NEWSLETTER APRIL 2017
ISSUE: 01
08 THE GIFT PRAKASH NAIR
AREA 64 CONTEST WOMB OF KNOWLEDGE BY CHARULATHA BALACHANDRAN
THE HYPHEN BY DINESH DECKKER
AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 1
CONTENT Area 64 consist of 4 healthy clubs- OTE Toastmasters, Malayalam Toastmasters, Sri Lankan School Muscat Toastmasters and Panthera Toastmasters Club. During the recent past ebullient toastmasters of Area 64 has show cased their talents in many different ways. Their active participation is Club Officer Training, Judges Training and achievements in Speech Contests are remarkable.
PAGE 5
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for all the Area 64 Toastmasters for their committed work for the benefit of Toastmasters fraternity. Our Division L Director – DTM Gururaj Rao has been the pillar of strength for the success of Area 64. Let me thank each and every individual Toastmaster who extend their supporting hands for Area 64.
MESSEGE FROM AREA 64 DIRECTOR
TOASTMASTERS THE BENIFITS
t is my immense pleasure to share my message to the Area News Letter as the Area Director – Area 64
I had a chance to attend a seminar recently and the performance of the speakers prompted me to write this short note to convey my message
CLUB INSTALLATION
PAGE 6
THE GIFT
PHOTOS
BY PRAKASH NAIR
Feel free to browse the club installation photos of Area 64.
PAGE 7
Have you ever experienced a gap between where you are and where you could be?
CLUB CONTEST PHOTOS
WOMB OF KNOWLEDGE TM CHARULATHA BALACHANDRAN
Feel free to browse the club Contest Photos of 2017 in Area 64.
PAGE 9
2 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017
PAGE 8
PAGE 10 -11
It was on 22nd January, 2015 that the Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi, launched the “Beti Bachao, Beti
WELCOME
CLUBS IN AREA 64 Malayalam Toastmasters Club OTE Toastmasters Club Sri Lankan School Toastmasters Club Panthera Toastmasters Club
SAY IT LOUD! TM CHANDIMA WITHARANA
Being toastmasters, don’t wehave an amazing power in our
PAGE 12
THE HYPHEN BY DINESH DECKKER Hyphen is used to represent our life when we no longer exist in this world.
In the last few months, the Area 64 and its clubs have achieved many milestones and this newsletter is aimed at celebrating those milestones. This term the members of Area 64 had completing their competent communication track, competent leadership track, advanced communica-
PAGE 13
tion and leadership track. Also it’s a pleasure to inform that Area 64 won places at Division L Contest which held on 08th of April 2017.
AREA 64 CONTEST PHOTOS
In this edition of the newsletter, includes several articles by Area 64 Club Members, The readers can benefit from
Feel free to browse the Area 64 Tostmasters Contest 2017 Photos.
the educational articles by experienced Toastmasters and make use of these points in their future speeches. Enjoy the inaugural edition of the “Area 64 Newsletter”.
PAGE 14 - 15 Thank you to all the members for their contributions! CREATIVE CORNER
Dinesh Deckker Chief Editor
This is the place to show case the tallents of Toastmasters in Area 64.
PAGE 16
AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 3
T
he mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.
4 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017
TM SUBHASHINI SUMANASEKARA
AREA 64 DIRECTOR EACH ONE - REACH ONE
“The well balanced - intelligent speaker is the natural leader in any group of which he is a part” - Ralph C. Smedley It is my immense pleasure to share my message to the Area News Letter as the Area Director – Area 64. Also it is my honour to address as the first ever Sri Lankan Area Directress in Toastmasters International appointed to the Sultanate of Oman.
Area 64 consist of 4 healthy clubs- OTE Toastmasters, Malayalam Toastmasters, Sri Lankan School Muscat Toastmasters and Panthera Toastmasters Club. During the recent past ebullient toastmasters of Area 64 has show cased their talents in many different ways. Their
active participation is Club Officer Training, Judges Training and achievements in Speech Contests are remarkable. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for all the Area 64 Toastmasters for their committed work for the benefit of
Toastmasters fraternity. Our Division L Director – DTM Gururaj Rao has been the pillar of strength for the success of Area 64. Let me thank each and every individual Toastmaster who extend their supporting hands for Area 64.
Let me conclude my message to the Area News Letter of Panthera Toastmasters Club with the quote made by founder of Toastmasters International Ralph C. Smedley. “The well balanced - intelligent speaker is the natural leader in any group of which he is a part” As the Area Director I invite all the people from different walks of life to join with Toastmasters fraternity and spread your wings to be a well balanced speaker and a leader.
Subhashini Sumanasekara (ACB, ALB) Area Director – Area 64 Immediate Past President – SLSM Toastmasters Club Founder President/Mentor – Panthera Toastmasters Club Councilor – SLSM Gavel Clubs AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 5
BY TM T. BHASKARAN
TOASTMASTERS
THE BENIFITS Toastmasters provide the required tools to develop the individuals. We learn through corrective measures and become perfect through practice and practice. Many organizations do recommend Toastmasters to learn public speaking.
Evaluator, Table Topic master – these are the positive elements contributing a member to develop his utmost potential and such a system is not available in any of the personality development institutions, which make the Toastmasters Club at par with any institutions. I would urge upon individuals who are aspiring for developing leadership qualities, to join your nearest club and make use of the facility. It is a non-profit organization and sex, politics, criticisms, abuse, use of unparliamentary languages etc are forbidden. So, please come and join us and be a good leader of tomorrow.
I
had a chance to attend a seminar recently and the performance of the speakers prompted me to write this short note to convey my message how useful is the Toastmasters Club in developing one’s public speaking ability and leadership quality. More than four million people are benefitted by joining the Toastmasters International and 13,000+ clubs are working globally and in Oman itself we have more than 50 clubs and I am glad to be associated with the Toastmasters which has aided in sharpening my skills. Thanks to Ralph C.
Smedley who founded Toastmasters International a century ago with the sole aim of developing the public speaking abilities of individuals.To live your best wife, a variety of skills are needed – Communication is the foremost. Good communication skills are key to success in life and without an effective communication, a message can turn into error, misunderstanding, frustration or even disaster by doing misinterpreted or purely delivered. Usually, people from different countries and cultures tend to use different nonverbal communication
6 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017
gestures, so it’s important to take age, culture, religion, gender, and emotional state into account when reading body language signals. An American teen, a grieving widow, and an Asian businessman, for example, are likely to use nonverbal signals differently.Toastmasters provide the required tools to develop the individuals. We learn through corrective measures and become perfect through practice and practice. Many organizations do recommend Toastmasters to learn public speaking. Grammarian, Ah counter, Wordmaster, Timer,
P
otential and keep growing. Growing yourself will enable you to grow others and make a positive impact in this world.
TOASTMASTERS CLUB INSTALLATION PHOTOS
Malayalam Toastmasters Club
Panthera Toastmasters Club
13 November 2016
21 December 2016
AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 7
BY TM PRAKSH NAIR
THE GIFT Most of the time we wish to see some better change in this world, but we think that we alone can’t make it. But I should say you can. Only you need to do is, push yourself out of your comfort zone, stretch your wings to realize your potential and keep growing. te who was seated in the last row, rarely scored pass mark in exams. Now heis a PhD in English literature and working as an educator.He said, I found it’s not worthy to be an average, so I pushed myself forward.It was a life changing moment for me. I restarted my education. I changed my habits. But nothing worked out until I pushed myself hard out of my comfort zone. When I did this, I started growing.
H
ave you ever experienced a gap between where you are and where you could be? This gap is existing in each one of us as the distance between the person we are and the person, we can become. Iwas an average student in school.But my Dad said thatwas the sign of being a genius. And he started trying in many ways to bring out the genius in me. There was a music teacher staying near our house. I was
admitted in his music class. Few months later, one day my music teacher met my Dad. He said, brother, look, your son is blessed with….some other skills but not music. So don’t blame me later. My Dad’s nextexpedition was to develop me in another arts form called martial arts. He admitted me in a Karate class. Soon I became the favorite student in karate class as other studentscould all their fighting techniques on my body. After school final, I was admi-
8 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017
tted in a technical college called poly technic. My Dad said, Son, the time has come for you to take charge of your life withoutmy push. Your potential is bigger than what you think, so keep growing.
When I got a job, I forgot my Dad’s words. I started living under a comfort blanket. All days were a repetition. I didn’t believe in life turning points until I met my friend Sobi couple of years back. Sobi was my high school classma-
Friends, Most of the time we wish to see some better change in this world, but we think that we alone can’t make it. But I should say you can. Only you need to do is, push yourself out of your comfort zone, stretch your wings to realize your potential and keep growing. Growing yourself will enable you to grow others and make a positive impact in this world.
TOASTMASTERS
2017 CLUB CONTEST PHOTOS MALAYALAM TOASTMASTERS CLUB, OTE TOASTMASTERS CLUB & PANTHERA TOASTMASTERS CLUB CONDUCTED THE CLUB CONTESTS SUCCESSFULLY.
MALAYALAM TOASTMASTERS CLUB CONTEST
OTE TOASTMASTERS CLUB CONTEST
PANTHERA TOASTMASTERS CLUB CONTEST AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 9
BY TM CHARULATHA BALACHANDRAN
WOMB OF
KNOWLEDGE Pakistani school girl Malala Yusufzayi was fighting for right to education, especially female education ! Her thought provoking words, “ The extremists are afraid of books and pens, the power of education frightens them.
I
t was on 22nd January, 2015 that the Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi, launched the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” scheme encouraging all to educate and save girl children. One incident which comes to mind in this regard is when our elder daughter decided to study ACCA. One of my husband’s colleagues was apprehensive as to how this move would benefit my husband in the long run for she is nothing but a girl child, and a simple degree would be sufficient for she will eventually be married off. My husband was dumbstruck for a moment as these thoughts never occured to him , But without even a moment’s hesitation he replied, “Education is what is going to remain with my daughter as fixed deposit which will
10 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017
help her face the world and stay independent even in my absence.” As my husband retold this incident to me, I was proud of my husband and was also happy that my children were blessed with such a nice father. At the same time i was wondering , are we living in the same century where a Pakistani school girl Malala Yusufzayi was fighting for right to education, especially female education ! Her thought provoking words, “ The extremists are afraid of books and pens, the power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women, EDUCATED women!”. Another such incident, which is common in most villages in third world countries goes like this. A woman who got married at the tender age of 11 and a mother at the age of 13 would always complain about how she had had to take care of her family as her husband was uneducated and unemployed. She gave birth to two girl children. Even though she did not have the good fortune of attending school, she made it a point that her daughters had at least the basic education. She is 63 years old now and still works for she doesn’t want to be a burden on anybody. She always tells me that if she was educated, she would definitely have had a better life for herself and her children. In Oman itself, when His Majesty was coroneted in 1970, there were but 3 schools all of which catered to boys only. By the end of 1970, 1136 girls were receiving education. Recently,” Digi Girls “ was released , an initiative to empower girls with the skills of using technology meaningfully in their studies and in their daily life. “Girl Rising” is one such global campaign providing education for girls and changing the way world sees girls by helping people understand the value of girls and the benefits of educating them. As the age old African proverb says,” If we educate a man, we educate a person but if we educate a woman, we educate a family and the entire nation!”. Therefore I would like to emphasize that girls empowerment through education will bring revolution to the society and nation on the whole .
O
ne Girl with Revolution !!!!
Courage
is
a
AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 11
BY TM CHANDIMA WITHARANA
SAY IT LOUD! If you have read the March edition of the Toastmasters magazine, it tells us about an amazing Toastmaster, Jay Fagnano, who lost his 20 year old son and it shattered his whole life. Then fate brought him to the Glumac DTLA. He made this platform his grief therapy. He found solace through the speeches he made. Today he’s the founder of the Thrive in Joy foundation dedicated to his late son. nonsense. Every other weekend I had to argue with my boyfriend because I keep cancelling his plans just to debug a code. It came to a point where I had to choose between my job and my loved ones. I wondered, is this all worth for just 24000 rupees? Then I decided to tell my boss that I’m done and I’m leaving. After I walked out of his office that day I felt an ethereal relief in my mind. That’s when I discovered the joy of expressing myself.
And why is this the best thing in my life? Because this platform right here gives me the opportunity to express the millions of thoughts running inside my head without being judged.
the water and taking your hand out suddenly. It will come afloat no matter what. Our feelings are such too. Just like this tennis ball, our feelings are meant to be surfaced, expressed. But, with the negative comments coming our way, we suppress our feelings and push them into a deep dark corner of our minds. But, the moment we get tired of bottling it up inside, our feelings erupt. But this time, only uglier, only messier!
Imagine a tennis ball floating on water. Try forcing it down
It was my first job, as a software developer. I was young, naïve and full of enthusiasm. But my
B
est things in life comes for free!” But for me, NO. It comes with 17 OMR for six months!Yes. My membership fee.
12 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017
boss knew my weakness is that I would never say NO to work no matter how uncomfortable the situation is. I was the underdog during the first few days. Then the workload started increasing exponentially. And I had to work long late hours. Yet, no matter how stressful the work is I still could not express my aversion to my boss. Then my work life started to take a toll on my personal life. Whenever I sneak into the house at 11pm my parents would remind me that I’m still 23, and I’m a girl and I must stop this
Haven’t we all been through similar situations? But today, my dear TMs we have come to the right place. We all have gathered at a place which gives us confidence to make our voice heard. Being toastmasters, don’t we have an amazing power in our hands? Spiderman said, with great power comes great responsibility. So It’s our responsibility to make the most of it not just to make ourselves better, but to inspire someone to be better.
S
o my dear TMs I implore all of you say it right, say it sincerely, most of all, say it out loud!
BY TM DINESH DECKKER
THE HYPHEN Hyphen is used to represent our life when we no longer exist in this world. Everything we did in our life all the years we lived will be represented by this punctuation mark. It also shows how short our life is.. What is the most precious thing in your life? Family, friends, Job, Nature, there are an endless list of precious things out there. Little do most people know that none of these things would matter, without time? My Dear Toastmasters, I believe that time is the most precious thing a person can have. Time is priceless to everyone; time is free to all however, no one can buy it or sell it. One can destroy the time as well as use the time however it is true that one who destroy the time can definitely be destroyed by the time and one who use the time can definitely be blessed by the time. Each of us live in borrowed time. Every second in your life is very important. We will not be able to relive the second we passed. As Toastmasters we always try to improve our self and try to be positive at all times. Fellow toastmasters, Live your life to the fullest extent. Be positive. Be Happy. Always follow your dreams. Your dreams might not be glamorous to others but for you it might be everything. Forgive. Be Kind. Most importantly be Happy and be thankful for everything you got in your life.
Ultimately your life is defined by a hyphen. You can see how short it is. Every Second Matters. Be happy‌
AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 13
TOASTMASTERS
2017 AREA 64 CONTEST PHOTOS MALAYALAM TOASTMASTERS CLUB, OTE TOASTMASTERS CLUB, SRI LANKAN SCHOOL MUSCAT TOASTMASTERS CLUB & PANTHERA TOASTMASTERS CLUB COMPETED IN THE AREA 64 CONTEST.
14 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017
AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 15
CREATIVE CORNER
THIS ISSUE FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHY TM DINESH DECKKER
16 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017
AREA 64 COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2016-17 Area Director MTM Subhashini Sumanasekara Asst Area Director - (Program Quality) TM Prakash Nair Asst Area Director - (Club Growth) TM T Baskaran Area Finance Manager TM Harison Fernando Area Administration Manager TM Dinesh Deckker
AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017 | 17
18 | AREA 64 NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017