COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
JUNE 2016
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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
Endings are almost always sad even if there is something to look forward to on the other side One whole year is over and with it the beautiful relationship we had with the District team. We fought, played hard, laughed together and even cried when things did not go our way. But we were never indifferent. And therein lay our secret. We always cared. We took time out to solve each others’ problems and offered solutions. Our whatsapp groups were full of suggestions if somebody posed a problem and full of laughter if somebody tripped up! We have been through the Semi Annual District Conference Confluence, and the Annual District Conference Eloquence, and come out with the winners of the contests and some really wonderful educational sessions. We have seen our speakers shine and heard with excitement all the winners perform for our District.
Beena Mandrekar, DTM Newsletter Editor, District 98
When we started out we were given a clear mandate: 1. Have clear roles and responsibilities 2. Open communication 3. Rapid response As the territory was unchartered and we had no precedent, we were breaking new grounds and simultaneously creating history. A year has gone by and we thought we had learnt the ropes; only to be untied again and forced to find new paths and blaze newer trails of glory.
The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear, for newer and richer experiences - Eleanor Roosevelt
As the new District Director takes the reins he has new plans to put into place and new goals to achieve. But one thing is sure: 2gether we are still 100% and IRSE the values of Toastmasters are quite safe with us.
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CONTENTS
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
Features
9 Goodbyes and Welcome NISHANT MEHTA
District Finance Manager
Articles
5 VETERANS TALK
Au Revoir Family DR. BRILLIAN SK, DTM
District Director
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Way Forward
Eloquence Highlights
CHANDRASHEKAR DP, DTM
Program Quality Director
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Looking Back Looking Forward
DISTRICT 98 CORE
ARVIND NAIR
Know Your Leaders
Club Growth Director
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Chartering New Clubs
TEAM
SANJAY UPADHYAY
Communicate 98
Area Director D3
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CONTENTS
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
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A Tryst With TIE
Made In Toastmasters
R RAVI KUMAR
Toastmasters Club of Pune
K SANDEEP REDDY
Accenture Toastmasters Hyderabad
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The Eloquent Experience
From Inspiration To Execution
NAMITA JAIN
Infosys Pune Toastmasters Club
SHWETA SARAF
Toastmasters Club of Pune South East
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Life Gives You Back Everything
Power Of Words ABHAY MAHESHWARI
RADHAKANT PANIGRAHI
ZS Toastmasters Club, Pune
Genesis Toastmasters Club of Pune
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Love Laughter Friendship
10 Years In Toastmasters
RON BILLIMORIA Agnel Toastmasters Club
MUMAL MEHTA
Infosys Pune Toastmasters Club
3 ways to be connected with your
District 98 on the GO ! Follow us on
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AU REVOIR FAMILY
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
Runners just do it – they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first. - Unknown My journey began with an accidental visit to a Toastmaster’s club in 2008. From being a member of a club in District 82 to leading District 98 as its First District Director, my life has changed a lot. As I began my leadership journey the then DG and now ID DTM Nagaraja Rao advised – “Brillian – never change for others, do what is right, and be yourself”. These words have always helped me when I was at crossroads. ‘What is right is not always popular, but what is popular may not always be right’, but we chose to be right, transparent and open from the word go as District 98. All of us may have wonderful plans for the future, but we need to make our present beautiful first. Being a Marathon enthusiast and participant the only lesson that resonated with me each time I ran, was “finish your race”. We need to imbibe the spirit of marathon in our leadership journey. Finish the race and help others finish the race. If we achieve excellence individually, we need to help others achieve excellence, we need to reach out and ensure that we embody the spirit of Toastmasters by lending a hand. As a leader, we are the face and we get recognised for the achievements. We shine because there are many Heroes behind the scenes who work selflessly to make a difference to someone. They do not vie for titles, recognition or rewards; their sole intent is to
Dr. Brillian S. K. DTM First District 98 Director, 2015-2016 help. This is the driving force behind ‘2gether we are 100%’. I thank the Heroes whose contributions helped District 98 achieve excellence in our very first year. Thanks to the leaders who gave me an opportunity to serve three Districts (82, 41 and 98), DTM’s all Nagaraja, Punita, Vinay, Prasad and Ritu. Thanks to my Team for 2015-2016, members of District 82, 41 and 98 for believing in me, trusting me and standing by me. Special thanks to my Parents, my wife Vaishali and son Ved; for always being there. Love you all for the beautiful journey you gave me. I am confident that 2016-2017 will be another fabulous year. 2gether let’s move ahead as one team. As I sign off let us join hands, choose the ‘Right Way’ and move towards excellence once again! We will meet again!
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
WAY FORWARD Way forward: hold the vision; trust the process. Which is more important: Vision or Victory? Today as we accomplish the coveted President Distinguished District (PDD) status and prepare to walk into the Hall of Fame at Washington D.C., this question is more pressing than ever before. We turn one-year as a District. This year without any doubts has been a phenomenal year. Thanks to the leadership and their vision we were able to bind together the entire membership to the tagline #2gether we are 100%. We marched ahead in unison and come August, our leaders will complete the march on behalf of the entire membership of District 98 at the Toastmasters International Convention. Sometimes members ask me which way forward? Of course, this question comes out naturally as it is the most logical step forward, but I believe there is much more to it. I believe so, because I see a spark in the eye every time I encounter this question from a fellow toastmaster. I believe so, because I get a shiver down my spine when I prepare to answer this question. And I believe so, because this question needs contemplation.
Chandrashekar DP, DTM Program Quality Director, District 98 What does integrity mean to our members? What does integrity mean in our clubs? For every member, integrity means living up to the Toastmasters promise. That promise includes attending club meetings regularly, preparing for meeting assignments, helping maintain a positive environment, bringing guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits of Toastmasters membership, and maintaining honest and ethical standards during the conduct of all Toastmasters activities. For leaders, integrity also means focusing on members’ needs and achievements in our program.
In an attempt to answer this question, is where I dive further to dissect the way forward. The answer: new district 98 theme for the Toastmasters year 2016-17 – ‘Right Way, always: Easy Way, never.’ This theme will be our map on our way forward, while the eternal toastmasters values viz., Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence will serve us as the milestones.
What does respect mean to our members? What does respect mean in our clubs? For every member, respect means understanding that each member is unique, possession certain skills and abilities, goals
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
CONTD.. and ambitions, and strengths and weaknesses. For club leaders, it also means understanding that each member is developing at his or her own pace, and while some may need a gentle push from time to time, others need space to develop.
environment and a varied program conducive to member achievement. What does excellence mean to our members? What does excellence mean in our clubs? For every member, excellence means performing assigned duties to the best of our ability every time. Sometimes we have bad days, and sometimes we have less time to prepare than we might like. Regardless, excellence means performing to the best of our ability every time for the benefit of the club and all the members. For club leaders excellence relates directly to Toastmasters strategic plan and to providing an atmosphere of club excellence that enables member achievement.
In conclusion, all I have to say is What does service mean to our members? What does service mean in our clubs? For every member, service means stepping up when required helping the club function as a stellar learning environment for the benefit of all members. For club leaders service also means focusing on the planning and delivery of an
It’s the Vision that drives our culture and the Values drive our actions.
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LOOKING BACK LOOKING FORWARD
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream The month of June will see the end of a Toastmaster’s year. As a member of the District TRIO as well as the District TRIO elect, it is time for some introspection. Looking Back: I had mixed feelings because of my age and then I saw this quote: You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream. How very true. I didn’t have to see the whole staircase before I took the first step. It is faith in oneself, coupled with the experience gained over 8 years in Toastmasters that I took up the position of Club Growth Director. As I embarked on this journey, I was reminded: lose sight of the shore to discover new oceans. It has indeed been a memorable journey of discovery and learning. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but I learnt to adjust my sails. I am thankful to the duo of Brillian and Chandra who provided me with valuable advice. I had opportunities galore for interacting, to establish relationship and to get to know many of you better. The District TRIO training in Las Vegas and Barcelona helped me to connect with Leaders from other Districts. We laughed, we danced and 2gether we worked towards excellence.
Looking forward A year as a member of the District TRIO has given me a greater insight into the Toastmasters program, a deeper understanding of the core values viz. Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence. As Program Quality Director 2016-17 I wish to stand on the shoulders of giants whose guidance and support will help me with new perspectives.
Arvind Nair DTM Club Growth Director ence to the members and see it cascade through to the District. I am excited and look forward to the Revitalized Education Program (REP) which will be introduced soon.
The journey thus far has been a rewarding one. Every leadership position I have held has added some value and helped me to grow as an individual. I urge each member to continue to contribute to the success of their club, the domino effect of which will see our District becoming Distinguished yet again.
Let us do it the Right Way, not the Easy Way, and 2gether we will be 100%
This will be yet another opportunity to make a differ-
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GOODBYES AND WELCOME
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
It can also be vice versa. Let me start with my welcome in the world of Toastmasters. Exactly, a year back I started my journey in Toastmasters, in three different yet interesting roles. 1. A determined member of Dadar Toastmaster Club. 2. A judicious District Finance Director of the newly formed District 98. 3. And an Orator and a Trainer who always loved to have a heart to heart talk with his fellow Toastmasters. It all began with an exuberant welcome full of hope to embellish my vocal and writing skills, desire to connect with fellow Toastmasters and a goal to achieve a distinct laudable laurel in whatever I do. I still remember the day when I had to give my first speech, and it coincided with the statement – High on Promises, Low on Delivery- by a friend. It made me realise that the way through this journey will not be a cakewalk. With more roles come more responsibilities and more brickbats. But I strongly believe in the power of KARMA which says no matter how many people are against you, there are more people who will be there for you and this helped me prepare for my second speech. In the scorching heat and open garden at Borivali National Park, all I could see were couples rejoicing in the presence of their loved ones. Yes, it was a Valentine’s Day. Luckily, my girlfriend was out of town and hence I could manage to attend this meeting and deliver my speech and the theme was My Valentine-My Love I got a chance to express my love for my Valentine – hold your horses- it’s not about my girlfriend. It’s about my work, my passion, my first love. It has made me what I am today, reach where I am today and explore to the core my latent potential... From an independent one man show to a 7 member team with a full -fledged office in South Mumbai. It was my ardent passion for my work that helped me reach a level where I started thinking globally and went on to have a set up in Dubai and an associate in Singapore. From the finance capital of Mumbai to the land of Sheikhs to the dream destination is quite a feat.
Nishant Mehta District Finance Manager to top it – Toastmasters – Should I go to Goa for the semi-annual conference or not is again a question of mind VS heart. My Girlfriend’s birthday and the date of Goa Confluence clash. But since, my professional experience as a CA helps us to solve all complicated balance sheets; I came up with a solution to solve this complication. I made my girlfriend a Toastmaster and paid her fees before the 30th of June and also paid her fees for the Conference... All a heavy dent on my wallet – but at the end it was simply worth it. Finally, the time came to test the waters in the ocean of the District Toastmasters and I was showered with a myriad questions on the Finance Report which was successfully handled with the support of the District Director and this made me finally make a statement that Nishant is High on Promises and High on Delivery also! Between then and now, there can never be a goodbye for me; always a welcome to the new Team. I don’t grieve over this end as arrivals follow departures and departures follow arrivals. This is a way of life and the last words of course are : Picture Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Dost!
During my toastmasters’ journey, I found that it’s always the question of mind VS the heart which complicates your life. No my dear friends, it’s not always related to girlfriends or wives, this is related to all the aspects of life like work, romance, dance, hobbies and www.d98tm.in
The Best Is Yet To Be
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CHARTERING NEW CLUBS
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
1. Club Name: Hitachi Consulting Toastmasters club 2. Point of contact: Soumyajit 3. The demo meeting experience: The board room was packed to the extent that not a single more person could have entered it. It was good to have full attendance in the demo meeting. 4. Plan to Charter and Execution: L&D head of Hitachi Hyderabad was aware about the TM club benefits and wanted to roll out the same in Pune facility. She especially visited Pune for this purpose and contacted me (as I also work in the same tower) and asked about the formalities and process to form the TMC club. I discussed complete plan with her and in OTP to-be Ex-Comm team of Hitachi participated and gained experience of Toastmasters club. After the first demo meeting, the job got easier for me as Hitachi had a really energetic team that explored complete Toastmasters International website on their own to understand TI standards and started using them from day one itself.
Sanjay Upadhyay Area Director D3
5. Time taken: 1 month 6. The key persons who helped: Toastmasters: Amol Nitave, Akshay Chillal, Saurabh Chaube, Amith Bhanudas, Satyabrata Tripathi 7. Any delay and heart breaking moments: No 8. Are you still hand holding the club: No, they are working independently. In fact they went one step ahead and helped me in forming one more club in our Area. 9. Any other point: Hitachi is working exceptionally well in terms of quality and standard of the club meetings. They also helped to form a new club Dresser Rand Toastmasters club. Hitachi TMs help in regular meetings of Dresser Rand TMC.
1. Club Name: Barclays Pune Toastmasters club 2. Point of contact: Vikram Siva Kumar TM Vikram relocated from Singapore and searched my number over internet. He called me up and expressed his desire to charter the club in his organization. As he was new to India, he needed time to find the relevant people inside his organization. Through my contact I found out that 4 TMs are already part of Barclays Company. This made it easy for him to start the initial TM meeting within the organization. The first Demo meeting took place on 27th Aug 2015. 3. The demo meeting experience: A wonderful meeting with participation from all Top executives of Barclays who were very keen to start TMC in their organization. For demo meeting they booked EON IT park auditorium so that maximum employees could participate and gain experience from TM Club Demo meeting. 4. Your plan to charter and how you executed it: Forming Barclays TMC was a big learning experience for me. The Trio came up with a unique plan of 50% employee and 50% company sponsored mode of payment. They realized that to make this kind of payment plan possible, they could pay to Toastmasters International in dollars and would need invoice in local currency of India. It took almost 3 months for accounts department to finalize the
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CONTD...
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
process and to sort out how to process the fee in the personal account of a TM. 5. Time taken: 6 month (from May 25th, 2015 to Dec 2nd, 2015)
By this time Hitachi TMC had started functioning well and we approached the Dresser Rand participants to participate in newly formed Hitachi club.
6. The key persons who helped: Toastmasters: Amol Nitave, Akshay Chillal, Saurabh Chaube, Amith Bhanudas, Satyabrata Tripathi
Demo meeting was conducted with the help of TMC of Amdocs and Hitachi club members. Since, Hitachi club was already following all the protocols in accordance with TI so it was smoothly taken over by Dresser Rand Toastmasters Club.
7. Any delay and heart breaking moments: No
5. Time taken: 3 months
8. Are you still hand holding the club: No, they are working independently and also helped in forming one more club of Barclays Pune 2 TMC.
6. The key persons who helped: Toastmasters Amol Nitave, Akshay Chillal, Saurabh Chaube, Manisha (Hitachi) and Soumyajit (Hitachi)
9. Any other point: Barclays is not just functioning really well in terms of their own club meetings but they formed another Barclays TM club for folks in Hinjewadi. They set an example for others when they hosted World Champion of public speaking Second Runner up Manoj Vasudevan using their own expenses and invited entire Pune TMC comprising of more than 150 people and did not charge anything.
7. Any delay and heart breaking moments: No 8. Are you still hand holding the club: No, they are working independently and inviting all other nearby clubs to participate in their meetings. 9. Any other point: Dresser Rand is following the standards and protocols of TI in an impeccable manner.
1. Club Name: Dresser Rand Toastmasters club 2. Point of contact: Santhosh 3. The demo meeting experience: A sublime meeting with audience in great numbers to witness the demo meeting. 4. Your plan to charter and how you executed it: TMC of Amdocs displayed the Standee on the Ground floor where my name was kept as point of contact. This Standee caught the eye of the top management team and they immediately contacted me. They marked their presence in 3 of the TMC meetings in order to make up their mind to open the club.
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MADE IN TOASTMASTERS
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
I am a Leader and I was made in Toastmasters
The Chief Judge was walking towards the podium. The whole room was calm and every one could hear a pin drop. When the Chief Judge TM Darshan announced my name as the International Speech contest winner for Accenture Toastmasters 2016, it was a wonderful feeling. When I first visited the Accenture club in May 2013, I was scared of public speaking. In the first meeting, I somehow got the courage to attempt one of the table topics speeches. You have no idea what happened next. When the Ah counter gave feedback, I realized I gave a speech on “You Know” filler word instead of the original topic. But TM Apoorv and other club members encouraged me to attempt more speeches. So with little more courage, I attempted CC1 in the next meeting. And I realized one more thing after that speech. It did not last more than 2 and half minutes which meant I was disqualified. Add to that my filler words and grammatical mistakes. I thought that I was too weak at public speaking. I took this very seriously and in July 2013, I attended many meetings and tried to give speeches, took the stage time more and more. I was learning something new in every meeting. It added value to my life. Soon after 6 months, I was able to learn many tips on public speaking and could give speeches in a more structured and logical manner. From then on till
K Sandeep Reddy Accenture Toastmasters Hyderabad winning ISC at Accenture Toastmasters 2016, it is all hard work and consistency of my efforts which paid off in the end. I had that inner belief and conviction that I would be able to speak before the public one day. It is more than 250 hours of awesome learning in Toastmasters in the last 2 odd years. I truly felt: “I am a Leader and I was made in Toastmasters”.
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
A TRYST WITH TIE We RISE in Toastmasters and the world around us rises with us As Toastmasters, we are a privileged lot. We listen to arguably some of the best orators in the world and at the same time, use every opportunity to learn vicariously from a plethora of speakers around us. Our fraternity has so much more to offer to the world and more specifically, to our beloved nation. India is in the midst of a surreal, fascinating and exciting entrepreneurial revolution. Scores of Indian nationals have jettisoned their proverbial life-jackets and are eager to take on the challenge of venturing on their own. This revolution is both an opportunity and a responsibility. An opportunity to showcase to the world, what India is truly capable of and a responsibility to ensure that we establish such a strong brand for our nation that the ensuing generations can reap the benefits of the same, for aeons to come. This is where, we as Toastmasters, step in. As skilled Orators, we have the honour of contributing to this fabulous growth sojourn that India has embarked on. We have the moral responsibility to pass on our experiences, knowledge, spread the word to the masses and help as many individuals as possible, to tap their latent innate talents. Just like e-commerce has made, selling and buying, a cakewalk, we can help individuals become better speakers who can express themselves effectively, make that crucial sale, resolve that tricky negotiation and in the process, establish themselves as worthy brand ambassadors, not just for their companies but also for India. Pune Toastmasters enthusiastically grasped one such opportunity to make a difference. We partnered with the TiE Pune Chapter and played an important role in the conduct of TiE Con, the annual conference of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) in India. It was a phenomenal PR initiative for Toastmasters as many leading names across industries were made aware of the Toastmasters brand. We even had a separate enclosure promoting Toastmasters wherein TiE members approached our volunteers to learn more about how the program could benefit them and others in their organizations. Two of the Toastmasters (who themselves were part of budding start-ups) even played the role of Emcees for certain critical segments of the conference and their performance on stage was lauded by the audience. This, in turn, helped in further enhancing the brand image of our fraternity, by setting a high benchmark
R Ravi Kumar Toastmasters Club of Pune in terms of oratory skills. On the back of this initiative, we do foresee a rising interest in Toastmasters within the entrepreneurial community, many of whom expressed a keen interest in attending our meetings and gaining invaluable insights into the art of Public Speaking. This initiative of ours would go a long way in, us, helping budding entrepreneurs make a mark for themselves in the corporate world and give a fillip to our goal of serving our community at large, helping many more individuals fulfil their cherished dreams and making a positive contribution to the society we live in!
About TiE - TiE was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals. With over 13,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 61 chapters across 18 countries, TiE’s mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally, dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, generating and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
There is a loftier ambition than to merely stand high in the world. It is to stoop down and lift mankind a little higher
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- Henry Van Dyke 13
LOVE LAUGHTER FRIENDSHIP
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
For me district conferences are not only about the speakers or contests but more about connecting with fellow Toastmasters. Refreshing old friendships and making new ones is an amazing experience which is only possible at an event like Eloquence. In an atmosphere of love, laughter and friendship we can forget our daily cares and enjoy the company of like-minded individuals from near and far. A mixture of thoughtful discussions and outrageously funny horseplay made these three days fun and memorable.
Ron Billimoria Agnel Toastmasters Club
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FROM INSPIRATION TO EXECUTION
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
Every Accomplishment Starts with the Decision to Try Gavel Club of Amanora recently hosted the first ever speech contest for the children in Pune. Our inspiration came from Eloquence - 2016, when the Gavel club of Amanora started dreaming of having a speech contest on their own. Enthusiastically we started the preparation with advertisements and posters on social media, what’s app and so on. As the word spread, we received an overwhelming response, inquiry from parents and an astounding number of registrations. The people who accepted to be a part of the esteemed panel of judges were representatives of various -strata of society. Gaveliers happily volunteered for different roles and it was a great encouragement to see the parents also cooperate and offer help.
Shweta Saraf Toastmasters Club of Pune South East
Finally, the day of action arrived…. 19th June. The beautiful Sunday morning became even more enthralling and the venue buzzed with the excitement of the lively audience, vibrant speakers and enthusiastic role players.
After a refreshment break of 15 minutes, the second round of the contest - Table Topics - began. Interesting views were shared on the given topic and thereafter, there emerged a winner and a runner up for each age group.
Our exuberant SAA Gavelier Saharsh started the contest on time, explaining the protocols to the attendees followed by the Presidential address by Gavelier Abhimanyu. The Master of Ceremonies TM Saurabh Chaube then took over the stage and the much awaited event formally began.
Beautiful trophies and participation certificates were distributed by the Chief Judge. Last but not least we were grateful to hear wonderful feedback from the parents and guests which is surely going to keep our energy levels high for a long time in the future.
Sprinkles of humor, briefing of contest rules and introduction of judges: all was smoothly carried out by the MOC and our Chief Judge Div Director DTM Leo Paulose who also provided detailed and constructive information about the Gavel Club and declared open the first round of the contest – Prepared speech contest for 2 age groups. We witnessed eloquent speeches on 3 different topics given to the contestant a week before. Topics were1.
Smile – A language of kindness
2. Smartphone and its effect on youth today
A Sunday morning well spent…. full of energy enthusiasm and inspiration
3. Leadership - inborn or developed Four contestants from each group were selected by the judges with the help of timer Sneh and Kshitij who were allowed to participate in the second round of Table topics.
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10 YEARS IN TOASTMASTERS
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
Infosys Pune Toastmasters Club (IPTMC), a registered club under the umbrella of Toastmasters International, celebrated its 10th year anniversary on the 1st of June, 2016. The club marked the occasion with events held from May 26 to June 3 around Toastmaster International’s stated mission of helping its members improve their public speaking and leadership skills.
Arvind Nair visited Pune DC on May 26. They presented an award to Infosys Limited for supporting the cause of Toastmasters. Pune DC (Phase 1) Head Rajneesh Malviya received the award on behalf of Infosys Limited.
To mark the beginning of the celebrations, Toastmasters International Director Nagaraja Rao and Toastmasters International, Infosys Pune Phase 1 DC Head, Rajneesh Malviya and club PresiDistrict 98, dent Namita Jain receiving the award from Toastmasters InternaClub Growth Director tional Director Nagaraja Rao.
On May 31, TM Rahul Shrivastava conducted an impromptu speech competition for Pune Infoscions in the Food Court. Every participant won goodies for their victory over the fear of public speaking. TM Amit Pai, WinnerTable Topics Division C, conducted a free workshop for more than 50 Infoscions on impromptu
Infosys Pune Toastmasters Club with the Toastmasters International Director, Nagaraja Rao, Club Growth Director Arvind Nair and Infosys Pune Phase 1 DC Head, Rajneesh Malviya after receiving the award. www.d98tm.in
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
The club members enjoying their 10th year DC Meet after a cake cutting ceremony.
speaking skills. An online event Six Words Story was also organized (until June 3) by Contest Chair Amanjot Kaur.
journey. IPTMC thanks Infosys Limited and Toastmasters International for their continuous support and encouragement.
The main event on June 1 was based on the theme Celebrations. Pune DC (Phase 2) Head Pravin Kulkarni graced the event. He shared his experiences as a public speaker and shed light on the importance of communication and leadership skills. DTM Prasad Sovani, Area Director Anupriya Sinha and exPresident of IPTMC, Rohit Singh joined the club members for the milestone meet. Akhil Kumar started the meeting, followed by Sergeant-at-arms Anand Dubey introducing the theme of the event. Associate President Anuj Achary gave the Presidential Address and President Namita Jain anchored the event. The event saw some great speeches by Sagar Gupta, Manish Singh and Nilesh Patankar. General Evaluator Amit Pai with his team – Mumal Mehta, Dhruv Parekh and Lalit Jadhav evaluated the entire meeting. Nilesh won the Best Prepared Speaker, Anupriya Sinha won the Best Evaluator and Dhruv Parekh won the Best Role-taker awards. In keeping with the theme for the day, Celebrations, the club cut a cake to celebrate IPTMC’s decade long www.d98tm.in
Mumal Mehta Infosys Pune toastmasters Club
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THE POWER OF WORDS
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
Words have power and words can light fires in the minds of men
‘Words can bring the hardest hearts to tears. Words can start a war or propel peace. Words strung together create language and language over time builds culture. Our choice of words makes us who we are’ - said my inner voice as I scanned around measuring the demographic dividend of the room. The analyst in me went for a quick statistics of the audience - ages seventeen to seventy, profiles from accountants to army veteran, singlehood status from bachelors to mother of two. Inference, you may ask? – Speech has no barrier, learning to speak has no last date and self-improvement always finds time. Welcome to Toastmasters. My state of trance was broken by the facilitator’s announcement on the commencement of the session. The young blood had a bright smile, which gave his audience a peak into his passion, his motivation and his inherent sense of pride in being associated with the Toastmasters’ fraternity. His crisp and clear voice pitched the thoughts so accurately that it took a moment for the audience to understand and contemplate the magnitude of it all. For me, it came as plethora of opportunities for showcasing creativity along with a realization of the mountain I had to climb. As the sun set, I came out of the OTP as an educated man who in the last few hours had created a neural network full of possibilities. I had a vision for my club. Later as I rejoined my team, I figured that I wasn’t the only one armed with information and opportunities.
Abhay Maheshwari ZS Toastmasters Club, Pune The following month saw new initiatives in the club, scaled up membership drives and extensive knowledgeable exchanges with other club members. Each speaker, each evaluator and each role taker makes the club grow strong and stealthy. Conducting speech contests, guest sessions and collaborations with fellow clubs makes the club come alive. As many started to break the ice, I felt satisfied. I could sense the joy, respect and success. Such is the power of words. Looking back, the vision did spread like wildfire but could only be realized with the synchronized effort of the right people from diverse backgrounds who walked through this office and were brought together to form a team by a common interest. A ‘thank you’ is just not sufficient in commemorating the selfless effort by the wonderful people of the Toastmasters fraternity in bringing about this change in me. As we wave our final goodbye as torch bearers to this unique culture, we must lay the foundations for those who are to come and mentor and build a masterpiece.
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THE ELOQUENT EXPERIENCE
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
If learning and networking with a blend of unlimited fun excites you then Toastmasters International conferences are the place to be
This year was my first time when I attended the conference. Luckily, I also got a chance to be the anchor for the opening ceremony of the show. And my experience, since the moment I reached the venue on 27th May, 2016 has been breathtaking. Earlier, I was a bit skeptical: should I even pay so much for a 3 day Toastmasters’ conference? I thought it would be better to spend that money on movies and dinners. But I was pleasantly surprised and more than willing to spend the money after I attended the conference.
Namita Jain Infosys Pune Toastmasters Club
It was the first time I saw and listened to wonderful speakers from outside Toastmasters, district level contest participants and table topic contestants. I attended the district council meeting, and enjoyed a lot of fun performances by fellow toastmasters, all on one stage.
best speakers, including our district leaders. The whole atmosphere gave give me more than enough to ponder over for the rest of my life. If I write all that I did during those 3 days I would be writing a short story. So, people who want to know what I did catch me offline and I will start my radio box for you all.
And to top it all, whereas as I thought it would be boring, the fun night left me awake and excited. For a Toastmaster, who wears many hats and always looks for an opportunity to network with people, I’ve never seen and spoken to so many people in just a span of two and a half days. I got a chance to interact with numerous people, shared likes and dislikes, exchanged numbers and witnessed the best of the
One of the promises of a Toastmaster is to attend a conference once. But the strange thing is, once you attend the conference you are hooked. The next conference is happening in Goa in October, 2016. If you wish to attend it, then do register for same and experience the difference Toastmasters can make to your lives. Take a chance and I guarantee you will not regret it.
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LIFE GIVES YOU BACK EVERYTHING
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
Life gives you back everything you say or do
My father always used to tell me, “Study hard, so that you can get a good job.” After I finished my college and got placed in an MNC, my father told me, “Son you got a good job. Now you have to work hard so that you will become the best employee of your organization. After I got a promotion, my manager called me up and said, “Since you have been promoted, you have to now work harder. Hard work will bring success only when you love what you do, when you enjoy what you do and you take pride in what you do. Toastmasters is no different. Hard work, dedication, passion and joy of helping others, make us successful and proud toastmasters. A toastmaster’s journey starts with a Club from one speech to another speech, from one role to another role, from one contest to another contest and from a naïve communicator to a competent communicator and leader. A toastmasters club plays a significant role in the success of a toastmaster’s journey. You inherit it from your senior toastmasters and it’s your responsibility to hand it over in a better shape to your junior toastmasters. When you observe things are not in place in your club, you have two options; you can complain about it and when nobody listens then just ignore it. Or step up, take up the reins and fix it. I took up the latter option. I assumed control and made sure
Radhakant Panigrahi Genesis Toastmasters Club of Pune
my club not only meets regularly, but exceeds each of its toastmaster’s expectations. The result says it all. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want love and harmony in the world, develop them first within yourself. If you want more vibrant, energetic and supportive toastmasters in your club show your energy and support to your fellow toastmasters. Help your fellow toastmasters and club to grow. Help without expecting anything in return. You will be benefited in ways that you never anticipated. Be an office bearer for the upcoming term and experience the joy of giving.
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ELOQUENCE HIGHLIGHTS
COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE
BRILLIAN SK
CHANDRASHEKAR DP
ARVIND NAIR
FARIDA DSILVA DIAS
DISTRICT DIRECTOR
PROG QUALITY DIRECTOR
CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR
DISTRICT ADMIN MNGR
NISHANT MEHTA
SRINIDHI DASAKA
CHINMAYA DAVE
SOMNATH B
DISTRICT FINANCE MNGR
DISTRICT P.R. MANAGER
DISTRICT CHIEF JUDGE
DISTRICT WEBMASTER
BEENA MANDREKAR
MOHAN KARAMBELKAR
PANKAJ KOTHARI
VENKATA RAMANA DITTAKAVI
DISTRICT NEWSLETTER EDITOR
DISTINGUSHED CLUB PROG MNGR
DISTRICT PARLIAMENTARIAN
CHIEF AMBASSADOR, REVITALIZED EP
CHETAN THAKKAR
ANAND KUMAR
ANKIT JAIN
HITENDRA BHADANG
DISTRICT LOGISTIC MNGR
MANAGER CLUB EXT AND GROWTH
ASST CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR
CREDENTIALS CHAIR
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE
NIKHIL SALVI DIVISION B DIRECTOR
NITESH AGARWAAL DIVISION C DIRECTOR
RAVI TEJA MARUPPU DIVISION E DIRECTOR
ARUNA THAPA DIVISION F DIRECTOR
PRITAM AREKAR
NAMRATA SRIVATSAVA
PRAMOD MOHANDAS
REEBA GEORGE
AREA DIRECTOR A1
AREA DIRECTOR A2
AREA DIRECTOR A3
AREA DIRECTOR A4
VIPUL JAIN
SAHIL SHARMA
EKNATH HOLE
CHETAN THAKKAR
AREA DIRECTOR B2
AREA DIRECTOR B3
AREA DIRECTOR B4
MOHIT CHABRA DIVISION A DIRECTOR
AREA DIRECTOR B1
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LEO PAULOSE DIVISION D DIRECTOR
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE
NAGAPPAN P
RAHUL KALE
ANUPRIYA SINHA
ARUN NAWGE
AREA DIRECTOR C1
AREA DIRECTOR C2
AREA DIRECTOR C3
AREA DIRECTOR C4
AKBAR KHAN
SHAILESH NATU
SANJAY UPADHYAY
TUSHAR SONJE
AREA DIRECTOR D1
AREA DIRECTOR D2
AREA DIRECTOR D3
AREA DIRECTOR D4
NAVNEET PERI
MANASA INAMPUDI
RAJASEKHAR M
PAVAN S
LAKSHMI KIRAN M
AREA DIRECTOR E1
AREA DIRECTOR E2
AREA DIRECTOR E3
AREA DIRECTOR E4
AREA DIRECTOR E5
BHARATHI DEVI R
VIKRAM C
MANISH R
DARSHAN KHANNA
PRATHIMA M
AREA DIRECTOR F1
AREA DIRECTOR F2
AREA DIRECTOR F3
AREA DIRECTOR F4
AREA DIRECTOR F5
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
TEAM NEWSLETTER EDITOR , District 98
BEENA MANDREKAR WEBMASTER , District 98
SOMNATH BHATTACHARJEE
NEWSLETTER LEAD
SANJEEV PATRA Representing HYDERABAD NEWSLETTER LEAD
AISHWARYA CHANDRASEKARAN Representing PUNE NEWSLETTER LEAD
PAVAN PUNJABI Representing MUMBAI TECH TEAM
SHALINI GANDHAM
NEWSLETTER LEAD
COLIN SAVIO COELHO Representing GOA
TECH TEAM
RAJIV PINGALE
TECH TEAM
MIHIR MANDSORWALE
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COMMUNICATE 98 | JUNE 2016
Disclaimer: Although great care has been taken in putting together this issue, we apologize for any inadvertent errors or omissions. The newsletter contains individual views of contributors. District 98, the District Director or the Editor may not subscribe to the same. You may report errors and suggestions to newsletter@d98tm.in
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