I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where,
For so swiftly it flew, the sight,
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, whose sight so keen and strong
That it can follow the flight of song?
Long, long afterward in an oak,
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
To the uncluttered toastmasters’ temperament
and
to all the kith and kin of every toastmaster
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 3
Division G – District 82
Division ‗G‘ of District 82 Toastmasters is geographically spread over the region of Tamil Nadu in India.
Division G consists of 5 Areas and has 25 clubs in her wing with 887 members. 5 Clubs have been chartered in
this term. Her clubs are widespread in Tamil Nadu with clubs from Vellore, Salem, Coimbatore, Trichy and
Chennai coming under her wing.
In this educational year, within the last 3 months, 79 educational awards have been filed by 60 members across
18 clubs.
She is the proud mother of the largest family in District 82.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 4
Contents Division G – District 82 .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Wishes from the District Governor – DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee ................................................................................ 5
From the Lieutenant Governor Education and Training, District 82 – DTM Sastharam Ravendran .................... 6
From the Lieutenant Governor Marketing, District 82 – DTM Sudash Liyanage ................................................. 7
From the Division Governor – TM Rahul Shankar ................................................................................................ 8
Division Council ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
From the Area Governors ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Division Directory ................................................................................................................................................ 12
Division Awards ................................................................................................................................................... 17
Wishes from Region 13 Advisor .......................................................................................................................... 21
Bonds of a Lifetime – DTM Nina John (Past District 82 Governor) ................................................................... 22
Are you ready for some Golu Climbing – DTM Suganthi Periasamy (Past Division G Governor) .................... 23
What‘s In It for You – DTM Saro Velrajan (Past Division G Governor) ............................................................ 25
Are we doing enough? – DTM Rajeev Nambiar (Division B Governor, District 82) .......................................... 26
Concoction of Learning and Laughter – TM Sudha Rajesh (Immediate Past Area Governor in Division G) ..... 27
World of Equality – TM Rahul Ganesan .............................................................................................................. 28
Our Literary Roots – TM Vaishnavi Ramadass .................................................................................................... 29
A Small Change Can Bring Bigger Impact in Life- TM D. Visagamoorthi ......................................................... 31
The Art of Communication in Kathakali – TM Nirmala Varier ........................................................................... 32
Tamil and Toastmasters – TM Lakshmi Priya ...................................................................................................... 34
Craft Your Speech – TM Pradeep Kumar ............................................................................................................ 35
Evaluate To Motivate – TM Karthik Palaniappan ................................................................................................ 36
Milestones, Memories and Moments .................................................................................................................... 39
Our Hatchlings – Chartered Recently ................................................................................................................... 43
Opulence 2014 ...................................................................................................................................................... 44
The Next District Event – Reverberations 2014 ................................................................................................... 45
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 5
Wishes from the District Governor – DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee
It is my pleasure to send my best wishes to all of you for your
semi-annual Division G Conference. Once again, you have the
opportunity to bring together members of your whole division, as
well as members and well-wishers from other Toastmasters clubs,
to renew friendships and enjoy fellowship, and to benefit from the
educational content and the speech contests which are an integral
part of the conference. We all thoroughly enjoyed the previous
conference in Chennai and look forward to a great time again.
It is also time to reflect on our performance to date, to measure
the performance of clubs and members as committed at the
beginning of the year compared to our present position. We must
renew our challenge to improve and strengthen our own clubs and
grow the movement of Toastmasters in our divisions and district.
Developing more clubs, inducting new members and striving for
maximum membership retention, is one of the basic goals of the
Toastmasters movement.
These months of the year ahead are important, as they give us the
opportunity to focus on our goals, identify our strengths and weaknesses, and achieve our promised targets, by
persuading the members to complete their educational projects, and work towards the Distinguished Club
Programmes as set out by our own objectives. Through this, we will be fulfilling the basic objective of
Toastmasters, to maximize the Member experience.
I am confident that under the inspired leadership of your team of office bearers, the conference will draw in
many members, develop the skills of existing members and our movement will continue to thrive.
Wish you all the very best, and assure you of my full support for all your endeavors.
With best regards,
Yusuf Jeevunjee
District Governor,
District 82, Toastmasters International.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 6
From the Lieutenant Governor Education and Training, District 82 –
DTM Sastharam Ravendran
‗‘Success is often a matter of holding on longer, when others have given up‗‘
From around the globe, since ancient times, we have heard, time and again, stories- stories not just about
success but about Resilience. A word that amplifies the power of a human being‘s desire for excellence and his
unstoppable passion for his dreams.
We today, salute to one such story. After 10 years of consistent attempts, a man who has walked the talk of
perseverance and resilience has made us proud. Dhananjaya Hetteriarichi has set a milestone as a leader through
his power of speech. Tamil Nadu Toastmasters have seen Dan‗s
charisma from time to time including his talk last time at the Div.
G conference. We knew we saw a champion. A champion who
exuberated confidence, belief and most importantly hope. The hope
that we too can dream, dream big, work towards it a ten thousand
times and aim to be the next world champion of public speaking.
District 82 is a distinct district that has the privilege to have the best
of both worlds- India and Srilanka. Cultural exchanges enrich
us, intellectual discussions open up our minds and varied leadership
styles from both countries truly give us an International exposure in
this International organization. Dhananjaya‘s success story has been a
quintessential learning for all of us from this country about what it
takes to never give up.
The initiative of the Divisions to invite him yet again to share his glory, to imbibe a spirit of fellowship and to
yet again inspire us to be like him one day, some day is truly commendable.
We will now, no longer just understand the words ‗‘Success is often a matter of holding on longer, when others
have given up‗‘ but truly experience it as well.
Regards,
Sastharam Ravendran,
LGET, District 82 Toastmasters
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 7
From the Lieutenant Governor Marketing, District 82 – DTM Sudash Liyanage
It is indeed a pleasure to send this message for ‗Swas – The breath of Division G‘ that inhale the ‗Opulence
2014 – A celebration of Knowledge and Tradition‘.
We celebrate the 90th
Anniversary of the birth of Toastmasters for this 22nd
October, growing ever since as a
brand known internationally as a catalyst in enhancing the knowledge and skills of communication and
leadership. Traditionally, we empower members to become effective communicators & leaders, so that they
will inculcate the wealth of confidence to realize their true potential and transform as a better human being.
I am proud of TM Rahul Shankar, our Division-G Governor and his able team for their true ability to plan and
present a wonderful conference to enhance the knowledge of our members
and to uphold the tradition of sharing, caring and mutual support to
become better leaders.
My experience in organizing eight different conferences for toastmasters
has provided abundance of opportunities to sharpen leadership skills and
to bring out the best in me. Traditionally, conference organizers are
benefitted in numerous ways. They will certainly build trust, unity and
harmony across the areas, clubs and Individual member. Participants can
also embrace the wealth of knowledge shared, networking with
membership, associating with great personalities to sniff their successes
and above all to be a part of the unique family of Toastmasters. The
testimony for same is epitomized with my participation in all nine district
conferences held so far from year 2006, where I began my journey in
toastmasters.
Hence, make the Opulence 2014 as your springboard to be successful in
toastmasters and the platform to reciprocate the gains by practicing and
protecting core values of toastmasters; Respect and Integrity, be of Service
to members to reach Excellence.
I am confident that the members of Division G will certainly set this conference ‗Opulence 2014‘ a celebration
of knowledge and tradition.
Sudash J. Liyanage
Lieutenant Governor Marketing, 2014-2015
District 82, Toastmasters International
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 8
From the Division Governor – TM Rahul Shankar
Greetings!
I am pleased to write this message to each and every one of
you members in awe of one fact: We are part of a movement
that turns 90 years this October 22nd! Being a Toastmaster has
immensely contributed to my life and I am sure it has too, to
each and every one of you!
Our Division, in just three months has seen members
participate enthusiastically in delivering speeches, playing
roles, taking up leadership and supporting Division Initiatives.
I want to thank you for this great start to the Toastmasters year
and look forward to serving you and working with you to help
each of you have the best membership experience here at
Toastmasters.
Each of us took up Toastmastering for different reason - but we
all are in this movement together where we learn from each
other and grow as leaders and communicators. I urge all of you
to continue to strive for your self-development, but at the same
time look out for that fellow member who needs help, that a bit
of reassurance to not give up and a friend to applauded and
encourage. Let this year be one where we all give that gentle pat on the back to our fellow members. Our focus
shall remain on bettering our member experience - to us and to any new member who attends our club meetings,
contests and conferences.
This conference is aptly named 'Opulence 2014' as it celebrates the grand manner in which the movement has
grown around the world, particularly in our part of the world and how we all seem to gain so much knowledge
and insight from it. I hope you have a wonderful experience and are able to gain a lot of learning from this event
that has been organized to ensure that it is the best platform for our members.
At Division G, we are always in it together - to learn, lead and grow!
Regards,
Rahul Shankar
Division Governor – Division G, District 82
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 9
Division Council
Division Governor Rahul Shankar (ACG, ALB) with the Division Council
From Top (Left To Right) : Area Governor G1 – TM Prasanna Venkataraman (CC, ALB)
Area Governor G2 – TM Ranganathan Rajendran (ACG, ALB)
Area Governor G3 – TM Ira Shukla (CC, ALB)
Area Governor G4 – TM Aravindan Kuttalam (ACG, ALB)
Area Governor G5 - TM Gautam Sharma (CC, ALB)
Division PRO – TM Aishwarya Sudhakar (CL)
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 10
From the Area Governors
TM Prasanna Venkataraman, Area Governor, G1
They say `Tell me who your friends are; I will tell you who you are`. And today I can very proudly say that I have more than 100
great friends who are Toastmasters who will listen to every story of mine. A force which wants me to grow as an individual both
within the community and outside as well.
Though when I joined Toastmasters, I thought I was so unfortunate to join this forum and waste my Sunday evenings, things have
changed my perception over a period of time. Nowhere in this world can you find so many positive vibes around you. People
spend their time to improve you and bring out the best in you with absolutely no returns apart from personal satisfaction. DTM
Kartik Srinivasan can chose to train corporates instead of Contestants, DTM Suganthi can clock more hours in office than visiting
various clubs every week, DTM Jayan can toss several coins at a time than sitting in one Toastmasters meeting for 2 hours. But
they all grow because of knowledge they gain through this journey of Toastmasters.
We have not only built Toastmasters, over years, to help ourselves, but to help the community as the whole. Every Youth
Leadership Program, be it in SIET, BWC, Madurai or wherever we have conducted, the testimony to each of them is the request
we get the same time next year.
To me every Toastmasters club is like a nuclear reactor. We get charged every week through various meetings and in turn have
sufficient power to charge and excite more members. Each dedicated Toastmaster has more power than an induced nuclear atom.
Toastmasters are an extended family and I will keep going home every weekend.
TM Ranganathan Rajendram, Area Governor, G2
Toastmasters International is about to turn 90. An occasion to be celebrated with lot of pomp and fervor. What better way to
celebrate it. Opulence 2014 is on the cards and I am sure as the tagline says it‘s going to be a celebration of Knowledge and
Tradition. David Abram, the author of Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology says ―Breathing involves a continual oscillation
between exhaling and inhaling, offering ourselves to the world at one moment and drawing the world into ourselves at the next...‖
On a similar note I feel Toastmasters is a wonderful platform wherein we continuously oscillate ourselves between various
communication and leadership roles and groom ourselves on various essential aspects of Communication & Leadership. This is
my third year as a Toastmaster and I would say the amount of learning I have got from this moment is phenomenal. It‘s been 3
months in my stint as the Area governor for G2 and I would say it has been a wonderful journey. It has been a real pleasure
working with Rahul and the division council team. Rahul is someone who is a perfect example of a leader whom Ralph C
Smedley speaks about in one of his quotes “Leadership is the capacity to look ahead, think ahead, plan ahead, and then
influence other people to go ahead on the plan”. He is someone who has always shown the way; a real servant leader; A
worthy Successor for our Immediate Past Division Governor DTM Suganthi who has mentored me right from my early days. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members for turning out in large numbers and making the Confluence a big
Success irrespective of the unfavorable conditions outside. It speaks tons about the commitment and dedication of each of the
Toastmasters in Division G. I would like signoff with another quote by Ralph Smedley; ―Here we are, with tremendous
opportunity before us. I challenge you to get to work to bring us up to a higher level of service. Let us share with others
the benefits we have gained for ourselves. ―We are all a part of big family called Division G. Let us Learn, Care, Share and
Grow as a Family.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 11
TM Ira Shukla, Area Governor, G3
As we attend more sessions and collect more awards, remember to create the constellation of memories which will remind you
each time that you are a part of a movement which brought out the best in you and those around you. As we celebrate 90 years of
a legacy lets also remember to celebrate the club officers who work tirelessly to make our clubs distinguished and our member
experience something that we can cherish. And more importantly , let‘s remember to celebrate each other, celebrate the
realization that makes us all want to connect to something bigger than us in order to become someone better than who we are,
celebrate the fire that drives you to prepare for each session role 1 week in advance and celebrate the journey that each
Toastmaster undertakes to find the leader within and to find their true purpose as they continue to change and influence lives as
we grow collectively.
TM Aravindan Kuttalam, Area Governor, G4
Greetings! "If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself". - Henry Ford
The success of club, area, division and district is dependent on everyone moving forward together. I am happy and proud to be part of a group
where I can see this happening.
Our clubs are putting their best foot forward, with energy and enthusiasm. Two of the clubs in Area G4 are already distinguished - TCS Maitree
Chennai Toastmasters Club, which is President's Distinguished at DCP 9 and Alpha Betans Syntel Toastmasters Club which is at DCP 5.
Aristurtles Syntel Toastmasters Club is on track. The first quarter of this term has been a good start. I thank all the members for your
contribution.
Another good news has been the addition of a new club to Area G4 - Barclays Chennai Elite Speakers Club. I welcome the new club and its
members, and look forward to a great year with you. Along with putting their own foot forward, I am delighted to see that the members are also
helping others to move forward. Clubs have been helping each other as role players or mentors. Areas are helping each other, as was witnessed
during the conduct of contests. I thank all the members, Excomms, and my cohort Area Governors - Prasanna, Ira, Ranganathan and Gautam for
their help and support. It is this synergy that makes working in this group, truly pleasurable and worthwhile.
Over the last few years, Division G has been setting the precedent of doing the unprecedented, and this year will not be an exception under the
able leadership of our Division Governor, TM Rahul Shankar. I look forward to another stellar year, and am proud to be part of this most
happening Division of Toastmasters.
TM Gautam Sharma, Area Governor, G5
To a Division that brings together knowledge and tradition, what better way could I find to wish you other than a traditional vanakkam.
It gives me boundless joy in writing to all of you, the members who have always been known for the commitment towards Toastmasters
movement. What makes you all special is the burning passion for self-development and towards serving the community.
There was a boy who once wanted to become the most learned man in the world. After a lot of scrutiny, he zeroed in on one scholar who can be
his master. The boy asked the scholar, ―How long will it take for me to become the most learned man in the world?‖ ―10 years‖, replies the
scholar‖. The boy asks again, ―What if I put twice the amount of work than the other students?‖. Without thinking for the second the master
replies, ―20 years‖. The boy gets confused and asks how this could happen and the master gives him a reply, ―When you came here you were
focused on learning and not on the results. But as our discussion continued your focus was on the results and hence it would take more time.
Focus on learning and results will fall in place automatically.‖
The amount of results that members like you have produced, signifies that all of you are focusing on learning and self-development. With this
same thirst for learning, I am sure that Division G will reach greater and greater heights in the days, months and years to come. Wishing you all
the best.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 12
Division Directory
Area G1
Club Name : Chennai Toastmasters Club
Club No : 00665905
Day of Meeting : Sunday
Time of Meeting : 4 - 6 PM
Venue : Ruby Hall, The Presidency Club, Egmore, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Abhishek Mazumder, VP-PR, 9884108232
Club Name : Amazon Chennai Toastmasters Club
Club No : 01522687
Day of Meeting : Thursday
Time of Meeting : 5 - 7 PM
Venue : Amazon, Kandanchavadi, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Dileepan, VP-PR, 9941150885
Club Name : Shell Chennai Toastmasters Club
Club No : 02535524
Day of Meeting : Thursday
Time of Meeting : 3 - 4 PM
Venue : Camp-4A, RMZ MBP 143, Dr MGR Rd, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Lalit, VP-PR, 9176667109
Club Name : Wipro Chennai Toastmasters Club
Club No : 03358372
Day of Meeting : Thursday
Time of Meeting : Noon
Venue : CDC5, 1st floor, Elcot SEZ, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Dennis, VP-PR, 9677011069
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 13
Area G2
Club Name : Coimbatore Toastmasters Club.
Club No : 02148163
Day of Meeting : Saturday.
Time of Meeting : 6.15 - 8.00 PM
Venue : PSG Institute of Management,Peelamedu, Avinashi Rd,
Coimbatore
Contact Details of SPOC : Sivakumar Palaniappan, 96009 24929
Club Name : TCS Insurance Toastmasters Club
Club No : 02221629
Day of Meeting : Tuesday
Time of Meeting : 2.45 – 4.30 PM
Venue : Class 1 3F ATL Building , TCS Siruseri, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Lakshmi Priya, VP-PR, [email protected]
Club Name : TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club
Club No : 02560442
Day of Meeting : Thursday & Friday
Time of Meeting : 2.45 PM(Thursday) 1.45 PM (Friday)
Venue : EB5- 3rd floor SW- Training room – TCS Siruseri, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : TM Faraz , VP-M, 98 84 481323
Club Name : Trichy Toastmasters Club
Club No : 03270615
Day of Meeting : 1st Sunday & 3rd Wednesday of every month
Time of Meeting : 6-8 PM
Venue : TRICHY PLUS, C-112, 5th Cross, Fort Station Road,
Thillainagar, Trichy - 620018
Contact Details of SPOC : Savitri, VP-PR, 97900 64242
Club Name : TCS Maitree Titans Toastmasters Club
Club No : 04036554
Day of Meeting : Tuesday
Time of Meeting : 3.30 – 5 PM
Venue : Executive conference Room, 7th floor, TCS, Nevile Block, TRIL
Info Park (near to IITM research Centre), Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Annapoorna, VP-M, 81 22 421958
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 14
Area G3
Club Name : Terra VIT
Club No : 01600941
Day of Meeting : Thursday
Time of Meeting : 5-7 PM
Venue : SJT807 , VIT University, Vellore
Contact Details of SPOC : Rajanya Ghosh, 7845850207
Club Name : Brisa Toastmaster International-VIT Student Chapter
Club No : 02677376
Day of Meeting : Friday
Time of Meeting : 6-8 PM
Venue : Silver Jubilee Tower , VIT University, Vellore
Contact Details of SPOC : Ankit Raj Saxena, 8110020517
Club Name : Agua VIT
Club No : 03295314
Day of Meeting : Monday
Time of Meeting : 6-8 PM
Venue : SJT825, VIT University, Vellore
Contact Details of SPOC : Shivesh Dixit, 8 45 851055
Club Name : Fogo VIT Toastmasters
Club No : 03295314
Day of Meeting : Tuesday
Time of Meeting : 6-8 PM
Venue : VIT University, Vellore
Contact Details of SPOC : Vignesh, VP-PR, 9629785951
Club Name : PhoenixVIT
Club No : 04198235
Day of Meeting : Tuesday
Time of Meeting : 6-8 PM
Venue : SJT313, VIT University, Vellore
Contact Details of SPOC : Rohan, VP-PR, 9092056075
Club Name : Nuvens VIT
Club No : 04198323
Day of Meeting : Monday
Time of Meeting : 6-8 PM
Venue : SJT807, VIT University, Vellore
Contact Details of SPOC : Kaustav, 96 29 341794
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 15
Area G4
Club Name : TCS Maitree Chennai Toastmasters Club
Club No : 01373947
Day of Meeting : Wednesday
Time of Meeting : 2.45 – 4.30 PM
Venue : EB5- 1st Floor SW- Training room – TCS Siruseri, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Srikanth, VP-PR, 9524140073
Club Name : Alpha Betans Syntel
Club No : 03060904
Day of Meeting : Thursday
Time of Meeting : 1-2.30 PM
Venue : Syntel , Plot H7 & H8, Sipcot IT Park, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Tapan Krishna, VP-PR, 8939395135
Club Name : Aristurtles Syntel Toastmasters Club
Club No : 03409720
Day of Meeting : Friday
Time of Meeting : 4-5 PM
Venue : Syntel, 1-124, Shivaji Gardens, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Viswanathan, VP-PR, 9094012303
Club Name : Barclays Chennai Elite Speakers
Club No : 04077010
Day of Meeting : Thursday
Time of Meeting : 3-4 PM
Venue : Barclays Shared Services, 9A &9B, DLF IT Park, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Satya Swaroop ,[email protected]
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 16
Area G5
Club Name : KCG Toastmasters Club
Club No : 01557592
Day of Meeting : Tuesday
Time of Meeting : 2-4 PM
Venue : KCG College of Technology , Karapakkam , Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Praveen, VP-PR, 9382172229
Club Name : TCS Maitree Orators Toastmasters Club
Club No : 02247135
Day of Meeting : Thursday
Time of Meeting : 4-5 PM
Venue : RTSC, Digital Zone, TCS Karappakam, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Yogeshwaran, 9944864472
Club Name : TCS Maitree Champions Toastmasters Club,
Club No : 02560653
Day of Meeting : Thursday
Time of Meeting : 2.30 – 3.30 PM
Venue : TCS - Chennai One SEZ, Thoraipakkam, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Aishwarya, VP-PR, 9884058962
Club Name : TCS Maitree Infinity Toastmasters Club
Club No : 03356293
Day of Meeting : Wednesday
Time of Meeting : 2.15 – 3.15 PM
Venue : TCS – Velachery, Chennai
Contact Details of SPOC : Pradeep Kumar, VP-E, 9789821698
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 17
Division Awards
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 18
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 19
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 20
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 21
Wishes from Region 13 Advisor
Season‘s Greetings! It gives me great delight to wish you on the occasion of the semiannual conference of
Division G, District 82 - ―Opulence 2014‖ to be held in Chennai on 19th October 2014. I am sure it would be a
true celebration of knowledge and tradition! Hearty congratulations to Division G Governor Rahul Shankar and
his entire team of dedicated volunteers and my best wishes to all the delegates.
Toastmasters‘ is where leaders are made.
How can you become a better leader?
By asking yourself some of these questions:
1. Are you getting ready for the next change in your life? Can you anticipate the next challenge? How can you
prepare for potential problems? Are you learning new skills?
Good leaders are proactive, not reactive, because they anticipate change and make strategies
accordingly. They see around the corners to look beyond the obvious. They act in the present to shape
their future.
2. What kind of people are you working with? Are they very similar to you or different?
It is important to develop relationships with people with different thought process, style of working and
belief systems. You need be able to connect with them well enough so that they trust you & work with
you towards a shared goal. Good leaders understand that having a more diverse network is a source of
great strength, because you have people that are thinking differently than you are.
3. What can you do to develop courage? Can you listen to criticism and yet have the audacity to take only the
positive points and go ahead with your idea?
Good leaders dare to be different. They don't just talk. They implement their ideas by taking calculated
risks. Their courage is a result of their conviction.
I have been able to experiment with the above principles by taking up various leadership positions in
Toastmasters; from club level to international. I have been blessed with great mentors who shared their insights
to help me imbibe the learning at every step. I have discovered that being aware of what is happening inside me
is as important as achieving success in a particular role. And the beauty of Toastmasters is - it is a safe
environment. You may sometimes trip and fall but a helping hand is never far away.
Let us support each other to become better leaders.
Enjoy the conference.
Nagaraja Rao, DTM
Region 13 Advisor (2013-14)
Toastmasters International
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 22
Bonds of a Lifetime – DTM Nina John (Past District 82 Governor)
2014- the year Toastmasters turns 90, the year we look back on
this movement and how it has transformed millions of lives
across the world, and how it continues to do so. What is it about
Toastmasters that engenders such deep devotion and steadfast
loyalty?
I think it is the concept of servant leadership-where we all join
to build up our communication skills, but stay on because we
can build others up. This is one organization where titles do not
make a difference- being a POT –Plain Old Toastmaster is a
status that those who have not had a title enjoy as much as those
who have had a title and retired! It is such an immensely
humbling experience to attend the International conference and discover that the person sitting next to you at
the registration counter, or the Tally Counter at the contests is as likely to be a retired District Governor or even
International Past President, as it is to be a brand-new rookie Toastmaster!
The best part of attending the convention is meeting kindred spirits from across the globe, from countries you
have never heard of, and while talking, you discover you have exactly the same issues and challenges! It‘s
equally fun to walk in to a Toastmasters‘ meeting anywhere in the world and hear the familiar complaint: x role
player can‘t come because of traffic, or a new project, and suddenly, all eyes are on you as the Visiting
Toastmaster- ―Could you please help out?‖ And you are most happy to help. Confident of being able to play the
roles because your club does the same.
This spirit of camaraderie extends beyond the meeting –many clubs have a convivial session after the meeting,
some create fun social events (Dine Out Club in Houston dines out every week at a new location!), and some go
the extra mile (Chennai Communicators had a meeting on a boat in the sea!).
Recently, in Chennai, there were rumors of civil disturbances likely in the city, the day two Divisions were
holding their contests. Amazingly, every single Toastmaster present sent out messages to check if the others had
reached, and to reassure everybody if they had. More importantly, stranded outstation Toastmasters were taken
care of, with local Toastmasters spontaneously opening their homes, hearts and hearths, housing them for the
night and finding alternate travel arrangement the next day.
That‘s the real spirit of Toastmasters- not just a place where you come and deliver pretty speeches, but one
where ‗the atmosphere of mutual support‘ helps build the bonds of a lifetime. Ralph Smedley would be proud of
his legacy.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 23
Are you ready for some Golu Climbing – DTM Suganthi Periasamy (Past Division G
Governor)
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —I took the one less traveled
by, and that has made all the difference.
When I take a moment and have a closer look at the world around
me, this line of thought expressed by Robert Frost seems to have
become cliché. Travelling the well-travelled road, yet marking a
difference seems to be trend of the day. So let me also follow the
trend carefully and jot my thoughts.
Ants carrying load heavier than their weight, an Eagle's ability to
spot a prey while flying at a few feet height, story of the sage and
scorpion, carpenter and the axe, old man and starfish, and of course,
the "famous" bumble bee story which has not spared anyone across
District 82 - these are stories of people, pets and events around us -
observing all these and deriving life's lessons from them is the
trending pattern that one can observe these days in speeches and
articles.
So, here comes my story ... I've tried my level best to match up to
these trends.
Last month I witnessed a colorful festival called Navaratri. The tradition of Golu had been an integral part of it.
Golu in Tamil means “Divine Presence”. Golu is an arrangement of dolls in a particular pattern. Many
households and temples have Golu during Navaratri. Last year, our Division Governor took me to Mylapore -
North Mada Street in Chennai, a place where the colors of Golu are born, and introduced me to the world of
Golu Bhommaizhal (dolls). The entire street was flanked by Golu doll vendors on both sides and the North
Mada Street was buzzing with people. I was fascinated by how these cute dolls carved out a story line and
vividly brought them to life. I visited the North Mada Street a few times this year, stood there "staring" at the
dolls and admiring. Not being able to go to Mylapore every day, but wanting to admire the dolls daily,
eventually, made me set up a Golu at home. Now I had the luxury of admiring these dolls sitting right there in
my Drawing room.
Oh, well, I am supposed to tell you what I learnt while admiring these dolls. So, let's get to business. Golu dolls
arrangement follows a set of rules on how the dolls ought to be arranged, the number of steps, the length of each
step, and so on. In a Golu, animals are kept in the bottom most step, the next higher step has ordinary human
beings, saints feature in the next higher step, preceded by Human avatars of Gods and the highest step has dolls
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 24
of Gods and Goddess. The maturity level of people (dolls) goes higher in each higher step, symbolizing that one
should try and finally attain a maturity level to reach the Gods and Goddess.
In Toastmasters too, we are like the dolls with different maturity levels, placed at different levels in the Golu.
Each of us aims for the highest maturity level - DTM. When I attended just my club meetings, my leanings were
limited. When I picked up a little courage and ventured into the non-comfort zone, that is visiting other clubs,
taking part in their meetings, my leanings widened a bit. Climbing one step at a time, I, then, started taking up
leadership roles at area and division levels. Meeting new people, observing them and learning from them
provided me a bunch of learning. But the best learning came from working closely with people across clubs,
areas and divisions, striving to create a win-win situation for all of us without hurting others' sentiments and
being able to inspire & motivate the team towards achieving the common goal. I know that I still have many
steps to climb and many maturity levels to cross before I achieve "Distinction", but I am willing to leave my
current comfort step (club), venture into the unknown and pick up learnings on the way which will lead me to
the next higher step.
Are you willing to do some Golu climbing too?
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 25
What’s In It for You – DTM Saro Velrajan (Past Division G Governor)
I‘m very happy and excited to write this article for Opulence
2014‘s souvenir.
Last week I had been to a club meeting. This is a club which got
chartered about a year ago and one of its members was completing
his Competent Communication journey. He had invited me to
witness/evaluate his speech and I accepted the role with pleasure.
After the meeting was over, he came to me and silently asked
"Saro... I'm having a question in my mind for a long time. I wanted
to ask you. Hope you won't mistake me". I said "Please go ahead. I
won't mistake you". With a little hesitation, he asked "Saro... do
people like you get paid whenever you visit clubs or when you start
new clubs in the community?" I wasn't shocked or surprised to hear
that - because, this is not the first time I'm handling this question.
Believe me… our new Toastmasters don‘t just ask you ―What is in
it for me?‖, but they also ask ―What is in it for you?‖
I smiled and asked him "Why do you ask this?‖ He said "Considering the rate at which people are starting new
clubs... considering the passion with which people are participating in Speech Craft programs... considering the
enthusiasm with which people go to other clubs... I'm sure that there should be some monetary benefit for these
people". I looked at him into the eyes and answered "Yes! We have a monetary benefit". He immediately got
curious. He gave a victorious smile as if he uncovered a million dollar Ponzi scheme, which was not known to
anyone in the community. I told him ―Dear… when we charter new clubs… when we conduct Speech Craft
programs… when we organize events/contests, we learn so many leadership skills. If you can motivate someone
to do something for you in a volunteering organization like Toastmasters... with the skills and experience that
you gain here, imagine the impact that you can make in your workplace ". I added ―Toastmasters is a 100%
non-profit organization. Nobody makes any money through Toastmasters. However, with the skills/experience
you gain from Toastmasters, you can easily standout from the crowd, at your workplace. The people who stand-
out from the crowd get noticed very fast and they make more money through promotions, bonuses and pay
hikes. That is the monetary benefit of actively volunteering in Toastmasters”. On hearing my response, the
Toastmaster was surprised, and also inspired. He said he‘ll also start volunteering, whenever he can and help
other members/clubs.
Friends… to me, Toastmasters is not just a communication skills development program… it is not just a
leadership skills development program… it is a self-development program. If you understand the real value of
Toastmasters, you‘ll get addicted to it very fast. In Toastmasters, there is a lot for you, me and everyone to
learn, live and levitate. Sit back, relax and enjoy … Opulence 2014!!
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 26
Are we doing enough? – DTM Rajeev Nambiar (Division B Governor, District 82) Every person in life wants to become Opulent in some stage of
their lives. For some it is monetary, for some it is enhancing their
personal capacity in whatever field they are in or want to be and
the reasons and focuses vary in this regard. Well as Toastmaster
I‘m sure we are all here in the movement to become efficient and
effective communicators and in turn better leaders. Now I ask
each one of you- Are you doing enough to better yourself each
time you perform a role as a leader or a as a speaker??? I believe
it‘s time we reflect to see whether we are doing justice to this
learning curve of ours which needs to give commitment and
focus instead of just attending meetings just because we are
members of this great movement called Toastmasters. I firmly
believe that each individual is responsible in their own capacity
for the growth and development of the Toastmasters movement
because you are the brand ambassadors without whose effort and
commitment this powerful movement can‘t show case its might
to the world. Thus it‘s on your shoulders this movement can
make or break. Well Now ask yourself ―Am i doing enough‖???
If yes then ‗congratulations‘, if not, it‘s high time you did
because Toastmasters need your time and efforts to make it
bigger, brighter and better for all of us to learn and grow.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 27
Concoction of Learning and Laughter – TM Sudha Rajesh (Immediate Past Area
Governor in Division G)
Can you combine learning and fun? Is
that possible?
Well it is!! In fact the learning happens
both consciously and at a subconscious
level. And the learning that happens here
stays forever, unlike the Pythagoras
Theorems and Calculus and scores of
other stuff that we HAD to learn.
Where does this happen? At our
toastmasters clubs.
The learning stays forever, because we
learn by observing; we learn by doing; we
learn by experiencing.
The learning stays forever because it is
not taught but learnt.
The learning is not confined to
communication and leadership skills, but it is about living life in a meaningful way. It is about contributing.
Enough of the learning part, what about the fun?
What with contests happening throughout the year!! 8 out of 12 months, contests are conducted at some level or
other. Competition, adrenalin shooting up – we get to see all that.
Not just contests, there are celebrations happening all round the year –milestone speeches, milestone meetings,
special meetings for special occasions – there is no dearth of reasons to celebrate and have fun.
Above all, we get to network with different people, amazing people with amazing stories to tell.
All this and more happens throughout a toastmaster‘s year. No wonder, it is addictive.
Despite being a non-profit organization, it is possible to get help and support from dedicated and passionate
people only because, this movement not just brings people together, it BINDS us.
Birds of the same feather, not only flock together; here, we bond together.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 28
World of Equality – TM Rahul Ganesan - TCS Maitree Orators Toastmasters Club, Chennai
A small imagination from the Film ―2012―. A scientist was freaking out that the world will be completely
destroyed by the year end of 2012. She tried to convince her assistants to safe guard something more important
the world is lacking now. Nobody trusted her, but the scientist worked hard to gather accessories she was in
need. She also predicted that the world will become a ―land of business intelligence ―after this destruction.
The scientists worked in constructing an underground laboratory for her research. She felt that it was time to
settle her in the lab as the earth was effecting with increase in temperature which will lead to intensive global
warming and land region of earth will get immersed by water.
The Scientist was right in her prediction. The world faced its worst state and toppled completely. The human
race and all creatures like plants, animals vanished to the core. The world after this demolishment appeared to
be a new place or a planet with fresh air, pure water and fine land region.
What was the scientist working at in the laboratory? Are you curious to know?
The scientist was working on a humanoid – a human robotic machine. She spent the time of destruction in
developing the humanoid. The humanoid was given feelings, especially the feeling of treating a women equal in
all aspects (the factor that the world today is missing). The humanoid also had the qualities like tolerance,
patience and respect that each human of this competitive world should possess. She named the humanoid as
Zeus (King of Gods in Greek).
She wanted the world to have a balance in men and women aspects and made use of this destruction to develop
a humanoid with the feeling of equality in women and named the world as ―World of Equality‖. She brought
out the humanoid to the world after destruction and wished to express the feel of equality to the earth.
Friends, this imagination has brought out a humanoid that expresses equality in its feelings for women, then
why don‘t we humans (Men) express equality and respect to the women in this world, rather than expecting a
demolishment to Mother Earth to bring Equality in this world?
I hope my imagination has brought out Awareness towards the issues that Women of this world are facing. Let
us think about it.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 29
Our Literary Roots – TM Vaishnavi Ramadass - TCS Maitree Champions Toastmasters Club, Chennai
Which is the world‘s oldest language? This question has always been bothering linguists, anthropologists and
archaeologists, but no one has been able to find evidence that would lead to a definite conclusion. It‘s very
difficult to determine which the oldest language is, since it requires extensive research, and countless of
manuscripts and all sorts of written documents. They are thousands of years old and have to be reviewed and
analyzed, which takes a lot of time and resources. However, there is a group of several languages that most
linguists have put on; a short list as some of the oldest languages in the world that still exist which includes
Tamil.
It belongs to the Dravidian language family, and it‘s believed to be over 2,000 years old. The oldest known
manuscripts in Tamil language date to 300 BC, and it has a very rich literature, similar to Arabic or Latin.
Today, Tamil is the native language of 70 million people, with the majority of them living in India, Sri Lanka,
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Tamil is one of the few languages that have stayed practically unchanged
over a period of 2,000 years, and it‘s been able to resist the influence of other languages.
Tamil is not only an international language, but it is like a mother of all languages in the world. Tamil scholar
Devaneya Pavanar had established that Tamil is the primary classical language of the world.
"Root Tamil words exist in many languages of the world in various modifications but retaining the semantic
meaning. In the world languages, it is difficult to find a basic word that does not have some link with the Tamil
word. Hence, Tamil has the status of the mother tongue in the world,"
Sumerian, Arabic, Mayan, Meso, Persian, Turkish etc. are strongly believed as from Tamil.
Sumerians are believed to have similarity in the language script and certain culture co-relations between both
the languages (enable to date Tamil as 40,000 BC language.)
It is believed to be one lived even in Indus-Valley, Mohenjo Daro and Mergargh. It may be the first ever
language with written and spoken format and the first language born on the Indian-Subcontinent.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 30
Tamil is recognized as one of 7 Classical language of the world and it is the Second Largest Language Spoken
in the world older than 40,000 years.
The Sangam Age in South India is a landmark in Tamil history. According to the compilers of the Sangam
works such as Nakkeeran, the Tamil Sangams were academies, where Tamil poets and authors are said to have
gathered periodically to publish their works. The legends claim that the Pandya rulers of the mythical cities of
'South' Madurai, Kapatapuram and Madurai to have patronized the three Sangams.
The Sangam Age in India witnessed the rapid development of literary works in the southern regions. The
literature that was created during this time came to be known as Sangam literature. The great poets and writers
of this age have left behind invaluable accounts of brilliant literature that continue to enthrall historians and
scholars. The earliest literary work dates back to 200 B.C.
There were more than 450 authors from all classes of society, the sole criterion by which they were judged
being the recognition of their talent by their peers. These court poets sang the exploits of princes and warriors or
the sorrows of a nation at war. Kings honored them and they felt a keen sense of their own dignity. On one
occasion, the bard Mucikkiranar fell asleep in the palace near the place reserved for the royal drum, a sacrilege
punishable by death. Discovering him in this invidious situation, the king, rather than taking harsh measures
against him, picked up a fan and cooled his sleep, thus rendering homage to his genius. The kings and the poets
together made an irreplaceable era of literature. Literary works like Silapadhigaram and Yetuthogai, along with
communication and leadership, also propagated cultural values that benefitted the life of the audience.
From Arikkamedu, numismatic evidence is the most important source, which gives about the foreign trade of
early Tamils with Rome. From Agananuru and Purananuru we get a vivid description about the communication
of Romans with India. Apart from the literary sources, some inscriptional evidences provide valuable
information about the merchant communities and their duties. They flourished in trade as they were able to
communicate. The minor chieftains also played a significant role in the Sangam period. Among them Pari, Kari,
Ori, Nalli, Pegan, Ay and Adiyaman were popular for their philanthropy and patronage of Tamil poets.
Therefore, they were known as Kadai Yelu Vallalgal. Although they were subordinate to the Chera, Chola and
Pandya rulers, they were powerful and popular in their respective regions. The military administration was also
efficiently organized during the Sangam Age.
We can compare this with us Toastmasters and our roles. From the role of a timer, grammarian, club executive
committee etc., to the division team and the district team, each one is important and is powerful in their own
roles. And like how military administration was well organized, are our club meetings, contests and
conferences. We can highly relate our lives as Toastmasters with the Sangam era. The leaders (kings) conveyed
the art of leadership and stimulated the growth of communicators (poets).Sangams happened frequently to
analyze and compare oneself with the contests that happened among poets. We have a variety of contests to get
the best out of each toastmaster. Conferences that happen here in toastmasters are the modern Sangams we have
set up. Communication and leadership was always together, like our Toastmasters journey. The first step to
leadership is to communicate and we, as Toastmasters are taking the right step forward.
I can foresee our forthcoming generations talking about Toastmasters equally like we do about the age old
Sangam Period now to learn and grow as better communicators and leaders in the society. We are 90 years old
now and the legacy is always to follow!
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 31
A Small Change Can Bring Bigger Impact in Life- TM D. Visagamoorthi - Coimbatore Toastmasters Club
Changing our habits can bring an enormous difference to the quality of our lives. Habits are exceptionally
powerful in life. They influence the way we live our life. Our habits will bring either happiness or
dissatisfaction to us. Transforming unhealthy habits to healthy habits is the key to living a happy and fulfilling
life that we dream. On some occasions, the smallest changes we bring into our life will bring biggest differences
in our lives. Look back at your life and consider the small changes you have made that led you to be happier
and more fulfilled. At the time you started these changes, you may have felt little impact. If you contemplate,
you can understand how powerful they were. Finally, your life has turned better as a result these tiny changes.
Creating positive life change is really a practice of introducing new habits to our living. Every change involves
a series of small new behaviors that you must include in your ―To do‖ list. But the process of adding up new
habits is not a simple thing. Simply inserting these new behaviors and assuming that they will stay with us is a
day dream. Almost every one of us is probably aware of this from our past experience. Probably you have made
New Year‘s resolutions or you were determined on a goal you wanted to achieve. You start with plenty of
liveliness and great intention, but after a few days or weeks, your keenness dries up and you give up your
ambition.
Habit formation is not easy because our brains are comfortable to routine activities. When we insert a new habit
into our lives, we have to literally rewire our brains. We must practice the new habit long enough until we build
new neural pathways that allow the new habit to become habitual. For instance, when we were trying to learn a
car we find it difficult and tensed but over a period of time and with practice, driving has become natural and
easy.
Building a positive habit involves a well-planned personal strategy.
The righteousness in any new habit which you want to build will increase your probability of success
tremendously and you can wake up every morning with great zeal and wind up every day with a sense of
fulfillment.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 32
The Art of Communication in Kathakali – TM Nirmala Varier - Trichy Toastmasters Club
Basically, it is the approach to an Art or its appreciation that dictates the ethics of an Art form. Appreciation of
an art form involves a kind of agreement between the artiste and the viewer. While the artiste/ performer enacts
on stage, adhering to the canons of his art form, the viewer consents to unravel the contextual knots, assimilate
and relish the proffered notion appropriately.
Hence, in a classical art form, there are certain pre- determined patterns ascribing well defined connotations to
specific actions. Thus a certain group of people perform accordingly and another group of people discern and
savor the same. So it may be inferred that there is no socio cultural relevance involved in this process of
enactment and appreciation.
To those having an eye for the plot, the underlying thematic concept dictates the aesthetic experience. On the
other hand, to those who are on the lookout for the form, appreciate it from the perspective of structure. The
latter‘s aesthetic experience is tarnished if the pitch, tone or rhythm faltered. Thus it may be said that the issue
lies in the viewer‘s perspective and not in the art per se.
In classical arts, the theme is contained in three layers:
1. The story: The scholars suggest that the chosen story should be renowned. In fact they insist that the chosen
storyline should be an excerpt from mythology/ epic/ legend. This is to ensure that the spectator is not anxious
regarding the development of the storyline or other such aspects and is able to focus on the artistic format and
the aesthetic charm. This theory which obviously has its origin in Semitic thought however constitutes an
irrefutable truth.
Parallels to the above may be drawn with Sartre‘s existentialism and Bertolt Brecht‘s distancing/ estranging
effect (not alienation effect). Scholars have deliberated upon ‗storyline‘ in detail. One point of note is that the
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 33
story should have an objective/ intent. They suggest that, new stories may be formulated when this ‗objective‘
gets translated into ‗propaganda‘.
2. Narrative/ Theme: The narrative/ storyline/ theme is usually based on or an excerpt from Epics/ Mythology/
Legends and is a creation of the scriptwriter. It is a product distinct from the epic/ legend. The Kathakali
playwright when conceiving the script based on a given story incorporates several changes in the theme. He
might alter the chronological order of incidents, introduce new characters, discard existing characters, and
highlight selected episodes to enhance the dramatic impact.
The objective of the narrative is distinct from the story. The intent is to merely enhance the spectacle. In a
nutshell, the tale / story and narrative / theme are two different concepts.
3. The next is the „plot‟: Let us see how the ‗plot‘ evolves: The playwright conceives the storyline, imbues it
with his creative inputs, and then withdraws. Only then does the rest of the team of artistes embark upon their
creative embellishments. This team includes the performer/ actor, percussionists, vocals, costume and make- up
artistes. The fact remains that the script forms the underlying premise around which this team of artistes erect
their artifact. However, just as the house is built upon the foundation, yet it is the windows, doors and other
accessories that make it whole, so also Kathakali comprises of other facets beyond the script. Hence, if one
focuses on the theme alone, there is the risk of the rest of the aspects being overlooked.
For instance, let us consider the characterization of Anti-heroes/ Flawed heroes as protagonists. The writer
perhaps takes care not to justify the deeds or actions of such characters when fleshing out the storyline. Be it
Shakespeare‘s Othello or its movie counterpart – Kurosawa‘s ―Throne of Blood‖, be it ―A clockwork orange
―or its corresponding movie interpretation. In all these instances, it may be noted that the creator ensures that
the viewer does not develop empathy and remains dissociated from the characters or his/ her deeds. This they
accomplished by restraining the viewer from getting involved in the story/ plot. This ploy was not merely to
prevent the justification of the protagonist‘s acts but also to veer the viewer‘s interest away from the content and
focus on the structure instead.
Whenever an emotionally charged scene was being enacted on stage, Bertolt Brecht, the renowned theatre
practitioner would get an actor to walk across the stage holding a placard saying ― This is just a drama‖ to
prevent the audience from empathizing with the characters or situations on stage. Kathakali too employs many
such tactics to achieve the same end.
Any art form should stand distinct from the artiste- total involvement of the artiste perhaps enhances the beauty
of appreciation, but dilutes the aesthetics of the essence of THE ART. The artiste and the character portrayed
should at no point merge into one- if it does then the art is polluted/ diluted by the individuality of the artiste!
When the viewer identifies with the predicament of the character or the character itself, there is the possibility
of the aesthetic beauty being sidelined and the creative ingenuity being overlooked.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 34
Tamil and Toastmasters – TM Lakshmi Priya - TCS Insurance Toastmasters Club, Chennai
The word Tamil Culture immediately evokes the image of the towering gopurams symbolizing commanding grandeur and
solemnity ,the excellent literary works and adorable art forms .There is no doubt that the culture of the Tamils belongs to
the great and immortal treasures of the world's civilization. Our Tamil heritage stands impeccable for its richness in its
culture and its wide diversification, and I would say, our Toastmasters stands no lesser to it.
Striking the tongs at the hospitality, offering hospitality to a stranger or a guest is fundamental and a part of any Tamil
culture. They are so well known for their warmth that they show toward their guests. ―Athithi Devo Bava‖ would be the
baseline for any Tamilian, which directly implies, that all your guests should be treated as supreme as the God. It would
never be an exaggeration to state that, the westerners are often astonished by the welcoming attitude towards guests and
visiting strangers, which is strikingly different. The concept of hospitality is not limited to Tamils as such but is an
integral part of Toastmasters as well. Greeting the guest with smile and offering a warm welcome is an inbred
characteristic of toastmasters which provides a positive and supportive learning environment.
Another major part of Tamil culture is its festivals. The glory and the grandeur come alive with each & every festival of
its state. The special and milestones meetings of every toastmaster club are a festival on its own kind. The members gears
up and get united to celebrate the remarkable feat achieved by their club with joy and pride in their heart. These meetings
attract the guest towards their club and aid to add new members to the toastmaster‘s family. Anybody would be awestruck
by witnessing this real world of frolic and celebrations. So these special meetings just like festivals make a year full of
fond memories. The 90th celebration of Toastmaster International is a fine testimony to this.
The other exclaimable feature of the Tamil culture would be its Language & Literature. Language is the rational and
spiritual matrix in which a culture lives, moves and has its being. Just like the Tamil poets have consistently lost
themselves in the mystical enthusiasm over the nature of the language, we the Toastmasters have lost and found ourselves
in the course of mastering it. If a language is to be the matrix of flourishing and progressive culture it is necessary to be
taught to utmost perfection. As the famous thirukural ―Karka kasadara karpavai katrapin Nirka atharku thaha‖ goes, we in
toastmasters believe in learning the language without errors and hence the roles like ah counter, grammarian and
evaluators have evolved.
The contemporary poets of Tamil Nadu draw inspiration from many sources ranging from traditional sculptures with their
mythological allusions to folk themes and developments in 20th-century European art just like speakers draw inspiration
from anything and everything surrounding them to deliver their masterpiece, the prepared speech. The best speaker ribbon
could be analogous to the prestigious literary honors, the Jnanpith award.
Over the centuries Tamils have spread outside their territory and in this process have planted signs of their presence many
of which can be found even today. In the same degree, the toastmasters clubs have marked their footprints far and wide
and in the process have planted signs of their presence by producing many competent communicators and competent
leaders who have made a difference to this society and the movement. Thus the existence of the age long Tamil culture
that goes hand in hand with the toastmaster club culture should be looked upon as a source of fruitfulness and mutual
benefits.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 35
Craft Your Speech – TM Pradeep Kumar - TCS Maitree Infinity Toastmasters Club, Chennai
It came as a surprise to me when my Club President called me one day and said, ―Hey we are going to run a
Speechcraft program in our Division G‖. I had thought Speechcraft was always run by seasoned-toastmasters
and not amateur toastmasters like me. But Toastmasters proved me all wrong, hit right in the center and said,
―No it‘s your turn now, go Learn! ―.
Yes, Toastmasters have always been a great platform for learning and what better way to learn than by doing?
So I happily joined as one of the coordinators along with my President. So during the first meeting, I was all
excited to step into another corporate company and play my part as a Speech evaluator. Little did I know that
the Speechcraft meetings weren‘t like our usual meetings. Instead it required more scope for speech crafters to
learn about public speaking because Speechcraft is more about teaching Non-Toastmasters about public
speaking. I was also surprised when veteran Toastmasters like TM Saro Velrajan agreed to be a part of our
meetings as an Educational Speaker. That‘s when I realized that Speechcraft requires high level of Toastmaster
networking to get the right people for the speech crafters benefit.
We had a feedback session over the call with the corporate company and then we knew they expected
experienced and mature toastmasters to evaluate speakers instead of the younger ones like me. It might seem
weird when you are in toastmasters but I also realized that‘s how we have been living all through our lives. We
generally do not take advice from younger people and credibility prevails among the elder people or rather
experienced people. So our next mission was to get experienced Toastmasters. In our fraternity, we have no
scarcity for any kind of people and we did get the right quotient of experienced evaluators. The meetings have
gone quite well so far.
Based on the sessions held till now, we noticed that the Speech crafters enjoy Table Topics session the most and
we make sure we have interesting round of Table topics every time. We once held it by picking topics out of
pictures in newspaper. Another time we had small objects to convey the topic and also our custom – the Chits.
We make sure the topics are simple, yet fun and interesting to talk about. Being a corporate company we had to
postpone few sessions due to speech crafters unavailability and venue unavailability. Since it doesn‘t take place
in our usual meeting space, it also takes so much effort for the role players to go over there and hold the
meetings.
So we do come across various such problems but the learning we offer to the Speech crafters is the take-way
and that gives us immense satisfaction in the long run. We would truly appreciate it if our Division G folks join
hands with us to drive this Speechcraft by volunteering for role players.
Speechcraft Details: Venue: PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt Ltd
Prestige Palladium Bayan, 8th floor, 129-140, Greams Road, Chennai.
Timing: Friday 4.30PM to 6.30PM
Contact: Pradeep - 9789821698
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 36
Evaluate To Motivate – TM Karthik Palaniappan - TCS Insurance Toastmasters Club, Chennai
Public speaking and leadership are skills that can be developed and improved. In Toastmasters, feedback is
called evaluation, and it is the heart of the Toastmasters educational program. You observe the speeches and
leadership roles of your fellow club members and offer evaluations of their efforts, and they do the same for
you. If you truly want to improve your speaking and leadership skills, you must learn how to give and receive
helpful evaluations.
In day to day routine life, you listen to people, observe their work and if possible you tend to give feedback. So
you evaluate in some manner every day, at home, office and in the community.
Effective evaluations benefit us by:
• Good example as AUDIENCE
• Critical thinking and better listening skills as EVALUATOR
• providing immediate feedback, offering methods of improvement, maintain self-esteem as SPEAKERS
The tone and content of an evaluation have great impact on the speaker and even on the club. A harsh
evaluation may cause a member to leave the club. An overly kind evaluation may not help the member to
improve, making the member frustrated and unhappy. Good evaluators strive to find a balance between the
extremes, giving evaluations that are helpful and encouraging. An evaluation is just considered to be an opinion
from the evaluator‘s perspective.
Factors for effective evaluation:
There are only two factors that drive the effective evaluation which are essential for any evaluators to provide
effective evaluation to the speakers.
• Preparation
• Delivery
How to Prepare:
Before the meeting starts:
• Contact the speaker
• Get their speech manual
• Read the speech objectives and the evaluation guide
• What are their interests in terms of evaluation?
• Set up the note form
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 37
Given below a sample note form which I obtained from my toastmaster mentor for my evaluations
Owing to little amount of time given for evaluations, we should focus only on the areas that will make our
evaluations crisp and effective enough that the speaker can appreciate. As per the sample note above, the focus
areas are – Speech Flow (F), Strengths (S) and Improvements (I) and finally Overall impressions to conclude
your evaluations.
Before you write down your evaluations, listen to speaker‘s speech carefully without any distraction. After the
speaker has finished, then begin writing your evaluation points. Avoid giving more emphasis on eye contact,
grammar, expressions as they just contribute to effect of the speech and cannot form the basic purpose of the
evaluation.
How you say it:
The way you put forward your evaluations has more effect as the content of your evaluation. If you don‘t
carefully use the words, the message that you want to convey to the speaker will be lost. There are certain
guidelines that you need to follow during the evaluation.
Structure your evaluations as:
Opening
Objectives
Strengths
Improvements
Summary
Close
As highlighted above, remember that you are giving your opinion as evaluation and not other‘s opinion. Hence
it is recommended not to use words such as ―We are impressed...‖, ―We think...‖, ―We like....‖
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 38
Instead use language like:
I liked....
I think...worked well....
Avoid evaluations like:
Cut Slash and Burn Evaluations
Repeating the words/speech
Your statements like: ―You did not use the stage properly‖, ―I was confused when you said‖, ―I don‘t
think you met the objectives‖
Better use of language during evaluation will help the speakers to accept your suggestions in a friendly manner
and will also help to avoid putting the person being offensive. This will help the speakers to turn up for next
sessions and being open to critical suggestions.
Methods to present evaluation:
The predominant type of evaluation is sandwich style where in the evaluator will comment on the highlights of
the speech, followed by the areas of improvement and again followed by highlights.
Other modes of evaluations that are followed are:
1) Chronological order – Start commenting on Introduction, then Body of the speech, and then
Conclusion
2) Speech objectives focused – Read out your answers to the questions at the end of the project given in
the speech manual (Technique appropriate for beginners in speech evaluations)
3) Theme based evaluations – ―Listening to your speech was like watching a movie…‖ go ahead and
organize your evaluation to justify why it was like a movie
4) Acronyms based organization - Your speech had SUPERB ingredients. S for STORY, U for UNIQUE
MESSAGE, P for PERSUASION, E for ENTERTAINMENT, R for RHETORICS and B for BODY
LANGUAGE.
It is evaluator‘s choice to follow a certain method of evaluation, but keep in mind that you need to show variety
in your evaluations as audience/speaker may not show interest in your evaluations even if they are effective.
Conclusion:
As you conclude, ensure that speaker gets motivated and eager to show improvements in the next project.
Conclude your evaluations with a positive note either by highlighting the area that impressed you the most or
highlight the improvement from his previous speech and offer congratulations. This helps to build self-esteem
and self-confidence.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 39
Milestones, Memories and Moments
BRISA VIT-100th
Dignitaries present: Area governor-TM Ira Shukla
Assistant area governors-TM Navneeth.V.Ganesh
and TM Rajath Chandra Mathur
Area treasurer-TM Nayaab Singh
Area secretary TM Rajanya Ghosh
Faculty coordinator of the club Prof. W.Christopher
Rajasekaran.
President TM Ritwik Raje started his ACB track.
Introduced 2 TMODs -TM Adarsh Warrier and TM
Akash Sharma.TM Swaroop and TM Vishnu‘s
music.
100th
birthday of Brisa had a yummy cake too!
Way to go!
AGUA VIT-75th
Highlights of the Session-
To preserve and to highlight the works of
the previous club officers.
The officers of the previous terms were
made to sign a memento as a token of
gratitude.
Cake cutting session to end the 75th
session
on light note.
Way to go!
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 40
TERRA VIT-200th
Highlights -
Two TMODs - TM Joshua and TM Apoorva.
TM Ameya‘s CC9
TM Jishnu‘s CC9
TM Brejesh‘s ACB1
A moment of silence was observed for
victims of the 9/11.
Video unveiled on how Terra means to the
members.
And Giant Chocolate Cake for 200 meetings!
Way to go!
TCS MAITREE ORATORS TOASTMASTERS
CLUB-100th
Way to go!
TCS MAITREE INFINITY
TOASTMASTERS CLUB-50th
Way to go!
TCS MAITREE CHAMPIONS
TOASTMASTERS CLUB-125th
Highlights -
DTM Suganthi‘s session-Let‘s go
fishing.
TM Dheepan- CC 9.
Let‘s go fishing, on how Toastmaster-ing is a
life skill.
―Who‘s asking?‖ activity for table topics.
A great reminiscence about 125 meetings!
Way to go!
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 41
TCS INSURANCE TOASTMASTERS
CLUB-150th
Hosted by TM Arun chellappa and TM
Nivedita.
DTM Asha verghese-On Target
evaluation.
Boom boom buzuki,maruti suzuki game.
TM Srivatsan and TM Karthikeyan gave their
speeches.
Seventh edition of Ebullience- club newsletter
was unveiled by Rajesh Thomas.
Role players and Toastmaster of the month were
felicitated.
Way to go Insurance!
CHENNAI TOASTMASTERS CLUB-450th
Chaired by TM Noorain and TM
Ramkumar
DTM Lalitha Giridhar - Before, After (Ice
Breaker).
DTM Harini Srinivasan- Energizing
Endeavors.
DTM Srinivasan Kartikeyan-Romantic
Communication
DTM Aditya Maheswaran- ABCD of E-
Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity and Density of
Evaluations.
Way to go CTM!
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 42
SHELL CHENNAI TOASTMASTERS CLUB– 100th
TRICHY TOASTMASTERS
CLUB – 25th
AMAZON CHENNAI TOASTMASTERS CLUB–
150th
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 43
Our Hatchlings – Chartered Recently
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 44
Opulence 2014
On the stage that saw the Souvenir breathe to life, the teams of “Swas” – The Breath of Division G, extend our heartfelt
gratitude to the division and its members for making our efforts a living of success and happiness.
TM Abhishek, Conference Chair, Opulence 2014 –
I would like to thank the whole fraternity for the whole hearted support towards the conference. Initially when I started,
I was scared seeing the enormity of the task. The support and the creativity of the members have made my work so
easy. Even the naming of the conference - 'Opulence' and the logo has been designed by our members. Opulence means
grand. Division G is grand not only in terms of size but also in terms of tradition and knowledge. The 5 spikes on the logo
represent the shining areas of our division. We are also privileged to have the World Champion of Public Speaking 2014
as our Key Note Speaker which adds to the grandeur. I hope this conference will remain etched in the memory of all
toastmasters!
TM Shashank, Co-conference Chair, Opulence 2014 –
Division G has given me a lot of opportunities. I became a competent communicator by being a speaker, an evaluator,
and a mentor. I became a competent leader by being the charter president for TCS Maitree Infinity Toastmasters.
Division G has been my mentor throughout my toastmaster’s journey hitherto. When I think about it Division G has
always given something to me and has expected nothing from me. I thought being the co-conference chair for Opulence
as an opportunity to redeem Division G. I was wrong. After I became a co-conference chair I attended many
conferences, met many people, and learned many things. I then realized it was division G again that has helped me to
improve my communication and leadership skills. I had an epiphany that everything Division G has given to me and
everything division G will give me is nonredeemable. Thanks a lot Division G.
Swas – Division ‘G’ Souvenir October 2014
Page 45
The Next District Event – Reverberations 2014
Top Related