Whoisgoingtopackyourparachute

The stranger replied with a smiling face and said, “Captain, I packed your parachute, and I hope it worked"

Captain Plumb gasped!

He just dropped his Coffee mug on the table and stood up with gratitude because the stranger was his lifesaver. Captain held the stranger’s hand firmly and said, ”Thank you so much! Of course, it worked, that’s why I am standing here today” Captain did not know what to say and what to do He was full of gratitude! The stranger smiled and released his hand, and slowly walked away into the crowd.

Captain Plumb returned home with a heavy heart. He could not sleep that night. He kept thinking about that incident. He wondered and asked himself, "how many times I must have seen him standing on the deck of my warship He must have saluted me several times, but I did not return the salute just because I am a fighter pilot and he was a sailor! But I am alive today because of him!"

This incident changed his perception towards the people around him. He decided to share this incident with the world He started talking to people around him about this incident and his military experience Later he became a renowned public speaker in the USA. This real-life incident shows the true beauty of life. An ignorant sailor became the life saviour of a renowned fighter pilot.

Let us change our perception towards the people around us and remember but not ignore the ones who cross paths with us Because we do not know “Who is going to pack our parachute?

TM Aneesh VP SGT (Retd) Indian Air Force Veteran

InterviewwithDTMSridharRanganathan

DTMSridharRanganathan

HowdidyourTMjourneystart?

DTM Sridhar Ranganathan: It was a time when, neither at home nor at work, anyone listened to me. That’s when I found a place where people not only listened to whatever I spoke but also appreciated and applauded me for anything I spoke..

Jokes apart, I saw a reference to Toastmasters in the book, “The Magic of Thinking Big” That was also the time when the first club in Chennai was starting. I fell in love in the very first meeting itself. There was no looking back

Tell about the early influencers who made an impact onyourTMexperience.

DTM Sridhar Ranganathan: DTM Nina John and DTM Abraham Zachariah created a long lasting impact with their selfless contributions

On many occasions, I used to wonder if they had anything at all to do, beyond Toastmasters They brought the right mould and made sure that this clay became an adorable object.

Youhaveaflairforspeechcontests.Howdoyoukeepthe curiositytocontestburning?

DTM Sridhar Ranganathan: Contests, to me, are like IPL of Cricket. Of course, not from the point of not so good things IPL is know for but from the point of it being the right platform to exhibit our talent.

I felt, there is no point playing if I didn’t represent at the contest level. Initially, I did have some issues to get right topics to speak. I used to be so conscious if I was doing the right thing. At some stage, I felt it was more a problem for the audience than it was for me. :) But, the audience being the great motivators they are, acknowledged every bit of my effort and started recognising. From a stage of hating the contest I eventually started dating the contest.