President of Toastmasters International, with eventual succession to the Presidency of Toastmaster International. Today, The Colombo Toastmasters Club, has a membership of over 86 and meets at the five star venue of the Galadari Hotel in the heart of Colombo.

The club has seen 32 Presidents and the current 32nd President is Aruna Fernando, under whose leadership The Colombo Toastmasters Club is poised to achieve ever greater heights in the fields of public speaking and communication.

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Fun Facts about D-82

The only charter member of Colombo Toastmasters Club – the oldest existing club in District 82 – to continue to be a member of Toastmasters International is TM Halim Gouse. “Now, imagine that. That’s 33 years of Toastmastering folks!”

The oldest existing club in D-82 is the Colombo Toastmasters Club. It was chartered on November 1st, 1983. This prestigious club, the seed of the Toastmasters movement in Sri Lanka, is 33 years old.

The first person to represent District 82 at the World Championship of Public Speaking is the esteemed TM Aaron Watson. On 24th May, TM Aaron Watson made history as the first person to win the privilege of representing District 82 (India and Sri Lanka) at the World Championship of Public Speaking when he was announced the winner of Ovations 2009, held at Colombo, Sri Lanka.

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Till 2010, D-82 comprised India and Sri Lanka. But to accommodate its growth, in 2011, it was split. The newly formed District 41 comprised North India. While South India and Sri Lanka constituted D-82. As fate would have it, in 2014, the district would split once again. D-92 was formed out of the clubs in Karnataka and Kerala while D-82 accommodated the clubs in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

The visionary who brought the Toastmasters movement to India was a gentleman by the name of Chittur Subramanian. The story starts in 1991 when TM Chittur Subramanian, who was a founding member of the first club in Bahrain, realized what a swell idea it would be to start one in India. He set out with his friends to form the Garden City Toastmasters Club in Bangalore, India. Officially, the Garden City Toastmasters Club was chartered in on 9th September, 1992.

Back then a small group of 15 used to meet weekly once at the Indian Institute of Engineers for a few good hours of fun, frolic and learning.

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Ovations 2016 –

A Leadership Journey

Leadership opportunities are plenty in Toastmasters. In a club setting, if being the Toastmaster of the day (TMOD) can help us learn time management, team management and crisis management just imagine the amount of opportunities that are made available to sharpen our leadership skills at an event like the District Conference.

I was fortunate to get one such opportunity recently when I played the role of Contest Chair in Ovation 2016.

A contest chair is like a Reserve Bank Governor. Your role is independent of the overall agenda and yet you are duty bound to fall in line broadly with the expectations of the conference.

I was so excited to do the role of contest chair that for a moment I was tempted to give a five minute opening speech. That is when one of the many vital lessons that my mentor, DTM Lalitha Giridhar taught me during the early days dawned on me. She said, “When a leadership opportunity is presented to you – don’t hoard the limelight. Instead, serve the people.

Leadership isn’t about you – the leader. It’s about the people you lead.”

I oversaw the contest with that profound thought in my mind.

I promised myself that the day will not be about the contest management team and their or my efforts as the Contest Chair but the contestants and the audience.

A big conference like this is not one man’s job. This is a team effort. Contest masters who woke up as early as 5 AM and travelled 60 kilometres to be at the venue; the Sergeant-at-Arms team who ran pillar to post leaving no stone unturned to meet contestant needs; members who skipped their breakfast to be at the venue and ensure things were set right for the contest; volunteers at the audio and video desk who were on their feet during the contest are some examples of the selfless leaders who shouldered the success of the contest. They didn’t take instructions but responsibility. I am glad that I was blessed with these fantastic members in my team. If not for them, I wouldn’t have been rejoicing on all the positive feedback which truly belonged to them.

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I learnt that unwavering faith in a man’s ability uncovers great potential.

I believe that two important requirements for any person to perform a task are freedom and power.

As the Contest Chair, I was given full freedom by the conference chair DTM Jayan Narayanan & his team. He made sure our voices were heard, our feedback was incorporated and the resources we needed were available at our disposal. Believe me when I say this, the only time DTM Jayan spoke to me about the contest was when he asked me if I would be able to take up the role of Contest Chair. With such high degree of freedom and power, a sense of responsibility engulfed me. The same freedom was in turn cascaded to my team members too. The results were there for everyone to see. We had a fantastic contest that went seamlessly well. I learnt from DTM Jayan that when you want someone to perform a role, place your faith in them. Give them uninhibited freedom and power. The results will stun everyone.

This is what I learnt from my team – TM Satish Menon, TM Aishwarya Janarthanan, TM Amit Mahendru, TM Pratima, Ramanujam, TM Vaishali Kumar, TM Velmurugan, TM Vijay Ragavan, TM Ganesh, TM Gireesh and TM Arun Alavala.

Any role in Toastmasters is important and has its significance. When you are asked to take up a role in your club, area, division or district, it’s quite common for anyone to have doubts on their ability to do justice to the role. Especially so when the margin for error is very minimal.

I have always had that self-doubt in me. But then, I recalled what Richard Branson said.

“If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you’re not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later.”

Toastmasters, when someone offers you an opportunity and you’re not sure you can do it, say yes, and then learn how to do it.

It’s a privilege to be part of District 82.

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Begin Strong and

End Strong

After hours of tedious preparation, the moment to deliver your speech is finally here. You’re standing before the podium. All eyes are on you. You stand firm – clothed in confidence. You begin boldly.

“Hello, Toastmasters. Thank you for having me here today. I am going to talk about climate change.

To begin, I’d like to stress on the importance of…”

Suddenly, people begin to sink into their seats. They text, whisper to one another and do anything but pay attention to you. And though you are loud, you know you have lost your voice because no one is listening anymore. If your opening is mundane and doesn’t hold their attention there is little chance of your message effectively getting across. A strong speech opening is very vital to gain your audience’s attention.

An example of strong speech opening is the winning speech delivered at the International Speech Contest in 2015 by TM Mohammad Qattani. The tile of the speech is – The Power of Words. He begins his speech by pretending to light a cigarette.

He smoothly transitions into defending the tobacco industry all the while proving solid facts as to why. And just when you start doubting your life long vilification of the tobacco industry, with a straight face, he tells you that all the facts that he had just given were made up. The audience burst out laughing.

The opening that TM Mohammad used clicked very well and grabbed the audience attention for several reasons: The simple act of lighting the cigarette ignited interest amongst the audience. Diversity adds curiosity.

Effective use of pauses to build anticipation.

Use of statistics Drama created around the tobacco industry.

Perfectly timed and delivered humor.

There are several such techniques that can be effectively used to open strongly. Let’s look at some:

Quote Start with a compelling quote that sets the tone for the rest of the speech.

For example,

Life’s not about how hard you can hit. It’s about how many you can take, and still keep moving forward. the movie Rocky.

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them more.

Oscar Wilde

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Story

Silence

Stories are perhaps the most ideal way to open. Even a good story needs to have a good hook.

A pause, whether two seconds or ten seconds, allows your audience to sit and quiet down. Since the audiences generally expect the speaker to begin immediately, an extended silence can quip curiosity and bring the attention to the speaker straight away.

For example: “That extraordinary masterpiece was painted by an artist who didn’t have any hands”

Involve the audience in your speech opening Engage the audience by asking them to think or imagine or answer.

Involve them in your speech opening. This will keep the audience alert and on their feet. And they will stay attuned to your speech throughout. You can do this through several ways. a) “What If” scenarios They immediately draw your audience and works wonders for your speech. Asking a “what if” question invites the audience to follow your thought process.

For example, “What if we still lived during the Stonehenge era?

How would it be?” b) “Imagine” scenarios This is a similar but more relevant method for sensational examples. It puts your audience directly into the presentation by allowing each member to visualize an extraordinary scenario.

For example, “Imagine jumping out of a plane while sky diving and discovering mid-jump that your parachute doesn’t work. What memories would flash before you?” c) Question or Quiz audience When someone is asked a question, whether an answer is called for or not, that person intuitively answers.

For e.g.: “Who wouldn’t want to live in an exotic island?”

Or

“How many of you have seen the latest Star wars movie?”

Statistic Use a simple, surprising, powerful and yet personalized statistic that will resonate with the audience to get your message across.

Personalized statics can set off your audiences’ emotional appeal.

For e.g.: “I have diabetes. It’s scary. Did you know that the amount of people dying from diabetes is three times the number of people dying from smoking?”

Powerful Statement/Phrase A statement or phrase can hold the audiences’ attention by keep them guessing as to what you’re about to say next. Staying silence afterwards also adds to the effect.

For e.g.: Steve Jobs, 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University: “Truth be told, (pause) I never graduated from college, and (pause) this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation” (audience laugh) 1 Prop or Visual A Prop or visual aid will definitely help emphasize a point.

A prop is captivating simply because it is new or unexpected.

Remember, the speakers who engage an audience immediately, both intellectually and emotionally are most like to leave a memorable impression. Interestingly, these same devices can be used to similar effect to conclude in a way that keeps your audience thinking about what you have said long after they have walked out the meeting hall.

Always remember people, “Begin strong, end strong”.

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It’s important to

Speak Up

The hall was packed. There were people in every nook and corner. The rostrum was wide and spacious. And bright lights flashed down onto the dais. A thundering applause broke out as a name read out by someone on stage echoed through the hall. With all the courage that I had, I walked up the stairs and stood at the center of the stage. My vision blurred. I took deep shaky breaths.

There was a loud ringing in my ears. What happened next was all the more embarrassing. I fainted while reciting my first rhymes, before hundreds of people. This memory has taunted me every time. And soon I was gripped by the fear of public speaking.

Years later, I asked myself a question. Is public speaking really important? And then came a day when the answer was yes.

How many of you share a similar story of fear so crushing that you would simply shut down rather than face it? Do you feel that public speaking is a daunting task? Do you question its importance?

Here I enunciate –why, where and how it is important.

THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING Public speaking is important and yet dreaded. Throughout our life, we might have dodged situations where we’ve had to address a crowd – I know I did. But in life, public speaking is vital and it is a skill to master and an art to hone.

Public speaking is a great value addition to your career.

There are scenarios ranging from an informal meeting with your team to a formal meeting with your manager or even the CEO of your company where addressing a crowd (your team) becomes unavoidable. Why, you might even have to make a presentation before potential clients. Isn’t public speaking important then?

Even in scenarios outside of work such as making a toast at your daughter’s wedding or reading out your vows on your own wedding, public speaking becomes important.

Believe it! Public speaking is important and it is a skill worth learning.

Our history is proof of it.

Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech inspired a nation and broke down racial barriers.

Steve Job’s iPhone presentation revolutionized the world and created a new era in technology. It is still one of the best presentations the world has ever seen.

Hitler’s many speeches were delivered with extreme passion and caused arguably one of the most horrific genocides of all time.

Throughout history, public speaking has influenced the world, revolutionized and instigated great changes.

IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SPEAKING Mr. Confidence Public speaking helps you gain self-confidence. By mastering the art of public speaking you are perfecting your skill at one aspect of communication. And this makes you more confident around people. Would you like to be confident?

Somewhere, sometime, you’ll need it Somewhere, sometime and at some point you may have to speak in front of a crowd. It could be as the valedictorian at your graduation day or while accepting an award at an event; your peers might throw you onto the stage and expect you to face the crowd without breaking a sweat. Are you ready for it?

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The Leader

Speak to Connect

Great leaders as history as shown us, time and again, have always been great communicators. Revolutionary leaders like Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler and allegedly Alexander the Great to name a few have always attracted like-minded folks to their cause through powerful delivery. You aren’t a leader if you aren’t able to communicate your thoughts effectively before your tribe or supporters, convincing and influencing them to partake in the change you plan to instigate. Are you a Leader?

Are you looking for a new way to network and make social connections? You should speak up – be it before your acquaintances, at the dinner table in your colleague’s wedding or during office parties and other such social gatherings. Speak up!

Don’t you want to connect?

Show What You Have Got It is absolutely important in public speaking to demonstrate your knowledge in front of the audience. You might have strived hard, gone through sleepless nights, missed your breakfast, lunch, or dinner to finish a prototype for your new client. But if you aren’t able to demonstrate your knowledge during the presentation, you are bound to fail in the final hurdle. Here, the art of Public speaking helps you show people what you have got. Can you show everyone what you have got?

Influencer Did you come up with an idea that could revolutionize the world at dinner last night? Great! But you can’t change the world unless the idea steps out of your dining room. You have to let your ideas be heard! Be an influencer!

Be all of the above and more, Toastmasters. Speak up! Let your ideas be heard!

Gokul Balaji, Vice President- Public Relations, Infosys Toastmasters Chennai, Mahindra City.

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District Officers

Sudash Liyanage, DTM District Director

Ajantha Jayawardena, DTM Program Quality Director

Suganthi Periasamy, DTM Club Growth Director

Sastharam Ravendran, DTM Immediate Past District Director

Srianthie Salgado, DTM Administration Manager

Ishani Kuruppu Finance Manager

Vidiya Prasanth Public Relations Manager

Scerena Dirckze District Chief Judge

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District Extended Team

Shyam Kumar Reddy Oduru Logistics Manager, Tamilnadu

Mahinda Karunakara Logistics Manager, Srilanka

Ramanujam Raghavan Assistant Finance Manager, Tamilnadu

Namini Gunasena Speechcraft Coordinator

Alex Jacob TLI Chair, Tamilnadu

Yasangi Randeni TLI Chair – Srilanka

Vijayalakshmi Soundararajan DCP Chair, Tamilnadu

Inshaf Mohamed DCP Chair, Srilanka

Abraham Zachariah, DTM Club Extension Chair, Tamilnadu

Ranmal Goonetilleke Club Extension Chair, Srilanka

Guru Ragavan Ravindran Club Retention Chair, Tamilnadu

Ganga Fernando Club Retention Chair , Srilanka

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District Extended Team

Manisha Shah Gavel Club Coordinator, Tamilnadu

Punsirimewan Kamburawala Gavel Club Coordinator, Srilanka

Arivarul A Social Media Chair

Navaneetha Krishnan Madavan Webmaster

Hingston Lovell Asst. Public Relations Manager, Srilanka

Sakthi Prasanna Media Relations Chair

Vijayalakshmi Gunasekarapandian Newsletter Editor

Chithiah Gunasekaran Creative Chair

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DIVISION & AREA DIRECTORS Division A

Sliema Gunatunge Division A Director

Ruwani Wimalasena Area Director A1

Lakshman Jayasuriya Area Director A2

Chitra Veerabahu Area Director A3

Nadya Tissera Area Director A4

Division B

Samuel Whitefield Division B Director

Lakshmi Ranganathan Area Director B1

Sai Kaza Area Director B2

Richards TV Area Director B3

Reena G S Area Director B4

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Division C

Varuna Ratnaweera Division C Director

Filician Mariathasan Area Director C1

Buddhika Fernando Area Director C4

Sonia Vitarana Area Director C2

M A Chaminda Kumara Area Director C3

Mangaleshwaran Ratnajothy Area Director C4

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Division D

Saravana Kumar Division D Director

Shrirashmi S Area Director D1

Satish Menon Area Director D2

Karthikeyan Arumugam Area Director D3

Manikandan Balasubramanian Area Director D4

Division E

Ranishka Wimalasena Division E Director

Dharshana Gunarathne Area Director E1

Mahesh Abeyesekara Area Director E2

Shuvo Hridayesh Area Director E3

Nishantha Hettiarachchi Area Director E4

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Division F

Chandrasiri Wanasinghe Division F Director

Eranjana Kathriarachchi Area Director F1

Chaya Wickramadara Area Director F2

Shehara Dissanayake Area Director F3

M Zaidh Naushard Area Director F4

Division G

Sunil G Baffna Division G Director

Muki V S Area Director G1

Santhosh Thomas Area Director G2

Lakshmi Priya Area Director G3

Jaichitra Ramakrishnan Area Director G4

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Division H

Chethiya Subasinghe Division H Director

Fazmil Thoufeek Area Director H1

Sudath Fernando Area Director H2

Ramani Ilangasinghe Area Director H3

Anura Nishantha Perera Area Director H4

Division I

Ramalingam K Division I Director

Singaravelan V Area Director I1

Arun M.G. Area Director I2

Priya Muthukumar Area Director I3

Sunil Jose Area Director I4

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Division J

Sanjeewa Fonseka Division J Director

Nuwan Wijesinghe Area Director J1

Nisal Weerakoon Area Director J2

Rohan Mendis Area Director J3

Fairooz Marikar Area Director J4

Division K

Sateesh Kumar S Division K Director

Sriram Venkataraman Area Director K1

Mahendra Varman Sekhar Area Director K2

Sarathy S Srinivas Area Director K3

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Division L

Mythily Ramanan Division L Director

Mala Balasubramanian Area Director L1

Sundar Soreneswaran Area Director L2

Sivakumar Palaniappan Area Director L3

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Happy

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