PULSE – Volume 01 , Issue 01

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CONTENTS

THE EDITOR’S DESK

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t is with great excitement that I present to you the first issue of ‘Pulse’ - the official newsletter of District 82. Over the course of this year, Pulse will be your source of information on all district news, views, updates, contests, and so much more. And that’s not it. Pulse will also bring you the voices of your peers from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, who are an integral part of your journey as a Toastmaster, presenting to you their stories of transformation into better communicators and able leaders.

The Editor’s Desk

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The ID’s Visit

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District Governor’s Address

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Coverage of the DOTP

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LGET’s Address

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Are you a Toastmaster?

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LGM’s Address

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Six Ways to Achieve Any Goal

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Awards Criteria

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The Split of District 82

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From the cover page, you must have surmised the theme of this issue. Yes, you got that right! It is ‘planning’. Being the first issue of the year, we thought hard on what would be that one theme that would add value to your journey as a Toastmaster. And we’re glad we zeroed in on this for what better theme to start the year than this?

There is an adage that says - ‘Failing to plan is planning to fail.’ If you get the plan for your club, area, or division set right now, then you will have nothing holding you back from the starry success that awaits you.

TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim District Newsletter Editor

We’ve worked hard to keep this issue light, breezy and fun, while being informative at the same time. I urge you all to read Pulse for it will take you back to the basics of being a Toastmaster, while forging you ahead towards the beautiful future that awaits this illustrious District. I look forward to your feedback and comments. Happy reading!

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THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR

TRIO TALK

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uly 2014 – the start of a new year, and more, the beginning of a new district, with its hopes and aspirations, its toil and challenges.

There is a tinge of sadness to break away from our friends, who are now going to be in District 92, and yet, there is the thrill of being a part of something new, with the excitement of new targets to achieve and greater challenges to conquer.

So much work and planning has already been done.

The training of district officers at the DOTPs in Chennai and

Colombo has been completed and met with much satisfaction. The enthusiasm of young team members is very encouraging and reassuring.

One of the more visible aspects of this is the brand new website, which we hope to launch on July 1.

When complete, this website will be a one-stop-shop for all our district requirements, with a new Toastmasters brand portal and a host of useful information. Whilst I write about it, the details are being kept as a surprise even from me, so I am

really looking forward to its launch!

My friends, now is the time we need to get down to work, to achieve, and indeed to exceed, the goals we have set for ourselves. At the DOTPs, all the district officers agreed on two simple goals – to be a President’s Distinguished District, and to be ranked number 1 in the world.

I ask you all now to please join me; join me so that we can walk together and work towards achieving these goals.

DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee

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LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR- ET

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hat is success? Is it in the tangibles or in the intangibles? Or can it be found in both? In the new age where a part of the world is playing the numbers game, and another part of the world is focussed towards profound goals (like Bhutan, that works towards the happiness quotient), success is something that is perceived differently world over.

With District 82 splitting again, it is a gigantic responsi-

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we have a balance struck in our goals. With a new district in hand, we have new milestones to reach and new standards to set. The last month of transition has already been a roller coaster ride with all the paper work, reports and the new district’s qualifying documentations that had to be done.

Marketing was something that I had a flair for, but education and training is new to me.

I am thrilled because this challenges me to learn and grow as

well. I have already researched and reflected on ways to most effectively execute my role as the Lieutenant Governor for Education and Training (LGET). I love the new challenges that this new job brings in, and it already makes me feel like I am going to learn a lot form this. I bet this is true.

A new dimension of learning unfolds for me with organizing, planning, budgeting, and chartering training programs.

What is in it for me? I will learn to manage time better and be

more organized.I am all geared up for it.

From a quantitative role of the Lieutenant Governor of Marketing, I have moved to a qualitative profile of training and education. In my years of being a Toastmaster, I have understood thtat quantitative goals will surely help make District 82 number one again in the world, but it is the quality of speakers and leaders that will help hoist the flag of growth at the International Convention.

We can be proud of the fact that we have indeed not just produced one International champion, one Regional Advi-

sor or one International Director, but we stand for a District that churns out international champions of public speaking and leaders who go on to the Regional and International level every year. That to me is growth, that to me is quality, and that to me is success.

are definitely headed towards the right path.

With this dawn of the new age, we have a young PR Team – gung-ho, empowered and innovative. Some people may have raised their eyebrows when I had selected this team from Chennai but I ensure you all, this youthful energy is what will help make District 82 number one again.

We hope that this year instils enthusiasm, dawns a hope and most importantly sculpts a better leader and speaker in all of us. Let’s support each other and grow together.

The quality of our District depends on the quality of questions we ask. Can our judges be trained more often?

Can there be more educational training programmes? Can the division and area governors get enough support from the Trio?

When the answer to all of this is an unequivocal ‘yes’, then we DTM Sastharam Ravendran

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LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR - M

Have you visited the new District 82 website? If not, then you’re missing out an a LOT! Presenting the new website of District 82 Toastmasters - www.d82.org.

Log on NOW and feel the magic!

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t’s indeed a great pleasure in welcoming each and every member of our District 82 family, as well as our near and dear family members of districts 92 and 41, who were the off springs of District 82. Also a traditional and warm welcome is extended to all of you, who wish to be part of our District 82 family of Toastmasters living in the geography of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu (India), on behalf of the District 82 Council.

I am proud to be the Lieutenant Governor Marketing of our

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President’s Distinguished District Status consecutively in the recent past and is ranked within the top 5 in the world of Toastmasters. Our District has been placed Number 1 for 3 consecutive years from 2008/09 to 2010/11 and won the ‘Excellence in Leadership Award’ for achieving ‘Distinguished District’ for three or more consecutive years in the recent past.

These achievements are a testimony of the character, courage and commitment of all leaders and members of our

District. It’s proven that such achievements cannot be considered a stroke of luck, accident or a coincidence but a planned and dedicated effort of our members.

In other words, if we develop a sound plan now to reach our set targets for the new Toastmaster year 2014/2015 and commit ourselves to achieve them as one and all, it’s inevitable to be at the top most of the world ranking once again.

DTM Sudash Liyanage

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THE SPLIT OF DISTRICT 82

D82 BUZZ

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Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.

Here’s how the divisions were renamed:

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WHEN EMINENCE

TOOK OVER CHENNAI International Director of Region 13 recognizes software firm, Infosys, for its continued support to the Toastmasters movement, writes Noorain Mohammed Nadim, Editor-in-Chief, Pulse

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eepak Menon, DTM, the International Director of Toastmasters International for Region 13, visited Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India on May 19 to felicitate software giant, Infosys. Surpassing expectations with their excellent record, the Chennai chapter of the organization had enhanced their employee engagement by extending unconditional support towards Toastmasters’ communication and leadership programmes, while motivating their clubs to set and achieve exceptional targets. Infosys Toastmasters constitutes two clubs in the city - Infosys Toastmasters Chennai and Infosys Shols Toastmasters Chennai.

Chartered in 2012, the achievements of both the clubs are noteworthy. Besides consistently receiving 10 Distinguished Club Program (DCP) points, the clubs achieved the Golden Gavel award

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in their first year and the Golden Gavel Plus award in their second year of existence.

A special event – ‘Coronation’ was organized at Infosys’ Mahindra World City branch to commemorate the occasion. Senior leader from Toastmasters International, Sastharam Ravendran, DTM, Lieutenant Governor of Marketing, District 82, and senior managers from Infosys, Thothathri Visvanathan, Vice President, Delivery Head, and Development Centre Head, and Sujith Kumar, Head of Human Resources, were some of the dignitaries who graced the event. DTM Menon enthralled a crowd of over a hundred people with his session – ‘Talk the Walk, Walk the Talk: The Essentials of Leadership’, that discussed how one could be an effective leader.

This was followed by the distribution of the award to the man-

agement of Infosys, appreciating their support towards the growth of Toastmasters in the organization. Thothathri Visvanathan and Sujith Kumar collected the award on behalf of Infosys.

On the following day, i.e., May 20, DTM Menon continued to promote the many boons of the Toastmasters platform with an exclusive interview on Radio One’s morning show – ‘Showcase.’ He discussed how Toastmasters helps people hone their communication and leadership skills, benefiting them immensely in the personal and professional spheres of their lives.

He also encouraged the people of

Chennai to join the Toastmasters movement and take advantage of the many virtues it has to offer. The show was broadcast to the public on June 02.success. A special memento was awarded by DTM Menon to Mr. Bhaskaran, Head of Human Resources for TCS, Chennai, and Suganthi Periasamy, DTM, Division ‘G’ Governor, District 82. DTM Menon also conducted an interactive session on ‘How to attract people to join Toastmasters and how to retain members to keep coming back to their club,’ enlightening the audience with the learning that the attributes that pull us into Toastmasters are the ones that retain us too. This event was also graced by Nina John, DTM, Immediate Past District Governor, District 82.

Following the interview, DTM Menon made his way to honour another corporate giant, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for their remarkable contributions towards the success of District 82. TCS Maitree

Chennai Toastmasters Club, the first Toastmasters club in the organization in Chennai, was recognized as the ‘Best Club in District 82’ for the term 2011-2012. Soon, the club grew exponentially from 27 members to 120 members and filed a total of 52 educational awards, a membership and educational record that still remains unbeaten. To cater to the increasing number of members from TCS, six new Toastmasters clubs were gradually formed, with each club carving its own niche and receiving the Golden Gavel award. In lieu of these achievements, District 82 felicitated the organization for contributing immensely to its success. A special memento was awarded by DTM Menon to Mr. Bhaskaran, Head of Human Resources for TCS, Chennai, and Suganthi Periasamy, DTM, Division ‘G’ Governor, District 82.

DTM Menon also conducted an interactive session on ‘How to attract people to join Toastmasters and how to retain members to keep coming back to their club,’ enlightening the audience with the learning that the attributes that pull us into Toastmasters are the ones that retain us too. This event was also graced by Nina John, DTM, Immediate Past District Governor, District 82.

With this, the two-day visit of DTM Menon came to a grand close. Besides recognizing the outstanding efforts of corporate houses towards the Toastmasters movement, he also promoted the many virtues of Toastmasters across different avenues. His warm presence and wisdom motivated many Toastmasters to continue their journey of growth, while encouraging many non-Toastmasters to embark on their journey of self-confidence and development with the forum.

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OFFICERS OF D82 - READY AND RARING TO GO! DOTP is District Officers Training Program, where all the Area Governors, Division Governors, and District Leaders of a particular District are giving training to equip themselves with the skills required to face the challenges throughout their term, writes Goutham Verma, Education & Training, Coordinator, Chennai.

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roviding effective and practical training for all the District leaders is one of the most critical parts of District 82’s mission. The District team decided that without properly trained leaders, District82 cannot meet members’ needs or introduce the benefits of ToastmAasters to others.

With this in mind, the District Officers Training Program (DOTP) of District 82 was held in two places with the first being held in Chennai, India on June 14 & 15, 2014 and the second in Colombo, Sri Lanka on June 21 & 22, 2014.

The DOTP in Singaara Chennai (Charming Chennai) was held in Hablis Hotels. The first day started with the welcome address by our District 82 Governor, DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee, which was followed by our District Secretary, DTM Ajitha Goonawardene, spelling out the Vision and Mission of District 82.

Then, the Officers of District82 paid respect to both the constituent Countries of District 82 by playing the National Anthems of India and Sri Lanka. This was followed by District Governor, DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee

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conducting an introductory session where every District Officer was asked to introduce himself/herself and explain their unique traits, their hopes and fears.

In the next session, District Governor, DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee explained the different leadership styles that one can employ while serving as a leader.

This was followed by a hands-on training program by our Lieutenant Governor og Education and Training (LGET), DTM Sastharam Ravendran. It was a unique session where every participant present was given a chance to introspect on their personality.

DTM Sastharam Ravendran also focused on “How to develop trust in a team” in the session.

An informative session on ‘District Budgets and Finances’ was conducted by District Treasurer, Anoma Perera. Public Relations Officer, Pranav Vinodkumar with his team - Webmaster, Vidiya Prasanth, and District Newsletter Editor, Noorain Mohammed Nadim, made aware their plans of promoting Toastmasters throughout the District. A photo-shoot

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was organised just before lunch which brought smiles among the event participants even when they were aware of the huge responsibilities that was bestowed upon them in the following year.

After a delicious Lunch, the LGET team, comprising of the Education and Training Coordinator, Goutham Varma, DCP Chair, Sateesh Kumar and Club Quality Chair, Vijayalakshmi, took the stage and explained the various initiatives from the LGET Office. This was followed by a session on “How to Conduct Speechcraft and YLP” by DTM Saro Velrajan and a session on the ‘Revitalised Education Program’

by Rajesh Natarajan. To send away the after-lunch woes, the Organising Team comprising of Goutham Varma and DTM Sastharam had planned for a surprise entertainment session which saw Area Governor, Gautam Sharma, singing a couple of beautiful songs in Tamil and English. He was ably supported on the drums by DTM Sastharam Ravendran. The day ended with District Governor, DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee, spelling out the requirements from the Division/ Area Teams.

On the following day, i.e., June 15, the targets of District 82 for the year, in terms of educational awards and marketing were spelt out by LGET, DTM Sastharam Ravendran and LGM, Sudash Liyanage.

This was followed by a discussion on the OTP, JTP and Conferences dates by the various District and Area Governors and the District Calendar was formulated and finalised. A hands-on workshop was conducted by LGET, DTM Sastharam Ravendran, on Report Filing and Dashboards. An interesting Judges Training Session was conducted by Chief Judge, DTM Niroshan Nadarajah, where the role of Judges and Chief Judges in Contests and the process of judging was clearly explained.

LGET, DTM Sastharam Ravendran explained the Golden Gavel, Golden Gavel + (Plus) and the Club OTP Structure. This was followed by the first-ever Combined Division Review meeting where the Past Divison and Area Governors were invited and asked to share their experiences and challenges about the various clubs in their Area/Division to the Incoming Teams. This ensured that the present team had enough information to work on during their term.

The day came to a close with the distribution of certificates, and recognition for all the participants and with heartfelt wishes for the forthcoming year.

FROM COLOMBO...WITH LOVE - SNIPPETS FROM THE DOTP IN SRI LANKA

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he DOTP in Colombo was held in one of its most iconic locations - the Taj Samudra. This was just adjacent to the iconic Gold Face Beach in Colombo, with the meeting hall being the original meeting location of the Colombo Club, which has been in existence since the late 1800s. Day 1 of the DOTP started with an opening address by our past International Director, DTM Balraj. This was followed by a session on ‘Communication for leaders’ by DTM Balraj. He stressed on the importance of communication to run a team and highlighted many mistakes leaders do while interacting with others.

An introductory session was conducted by the District Governor, DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee. This was followed by a session by the District Treasurer, TM Anoma, on the Treasury goals for District 82. District PRO, TM Pranav Vinodkumar discussed the PR goals for the year, while LGM, DTM Sudash Liyanage, spoke about how one could deal with sick and remote clubs. Day 2 of the DOTP started with a session where the divisions came up with their goals for the year and the dates for their OTPs and JTPs were fixed. The elected officers spoke with their present counterparts on the challenges they faced and got to know their respective area and division better. The DOTP finally came to a close with the recognitions and the certificates distributed to the organizers and participants respectively.

Pranav Vinod Kumar, District PRO, District 82

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EVOLUTION

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REVISITING THE FOUNDATION

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or more than 86 years, Toastmasters International has been recognized as the leading organization dedicated to communication and leadership skill development. Through its worldwide network of clubs, each week Toastmasters helps more than a quarter million men and women of every ethnicity, education level and profession build their competence in communication so they can gain the confidence to lead others.

The world needs leaders. Leaders head families, coach teams, run businesses and mentor others. These leaders must not only accomplish; they must communicate. By regularly giving speeches, gaining feedback, leading teams and guiding others to achieve their goals in a supportive atmosphere, leaders emerge from the Toastmasters program.

The organization answers a new generation’s plea: Where can I go to become a better communicator and ultimately, a stronger leader?

Toastmasters continues to build on its legacy by providing a strong foundation for the future. Its proven educational program continually evolves to address the needs of the world’s communicators and leaders both today and tomorrow. Toastmasters members learn to tell their stories. They listen and answer. They plan and lead. They give feedback — and accept it.

Through our community of learners, they find their path to leadership, and of becoming better communicators, team players and human beings.

IT TAKES METTLE TO BE A LEADER

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eaders are emotionally mature; they are comfortable with themselves and accept their own faults and abilities.

Leaders are free thinkers who are not afraid to disagree with the majority.

Leaders are goal-oriented.

Leaders are determined and will overcome obstacles to achieve their goals.

Leaders are willing to take risks and are not afraid to fail.

Leaders continue to perform despite delays, disappointments, or distractions.

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SIX WAYS TO ACHIEVE ANY GOAL

Leaders focus on continuous improvement.

Leaders inspire people around them to become better.

Leaders treat people with respect and importance.

Leaders are strong mentors.

Leaders are ambitious.

Leaders intuitively identify others’ strengths and help them to overcome their weaknesses.

Leaders recognize the effots of others.

your first marathon? That’s awesome, but it’s useless if you don’t even know which one, when or where. So before you buy those shoes, join a running team or even get off the couch, I recommend you just suck it up and sign up for the actual race. Set a date for yourself so you have something to work toward.

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e set goals of all calibers for ourselves every single day.

We’re setting goals because we want to become better versions of ourselves, or we want to upgrade our life experiences. We have personally selected these milestones as a way to make it happen. The Toastmasters year has just begun and it’s time you chart out your plan too.

Let’s hypothetically say that you gave up on the goal you set for yourself last year. Or maybe you’ve since set more goals (the less vetted versions of these are called dreams) and now you’re sitting there wasting away doing nothing about them. There’s a reason you want to accomplish these things, so respect that desire and do something about it.

Here are six tricks that may help.

Look at it. A goal that you can actually see is massively more powerful than a goal you write down on a checklist. Want to make

more money? Cut out a pic that speaks to you on that level.

You get the idea.

Tell people. Making yourself accountable to your friends and family is one of the best ways to reach your goals. Sure, it’s uncomfortable to share your setbacks.

But when you do, you’re going to get emails from friends who have experienced the same and they’ll get your mind back on track. And when you tell them about the milestones you reach, you’re going to get applause from people wishing they were you and reaching those same goals too. You will be shocked by the support you’ll get from your network.

Break it up. Many people abandon goals because they’re just too dang big. If you’ve done this to yourself, stop now. Change your game plan. Select milestones to get to your dream and make each of those Set a date. Do you want to run

Be realistic. I’m sure if I asked everyone here, you’d all be just as interested in magically obtaining a bazillion dollars. But there are some goals that are just too out of this world. Don’t set yourself up for failure by letting your dreams get bigger than your abilities. That’s not to say don’t set hard goals for yourself, just make sure they’re attainable.

Commit to yourself. Last but not least, there’s only one person in this goal-setting process that matters. You. It’s all on you, my friend. Commit to yourself and then re-commit yourself each time you fall (because that definitely happens along the way).

There’s a great quote out there that says, “It’s funny how day by day, nothing changes but when you look back everything is different.” One year from now, you’ll be one year older no matter what. Ask yourself this - “What can you do with your goals today that will make looking back to today feel really different and really satisfying?” Think about that and get your plans in action.

This article was originally published in Forbes. You can replicate the above steps to your life in Toastmasters too!

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AWARDS ABLAZE

This is a snippet of Toastmasters International’s - ‘Leader Letter.’ You can read the full version by clicking here.

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BEST AREA GOVERNOR AWARD Following are the criteria and deadline for becoming the best Area Governor in District 82: • All the dates not mentioned otherwise are valid upto WHQ time (Pacific Daylight Time) which is 11:30 AM or 12:30 PM in India of the next day. For example, April 30, 2014 of USA means 12:30 PM in India on May 01, 2014. This is ONLY for matters related to WHQ reporting. For reports to be sent to the LGET team, DS, etc., the Indian midnight of the date mentioned will be the cut-off time.

• The Trio reserves the rights to change any parameter at any time if the spirit of the rule is being violated.

• All Area Governors achieving these criteria will be recognized, and he/she with the most points will be awarded the Best Area Governor Award at Ovations 2015.

To read the roles and responsiblities of an Area Governor, please click here.

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BEST DIVISION GOVERNOR AWARD Following are the criteria and deadline for becoming the best Division Governor in District 82: • All the dates not mentioned otherwise are valid upto WHQ time (Pacific Daylight Time) which is 11:30 AM or 12:30 PM in India of the next day. For example, April 30, 2014 of USA means 12:30 PM in India on May 01, 2014. This is ONLY for matters related to WHQ reporting. For reports to be sent to the LGET team, DS, etc., the Indian midnight of the date mentioned will be the cut-off time.

• The Trio reserves the rights to change any parameter at any time if the spirit of the rule is being violated.

• All Division Governors achieving these criteria will be recognized, and he/she with the most points will be awarded the Best Division Governor Award at Ovations 2015.

To read the roles and responsiblities of a Division Governor, please click here.

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GOLDEN GAVEL AND GOLDEN GAVEL PLUS

Reverberations will take place in Chennai, India, Green Park Hotel, on November 14 and 15, 2014. To register, please contact: Gautam Sharma on: +91 9789931618, +91 7200044728

• The award eligibility to be considered for this program is 10 DCP Points, with a minimum distinguished status by May 15, 2015.

• To be eligible for Golden Gavel Plus, it is critical that all the requirements of Golden Gavel are fulfilled.

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• The program timeline is - July 01, 2014 May 15, 2015.

• Applications for Golden Gavel are available online. Participating clubs must submit the same before May 15. No applications will be accepted after this deadline.

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