Communicate98_August21

COMMUNICATE 98 Communicate. Collaborate. Celebrate.

AUGUST 2021

DISTRICT 98

FREEDOM FROM

F E A R DISTRICT CROSS-CONNECT

04 WHY DO YOU RENEW?

06 08

INDUSTRY LEADER

DISTRICT 98 LEADERSHIP TEAM 2021-22 Mukta Nadkar, DTM

District Director

Vishal Garg

Area Director, B1

Vinay Jain

Area Director, J3

Sapna Ohri, DTM

Program Quality Director

Vijaya Monteiro, DTM

Area Director, B2

Abhishek Sonar

Area Director, M1

Amandeep Singh, DTM Program Quality Director

Vrindavani Mulik

Area Director, B3

Nilesh Karande

Area Director, M2

Joy B. Hans, DTM

Program Quality Director

Pooja Daiya

Area Director, B4

Raj Bharat

Area Director, M3

Hardik Shah

Club Growth Director

Tanaya Sahu

Area Director, C1

Rohan Parakh

Area Director, M4

Sanjay R

Club Growth Director

Nishu Sharma

Area Director, C2

Riya Agrawal

Area Director, N1

Sandeep R Madasu

Club Growth Director

Varghese Vattathara

Area Director, C3

Gunjan Banarsi

Area Director, N2

Abbas Akbar, DTM

Administration Manager

Manish Kumar

Area Director, C4

Sapna Acharya

Area Director, N3

Pramod PB, DTM

Finance Manager

Himanshu Mahanta

Area Director, C5

Sakshi Bhuwal

Area Director, N4

Smita Mishra, DTM

Public Relations Manager

Kanchan Sonik, DTM

Area Director, D1

Sushil Pawar, DTM

Area Director, O1

Niteash Aggarwal, DTM Immediate Past District Director Tanay Rajwal

Area Director, D2

Deepika Kumari

Area Director, O2

Neha Bhatt, DTM

Division Director, A

Shreea Banerjee

Area Director, D3

Prashant Pote

Area Director, O3

Mohnish Dukhande

Division Director, B

Rahul Rashinkar

Area Director, D4

Unmesh Mohitkar

Area Director, O4

Milind Patwardhan

Division Director, C

Manasa Lakkakula

Area Director, E1

Aditya Saxena

Area Director, P1

Sanjukta Kundu, DTM

Division Director, D

Amulya Konda

Area Director, E2

Rabin Shetty

Area Director, P2

Kavitha Reddy, DTM

Division Director, E

Sai Santosh

Area Director, E3

Rajendra Waghmode

Area Director, P3

Shivani Singh

Division Director, F

Sunku Pruthvi

Area Director, E4

Sonia Cheulwar

Area Director, P4

Ravi Teja Peri

Division Director, G

Sivacharan Kollipara

Area Director, F1

Shubham Deshmukh

Area Director, P5

Haripriya Cherekar

Division Director, H

Swapna Pachala

Area Director, F2

Sriya Jambukar

Area Director, S1

Sakshi Shrivastava

Division Director, J

Kasturi Sydaiah

Area Director, F3

Poornima Thakur

Area Director, S2

Sunish Babu

Division Director, M

Jahanavi Rampalli

Area Director, F4

Ramanand Bhatt

Area Director, S3

Deepalika Kowar

Division Director, N

Charan Singh

Area Director, G1

Divya Iyer

Area Director, S4

Shaikh Shakil, DTM

Division Director, O

Alphamary Kuriachan

Area Director, G2

Ketkee Kamdar

Area Director, U1

Joylan Andrade

Division Director, P

Vamsi Yerrapragada

Area Director, G3

Dimple Mehta

Area Director, U2

Sunita Vinod

Division Director, S

Bhavana Tadiboina

Area Director, G4

Akshay Singh

Area Director, U3

Sanjan Shetty, DTM

Division Director, U

Vijay Kumar Bansal

Area Director, H1

Snehal Barve

Area Director, U4

Clyde Tellis

Division Director, W

Rishik Singh

Area Director, H2

Rajesh Kenkre

Area Director, W1

Rohin Sharma

Area Director, A1

Nivedita Rajurkar

Area Director, H3

Alvima Almeida

Area Director, W2

Utkarsh Dange

Area Director, A2

Nitya Sri Kalari

Area Director, H4

Anthony Gomes

Area Director, W3

Pinky Bahroos

Area Director, A3

Jayesh Kaushik

Area Director, J1

Pradnya Kosare

Area Director, W4

Nidhi Goel

Area Director, A4

Jyoti Bhat

Area Director, J2

Swapnil Jawale

Area Director, W5

Shailendra Singh

Logistics Manager

Ajit Limaye, DTM

Parliamentarian

INDEX

DISTRICT 98

1

District Director's Address

2

Program Quality Director's Address

3

Club Growth Director's Address

10

Member Perspectives

12

Prospective clubs

13

Milestones

14

Member Accomplishments

15

News Bulletin

4 DISTRICT CROSS-

CONNECT In conversation with Cajetan Barretto Branding Guru

6 INDUSTRY LEADER In conversation with Supriya Paul, co-founder The Josh Talks

DO 8 WHY YOU

RENEW?

18 Contests 19 Club Spotlight

Cover Story

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

DISTRICT 98

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Breaking free from fear The world we live in is full of fears. 22 years ago, when I started my entrepreneurial journey, I was filled with the fear of the unknown - what will happen next? Will I get clients? What if I go bankrupt? Will I be able to pay salaries? However, once I jumped into the world of business, I realized, everything is manageable - if not a cakewalk.

I faced similar fears when I joined Toastmasters International in 2015; Speaking was not my forte and I am still learning. However, now I just embrace this fear of public speaking to conquer it.

The experience made me realize one thing, we get freedom from our fears when we attack them directly.

My learning journey of getting freedom from my fears continues. As I close my editorial note, I ask you to note your fears in Toastmasters on a paper whether it is delivering a speech or taking up a challenging role. And then crumple up that paper and just jump headfirst into it and I promise, you will find the freedom from your fears.

Happy reading!

A month ago, when I received my second Distinguished Toastmaster award, I introspected about how far I have come, how many fears I had conquered in the process, and the path that lay before me.

Dr. Nishant S Mehta, DTM Chief Editor, Communicate 98

CONTENT CURATOR OF THE MONTH It happened last month during brainstorming for themes, for the upcoming newsletter edition, when this particular theme emerged. Our Independence day holds a special place in the heart of every Indian because it was this day that our country got its freedom!

Meenal Bale Vasco Toastmasters Club Area W3

Similarly, there are certain fears in our lives that we desire to seek freedom from - The fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being alone. And that's why, this month, the theme has been pegged at "Freedom from Fear" - Writing your own story with courage.

Hope our features and stories inspire you to seek your own freedom. Wishing you all a Happy Independence Day!

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

DISTRICT 98

DISTRICT DIRECTOR'S ADDRESS

Support and encouragement go a long way Encouragement and support are two powerful tools for our well-being, motivation, achievement, and freedom from fear. Often, encouragement and support are the only things we need to move forward. A kind word, a pat on the back, some recognition and acknowledgment make us feel good and strong, helps erase that feeling of fear, and liberates us to do more and give more. I am certain this holds true for most of us.

Even in the best of times, we look for encouragement and support from our peers, colleagues, friends, and family. And in these trying 18 months of the pandemic, it has been even more necessary. I have become so aware of the importance of extending a helping hand to people around me, to being sympathetic to their problems and issues. I have had to show a lot more empathy, patience, and understanding when my maid has not been able to work because of her problems. But it has helped me to be grateful for what I have and realize how important it is to support.

It is no different in our Toastmasters fraternity.

Many of us are spending infinite hours on the computer and suffering from fatigue. Many of us haven’t met friends or socialized and are feeling low. Many of us have had to deal with illness and endure difficult times. But through it all, the encouragement and support of our Toastmasters helped us stay positive, engaged, and cheerful.

The weekly zoom meetings, the smiles, the applause, the wonderful speeches, and evaluations, keep us vibrant and hopeful.

"Let us remind ourselves of how Toastmasters has become an integral part of our lives and let us encourage and support each other to continue this wonderful journey in Toastmasters. " The encouragement and support of members and leaders help us value what we have and appreciate our organization even more.

So as we begin a crucial month of renewals this September, let us think of all the benefit that we have derived from Toastmasters. Think of the learning, the sharing, the camaraderie, fun and laughter. Let us remind ourselves of how Toastmasters has become an integral part of our lives and let us encourage and support each other to continue this wonderful journey in Toastmasters. Every District leader will encourage you to renew and support you to achieve your goals.

Remember, ‘It doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop’ ~ Confucius

Mukta Nadkar, DTM District Director

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COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

01

PROGRAM QUALITY DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

DISTRICT 98

The Brand Maker “A brand is a story that is always being told.”

– Scott Bedbury Brand building is an important aspect in today’s times. You see how brands come up with unique ideas to differentiate themselves from competition. "Sidhe baat no bakwas" (Straight talk no fluff) and "Kya aapke toothpaste main namak hai?" (does your toothpaste contains salt?), still cracks me up when I think about it.

Everyone wants to build a brand for themselves and it has become the need of the hour.

" If you want to make space for yourself in this, cut throat competitive world; one of the most important elements is to brand yourself well. "

It doesn’t matter who you are, if you want to make space for yourself in this, cut throat competitive world; one of the most important elements is to brand yourself well. Toastmasters International gives you that platform to rediscover and rebrand yourself by providing you space to experiment with yourself and get mentored from the best. It helps you to build a BRAND for yourself!

At Toastmasters we leave no stone unturned to make sure we groom every member who steps into leadership to hone their skills, so they represent the brand Toastmasters well in their leadership journey. We started the year with the District Officers Training Program and 100% District Officers were trained. This training was followed by the Club Officers Training Program with over 95% clubs officers getting trained.

From the PQD office we have rolled out two initiatives for our members - the "PQD Bootcamp" and "Power of One 2.0” with the intent of helping members get all their doubts cleared through the Bootcamp and experience the best quality Toastmasters meetings with the Power of one.

Every initiative has been designed with the central idea of making you the ambassador of “Brand Toastmasters” when you step into your office, college or the world.

We wish you best of luck as you embark on this transformational journey of Toastmasters to rebrand your life for success.

Sapna Ohri, DTM Program Quality Director

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COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

02

DISTRICT 98

CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

How are you doing today?

Mine is a family of 4 living in different corners of the world – my parents are based out of the Middle East; my brother is in the States while I am based out of India. At least once a year my parents come over or I visit them; I have been living away for almost 14 years now, and this has become kind of our ritual in keeping up with the distance.

But, in 2020 the pandemic changed it all – I did not want them to come to India because of the risk of various touch points, while I did not want to travel as I could become an asymptomatic carrier. Then in December, my brother decided to fly down after almost 3 years, so I decided to join him. I travelled with a PPE kit, was double masked and had a sanitizer in my pocket - but after landing, I still did not hug anyone, rather maintained a distance till I got home and had a shower.

The pandemic has impacted all of us in different ways. It is not only affecting people who are sick and die but this isolation is making all of us less ourselves. We all have braced through two waves of Covid, and we know the third one is around the corner. It is okay if you could not help anyone find an ICU bed or an oxygen cylinder or check on your neighbor, it is not a competition and this is definitely not a test of your love and affection for the people around you – let us not demean people who may have the comfort of home but may not have the comfort of mental peace in these times, it is testing us in different ways.

"Let us not demean people who may have the comfort of home but may not have the comfort of mental peace in these times, it is testing us in different ways. " the first lockdown began, and we thought it would just be a matter of 3 weeks to return to normalcy; It has already been almost 18 months. Toastmasters did act as a saving grace during this period and meeting some of the members after a gap of several months was nostalgic. My home clubs Mumbai Toastmasters and Toastmasters Club for Mumbai CAs have been more than just another community of toastmasters but more of an extended family that keeps me renewing every term. This I believe is a good time to switch to hybrid meetings and call back the older members to relive the in-person meeting days. What will be your reason to renew this cycle?

I’ll sign off with just one piece of advice, every time you connect with anyone, ask them ‘How are you doing today?’ before getting on with business as usual.

Hardik Shah Club Growth Director

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COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

03

DISTRICT 98

DISTRICT CROSS-CONNECT

In conversation with

Cajetan Barretto, DTM President, Kuwait Challengers Toastmasters Club, District 20

We all know Cajetan - the branding guru. But tell us something about your personal journey?

I moved to Kuwait 30 years ago and currently live with my family. Professionally, I work as a project management head in a large company running large IT projects. I became a Toastmaster by accident. Thanks to Kenji from Goa, India, who invited me for a meeting and I loved the concept of self and peer learning. That’s when both my wife and I joined Toastmasters. Today, after four years, we have both completed our DTM journey.

Currently, I am a member of six clubs, and hold a club officer position in four of those clubs.

What was your motivation to start your Youtube channel 'TechForToastmasters'?

I purchased a pro Zoom account a year ago. When the pandemic hit and nobody knew what to do, I was already proficient in Zoom. When the idea of continuing our Toastmasters meetings via an

online platform came in, I stepped up and told my District “I can help you, I know how to do this!”

Soon, I was the go-to guy for anything related to Zoom - whether it was to conduct a meeting or a contest. And so I decided, instead of talking to each person, why not create short YouTube videos of Zoom about Toastmasters branding, pathways, and much more! Soon, it became a channel for me to share my experiences and learnings about different technological aspects of Toastmasters.

How should VPs PR approach Brand compliance and why is it necessary?

When it comes to branding guidelines for Toastmasters, my advice is to ask these basic questions: What are you branding?

What are you trying to convey?

Who is your audience – local or universal?

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

DISTRICT CROSS-CONNECT When a non–Toastmaster looks at a visual message from Toastmasters, they should associate it with a SINGLE organization, not Stellar Toastmasters Club, not Challengers Toastmasters Club, it should be TOASTMASTERS. And when you start thinking from that perspective, you stay. It should not be to attract someone to a club, but to attract them to the community. Simply think of it as branding for Toastmasters, and not for a club.

How would you explain the ‘Toastmasters Brand’ to a lay man?

Toastmasters is where we develop communication and leadership skills. There is a clear distinction between the leader in Toastmasters and in the Corporate world. In the latter, you are automatically assigned certain rights over your juniors. In Toastmasters, its servant leadership where we learn from others and also lead them by showing them the right way.

Even in the Corporate world, we can apply the valuable skills of Toastmasters; learning to become more cooperative and team-oriented, rather than dictating. So, if I were to explain it to a layman, it would be – a place where you build leadership skills by the good foundation of communication skills, to share your ideas.

What have been the three biggest takeaways from your Toastmasters experience?

Instead of three, I want people to focus on only one takeaway which is “Practice” - You get what you put into Toastmasters. This is what I advise all my mentees as well. Toastmasters consist of two skills – Leadership & Communication. Take every opportunity and every role that you can get at all meetings.

Toastmasters is purely about development and most essential is learning to apply feedback either to give, or to receive, and to incorporate that feedback into your next project. Dr. Ralph Smedley started Toastmasters with the main focus that the only way to become effective communicators is to practice communication.

Do you have any advice for the members of District 98?

With the world moving towards a hybrid space, it is going to be extremely important that we practice our communication skills in an online world as well. Even if you feel the Zoom fatigue, understand the importance of this medium post COVID-19 and start becoming skilled. Don’t think of the virtual world as a second-hand way or a low value of communication, than in-person learnings. Because the virtual is going to stay for a long, long time.

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COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

05

DISTRICT 98

INDUSTRY LEADER

How’s the Josh?

In conversation with

Supriya Paul Co-founder of Josh Talks

You are the co-founder of Josh Talks. How did your journey begin?

As two twenty-something-year-olds, Shobhit & I shared a common frustration – we had so much untapped potential but didn’t have real role models to look up to. So, in college, while everyone around us was vying for a corporate job, or aspiring to become a doctor or an engineer, we were looking for someone who could share their story and inspire us to discover our true potential. When we spoke with other young people, we discovered the same issue and to address this gap, we formally launched Josh Talks in 2015 with the mission of unlocking the potential of Bharat's youth.

Was the biggest disruption that the pandemic posed for you and how did you overcome it?

For the initial weeks, we couldn’t shoot Talks at our studio and the inability to release new Talks led to a viewership decline.

Gradually, we started embracing a digital model and shifted our operations online. We improvised production processes and recorded content at our speakers’ homes, embracing a digital model and shifted our operations online. We improvised production processes and recorded content at our speakers’ homes, which turned out to be a zero-cost model with minimized efforts of traveling and set-up, with the same level of output. Over a couple of weeks, our channels started gaining traction and the performance was back on track.

How has Josh Talks shaped you as a leader?

I have transitioned from being involved in everything at work to being essential and have learnt the importance of delegating. The most important decision I now make as a leader is to allocate my time better - whether it’s for building our product or planning campaigns with our partners.

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DISTRICT 98

INDUSTRY LEADER Many people feel that communicating on a virtual platform doesn't create the same impact as in person. What are your thoughts?

It is subjective, but as an organisation with a digital ecosystem, I can say that we shifted online because we wanted to reach a broader set of audiences, particularly youth in Tier II and beyond cities in India, and we have received an enormously positive response, allowing us to make a larger impact.

What do you have to say about the power of storytelling?

Both Shobhit and I, firmly believe that well-told stories have the power to create phenomenal social change. Our stories, or ‘Talks’ as we call them, are centered around the lives of real-life heroes who have overcome extraordinary challenges to make something meaningful of their lives. In the last few years, we have seen our stories change millions of lives ‒ from inspiring a young man in Madhya Pradesh to quit his job and contribute to his community by contesting elections in his village; to giving a woman in Bihar the strength to walk out of an abusive marriage, to giving a Tuberculosis survivor in Mumbai the josh to live. Till now, we have shared over 4000 stories across 10 vernacular languages that have garnered over 1.2 billion views across the globe.

Tell us a little more about Josh Skills?

As the viewership for our Talks was growing, our audience, especially those from Tier II and Tier III towns and cities started looking up to us for career advice. The major problems that they were facing were with respect to skill development and employment, with ‘Spoken English’ being a major barrier to high-paying jobs. To tackle this pressing issues, we launched the Josh Skills app in 2020 to upskill Bharat. It uses strategies like peer-to-peer learning, gamification of complex concepts, intelligent feedback, and a chat-based interface to impart critical technical and soft skills to 170,000 students at the cost of just a mobile phone recharge! Within a few months of its launch, the app had 100,000+ paid users and became one of the highest-rated ed-tech apps on the Google Play Store.

You've met some incredible speakers on your journey. What advice would you give to the aspiring speakers in the Toastmasters community?

Always try and make the experience memorable for your audiences ‒ leave them wanting more, not less.

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DISTRICT 98

COVER STORY

WHY DO YOU

RENEW? Covered by Madhuri Vadari

Helen Blanchard, the first female International President of Toastmasters, once said, “If you get out of Toastmasters all you can get out of Toastmasters, you'll never get out of Toastmasters.”

The Statistics and Data Hub at Toastmasters International brings up some interesting facts.

The average age of members in District 98 is 37 years as compared to the world average of 46.2 years. 15% of our members are students (among the highest in the world), while 76% - 80% are engineers or working professionals with a 4-year degree or higher qualification. Interestingly, only 10% - 30% of our members primarily speak English and 80% are multilingual! The diversity is awestriking!

"If you get out of Toastmasters all you can get out of Toastmasters, you'll never get out of Toastmasters."

In a flourishing organization which has grown by leaps and bounds in its 97-year-old history, continued commitment to being a Toastmaster year-after-year has been an interesting mystery to unravel. While the reasons to join remain consistent across the board - overcoming the fear of Public Speaking, developing leadership qualities, learning effective communication skills – we set out to explore what makes members stay.

Bhavana Tadiboina from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, who joined Toastmasters when she was still a college student, says, "As a student I had ambition-less goals and ideas. Toastmasters helped me fine tune my approach and build a right action plan for every goal. I continue my journey as a member as it is now helping me grow professionally.” Riya Agrawal from Gurukul Education Toastmasters Club is currently a student who says, "Being part of Toastmasters helps me to experience being a part of bigger organization and gives me exposure to many exciting opportunities."

District 98 is a mixed bag of members, many of whom vouch for the professional rewards of being a Toastmaster, staying on to reap benefits beyond the initial few months. Ashwin Iyer From Mulund Toastmasters Club, Mumbai says, "Initially I stayed to improve my public speaking, but slowly I realized that Toastmasters is a big world in itself and there are a lot of opportunities for selfdevelopment beyond just speaking." Pinky Bahroos from Vadodara adds, "Toastmasters is an awesome platform. I have the freedom to explore, experiment and make mistakes. Learning never stops here."

Toastmasters has also given a push to different generational goals, motivations, and preferences.

Yashpal Mehta from Mumbai Communicators says, "I’m 70 now. As a senior citizen, I like to mentor and offer gyaan to the beginners in the club. That’s a good incentive to stay." The President of Toastmasters Club of Pune South, Akshay Chillal’s motivation to stay is the

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

COVER STORY cross-cultural learning and networking that Toastmasters offers.

One of the key factors of retention that emerged in our interactions with the members was fun and camaraderie. "The positive environment in Toastmasters makes me stay!" says Jayesh Kaushik from Heritage City Toastmasters Club, Ahmedabad. Psychology confirms that when people have fun, the brain releases feel-good chemicals such as oxytocin and dopamine, leading to feelings of bonding and safety with other people. Sai Lakshmi Rudra from Hyderabad Toastmasters Club reaffirms, “Clubs that nurture a sense of belonging and camaraderie retain members in the long run. I stay because my club has fun and does things together just as a family does.”

Interestingly, “giving back” also emerged as a positive motivator of staying as a member.

Toastmasters is the only organization where members come 'to learn and grow' but stay 'to give back'. Vamsi Yerrapragada of Bibvewadi Toastmasters club says, "Toastmasters provided me opportunity to be a resource for new members and a guide for existing members to achieve their goals.”

"There is something here for everyone, and all those who seek growth shall always find it at Toastmasters."

Dr. Brillian S.K, the first District Director of District 98 adds, “One of the reasons why I’ve been here for the last 12 years is that I've realised that the more you start giving, the more you start sharing, the more you grow.”

Renewals have become more important due to the disruption caused by the pandemic. It has been a challenging time for Toastmasters International, as online meetings has pushed away many members. However, our conversations with members tell us a positive story; Despite challenging times, the personal investment in Toastmasters has been transformational and rewarding for most. There is something here for everyone, and all those who seek growth shall always find it at Toastmasters. We have renewed our commitment to our growth. So, what makes you renew?

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WHY DO YOU RENEW? Because Toastmasters is FUN Friends for life, Understand self, New learning every day - Joe Rajan

Work upon my leadership skills Exchanging experiences - Chinar Baxi

Toastmasters gives me confidence, collaboration and friends - Mayuri, DTM

Gaining positive energy from like-minded people and fostering lasting friendships.

- Sivasankara Pillai Syam

So I can Explore, Experiment and Enjoy.

- Dr. Brillian SK, DTM So I can Care - Mentoring, Carry - Learning, and Cultivate - Leadership.

- Vinay Srivastava, DTM

To learn more, grow more day after day as Toastmasters is a safe place to test my leadership & communication capabilities.

- Abilash G

To continuously learn from stalwarts to grow day by day, and share the benefits with others - Swapnil Jawale

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

MEMBER PERSPECTIVE

Overcoming the fear of failure I joined Toastmasters in March of 2019. In the last 2.5 years, I have received enormous opportunities to opine my view on various topics, I have completed one complete pathway and am now on verge of completing my second. The journey is rewarding and I have literally overcome the fear of failure.

Let me take you back to my school days in the ’90s. I was in 7th grade when one day I received an opportunity to address our school assembly. I had my speech written on a piece of paper, but I was not able to gather the courage to face the audience. When I went up on stage, I was shaking terribly. I simply read my script, but my voice was trembling. I was a complete failure. I failed as I developed a fear of failure even before delivering my speech.

Later, I started practicing small discussions with my friends and started gathering some confidence. Then in 9th grade, I received another chance for an extempore speech. This time, I decided that I have nothing to lose so let’s give my best. I just imagined the audience in my thoughts and how I would face them confidently.

This time, I decided that I have nothing to lose so let’s give my best. I just imagined the audience in my thoughts and how I would face them confidently. On the day of extempore, I did well and that is how I overcame my fear of failure.

"I had my speech written on a piece of paper, but I was not able to gather the courage to face the audience.. "

In life, we usually think too much, and, in a way, we hesitate to take the first step. Whereas if we take the example of our freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives for our independence, they never had any fear. Remember the great freedom fighters Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru? Even on the day of their execution, they were fearless.

If they can be fearless in their supreme sacrifice, can’t we overcome our fear of failure and try our level best for our success?

Bhaskar Jha Teradata Pune Toastmasters Club Liked this article? Share feedback with Editor

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER Contact your Area Director to know more

Sep 30, 2021

Oct 1, 2021 23:59 Mountain Time

Sep 30, 2021

Sep 30, 2021

TI Smedley Membership Building Award

DCP Deadline towards partial goal 10

Power of Two (CGD Hall of Fame Award)

Super Sponsor (CGD Hall of Fame Award)

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

MEMBER PERSPECTIVE

When Fear Killed Fear "How I fought my fear of public speaking" In 2020 when the fear of death was knocking on our doors, I was faced with severe thoughts of not having given back anything to this world till date.

I started thinking ‘What is the one thing that I can share with others that will benefit them?’ And that’s what led to the thought of sharing my industrial experience. Especially that of interviewing thousands of graduates for jobs.

The analysis of why a candidate is selected or rejected is always worth sharing with the candidate. But often, the interviewer is unable to do so. That’s when I decided to start my YouTube channel to share my interviewing experiences and help graduates. My mind was struggling with the hesitation between speaking on social media vs. the strong will to share what I had learned. I was in a hurry thinking that I might have very little time left in life to share.

the lives of even a few handful people, I should consider myself successful. This thought inspired me and at last I posted my first Youtube video on social media. To my surprise, I started receiving many calls asking me to share more on interview preparations.

Although I survived the fearful thoughts, it was one fear that killed my other fear of public speaking, and since I was blessed with more life, I decided to learn public speaking and joined Toastmasters.

Chetananand Pathak Pimpri Toastmasters Club

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"My mind was struggling with hesitations between speaking on social media versus the strong will to share what I had learned."

DESIGN OF THE MONTH

I couldn’t post my first video on social media even after multiple retakes, due to my own hesitation of displaying myself in front of thousands of connections. I was worried about my voice quality and how I would look with my self-created pandemic hairstyle. I thought people might laugh at me.

The fear of death and the willingness to give back to the world - both were both equally strong. I understood from a few TED talks that if sharing thoughts socially makes a positive difference in

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

August 2021

ASHISH KULKARNI Deccan Toastmasters Club CONGRATULATIONS!

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DISTRICT 98

NEW AND PROSPECTIVE CLUBS

NEW CLUBS

PROSPECTIVE CLUBS OF DISTRICT 98 Refer a member who can benefit from Toastmasters!

Orange City Toastmasters Club DIVISION N Nagpur Contact: Deepalika Kowar- 7420 904451 Sapna Acharya- 85848 32151

Kolshet Toastmasters Club DIVISION M Mumbai Contact: Ramanathan N.S. - 88794 98694 Rohan Parakh - 96198 18414 Ghatkopar Toastmasters Club DIVISION U Mumbai Contact: Sanjan Shetty- 97694 46292 Ketkee Kamdar- 98335 24556

Clowning Glory Toastmasters DIVISION S

Mumbai

Contact: Ramanand- 99206 51204 Sunita- 98201 85976 The Millennial's Toastmasters Club DIVISION S

Mumbai

Chalk & Duster Toastmasters Club DIVISION M Mumbai Contact: Kartik Srinivasan - 98929 78833 Raj Bharat - 81086 16240

Pride Toastmasters Club

Contact: Muskaan- 81696 68570 Poornima- 73973 70200

DIVISION U Mumbai Contact: Avantika Narayan -98336 55216 Dimple Mehta- 98700 34109

Bilingual Hindi-English Toastmasters Club

Cocanada Toastmasters Club

DIVISION J

Jamnagar Contact: Deepali Parikh -99989 86982 Jyoti Bhat- 78386 13506

DIVISION F

Kakinada Contact: Lasya- 91335 57887 Subhash- 98852 32661

Know of a prospective club you'd like to be spotlighted?

Share with us at newsletter@district98.org COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

CLUB MILESTONES

ANNIVERSARIES

& MILESTONES

1st

Vadodara Toastmasters Club, A2 200th Milestone meeting on 8th August 2021

Vasco Toastmasters Club, W3

200th

On the occasion of the Vasco Toastmasters Club turning a year old, they hosted a HYBRID meeting on 7th August 2021.

Sinhgad Toastmasters Club, P2 Had An Exciting Sinhgad TMC's Got Talent Segment where members showcased their amazing talents,and a panel discussion

75th

Goregoan Speakers Community (GSC) Toastmasters Club, B4

175th

Date: 15 August, 2021

UPL Toastmasters Club, S1 UPL Toastmasters Club, chartered on March 07, 2019, celebrated its 50th milestone meeting on 20th July 2021.

50th

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTERS

Akshat Shrivastava Bhopal Toastmasters Club

Congratulations on your persistent and tenacious efforts to achieve the highest accomplishment in Toastmasters!

TRIPLE CROWN AWARDEES Congratulations on achieving three (or more) educational levels in the year.

Agarwal, Bhavishya Akbar, Abbas Bhargava, Ankur Bharsakle, Rohit Chittumalla, Ramesh Doshi, Bhavesh Gupta, Manu Kapiti, Suresh Karnik, Indrajeet Rajesh Kelkar, Jayant Lobo, Victoria Mansoor, Tuba

Mehta, Utkarsha Kiran Narendran, Nevathika Parmar, Sumit Kantibhai Roy, Amburi Shaikh, Tosif Sharma, Vinod Shrivastava, Akshat Singh, Avinash Sonik, Kanchan Sudhir, Theerdha Suresh Kumar, Jamie Wagh, Ajay

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

NEWS BULLETIN PQD BOOTCAMP learning series When: First Sunday of every month

PUBLIC RELATIONS MASTERCLASS When: Third Saturday of every month

Through this monthly learning series, Bootcamp offers you a unique learning opportunity about basics like Club Success Plans, Contests, Judging etc.

From designing basics, to social media tricks, creating a impactful newsletter, to video editing - learn about all things PR at the PR Masterclass monthly session!

Episode 3 is on "Contests" on Sep 5 and registrations are open!

Session 2 on "Branding and Social Media Tips" on Sep 18 by TI Expert.

Watch past sessions on the D98 Youtube channel

Watch Session 1 on the D98 Facebook Page.

POWER OF ONE is back When: Last Sunday of every month

GURUKUL 2.0 launched When: 3 month long leadership program

Want to understand the best practices of running a quality meeting? Want a friend or prospective member to understand better what happens at a Toastmasters meeting? Look no further!

District 98 PQD team is thrilled to announce the launch of a brilliant platform for leadership development - Gurukul2.0!

Power of One 2.0 is a unique monthly session that will combine learning with fun!

10 Toastmasters from each cluster (Divisions ABJMSU, CDOPW, EFGHN) will get an opportunity to learn from the best trainers, in a bid to become empowered leaders.

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

NEWS BULLETIN

From colorful zoom backgrounds, to dressing up in ethnic wear - it was wonderful to see clubs celebrating India's 75th Independence Day with pomp and show in their meetings.

Heritage City Toastmaster Club

Andheri Orators Club

Kharadi Toastmasters Club

Loyal Toastmasters Club

Raipur Toastmasters Club

CONTEST CORNER With the contest season knocking at our doors, here is all that you need to know to prepare for them!

CONTEST

CALENDAR

CONTEST

RESOURCES

September 2021

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Area A4

25

Area B3

Revised Contest guidelines for 202122 now available!

Area J2

Access it here

Areas M1, M2 Areas S3, S4

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Areas A1, A3 Areas B1, B4

Area A2

Areas M3, M4 Areas S1,S2

Area J3

Updated Contest Kits for 2021-22 available!

Access it here Learn how to be an effective Judge and Chief Judge from PQD Bootcamp 2 session

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

SNAPSHOTS FROM #TIWORLDOFDIFFERENCE

Brilliant perspectives shared by Dr. Brillian S. K., DTM (past Region 13 Advisor and past District 98 Director).

It was a proud moment for us all as the very eloquent "Baba B" took to the International stage to deliver a fantastic education session on "Interview Skills: Know Yourself"

Immediate Past District 98 Director Niteash Agarwaal, DTM, took center stage at the coveted "Toastmasters 360°" event - a by-invite-only leadership panel discussion.

Niteash was the only District Director on the panel among 125 Districts!

Celebrations are always special, even more so when they come after a particularly challenging year!

It was a moment of great pride to see past District 98 Trio being recognized in the Toastmasters International Hall of Fame for achieving Distinguished District Status in the term 2020-21.

Congratulations to the New World Champion!

Verity Price is the 2021 World Champion of Public Speaking! Verity, from District 74 won with a speech titled, “A Great Read.”

Watch her riveting winning speech here COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

TOASTMASTERS TRIVIA Do you think you know Toastmasters without a doubt?

Take this quiz and let's find out!

Presenting the Toastmasters Trivia: 11 Months ~ 11 rounds ~ 55 questions Answer 5 questions correctly every month and at the end of 11 rounds, stand a chance to win exciting prizes from District 98!

BRAND IT RIGHT!!

How well do you know you’re the TI branding manual??

Spot 6 mistakes in the poster and mail them to newsletter@district98.org

TRIVIA #2 1.·The first Toastmasters club, started in the YMCA building in Santa Ana, is still existing. What is the name of the Club?

2.·Ralph Smedley’s first publications were ‘Manual of Instructions’ and a pamphlet, ‘Ten Lessons in Public Speaking’. What was the Manual later known as?

3. In which year was the TI official website launched?

4. Helen Blanchard the first female member of Toastmasters International was registered by her club under a pseudonym. What was it?

5.In October 1935 – First Toastmasters club outside the United States was chartered. Where was the club located?

Credits: Abhilash G.

Congratulations!

WINNERS CROSSWORD Shreya S. Bhagwat

TRIVIA LEADERBOARD Mayuri Assudani Shreya S. Bhagwat Akshay Singh Bhumi Panjwani

Answers: Trivia #1 1. Chesnut 2. 22 October 3. Helen Blanchard 4. Denver. 5. THE GAVEL Crossword: Across : 3. amazon 6. trifling7. sane 8. Decoy 9. Panic 10.Edify Down: 1. panacea 2. Virtuoso 4. munificence 5. deft

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

CLUB SPOTLIGHT DIV A

DIV C

DIV E

DIV G

Dahej Orators Toastmasters Club, (7782447), Dahej Wednesday, 7:00 PM President: Harsh Ojha

TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club Pune, (04167410), Pune Friday, 10:30 AM President: Ankur Bhargave

TCS Maitree Adibatla Toastmasters Club, (6662202), Hyderabad Sunday, 10:00 AM President: Venu Allampally

Nizampet Toastmasters, (5906439), Hyderabad Sunday, 10:00 AM (2nd & 4th) President: Vikas Choudarapu

Corporate Club

DIV B

DIV D

DIV F

DIV H

Eminent Toastmasters Club, (2854357), Mumbai Thursday, 11:00 AM President: Nazir Husen Sumara

Barclays Pune Toastmasters Club, (5144305), Pune Friday, 5:30 PM President: Sai Harika Sudula

Toastmasters at Novartis Hyderabad, (02254770), Hyderabad Thursday, 11:00 AM (2nd) & 3:00 PM (4th) President: Sai Harika Sudula

TechnipFMC Toastmasters Club, (7701907), Hyderabad Saturday, 4:30 PM (Alternate) President: Pavan Kalyan Koduru

College Club

Community Club

Get in touch with the clubs at Toastmasters International - Find a Club COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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DISTRICT 98

CLUB SPOTLIGHT DIV J

TCS Kalpak Toastmasters Club, (6839027), Gandhinagar Saturday, 3:00 PM President: Henali Sheth

DIV M

Airoli Bilingual Toastmasters Club, (7798485), Navi Mumbai Sunday, 5:00 PM President: Kartik Srinivasan

RG Speakers Toastmasters Club, (5689336), Jamnagar Sunday, 3:00 PM President: Tarun Sharma

DIV N

BRIO Toastmasters Club, (7289583), Nagpur Sunday, 11:00 AM President: Jaswinder Kaur

DIV O

InfoCepts Toastmasters Club, (7811085), Nagpur Saturday, 11:00 AM (Bi-Monthly) President: Bhavini Gangar

DIV P

Pune Marathi Toastmasters Club, (7470706), Pune Saturday, 7:00 PM President: Nivedita Rajurkar

Mulund Toastmasters Club, (1246728), Mumbai Saturday, 6:00 PM President: Puneet Salian

DIV S

Dadar Toastmasters Club, (3217489), Mumbai Saturday, 3:30 PM (1st & 3rd) President: Rahul Bargaje Sobo Toastmasters Club, (7065798), Mumbai Sunday, 11:00 AM President: Hamza Haveliwala

DIV W

Powai Toastmasters Club, (3349716), Mumbai Saturday, 10:00 AM (2nd & 4th) President: Venky Krishnan Corporate Club

TMC of Pune South, (6642875), Pune Saturday, 4:30 PM President: Akshay Chillal Tietoevry Toastmasters Club, (5027867), Pune Wednesday, 10:30 AM President: Lokesh Ranka

Sinhgad Toastmasters Club, (6974223), Pune Sunday, 10:00 AM President: Karishma Ghundiyal

DIV U

RIL Toastmasters Club, (04899367), Navi Mumbai Saturday, 3:00 PM (1st & 3rd) President: Mahesh Puranam

Ana Fonte Toastmasters Club, (06656843), Margao Sunday, 4:30 PM (2nd & 4th) President: Tanvi Chanekar Toastmasters International Margao, (2575847), Margao Wednesday, 6:30 PM (2nd & 4th) President: Alvina Almeida

College Club

Community Club

Get in touch with the clubs at Toastmasters International - Find a Club COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021

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MEET THE TEAM PR MANAGER

DISTRICT 98

CHIEF EDITOR

Smita Mishra, DTM

Nishant Mehta, DTM

CONTENT MANAGERS

DESIGNERS

Madhuri Vadari Kalpita Bhalerao Meenal Bale Madhumita Acharya Venkatraman B

Madhura Ghade Vinod Basalalli

COMMUNICATE 98 | AUGUST 2021