Investing in Ourselves - COMMUNIQUÉ June 2021

toastmasters Membership Growth clubgrowth brand guidelines district98 publicspeaking leadership networking memes motivation awards Breakout rooms Spotlight Powai Yantra Park Olympus IPL Club Trips zoom teams Am I audible timer Am I visible cards fun learning word of the day phrase of the day speeches evaluations TI portal table topics creativity innovation outings parties celebrations singing encouragement laughter discussions brainstorming ideas claps success failures contests chitchats engaging Unique best speaker optimistic videos Pathways Fun friends Integrity Service Respect Excellence pathways star Leadership competition camaraderie festivity bonding best table topic speaker innovations expressions memories Learning growth enjoyment excellence ice beaker evaluation speech contests mentor mentee guest table topics table topics master members leadership toastmaster of the year world championship public speaking convention Eloquence renewal badges ribbons timer love toastmasters Membership Growth clubgrowth brand guidelines district98 publicspeaking leadership networking memes motivation awards Breakout rooms Spotlight Powai Yantra Park Olympus IPL Club Trips Wonderful teams Am I audible timer Am I visible cards fun learning word of the day phrase of the day speeches evaluations TI portal table topics creativity innovation outings parties celebrations singing encouragement laughter discussions brainstorming ideas claps success failures contests chitchats canteen selfies best speaker cake cuttings videos Pathways Fun friends Integrity Service Respect Excellence pathways star Leadership competition camaraderie festivity bonding best table topic speaker innovations expressions memories Learning growth enjoyment excellence ice beaker evaluation speech contests mentor mentee guest table topics table topics master members leadership toastmaster of the year world championship public speaking convention Eloquence renewal badges ribbons timer love encouragement self love confidence enhancement building skills toastmasters Membership Growth clubgrowth brand guidelines district98 publicspeaking leadership networking memes motivation awards Breakout rooms Spotlight Powai Yantra Park Olympus IPL Club Trips zoom teams Am I audible timer Am I visible cards fun learning word of the day phrase of the day speeches evaluations TI portal table topics creativity innovation outings parties celebrations singing encouragement laughter discussions brainstorming ideas claps success failures contests chitchats engaging Unique best speaker optimistic videos Pathways Fun friends Integrity Service Respect Excellence pathways star Leadership competition camaraderie festivity bonding best table topic speaker innovations expressions memories Learning growth enjoyment excellence ice beaker evaluation speech contests mentor mentee guest table topics table topics master members leadership toastmaster of the year world championship public speaking convention Eloquence renewal badges ribbons timer love toastmasters Membership Growth clubgrowth brand guidelines district98 publicspeaking leadership networking memes motivation awards Breakout rooms Spotlight Powai Yantra Park Olympus IPL Club Trips Wonderful teams Am I audible timer Am I visible cards fun learning word of the day phrase of the day speeches evaluations TI portal table topics creativity innovation outings parties celebrations singing encouragement laughter discussions brainstorming ideas claps success failures contests chitchats canteen selfies best speaker cake cuttings videos Pathways Fun friends Integrity Service Respect Excellence pathways star Leadership competition camaraderie festivity bonding best table topic speaker innovations expressions memories Learning growth enjoyment excellence ice beaker evaluation speech contests mentor mentee guest table topics table topics master members leadership toastmaster of the year world championship public speaking convention Eloquence renewal badges ribbons timer love encouragement self love confidence enhancement building skills toastmasters Membership Growth clubgrowth brand guidelines district98 publicspeaking leadership networking memes motivation awards Breakout rooms Spotlight Powai Yantra Park Olympus IPL Club Trips zoom teams Am I audible timer Am I visible cards fun learning word of the day phrase of the day speeches evaluations TI portal table topics creativity innovation outings parties celebrations singing encouragement laughter discussions brainstorming ideas claps success failures contests chitchats engaging Unique best speaker optimistic videos Pathways Fun friends Integrity Service Respect Excellence pathways star Leadership competition camaraderie festivity bonding best table topic speaker innovations expressions memories Learning growth enjoyment excellence ice beaker evaluation speech contests mentor mentee guest table topics table topics master members leadership toastmaster of the year world championship public speaking convention Eloquence renewal badges ribbons timer love toastmasters Membership Growth clubgrowth brand guidelines district98 publicspeaking leadership networking memes motivation awards Breakout rooms Spotlight Powai Yantra Park Olympus IPL Club Trips Wonderful teams Am I audible timer Am I visible cards fun learning word of the day phrase of the day speeches evaluations TI portal table topics creativity innovation outings parties celebrations singing encouragement laughter discussions brainstorming ideas claps success failures contests chitchats canteen selfies best speaker cake cuttings videos Pathways Fun friends Integrity Service Respect Excellence pathways star Leadership competition camaraderie festivity bonding best table topic speaker innovations expressions memories Learning growth enjoyment excellence ice beaker evaluation speech contests mentor mentee guest table topics table topics master members leadership toastmaster of the year world championship public speaking convention Eloquence renewal badges ribbons timer love encouragement self love confidence enhancement building skills leadership networking memes motivation awards Breakout rooms Spotlight Powai Yantra Park Olympus IPL Club Trips Wonderful teams Am I audible timer Am I visible cards fun learning word of the day phrase of the day speeches evaluations TI portal table topics creativity innovation outings parties celebrations singing encouragement laughter discussions brainstorming ideas claps success failures contests chitchats canteen selfies best speaker cake cuttings videos Pathways Fun friends Integrity Service Respect Excellence pathways star Leadership competition camaraderie festivity bonding best table topic speaker innovations expressions memories

TCS MAITREE TOASTMASTERS CLUB

COMMUNIQUÉ

June

2021

CONTENTS EDITORIAL TEAM

03

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

04

SEVEN PILLARS OF CLUB

06

TERM AT A GLANCE

08

AWARD MANIA

09

PEEKING INTO THE JOURNEY

10

INVESTING IN YOURSELF

12

LISTEN FROM CLUB MEMBERS

14

NEW INITIATIVE

16

TMTC AWARDS

17

THE CLUB OUTING

18

YOU ARE JUST A VOICE

21

PEEKING INTO THE CONTEST

22

20 DAYS OF INVESTMENT

23

WHY DID YOU ASK

24

TOASTMASTERS

25

SHOOTOUT AT MATHERAN

27

IMPROMPTU PREMIER LEAGUE

28

21 WAYS OF INVESTING IN YOURSELF

29

HOW TO COPE WHEN THINGS ARE OUT OF CONTROL

30

INVESTMENT IN YOURSELF

31

TOASTMASTER OF THE YEAR

32

INVESTING IN YOURSELF

34

A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER

35

LET'S RECOGNIZE OUR ACHIEVERS

36

OPEN LETTER

39

LOCKDOWN DIARIES

40

HOBBIES CORNER

42

WHAT DID COVID-19 DO?

45

TMTC IMDB

46

ELEVATOR PITCH, MY TOASTMASTERS CLUB

48

KNOW YOUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

49

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 2

EDITORIAL TEAM Investing in Ourselves- The best investment most of us are focusing on, since March 2020.

After the pandemic became part of our lives and we shifted from physical to a virtual environment literally for everything from shopping to studying, from ordering food to work from home, way to live life has evolved and so is the human's perception about life. With this in mind, we have reached out to club members to know how they are investing in themselves.

This issue of communiqué brings to you, the diversity of ideas and mindsets.

Articles covering the ways in which members invest in themselves to a section in which members has mentioned how toastmasters helped in the investment, the club outings section in which members assembled for a regular meeting at the marine drive and went to a trek during the lockdown cooling period in February to the Lockdown Diaries section in which members share their Lockdown experiences, we are reflecting transition in lives.

Our aim was to reach as many members as possible and get their responses noted for the newsletter which required constant follow-up by the team and creative ideas to bring in the contributors. For which we organized Lockdown Diary Interview session on the occasion of 700th Meeting Celebrations, google forms for hobbies and IMDB section, and the result of all these efforts will be self-evident once you read through the pages.

This also covers the Achievements of the club and the members which reflect the return of the investment we make by attending meetings.

We as the Editorial team also made an investment in ourselves by bringing this newsletter to you and received many learnings as a return.

We hope you have a great time reading it.

Happy Reading!

Simran Chauhan Editor-in-Chief

Tanya Bhardwaj

Himanshu Rane

Anu Jain

Kejal Ranka

Aaliya Ali

Nevathika Narendran

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 3

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS On the very first day of the new year 2021, My dream became true to serve my Dear TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club as club president. This was a live example of believing in the process that whatever happens with a person happens for good as every step brings learning. In the third attempt, I got the opportunity to serve my dear club members.

The mission of Toastmasters International says It helps to become every individual a better leader & better communicator and the club mission says it provides

"Leadership is about treating everyone with respect and empathy"

positive & supportive learning and a growing environment for every member of the club. I started following this culture and started working on strength of members to

RAJ BHARAT

make them excellent as we should keep focusing on positive beliefs.

Although there was a great miss of personal interaction like physical meeting, I started working to make every member feel encouraged with full of positive energy and feeling good and valued even in the virtual environment.

Inviting International level speakers Like Dr. Brillian, Kory & Panos for the educational sessions in clubs made this valuable.

In the new segment igniTED talk, experienced toastmasters shared their learnings with club members.

Empowerment is a great tool for making the growth of everyone. So started recognizing my executive committee member as Club Officer of the month to bring energy & motivation to them and two club members as Toastmasters of Month on the basis of their participation in club meetings.

There was a very good surge in the club as many talented members became part of the club. Their excitement and participation gave me more energy and excitement.

On the 700th meeting occasion, the Presence of Incoming District Director Mukta made this memorable with Host Kannagi.

An interesting meeting TMTC News hosted by Neha was one of the best meetings.

INVESTING IN OURSEVES| PAGE 4

President, TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club (Jan2020-June2020)

To feel more focused, connected & excited to participate in meetings for the members, we introduced the best mini role player award & best of big three awards in a regular club meeting.

Introduced TMTC club awards to recognize members for their participation & effort throughout the term so that club members feel valued and important.

We focused on mentoring for every club member with continuous tracking of mentor-mentee alignment for ensuring progress. We invited DTM Pramod Mohandas for the mentoring session.

Membership campaigns and two demo meetings for sharing toastmaster's values with employees of the organization added a lot of benefits.

In this journey of six months, the contribution of my executive committee team remained vital which was consist of VPE Kshitija, VPM Ihsaan, VPPR Mansi, Secretary Saurabh, Treasurer Simran & SAA Aaliya.

As I am very sure current term must have helped them to develop leadership skills, as leadership is not just about taking the position but experiencing the moments & fulfilling the responsibilities with honesty.

Leadership is about facing challenges and going through a tough time.

Leadership is about finding solutions to existing problems.

Leadership is about moving towards the goals & mission with crossing every challenge which comes in the way.

Leadership is about having a vision, commitment, and passion for taking care of every fine activity which is important to achieve the purpose.

Leadership

is

about

empowerment.

Leadership

is

about

building

people

and

building new leaders.

Leadership is about creating new opportunities and giving equal opportunity to everyone for growth.

Leadership is about managing yourself, managing emotions & managing time.

Leadership is about treating everyone with respect & empathy.

Leadership is about always being available to help others even they struggle with their own challenges, as a helping hand makes a huge difference for an individual's growth.

A leader's positive energy empowers and gives encouragement, hope & belief that even difficult goals seem to achieve very easily.

The core values of Toastmasters Integrity Respect Service Excellence, which I followed throughout my journey, helped me to witness amazing & great emerging future leaders in the club.

They are fruits & flowers of the Servant Leadership Culture of Toastmasters.

With great wishes to every club member who is the future leader of the prestigious TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club, I am signing off as club president with lots of experiences, learnings & beautiful moments.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 5

SEVEN PILLARS OF THE CLUB

Kshitija Suryavanshi

Being the VPE of the club was a great privilege. It has been an exciting rollercoaster ride. I was mentored and supported by a lot of people and I am thankful to get the chance to give back to the club. Through a lot of planning and behind-the-scenes action, we won the Diamond Club Award and had fabulous speech contests. I would like to thank the entire executive committee, especially Toastmasters Raj, Ihsaan, Tuba, Neha, and Aaliya for their unwavering support and motivation. It has been an amazing learning experience! Thank you again for memories I will always cherish

(Vice President Education)

Ihsaan Muhiyadheen (Vice President Membership)

People - The entity that drives any organization. As someone who was an introvert for most of his life, I knew this was my eureka moment. Back in January 2020, when I joined Toastmasters, the one thing I looked forward to throughout the week was interacting with fellow Toastmasters and guests after the meeting, and getting to know about them. I enjoyed attending membership campaigns with Tuba (the then VPM) and spreading the word about our club to everyone I met.

As the VPM I have been able to achieve my personal goal of expanding my network. I would interact with at least 2 new guests every day and explain to them about Toastmasters meetings, Pathways, our club's fee structure, and the plethora of other benefits that Toastmasters has to offer. These guests would also include managers, HRs, and Team Leads from TCS branches across the country.

Through the constant efforts of the club mates and my ExCom colleagues, we were able to organize two massively successful demo meetings and one membership campaign in this term. This term, we added 35 new/reinstated members and submitted 49 renewal payments.

VPM is a great role that teaches you a lot about public speaking and leadership and I would urge everyone to vie for this role at least once in their Toastmasters journey.

Hello TMTC,

Mansi Rungta (Vice President Public Relations)

It has been a really good opportunity serving as the VPPR of the club. Every great journey is full of ups and downs, mine was no less than a bumpy ride. I learnt a lot of new skills especially designing posters, connecting with various ppl, bringing in the creative mindset and working together as a team with a set of ppl with different ideas and perceptions. Being in excom of a club like ours is itself an honour and no less than a privilege, I am glad to have been trusted with this responsibility and I gave my best according to the situations. It has been fun to learn and grow on my Leadership journey as well.

INVESTING INOURSELVES| YOURSELF|PAGE PAGE6 4 INVESTING IN

Email ID:

SEVEN PILLARS OF THE CLUB There is abundant knowledge on communication and leadership skill available on youtube, Google, and in books, But the knowledge by merely watching videos on youtube, reading content on website and books will vanish easily because it is not practiced by you ( Knowledge that is only practiced is called as skill, which will not vanish, last forever Toastmasters in itself is a phenomenal platform where day by day and week by week, you can see yourself improving, learning, and growing. And being a part of the executive committee has indeed added a lot more to this incredible journey by giving me an opportunity to work with some of the most creative and talented minds of TMTC. Not to miss, it helped me conquer procrastination and manage my time efficiently. The journey with Toastmasters and excom has indeed been an amazing one. At the end of these six months, all I want to say is it has been a wonderful journey so far and these learnings will help me throughout.

From being poor at managing my own expenses to managing the accounts of one of the prestigious club of D98, I have learned a lot from day1 of getting installed as Treasurer. This role has taught me the importance of keeping the records and transparency of even smallest transaction and working together synchronously with team members for smooth and efficient working which helped us in meeting multiple timelines for various criteria's. This term was packed with experiences even other than treasurer role. It's been my pleasure to be able to contribute to the club.

After I was appointed as an SAA, I thought it was a pretty easy job. But when the work started there was too much to learn, I learnt how to create quizzes, feedback forms etc. learnt using forms Microsoft. I learnt how to make certificates and worked in a restricted time. It was truly an amazing experience, I was the first person to interact with any role player or speaker to check their audio-video.

The role of SAA was all about management. I would suggest if you ever get a chance do take any role you get in EXCOM there is so much to learn here.

Saurabh Kumar (Secretary)

Simran Chauhan (Treasurer)

Aaliya Ali (Sergeant At Arms)

Learning never stops! And as an Immediate Past President, I had a few learnings of my own. It was a great experience watching the executive committee handle their roles and responsibilities with grace and work together as a team to provide the club with a good learning experience. With this, my journey in the club comes to an end and I wish each member of the club good wishes ahead! You will all be missed.

Tuba Mansoor (Immediate Past President) INVESTING INOURSELVES| YOURSELF| PAGE PAGE 75 INVESTING IN

Email ID:

TERM AT A GLANCE ...

2nd Jan 2021 – Senses with Sarthak 19th Jan 2021 - Refresh Reload Resolve with Aatif 16th Jan 2021 - Know about TOASTMASTERS with Tuba 23rd Jan 2021 - Tall Tales Educational Session by Dr. Brillian, DTM 30th Jan 2021 - Emotional Intelligence with Ranga 31st Jan 2021 - "Tall Tales Contest* 6th Feb 2021 - Moments of Truth and Educational Session on International Speech Contest by Kory May, DTM 13th Feb 2021 - Love Learn Lead with Kshitija 20th Feb - Ready to Speak Educational Session on Table Topics Contest by Panos Korelis 27th Feb 2021 - Cartoon Network with Divya 6th March 2021 - Speech Marathon 7th March 2021 - Table Topics Contest 14th March 2021 - International Speech Contest 20th March 2021 - Create Colourful Connections with Kshitija 27th March 2021 - Dark Horse with Shreya 3rd April 2021 - Dumb Charades with Kejal 10th April 2021 - Today a Reader Tomorrow a Leader with Piyush 14th April 2021 - Phobias with Shreya 24th April 2021 - Ice Breaker Speech Marathon with Anu 1st May 2021 - Motivational Speaker 101 with Nevathika & Debate Competition with Kejal 8th May 2021 - CALENDAR with Rahul 14th May 2021 - Are We Alone with Namrata 15th May 2021 - Collaboration Commitment Consistency with Prashant 22nd May 2021 - TMTC News Live!! with Neha 29th May 2021 - Milestone Meeting: 700th Meeting Celebrations with Kannagi, KBC with Namrata and Lockdown Diaries with Anu 5th June 2021 - Club Election 12th June 2021 - A Journey to The Scotland of India with Devendra 19th June 2021 - Indian Ads with Nevathika 26th June 2021 - Debate Competition 'War of Words' with Namrata & *Panel Discussion 'Growth of Club Members' with moderator Raj. 27th June 2021 - 17th Anniversary Celebrations

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 8

AWARD MANIA ...

Division Awards LEADERSHIP CONCLAVE SIMRAN CHAUHAN

RISE AWARD MEMBER DIVYA DIALANI RISE AWARD EXOM SIMRAN CHAUHAN PATHFINDER AWARD VPE JULY-DEC 2020 IHSAAN MUHIYADHEEN

VPE JAN-JUNE 2021 KSHITIJA SURYAVANSHI

TMTC Hall of Fame ISC CLUB CHAMPION IHSAAN MUHIYADHEEN TABLE TOPIC CLUB CHAMPION

AALIYA ALI LEADING NEWSLETTER TEAM

SIMRAN CHAUHAN INVESTING INOURSELVES| OURSELF| PAGE 3 INVESTING IN PAGE 9

Email ID:

PEEKING INTO THE JOURNEY ...

ISC EDUCATIONAL SESSION Our club had a great pleasure to have 4 times semifinalist public Kory

of

the

speaking May

for

world

championship

Distinguished conducting

an

of

Toastmaster educational

session on the International Speech Contest.

Around 48 club members attended the session.

He covered effective aspects of speech writing for the contest preparation and taking the speech to the International level.

READY TO SPEAK Toastmaster Greece Table

Panos

conducted Topics.

He

Korelis a

from

workshop conducted

on the

session in the form of a game. Around 40 members attended the session. He highlighted the focus points to take care of during table topics attempts.

LEADERSHIP CONCLAVE Toastmaster Simran took initiative for Leadership program)

Conclave in

Toastmaster Panel

our

(Division club.

Prashant

Discussion

In

BSM this,

moderated

about

a

Physical

fitness in Daily Life having panelists as Club Growth Director Sapna Ohri and Sujan Narvekar, solution architects in TCS.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 10

PEEKING INTO THE JOURNEY ...

700TH MEETING CELEBRATIONS Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead, a famous saying by Nelson Mandela.

Dear TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club celebrated

700th milestone meeting

celebrations on 29th May 2021. The meeting made

host this

Toastmaster celebration

Kannagi full

of

enjoyments and memorable with her presence.

And

Distinguished

Toastmasters Mukta Nadkar won the hearts of every club member with her valuable keynote Spread your Wings.

IGNITED TALK Being a member of the Club, I had observed a gap & disconnect between new members & experienced members in the club. To build a connection between them, I had thought to start such a session in which experience members can share their learning with new members. And this will help to establish a connection between experience members & new members of our club. Also, I had in mind that experience & established toastmasters can use this platform and can prepare themself for the TEDx stage.

In my presidency term, I got this opportunity to start this initiative with the name igniTED talk. This initiative

became

successful

as

club

members

started liking the sessions.

Ranga Ramani, Anand Mourya, Tuba Mansoor, Pramod Mohandas, Mukta Nadkar & Arvind Nair shared their experiences & learning with fellow club members with the igniTED talk platform.

Raj Bharat(President)

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 11

INVESTING IN YOURSELF

BY NAYANA MOHAN The first thing that comes to our mind when we think of investments are fixed deposits, Mutual funds, or real estate. Can there be an investment that is profitable, beneficial, and less risky?

Surprisingly, there is and it is nothing but investing in yourself.

So why is this investment so powerful? Because it increases your value and you become a better version of yourself. All too often investing in ourselves is a low priority item and the reason that we give for putting off this amazing investment is time and money. If you really think about it, the real reason that we cite these excuses is not that we can’t afford or find time but instead, we fail to recognize the real value that comes in return.

If you are wondering where to start, here are few ways to invest in yourself. Let me share how it has worked for me.

A new skill or skill enhancement: New skills can be a new language, training, certifications, advanced

degree,

cooking,

photography,

musical

instrument

or

even

improving

your

communication skill.

Leadership training offered by the company is worth attending. It has always taught me something new and has given me a different perspective of how a successful leader should be.

One of the training opened my eyes to this interesting word called “EMPATHY” and I have been practicing this ever since and it has undoubtedly encouraged me to be a better leader to my team. Helped me gain greater awareness of team member’s needs, understand the root cause of poor performance and in turn, they become better performers.

WARREN BUFFET ONCE SAID, “IF YOU COMMUNICATE BETTER IN BOTH WRITING AND LEARNING, YOU INCREASE YOUR VALUE BY 50%” In my 10 years of work experience, I realized that People are much more likely to listen and trust someone who is speaking confidently.

When I was looking for options to increase my value with communication, I came across Toastmasters International. Investing in toastmasters has been one of the best decisions of my life. I am now more confident and has helped me to communicate effectively with more clarity and create a better impression with my team, managers, clients, and customers. An advanced degree can give an astounding return on investment. When my husband wanted to pursue a master’s degree in data science in the US leaving his monotonous job, I was all against it because of the huge investment and the risk involved. Is it worth spending 25 Lacs on a degree? Is it worth quitting the current job? But then we decided to go it. Even though we had to go through some financial difficulties during the 2 years of college, now when I think of it, it is the best decision of our life. We recouped the investment in a year with his job. After that, he made 100% more than if he had not attended college.

Doing a little math, ROI was 200% in 3 years, and now pursuing a passionate job in technology with a competitive edge.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 12

"

INVESTING IN TOASTMASTERS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS OF MY LIFE

"

INVESTING IN YOURSELF

BY NAYANA MOHAN

Health: This is the most important but the most overlooked.

We are always in a time crunch and let our personal well-being fall by the wayside. A few years ago, childbirth took a major toll on my body I felt physically and emotionally weak and lost. I was not prepared for this overwhelmingness and altogether affected my performance at work.

That is when I realized the importance of Daily exercise and meditation. On the days when I practice yoga and mindfulness meditation, I feel more energized, focused, and productive. Most importantly there is no more excruciating lower back pain and stress blackouts. One way I was able to squeeze in a workout to my busy schedule was to wake up an hour early. So, I urge you all to find time to go for a walk, do yoga, work out at home, or practice mindfulness. These have proven to have an enormous effect on a person’s success. Make use of the extra hours that we are gifted with this lockdown to start a healthy habit.

Travel: Travelling is one way to hit the reset button on a dull, routine life. It has exposed me to various people, languages, cuisines, and cultures, which has worked wonders for my introverted self. Travelling pushes me to come out of my comfort zone and teaches me to face the unknowns more confidently each time. I have been terrified of heights all my life but a little encouragement from locals on my last trip gave me a positive hope to try something adventurous. I decided to paraglide over the Swiss Alps to conquer my fear. I was all prepared for a panic attack but to my surprise, once I started flying in the air, I can tell flying over lake Thun and the majestic mountains were the most beautiful experience of my life. It has helped me value experience over materialistic things. Every trip clears my mind, recharges me, and helps me to be happier and more productive when I return.

Reading: Reading gives us so much knowledge and wisdom. Millionaires and successful businessmen always recommend reading books because books give you the power to explore new things and believe in yourself. The more you learn, the more you earn. When Elon Musk was asked how he learned to build rockets. He simply replied, “I read books”. Developing this habit needs a lot of persistence. So, the best strategy is to read what you love, until you love to read.

One of the books that have inspired me is “The Alchemist”. This book has changed my perspective of how I looked at things happening in my life. We always try to look for happiness elsewhere and often forget what is right in front of us. It has taught me how to look for happiness in myself. “When we strive to become better than we are. Everything around us becomes better too”. Two years ago, my husband started reading books on POKER and I used to wonder how it is going to help him. To my surprise, he won the Deltin poker tournament in GOA in the month of March for 2.95 Lacs. So, I learned how much power and insight, reading, and knowledge can give a person.

We only live once. So, let’s begin our journey to invest in ourselves and live life in the most fulfilling way.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 13

LISTEN FROM CLUB MEMBERS How TMTC helped in Investing in Yourself Toastmasters is gradually helping me to express myself better in front of people and become optimistic towards life -Anu Jain

Now I have become a good listener and effective communicator.

-Dipak Desale

Toastmasters helped me become confident by expressing my opinions effectively -Divya Dialani

Toastmasters makes me believe that I'm capable of achieving more than what I'm currently doing.-Glen Sobrinho

I believe "Learning is a kind of earning" as well as "Communication is the key to success" Toastmasters is a platform where I can learn and communicate.-Harshala Yeola TM for me is Time Management-Hasan Haider

Toastmaster has helped me in -Penning down my thoughts into words. And, Those words are making me feel much more confident.Kejal Ranka I am investing in myself - by setting time aside to understand my inner self. We live in this world trying to understand others more than ourselves.-Manju Jacob Toastmasters helped me invest in myself by overcoming my fear of speaking to people (not just public speaking 😅)-Namrata Keni

Toastmasters has reintroduced me to the concept of beforehand preparation.-Rahul sankhe

I learned how cowardly I was when it came to public speaking, through toastmasters, I'm practicing to be courageous.-Shreya Sinha

It has helped me have a growth mindset, that I can improve with practice.-Shreyasi Rao

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 14

LISTEN FROM CLUB MEMBERS How TMTC helped in Investing in Yourself Toastmasters helped me to know my weal areas in soft skills and accordingly helping me with tricks to improve it -Suyog Mankar By enabling me to believe in myself through the supportive environment fostered by my fellow toastmasters-Utsav Jena

Toastmasters gives me a platform where I can grow better by receiving constructive feedback and learn more from the people sharing their experiences.-Himanshu Rane By making me realize my lost potential-Charu Agrawal

Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable. -Deepak Shukla

It's building my confidence to speak and communicate -Sudha Prasad

TM helps me a lot while talking with an unknown person with confidence and it's helped me a lot in term of fluency -Piyush Dudhatra Toastmasters has helped me to be more confident when addressing people and has helped me to communicate effectively and create a better impression at work- Nayana Mohan Toastmasters has made me a much more confident person -Neha kirve

Toastmaster has helped me in building positivity and confidence .-Prashant Karkera

Toastmasters helped me identify why to invest in myself and learn how to invest in myself-Tanya Bhardwaj

Helped me understand how society works-Tuba Mansoor

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 15

NEW INITIATIVES

Toastmasters of the Month

Officer of the Month

Toastmasters of the Month January

Neha

Ranga

February

Kejal

April

Divya

Prashant

May

Piyush

Harshala

March

Anu

Nayan

June

Namrata

Deepak Shukla

Devendra

Officer of the Month January

February

March

Aaliya Ali

Simran Chauhan

Ihsaan Muhiyadheen

April

May

June

Saurabh Kumar

Kshitja Suryavanshi

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 16

Mansi Rungta

TMTC AWARDS Best Sergeantat-arms Role player of Term

Best Grammarian Role Player of Term

Best Ah Counter Role Player of Term

Best Timer Role Player of Term

Kejal Ranka

Nayan Jain

Rahul Sankhe

Harshala Yeola

Best Table Topics Master Role Player of Term

Best General Evaluator Role Player of Term

Best Toastmaster of Day Role Player of Term

Highest Attendance in Term

Shreya Sinha

Prashant Karkera

Neha Kirve

Anurag Sinha

Highest Number of winning in Club Meeting

Highest number of speech evaluation

Highest number of meeting roles taken

Highest Number of Speeches Delivered

Kejal ranka

Tuba Mansoor

Aaliya Ali

Smriti Rajpal

Club Officer of the Term

Advisor of the Term

Toastmaster of the Term

Simran Chauhan

Tuba Mansoor

Namrata keni

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 17

THE CLUB OUTINGS

MARINE DRIVE MEET

BY TUBA MANSOOR

As the pandemic stretched for more than a year, we started craving in person meetings. Finally on 13th February, 2021 a few of us met at Marine Drive. This meeting is what we believe was the first hybrid meeting of District 98. It was an exciting morning, as we reached early – set up the tripod, made arrangement for devices and backup devices and arranged the Toastmasters magazines. We were ecstatic meeting fellow Toastmasters. Akshay cycled about 50 kms from Goregaon to Marine drive and was the first to arrive. Ihsaan & Aatif then joined us. Then there were new joinees Sudha & Anu whom I met for the first time and of course Santosh from Agnel Toastmasters Club It was a great experience watching Ihsaan give a speech against the background of the majestic Oberoi (and then winning the best speaker). We had other role players too – Anu as the grammarian, me evaluating a speech & others participating in table topics. We even managed to tell some of the curious bystanders about Toastmasters. The meeting took a twist when the meeting was followed with my birthday celebrations, a lunch at Shalimar and special tea at Ihsaan’s house.

Indeed a day to remember!

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MY FIRST EVER TREK - A MEMOIR

BY IHSAAN MUHIYADHEEN Mahuligad or Mahuli Fort is the largest point in Thane District. At 2815 km above sea level, it is every adventure lover's paradise.

On 27th February 2021, a few of our club members (me, Tuba, Hasan, Aatif, and Maruf) along with some of our friends set out on a long journey to Mahulgad. This was my first ever trek. I had no clue what treks are made of and what they require. Nevertheless, I had been preparing for it for weeks and getting pep-talked by Tuba every day. She would tell me how trekking is easy and how the previous one she did was way difficult than this one.

We set out on the first Mumbai local of the day on the Central line - the 4:15 am Kasara Fast. We hopped onto the train from our respective stations and were excited to meet new people. Like every group has that one member who comes late to the parties, we had Hasan to the rescue! He missed the train by less than a minute (even after repeated warnings) and caused a delay of over 40 minutes! We alighted at Asangoan and took the auto-rickshaw to reach the base camp. It was a 25-minute ride of narrow roads emerging from broad Highways and a bumpy ride that led us to our first sighting of Mahuligad - immersed in the clouds graciously and waiting for us to be explored.

We had our breakfast in one of the Mahuli Dhaba and set out on our ascent at 8 am. Our first few minutes were into the expedition consisted of nature trails, small climbings, and admiring the beauty of lush green forests with tall trees. With birds chirping, trees swaying and pleasant breezes in all directions, everything felt calm and peaceful - a stark contrast to the cacophony that Mumbai has to offer. We then came across a bridge connecting two stream beds. The stream was dry, Yet, to find a manmade constriction in the middle of all that, it felt magical.

We then hit the steep rocks. I was a beginner - someone who had never been to the mountains on foot. I very vividly remember one point where we had to climb a rock that was about 10 ft high and directly perpendicular to the place I was standing. Even a small slip could be fatal. But call it the encouragement of my group, or my realization that this is a point of no return - I went for it. Using all the energy that I had, I took the first step with my right foot, hands holding the rocks above. When I took the second step with my left foot, I could sense my right foot dwindle.

That moment was scary and challenging. I immediately moved my right foot and took the final step to reach the top and rejoin with my friends.

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What was waiting for us above that rock was worth risking the life for - An elegant photo point halfway into our trek! We halted for few mins under the shade, took some glucose and water, and then set out to do what we were there for - photographs.

From that point, the complete Mahuli range of hills and mountains was visible. The time was nearing 10 am. Heat still mild but increasingly getting hotter.

As we went further, the paths became narrow and it demanded a lot from us to cover even a small distance. We took constant breaks, recharged ourselves, and continued further. At one point, I sat down reluctantly. I couldn't continue. My muscles wouldn't take it anymore. That's when my team came to the rescue. They talked me into getting up and keep moving. I developed a sense of animosity with them at that moment, but today when I look back, I can't thank them enough for teaching me to go the extra mile in every difficult challenge.

Few more minutes into the trek, the paths started becoming so narrow that not more than 1 person could go in parallel. We were almost there. I could see the orange flag which marks the end of the trek hoisted above the mountain. I knew it was within my reach.

As we sat to rejuvenate ourselves in those slopy, narrow paths, I spotted a friend from my junior college days - Yashashree! It was amazing to meet an old friend after ages and meet in a place like this! She had her mother for company and looking at her energy, we had our motivation tanks back to full! We then came across a set of highly steep stairs that led us to the top of the mountain around 11:30 am.

The views, the sense of achievement, and the plethora of historic places that we visited on the top - they were all breathtaking! We halted at a small cave that was once used by the guards of the Mahuli fort as a place of shelter. We roamed around, enjoyed the scenes, and worked towards restoring our energy.

Around 1:30 pm, we started our descent. This was the most challenging part. The dry soil and tiny rocks made it a menace to take our steps. But holding hands, talking, instructing, and laughing together - we moved forward. My muscles had already given up, thanks to the 2 hours of inactivity at the top. Every few steps my thighs shivered and I felt like losing balance.

But I found 2 angels in the middle of that chaos. The whole group was split into two with the fast-paced ones moving ahead of us and me accompanied by Maruf and Rahul (a nonToastmaster co-trekker) moving slowly. Maruf and Rahul held my hands, supported me in every step, and taught me how to descend a mountain. In those moments, I felt as if God has answered many of my prayers. We took frequent breaks and finally reached the base around 6:30 pm, just moments before the sun could set.

When we hit the base, we spotted a small tap that surprisingly had clean and cool water. As we washed our faces and refilled our bottles, I started appreciating the things and the people in my life a little more. It was a hectic test of endurance, patience, and will. We braved all of those tests with each other's aid.

It's a day that I am going to remember for the rest of my life - not just because I scaled one of the largest mountains near me, but also because I learnt life's many important lessons - to never give up, the least of all.

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YOU ARE JUST A VOICE

BY NEHA KIRVE

"It's not for you", "you won't be able to make it", it's too late, what are you thinking about doing it now", "you are overdressed", "you are underdressed"

"

You may wonder who said these things to me. And honestly, I don't have an answer. For I don't know who this person is or why this voice keeps following me

THE BROADENING OF MY MIND AND ACCEPTING NEW IDEAS AND WAYS OF LIVING WERE FORCED TO PUT UP A FIGHT WITH YOUR VOICE SAYING, 'BADAL GAYI RE TU

"

everywhere I go? I wonder is it just me though, who have heard them? Have you heard something like this too? (P.S. I am sure it's not parseltongue. I am a muggle-born.) Do you know whom these voices belong to? Because I don't. And I have something to say to the person whose voice this is.

The anxiety of your voice has been my constant companion. My 10th farewell saree was decided on basis of - is it too nice that you will think I am overdressed and Nah! This is too simple you will think I am underdressed.

My dream to pursue new things was overshadowed by your voice of 'Seriously! you want to do this at this stage. New skills are to be learned when you are younger. Now you won't be able to grasp it' The broadening of my mind and accepting new ideas and ways of living were forced to put up a fight with your voice saying, 'Badal Gayi re tu'. You constantly made me feel guilty about doing better. For choosing myself over everything and anything else.

But you know what, you lost the battle when I put up a fight. I did change. And I changed for good. My younger self was too afraid to raise her voice against you but not now. And I know you too have grown stronger as we grew but now I know you aren't stronger than my will and dreams. Because you are just a voice with no identity of yourself. Because you are just a voice and in the pool of my thoughts and dreams and ideas you stand no chance of pulling me down.

So, now you can keep screaming that I am underdressed but I am not leaving my comfort and choice for you.

So, now you can keep shadowing my dreams but I will keep waking with my dreams as my torch.

So, now you can keep trying to resist me from expanding my horizons for you can continue to stay in the cocoon as a caterpillar but I am going to evolve into a butterfly and take the flight of my dream.

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PEEKING INTO THE CONTESTS TALL TALES CONTEST

TABLE TOPICS CONTEST AALIYA ALI

RANGA

SAMEER PATIL

TUBA MANSOOR

PRASHANT KARKERA

AALIYA ALI

INTERNATIONAL SPEECH CONTEST IHSAAN MUHIYADHEEN

MANJU JACOB

TUBA MANSOOR INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 22

20 DAYS INVESTMENT B Y A K S H A Y S I N G H (Past-President) In our culture where doing is more valued than being. This lockdown was the moment when being able to navigate only in a restricted environment - blinked in my brain like a neon sign that apart from work I have abundance time left.

What should I do with this abundance of time? Should I binge Netflix or should I sleep as much as possible?

After

indulging

in

various

activities

like

cycling,

meditation,

yoga,

gardening,

reading,

certifications, toastmasters meeting, and events I came across the exciting concept of doing 20 things in 20 days.

By the ring of the name, it seems like a social experiment but I enjoyed the 20 tasks and had a lot of fun. A friend invited me to a group of 20 unknown individuals including me. She said let us do something you might have never done before and assured me I will have fun.

The very first day I was introduced to the purpose of that group. I was told that over the next 20 days we will be doing 20 different tasks - exploring our interests, passion, hobbies, and things which we never thought of doing. One can do the tasks at any time of the day, click a picture, and share with the group your experience of doing the task.

Each day members of the group would start posting the pictures and experiences after completing the activity of the day. Initial few days even I was very eager and kept completing the tasks one after the other as they were fun. Post first weekend the frequency of posts got reduced, few members stopped participating but others kept going. It felt as if members have lost interest or the excitement for the activities has decreased.

But over the next weekend, a lot of members were back and each one ensured all the tasks not done or missed are completed. That weekend the group was flooded with messages and pictures.

Reading the different experiences, sharing my own experiences was fun and each day I would look up to the activity of the day.

Each one of us in the group had invested few minutes of the day for the activity. Some of the activities were as follows folding paper reminded me how much I enjoy doing it, cooking what one loves made me realize I can successfully cook the desert I love, recreating old memories- a quick trip down the memory lane, creating memes - had to explore the humorous and creative side of self, haiku sharing words with others is amazing, yoga - could understand what all I am missing, share about travel - realized work from home is not the best choice, pen a letter-writing on paper is something I must not forget so soon, solve quizzes - mind exercise is really important from time to time.

There were many more activities. You can either follow the same activities or form your own. After the 20 days, I realized that when you try to invest time in any activity it need not be that you are best at it as long as you are doing them you have moved the cheese.

If you are wondering or searching for the best answer to where you should invest your extra time? Well, I hope I motivated you to try out these activities that you have never done before. Try to do them just by yourself, among your family members, club members, friends or best try to form a group with 20 new people.

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"

WHEN YOU HAVE TIME INVEST IN YOURSELF AND YOU CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW TIME PASSES AWAY."

"

WHY DID YOU ASK

BY MANJU JACOB

While investing in understanding self and the world around me, while questioning myself, while seeing the riots one day on the news channel about fellow humans killing each other, while hearing about a difference of opinion in the Toastmaster’s tweet about #BLM, the below poem was born.

It was given further shape when I heard the poem “The Hill we Climb”, recited by the American youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman on Inauguration Day, 20th Jan-21.

The picture is a depiction of the below lines, from an innocent child looking out through the window and asking the world, “Why did you ask?”. The photograph was shot in my apartment on a snowy day in McLean, Virginia.

I never asked you, If you were Black or White.

I never asked you, If you preferred Blue or Red. I never asked you, If you were a Man or Woman.

I never asked you, for anything.

Except, that you pick me up, When I was crying.

You were nameless, you were faceless, When I was born.

You would remain the same when I am in my grave.

Then, why did you ask, If I was a boy or a girl when I was born.

Why did you ask?

When I was killed, if it was a Black or White.

Why did you ask?

When I wanted to live in peace if I preferred Blue or Red. Why did you ask?

When I never asked you.

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TOASTMASTERS POEM BY HARSHALA YEOLA

Be a part of Toastmasters Life will advance much faster Several clubs work in synergy As members power up vigorous energy Experience shares an inspirational smile Risk is no long but just for a while Merriment, gaiety and lot of fun Supernumerary things you get to learn

Be a part of Toastmasters Life will advance much faster Discover fresh desired goodies Build memories with bosom buddies Mark your flaws, overcome the fear Practice and perform loud and clear Nobody is perfect, break the shear gear Worry not, everyone is a learner here Be a part of Toastmasters Life will advance much faster Do not stop, as wisely said Compete with your self and move ahead Gather, cognize and communicate Perceive thoughts at inflated rate Motion to success, is when you realise Toastmasters is a key for better way of life!

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SHOOTOUT AT MATHERAN

BY NAYAN JAIN I decided to go for my maiden birdwatching trip to Matheran on the Sunday of Feb 7, 2016, with a couple of my senior birder friends leading the way. I had been to Matheran only once before, two years ago, as an ordinary tourist. I was buzzing with excitement.

All ten of us were to catch the 5:45 ‘slow local’ for Karjat at Thane station and get off at Neral station on the way, which is the closest to Matheran. True to my hard-earned reputation, I reached Thane station at precisely 5:45. Luckily for me, the train started late. After a regular hour-long journey, we were at Neral.

Just as we were about to exit the station premises, our attention was drawn to some furious fluttering of wings on a tree right beside the ticket counter. A flock of Yellow-footed Green Pigeons! What better omen could have shown itself to us than the state bird of Maharashtra? Our birding had begun.

THRUSH

BARBET

PARADISE FLYCATCHER

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ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

NERAL PIGEONS

We had a quick but hearty breakfast of Misal Pav and Kanda Poha outside the station and left for India’s smallest hill station Matheran – literally ‘forest on the head’ (of the mountain) in Marathi – in shared taxis via the very scenic, serpentine Ghat road. As soon as we reached the top and entered through the gate, we noticed that private vehicles were now allowed a little too further inside. Not a good thing at all, as someone immediately remarked.

Anyway, we walked on. And lo! An adult male paradise flycatcher was welcoming us flashing its signature long tail in the distance, dressed in all white. In birding parlance, it was a 'lifer' for me – a species I saw for the first time. Ask any novice birdwatcher almost anywhere in India, and this bird would be at the top of their wish list. A few more steps ahead, a Tickell's blue flycatcher zoomed past us. Sure ‘tickled’ my imagination as to what was to follow! We were almost there.

We took a road less traveled and arrived at this deceptively ordinary-looking spot with a few puddles of water amidst a rocky patch. Our captains told us we would now settle down there and simply play the waiting game. They said we were in for a treat. I was clueless.

Under strict orders to remain very still, we took our positions – draped in camouflage netting, ready to shoot at sight! And it wasn’t long before... we realized what we were there for. One by one, they started coming in – numerous varieties of flycatchers and warblers , a leafbird, a monarch, shama, a blackbird (that’s the name, not the description), a thrush , and, in a rare sighting, a blue robin. All barely a few feet away

from us! Barbets, sunbirds, bulbuls (and, oh, a giant squirrel , the state animal of Maharashtra!) on nearby trees tried their best to divert our attention from the ‘rock show’ we were witnessing.

Finally, after a couple of hours, the flurry of feathers started gradually diminishing, and soon we knew the party was over. But, boy, what a party it had been. We made our way back, greeted first by a string of domesticated horses and then by a few Bonnet Macaques at the gate. I couldn’t help but think – there’s so much more to Matheran than meets the eye!

VERDITER FLYCATCHER

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IMPROMPTU PREMIER LEAGUE

BY NAMRATA KENI Joining Toastmasters in December 2018 was the turning point of my life. With every passing day, I became more confident and enjoyed delivering speeches. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not overcome my fear of Table Topics. Before every table topic segment, I wished I had the 'Invisibility Cloak' so that I could disappear and not be picked by the Topic Master. Since that was out of the question, I took the role of Table Topic master more frequently so that I did not have to be at the receiving end of a table topic. I knew it was high time to overcome this fear and life gave me exactly the opportunity I needed – Impromptu Premier League (IPL).

IPL was a Table Topic contest designed with the same format as the Cricket T20 league. In spite of the countless excuses coming to my mind, I enrolled as a contestant on the very last day of registrations. During the auction, I was picked up by Captain Raj for his team 'Campeon Improvisado', meaning ‘Champions’ in Spanish. This itself made me feel like a ‘Champion’ and I felt so grateful to Raj for placing his trust in me, that I decided to give it my 100%.

Our team: Noel, Saurabh, Rushabh, Devendra, Sagar, Jinesh, Raj, and myself began our practice sessions the very next day. With the wonderful guidance and support of our mentor Souvik Mukherjee, we saw ourselves challenging our limits and attaining new heights. Our journey was nothing short of a roller coaster ride. There were moments we felt low after a loss, complacent after a win but we kept going with the sole focus of winning the IPL trophy and becoming Champions, worthy of what our team 'Campeon Improvisado' stood for.

"There were moments we felt low after a loss, complacent after a win but we kept going with the sole focus of winning "

Just like Aamir Khan in the movie Dangal, Souvik was compassionate but at the same time ensuring that we strictly adhered to the practice regime. During this journey, I found out hidden talents about myself. I realized that I was an imaginative person and good at storytelling. On the other hand, I became aware of my shortcomings. I found out that I lacked vocal variety and struggled with portraying emotions in my speech. With the support of my teammates and valuable suggestions provided by Souvik, I started making progress. Participating in IPL not only improved my impromptu speaking ability but also helped me get in touch with my emotions and express them effectively. It helped me emerge as a better, stronger person.

With sheer determination and a 'Never Give up' attitude, our team made it to the finals. Our efforts paid off and after a nail-biting contest, we won the IPL trophy. It was a dream come true for all of us. This journey of three months from the first practice session to the Grand Finale was special in many ways because it taught us wonderful life lessons: learn from mistakes, never lose hope and most importantly, have lots of fun

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21 WAYS OF INVESTING IN YOURSELF

BY TANYA BHARDWAJ “We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” — Oprah Winfrey I am a big fan of the belief that we all have special gifts to share with the world. All it takes is to polish and grow them to unlock some amazing rewards. That is what an investment is: Something that you do, hoping that in the future it will appreciate or grow in value.

'Investing in ourselves is one of the best return on investments you can get, a form of self-love that means 'you need to give to yourself first before you can give to others. Whether it's developing your skills or tapping into your creativity, take the time to develop your gifts and talents, so we can best serve others.

This effort plays a large role in determining the quality of your life now and in the future. When you take a leap of faith and invest in yourself, the universe will provide you with amazing rewards.

And how do we know what to invest in? Take a moment and think about what skills you have. That is your personal portfolio. 'Investing in ourselves' is taking your raw portfolio and enacting a plan to increase your value by taking it to the next level. It means looking at yourself and determining that you are worth your own time. You are worth your money. You are worth your efforts. You are worth it all!

Listed below are the 21 ways to invest in yourself:

Mind

Body

Make a bucket list and set goals Meditation: Practice calm and stillness.

Create order, declutter your stuff, maintain a journal :Get it all out of your head and make to-do lists Read books: Develop your mind, broaden your knowledge Give yourself a break are recharge: Practice self care, choose to be happy, positive and grateful

Habits: Morning, bedtimes routines; daily workout; rich diet ;early sleep Exercise: Get moving and get your heart rate up Sleep: Sleep early, consistent timings ,aim for good REM sleep Diet: Eat right everyday, at the right time

Learning Strengthen current skills: Stay up-to-date, Advanced degrees, certifications.

Learn new skills: Broaden your knowledge, gain new opportunities, listen to successful people, watch TED talks, read blogs ; build winning mindset Explore Your Creative Side: Have fun with joyful activities such as writing, cooking, painting etc.

Leave the comfort zone, manage your time: Stop procrastinating, meet your deadlines.

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Money Start a budget: Get your spending and saving under control, eradicate debt, do financial planning, practice self-control Invest in your future: Create multiple streams of revenue, start a side hustle or an investment. Think about how you’re going to afford the lifestyle you want.

Insure yourself : Be prepared, protect yourself and your family, Learn One Practical Skill: Money saving skill into a money-making skill eg. home maintenance

Relationships Get to know yourself: Become friends with yourself first, find your purpose Invest time and efforts in your personal relationships : No amount of money can replace these Choose your friends wisely: Ones who share your values and conform to your goals Expand/widen your network: Connect with people eg. a community like Toastmasters; build judgment-free, supportive relationships.

A lifelong asset.

HOW TO COPE WHEN THINGS ARE OUT OF CONTROL?

BY SHREYA SINHA I looked into history to find patterns and tactics used by men and women who lived a good life amidst chaos and unpredictability.

Here are some ways that will help you create order in a world of chaos: Acceptance Find your purpose Faith Routine Shift your paradigm Acceptance The first step is to accept that you cannot control everything, and that’s okay.

Find your purpose What’s your purpose? It’s easy to find your purpose.

Just answer these questions: What makes you smile? What do you see when you close your eyes and think about success? What excites you? In the deepest darkest alleys of self-doubt and chaos, the thing that will keep you going is your purpose.

Victor Frankl, a neurologist, and Holocaust survivor survived the brutal Auschwitz camp because he found meaning in suffering. His purpose was to formulate a new paradigm that would help people like you and me. It helped him stay hopeful while a lot of people had lost all hope and flung themselves onto the electric barbed-wires.

So, Don’t you dare think that your suffering is useless; it is teaching you to become resilient

Photo credits — Mad Flowers @madflowersonline

Faith What do Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr have in common? It’s Faith — They chose to believe in the future that they couldn’t see…yet. The choice is yours. Are you going to focus on the frustrating present or visualize the future you want? Can you believe that you can get out of the chaos? Or at least create an order for yourself?

Routine Now, the things you can control: you should control! Create a routine for yourself, do the things you want to get done. Just do it. Make the sacrifices today for a better tomorrow.

Please make a list of things that you have power over and work on it.

Shift your paradigm Chaos will always loom in the background of your life. When you fail at something, you can call it a failure or a learning experience.

Success and failure are social paradigms created by men. They do not exist. So, it’s all in your head. You choose to be successful or not.

Also, the voice in your head dictates your life.

So what you believe in, actually matters.

Between order and chaos lies transformation, growth and resilience.

SPhoto credits — quotefancy.com

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INVESTMENT IN YOURSELF

BY DIVYA DIALANI

The most priceless investment in your life is you. As it is rightly said,” Invest in yourself, it pays the best interest. ” By investing in yourself I believe one wants the highest return on oneself - Which basically means maximizing your 4 accounts 1. Mind - cognitive abilities, processing power, memory 2. Body -Generally healthy 3. Material - having enough money to be financially independent.

4. Emotional- great relationships, with friends/ family/ life partner.

My journey of investing in myself began after my 12th results. I always dreamt of becoming a doctor but scoring fewer marks in NEET entrance shattered my dreams and I had no other option but to take engineering. Having no interest in programming and technical concepts, I began my journey of becoming an engineer.

Being a Bio student who enjoyed doing dissection in the lab, what exactly was I doing in front of a computer made me clueless? But one thing I had surly learned from my NEET failure was that - I am the one who can change my present conditions and no one else. I started taking interest in subjects, started dreaming of getting placed in one of the MNC, and one thing that really motivated me was the Engineer tag in front of my name that would define me for the rest of my life. This was when I started learning a programming language, Data Structure, and Algorithm! I never touched on this topic as I always used to leave questions from this chapter. But what happened next eventually in my 4 years of engineering journey this subject became one of my favorites. Finally, in the end, I was not only a topper during my engineering days but also got placed in TCS as I had dreamt.

My next journey in life that taught me self-investment was after my life after ILP journey.

With lots of nervousness and a heart full of excitement finally, I got my base location as Mumbai – The city of Dreams. Mumbai taught me great lessons in my life. The struggle is constant in Mumbai as it's a city of Dreams. Every minute matters here. Every second has importance here. Struggle gives golden opportunities. Mumbai never stops for anyone.

Same with life, it never stops. Keep calm and work hard.

Mumbai has made me what I am today. It taught me to do things by myself instead of depending on someone else. Years of commute in local trains and BEST buses taught me to adjust and also to be tolerant of other people’s problems. Mumbai also taught me to believe in myself and do what my heart says. The helping nature of the people of Mumbai taught me to help others. And most of all, the city taught me to enjoy life.

It all started from traveling in local trains to celebrating life each day. The crowded local transport, terrific traffic, and heavy Mumbai rains play their soulful rhythms in my routine life; you can’t help but dance in your head. The busy weekdays and soothing weekends made me a true Mumbaikar.

Surely this lockdown has given me one of the greatest investment opportunities that I could do for myself, and it is the opportunity to join Toastmasters where I can stand and share my experiences with people who would love to hear. I have become a better listener and learned how to speak better.

There’s a different type of investing that has nothing to do with the stock market: Investing in yourself. That means putting time, money, and effort into making your life better now for the future. Take risk. If you try and fail, at least you will learn something. If you don’t take risks and try, you won’t know you could have done it. Don’t chase others.

Go on your pace. It’s your life. Live it according to your passions and love.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 31

TOASTMASTER OF THE YEAR (DIVISON S) IHSAAN MUHIYADHEEN Ihsaan is a passionate Toastmaster who is always ready for new challenges and his commitment and dedication to the Toastmasters program has bought many laurels to him as well as to the club this year.

Here's Anu Jain in conversation with the Toastmaster of the Year (Division S).

How did you feel winning this title and what you think has helped you achieve this?

Tell us about a teacher/mentor (Toastmaster or otherwise) who made an impact on you or set you on your present path.

I was ecstatic! Just that week I was feeling sick so had home quarantined myself. On Sunday afternoon, when the awards night was scheduled to take place, I felt a sense of relief and strength. So I attended the meeting, clueless about what was in store for me. And when my name was announced, I could not contain myself. I smiled with a little tear, thanked all those who wished me and felt as if my illness had entirely disappeared. I believe it was my perseverance that helped me achieve it.

Every weekend, I was attending meetings, taking up roles, helping the clubs conduct their contests, and serving the community.

Back in July 2020, I never really aimed for this award or serve with the award in my mind. I was just serving the community with all my heart, and that I guess, has helped me achieve this title.

I want to acknowledge 2 people here who have been my guiding forces.

1) My college professor Mrs. Sanam Kazi. Forget Toastmasters, I wouldn't be anywhere today if it was not for her. She was my class in charge, my project mentor, and our TPO coordinator during my engineering college days. She taught programming, project management, and software testing. She mentored me and carried me out of some of the darkest times in my life - a lot more than what a college professor is expected to do. Of all the things that I appreciate about her, I admire the trust most that she put in me for every task or activity that I was assigned with. She taught me patience, diligence, and how to look for the good in every bad. These are some learnings for which I am forever grateful.

2) My Toastmasters mentor Tuba. Tuba grew from a Toastmasters mentor to a mentor in my professional life and then to a mentor in my personal life too. She is the friend that every person needs in their life - cheerful, innovative, brave, and caring. Every time I feel exhausted, she keeps reminding me of my objective of joining Toastmasters - to learn, serve and grow in the process. And learning, serving, and growing never stop. Tuba played a major role in me winning this award. She helped me diversify my activities this year by taking up roles in various district events, delivering award-winning speeches, and guiding me in every step. Every speech that I have delivered so far, she helped me rehearse them multiple times and shared her EmailI ID: feedback. consider it a blessing to be mentored by her.

INVESTING IN YOURSELF| PAGE

INVESTING IN YOURSELF| PAGE

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Email ID:

Toastmasters is a great platform to meet new people from various backgrounds and areas of interest, and that's what makes Toastmasters more than just public speaking and leadership. It becomes a part of your life. I would also tell them to make the best use of their mentors. Mentors can make an enormous impact in a mentee's life if they reach out. Nowhere else would you find a dedicated mentor who is highly committed and works with you with all his heart for no additional cost.

What advice would you give to someone starting their Toastmasters journey?

I would give the same advice that my mentor gave me: Always remember why you joined Toastmasters - To learn, lead, serve and grow.

How do you push through your worst times?

I am a staunch fan of Muhammad Ali - the greatest boxer of all time. I have always been fascinated by his life stories of how he dealt with hardships, of how he braved through dark times and stood his ground. And through the morals from his life stories, I have learned patience, perseverance, and believing in myself during bad times. I also highly value the experience of my seniors and mentors who have already walked the path that I am walking. I ensure to reach out to them for help, guidance, and advice. The knowledge that I gain from them has made me take wiser decisions and sail through turbulent streams.

If you reflect to the last year, what were your learnings and advice that others can adhere to.

In the last year, I have understood the power of consistency. It is important to be consistent in whatever you do. I was consistent in delivering speeches, taking up roles, contesting, and carrying on with my duties as the VPE and VPM. This has helped me win various accolades and evolve as a much better person. This is the message that I would share with everyone - be consistent.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 33

INVESTING IN YOURSELF

BY KSHITIJA SURYAVANSHI When I decided to learn German, it was with the aim of being an expertly fluent speaker and maybe roam around the scenic European countryside like a sophisticated wine-swirling local. I enrolled myself into classes, paid rather expensive fees, bought new stationery, prepared a schedule for practice, and set myself a timeline.

To invest in knowledge is to allocate resources in learning with the expectation of future benefits.

The general rule followed for all investments is to start early and continue to increment. "Better late than never," I thought, as I started my German lessons with a new set of vocabulary every week. The honeymoon period at the start was an exciting time full of enthusiasm. I immersed myself into all things German As with all good things, this came to an end with the struggles of juggling an ever-increasing workload, the challenges of understanding a new language, and pursuing the latest technology trends for upskilling. The resources of my time and efforts being invested were now under pressure.

Though I had lost some of my enthusiasm, the thought of investments already made kept me going. My hobby was adding more stress than joy to my personal life. It was also around the time that I came to the realization that perhaps I did not have the natural aptitude to be a famous wine connoisseur. Mainly because all wines taste the same to me, and that taste is bitter. That is when I realized another important rule for the success of investments. It is to assess and revise investments regularly.

Investments are successful when not following prior plans blindly.

The regular appraisal helps to evaluate the merit of the investment and in avoiding possible losses.

I reviewed my goals as well as the resources of time and effort to be allocated. I divided my workload and remaining German lessons into smaller chunks and prioritized them. I reduced the time for daily practice and extended the timeline, often giving myself a small break from the coursework for extra-curricular.

Other than lessons, I discovered German cinematic gems, books, and fairytale-like castles. My enthusiasm slowly returned as I gave myself time to balance commitments. With a much-relaxed frame of mind, I believe I got better results for my investments. My focus on work got me and my team several awards from our clients. I shifted my aim too. Maybe a competent command of German will be good enough to explore my love of different types of chocolates in Europe someday.

It's always a good idea to invest in yourself, enrich your mind and soul and work hard in the present for future success. I have learned that it's also a good idea to be fluid with plans and live in the moment.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 34

"

TO INVEST IN KNOWLEDGE IS TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES IN LEARNING WITH THE EXPECTATION OF FUTURE BENEFITS

"

A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER

BY NEVATHIKA NARENDRAN To all the women on this planet, We all share something in common other than the fact that we all identify ourselves as the female sex. What is it? We all are raised to look beautiful and feminine. I remember when I was a kid, I was not allowed to play or go out in the afternoon to prevent tanning. I was not allowed to play rough sports in case I lose a few teeth or break my nose. When I had gained some holiday weight, my relatives and neighbors assured my mom that I will be all right when I grow up. Does it mean something was wrong with me then? And when I looked around, I could gather way too many opinions, comments, hints on what a society considers as desirable or attractive and reminded me at every step how far I am from it. The conditioning is so strong that, not only do we constantly judge and criticize ourselves, trying to find flaws and patching them up, we also start to judge other women objectively. We then start dishing out our opinion on how they can be better too.

I am often countered with the one annoying argument- “Hey but some men are also body-conscious. It is not just about women”. If you are thinking the same, here is my answer- “Sorry to burst your bubble. When was the last time you watched a movie with a 50-year-old actress playing the role of 20 years old? How many beauty/cosmetic products are available for women compared to men? Would there have been so many beauty products in the market if it were not for women’s irrational insecurity? Why is it that majority of body/look transformation videos on IG is that of women? Why do women have to worry so much about hair on their hands, legs, face, and every other place on the body? Why can’t women wear the same dress to two events without being reminded at least once ?”

While there can be some men who are body conscious, the systemic discrimination and level of toxicity that women are subjected to every single day of their entire lives is not even comparable. There is an entire beauty industry profiting out of this insecurity.

Recently, a group of computer scientists figured out a way to analyze the language that the writers used to describe women and men in 3.5 billion books in English. The adjectives used for women were twice as likely to be about their physical appearance or their bodies than men What this really means, is it does not matter whether you are an actress or political figure or a scientist or an athlete or literally anything else. If you are a woman, the first thing the world notices is what do you look like.

Everything else is secondary. This is extremely worrisome.

It is time to acknowledge that we are constantly pressurized in many ways – directly or indirectly, to conform to male stereotypes of beauty. The patriarchal societies have subjugated us, robbing us of our autonomy and objectifying us in ways that belittle our abilities and intellect. It is high time we fight against it; but how?

The most common advice we get is to work on our confidence. I would like to politely disagree. Even if I become the most confident person in the world, will I stop being objectified or discriminated against? I don’t think so.

We should all aim for a world that treats men and women equally. One of the most important steps towards building such a world would be rejecting society’s views of how we should look and behave, internalizing the fact that the idea of definite beauty is a human-made concept. And by doing so, we will allow ourselves to become equal and free.

Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene – A.C. Benson.

Let us all invest in ourselves, in how we think, and in how we perceive the world. Let us all align ourselves with the impending change yet to unfold.

This is the best investment we can make for our future generation and hope for a utopic, equal, and promising world.

Yours doesn’t matter what I look like,

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"

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WATCHED A MOVIE WITH A 50-YEAR-OLD ACTRESS PLAYING THE ROLE OF 20 YEARS OLD?

"

LET'S RECOGNISE OUR

ACHIEVERS

CLUB ACHIEVEMENTS Talk Up Toastmasters

Diamond Club Award Leading Club Award

Excellence in Education

THE GUIDING STARS

Akshay

Raj

THE PATHWAY STARS

Raj

GROWTH LEADER AWARD

Sai INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 36

Neha

TOASTMASTER OF THE YEAR

Ihsaan

LEVEL COMPLETIONS L E V E L 1

Tuba

Smriti

Mansi

Suyog

L E V E L 2

Nevathika

Ihsaan

Raj

Smriti

L E V E L 3

Simran

Raj

L E V E L 4

Raj

L E V E L 5

Neha

Raj

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 37

Believe Achieve and Succeed

Simran

OPEN LETTER: TO THOSE WHO HELPED ME ACHIEVE DISCIPLINE, LIFE GOALS AND HAPPINESS

BY DEEPAK SHUKLA

soccer player:Etsy. Com

Human body:www.ngv.vic.gov.au

FROM: PASSENGER TO: THE HORIZON OF DESIRES Dear Mr. Friend, Thank you for crossing My Path. Thank you for helping me out in the making of myself. I remember I was always a hustler and I was not good at all at doing things in the right directions. With a heart full of limitless desires, I went miles away to find the horizon of each of the desires.

I had a broken heart, a broken hope, and a few broken dreams. Time and time again tears became the fellow passenger of the journey. The world outside was often all set to broke me down. I am grateful to you for being effective support to me every time.

When I was a kid, I remember how you came up with little boats in the rain and stood as my nurturing head. I remember that little cycle that you made me ride while giving me a hostile support side by side.

Later these desires changed their form. They set your heart on fire. From the wish of getting a name, Fame. in the vortex of limitless desires that surrounds us , we stop to see our own existence in this unruly race of Achieving every bit of our wants and we often remain in the middle of the paths and we seize to move forward.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 38

"

FOR A WARRIOR OF EMOTIONS, THE FIGHT STARTED IS A FIGHT WON

Man walking towards horizon:videohive.net

Sometimes by coincidence or with an informed decision, I met with you at every obstacle that I faced and you helped me to understand that one cannot focus on all the paths at the same time but he should take a goal, Achieve it, and move forward. You filled me with energy to take steps and pushed me towards my goals gracefully.

Like horizon Somewhere on the far edge, deceits our sight to believe that the Land and sky seems to meets but if we Go ahead we see that joint again run towards the horizon. Desires and Wants always keep growing and they never satisfy one’s mind, body, or soul. And in this process, I got hurt and frustrated.

At such time I need you for stability and regulation of my emotions. You help me to muster up the strength in such times. I like when you grab me, hug me, and tell me that I can be limitless.

Perhaps I have tried so many things to ease the pain, but nothing has worked. But – it's You who always stand by my side. Thanks!

You have always tapped into your strength to soothe me, to always reminding me to do care for myself and feel comforted. I appreciate you getting out for a walk, seeing that funny movie, and eating that good meal together. I cherish the efforts you take to Replenish my thoughts and Action.

With all your Guidance I aspire to be the one who remains happier, stronger, and calmed, at every instant and odd people out shall find it impossible to knock me down, I remember you said once “your soul is the biggest weapon to win this crusade and a strengthened soul is all you need to be on the victory post. The choice is yours, a broken heart or warrior. Come, stand up and start the fight, victory is yours because you have chosen the right path and for a warrior of emotions, the fight started is a fight won’ For that, I have to say “Thank you” All the old opus say tough times make you find true friends. I think apart from the Higgs-Boson theory, this learning is the biggest discovery that you could utilize. The ‘free energy of this anecdote is, let's find out some people, true like you and frank like you and you shall be a happy man, to find your soul laying in supreme peace of being protected from every evil.

We are the masters of our own souls and the slaves of the soul of materialism. The fields are calling me, I have to go and let the dirt fly to salute me…I have to run until my feet bleed…I shall sleep peacefully then to rise another day…and another day…and another day…and with the hope that someday, I shall. meet you under that tree That day, the earth shall watch the sun and moon meeting I looked for you all around me today but you are nowhere to be found. I miss you!

Thank you, We will meet again

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"

Lockdown Diaries STAY HOME STAY SAFE

YASHWANTH

GLEN What did you miss the most in lockdown?

SHREYASI

"I missed being with friends for a regular chai.

Looking forward to it."

HIMANSHU Three things you miss right now are?

SHREYASI

"Vaccine dose, Pani Puri multiplexes "

NAMRATA If you could add, change or cancel one rule at home it would be?

SHREYASI "A lot of rules! In work from home situation I should be allowed to used my phone whenever I want to and for as much time I want to.

My mom like a toastmaster timer times me for time spent on phone.

So, I would like to change that rule."

SHREYASI One place you used to visit a lot before SHREYASI lockdown and miss going to now?

"Marine drive on weekends.

I loved spending time there I miss Night outs."

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Share any funny moment that happened during SHREYASI lockdown?

"My pets came to me and checked on how I was working "

NAYAN If the pandemic was to end right now what would you do?

"I would love go watch a movie in a cinema hall; lots of cats dogs and some humans to see and to spend some time with; and visit some amazing places."

Email ID: Share2communique@gmail.com

YASHWANTH

HIMANSHU One good thing about lockdown?

During lockdown I was happiest when?

"I sat in a chair on my terrace staring at stars on a summer night."

"WFH - a chance to stay close to your family and work in your comfort zone"

TANYA

NAYANA What is your biggest lesson that this pandemic has taught you?

"What this pandemic has taught is you never know what happens next. We could have never expected all of us working from home for more than a year.

So anything is possible.

We can't take our lives for granted and tomorrow is not a guarantee.

So, enjoy the life to the most is the lesson I have learnt. "

Three things you're excited about after everything goes back to normal?

"A memorable trip with my best friends ; Mumbai- I miss it; restaurant visits"

GLEN What was different in lockdown 2.0 compared to lockdown 1.0?

"Lockdown 1 was more scarier than lockdown 2. 2.0 had less restrictions but was somehow more effective."

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 41

SHREYASI Any new recipe you learned during lockdown?

"Locked up in house in Mumbai during lockdown, I started cooking and tried my hands on Biryani. Now,I have mastered 'the perfect biryani recipe'."

#Lockdowneffects

HOBBIES CORNER HEARING OUT HOBBIES OF SOME OF OUR MEMBERS

DEEPAK SHUKLA Yoga & Poems To do list: I have a lot of things to do.

To see the Taj Mahal, to read the new book of that new poet, To compare the horizon with the depth of the ocean, To look down from the Eiffel Tower, to eat the clouds to resonate my taste buds.

And to tell you that, I am in love with you!

But after expressing that to you, What will be left to do more in life !

TANYA BHARDWAJ Dance It has been my passion since childhood and I have tried learning new forms since then like ballet, jazz, contemporary. What I love about dance is that it makes you feel free and every emotion can be expressed through it. My dancing idol is Shakti Mohan and I have been following her since 12 years now. During lockdown, I continued learning some dance routines for hip-hop, contemporary, bhangra, and also some new forms. I also participated in the TCS Talent hunt and TCS FS talent hunt.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 42

DEVENDRA VILLA Caricature I strongly believe art is the another form to express what we feel apart from writings and repesenting the same in a funny way is something I really love and somehow the lockdown opened the doors for me to visit this exaggerating way of sketching,Caricature .I am still a novice in this but it's great to spend some time in this sketching.

HIMANSHU RANE Photography During this lockdown, I have picked up a new hobby. Capturing the birds I have seen since my childhood days from my terrace. These are the birds I have grown along with. Some of the species I find new while some of them are lost now. I rejoice to watch them and to capture the perfect moment.

SIMRAN CHAUHAN Painting I love drawing & painting and pasting that painting in my almirah or frame it (only if it is liked by my family :D).

Since childhood art has attracted me in multiple ways. From banging medals/trophies in art competitions during school time to painting in my free time for pleasure, I have realized the beauty of art.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 43

#Lockdowneffects

COOKING CORNER HATS

OFF

TO

THEIR

COOKING

HATS

ON!

Baker Aaliya Double chocolate cake, choco chunk cookies, double chocolate cookies, garlic bread, mix sauce pasta, cheezy pizza, tea cakes, breads, chicken makhani..is this enough to make your mouth watery?

I have never cooked in my life before quarantine happened...but oh my god..what a bliss is it to cook and specially when people enjoy it and give you compliments. And by the way you can contact me for any recipe😜

Chocolate Cookie

Non-Vegetarian Specialist Rini Well,At the risk of making you all hungry, hilsa fish in mustard sauce is cooked in rich mustard paste and ripe tomatoes sautéed in super hot mustard oil . We bongs viscerally feel a sense of true love aesthesis piece of heaven slowly makes its way into our tummy and we recommend every non vegetarian to taste it at least once in their lifetime.

I tried my hands at Mediterranean dishes like hummus , falafel , Asian tofu , some Italian pastas ( cooked Al Dante 😎 ) , pizzas and some fundamentals like chilli oils and pasta sauces BUT the bong in me always resorts to her fish preparations , hilsa in mustard sauce was pure love

Hilsa Fish

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WHAT DID COVID-19 DO?

BY PRASHANT KARKERA

We all have started using masks, washing our hands, sanitizing home and doorknobs. But have we ever thought, we shouldn't have done this before as well?

Vegetables are sprayed with pesticides hence we require thorough washing using vinegar or any safe products. Some of the apples are wax layered to keep them fresh. This should be washed thoroughly but some of us do not due to laziness or lack of time. Now due to Covid fear we get vegetable cleaning liquid and wash all vegetables before keeping them in the fridge.

Our air was most polluted before this pandemic.

There were hoardings put to display pollutant levels in the air. But nobody was putting masks which were meant for keeping away these pollutants. One of the features mentioned in the N95 mask is to keep away pollutants. Previously we felt embarrassed or we did not want to spend on these things just as an extra.

Now we wear beautiful masks just due to fear of Covid-19 and norms set by the government.

We never used to clean doorknobs or sanitize toys but now it is just done due to Covid fear.

All the new normal which is being done was supposed to be done before as well but we did not have enough time or we were ignorant about it.

Now that our life has taken a turn, we have enough reason to blame Covid-19.Covid-19 has really taken a toll on our daily activities but let's be safe, mask up and sanitize ourselves.

Let's invest our thoughts in relationships, meditation, Yoga, Exercises, upgrading ourselves, getting the most of the virtual world before we come back to normal rather than thinking about what Covid-19 did to us...

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#Lockdowneffects

TMTC IMDB TCS MAITREE TOASTMASTER'S OWNED IMDB CORNER TO GET REVIEWS AND RATINGS OF MOVIES, SERIES,&BOOKS.

Downton Abbey Drama

Rini Basu The series takes you back to the days of the British aristocracy, butter, English countrysides, archaic age of horse carriages, post offices, ostentatious silver crockery, and drool-worthy food platter for the monarchs from there over the productive kitchen.

The series is a mesmerizing visual treat and unlike many of the other series that thrives on a fast-paced manufactured dopamine rush, this one takes you through the slow journey, complex characters, witty remarks, and unfolds the truism that even a monarchy will slowly dismantle if the will to change with time and right monetizing strategy is not in place. That one should never rest on past laurels and must constantly evolve with time is a piercing takeaway from this astonishingly beautiful series.

Death Note Thriller|Drama|Crime

Anu Jain Death note is worth it !! It's only 37 episodes and every episode prompts you to watch the next. It has a whole philosophical underside to it and has a mix of appalling and adorable characters. It is like 'Breaking bad', in its plot of a normally moral person slowly transforming into a sociopath because of acquired power. It is like 'Sherlock holmes in its cat and mouse chase between detective and criminal. It is like 'Dexter' in its idea of whether delivering righteous judgment is a man's responsibility or should it be left to divinity.

It raises the question will anonymity guarantees continued morality or are people moral only because they fear public and social scrutiny. It's the perfect Anime and a perfect place to start dipping your toes into the roiling Anime waters.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 46

The Holiday Comedy|Romance

Tanya Bhardwaj 'The Holiday' is a perfect movie for a cozy Christmas movie night or for those of us who would like to suspend reality for a while and just enjoy It has great, complicated, 3-dimensional characters, who actually have a background and emotions, problems, feelings, insecurities, needs...etc. etc. All this makes them feel real and relatable, resulting in us, the audience, becoming invested and care, instead of counting down the minutes until the movie ends. It is not only about heartbreak and heartache, it is about finding yourself and appreciating the true things in life. If you want beautiful scenery, escapism from the millions of horror and action films out there, and good characterization with actors like Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black, then this movie is for you; light, entertaining, and also very festive! This movie is a delight to encounter and will be a pleasure to watch over and over again.

SPLIT

Thriller|Horror

Suyog Mankar It's a film worth watching. There's a lot of information about the disorder -' Dissociative Identity Disorder' like how a person or even any animal facing the disorder can have different IQ, different health issues, several personalities for each character, how trauma from childhood or any other timespan of lives can affect a person to that extent that it drives them to use their immature defense mechanism to protect themselves from reality and make their consciousness uncontrollable. There was also an exaggeration of the disorder as no one can climb or crawl on the wall if they haven't acquired that habit, which is also a little bit unrealistic. Kevin in the movie didn't grow the habit to walk on walls that suddenly one day he can smoothly walk on the walls as he thinks that the devil can. The movie inflicts fear rather than spreading awareness, thus the movie could be shown in a more practical and positive way that could lighten up the people to help others. Nevertheless, the acting of James McAvoy was absolutely mesmerizing and so perfect that it showed how a person having the order would actually act.

Loved the other casts- Betty Buckley, Anya Taylor- Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, Neal Huff, Rosemary Howard. The screenplay, the cinematography was good enough. Looking forward to more nice works from the director, M.night. Shyamalan.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 47

ELEVATOR PITCH

BY KEJAL RANKA

Everyone says Winning and Losing are just consequences of life. For the same, I feel it's just the world reciprocating to our failures passively. Winning is a story, the reality. No, I am not someone who is bragging about my achievements, but someone who has seen both sides. Elevator Pitch was such a story that just knocked my way and I grabbed it in the best way possible.

The pitch was quite facile yet unique. It was about using biodegradable ID-Cards which then after use can be dug into the soil to grow a plant out of it. The use of these ID-CARDS will not only eradicate an amount of nonbiodegradable waste of plastic-based IDCARDS but also have plantations with the same ID-CARDS. This sustainable approach does promisingly seem to change the way IDCARDS are handled.

I am still not sure if I will deploy my idea to practical grounds but I am voracious to do so one day. And I hope, I create a story.

MY TOASTMASTERS CLUB POEM BY SHREYA SINHA On a Saturday morning, I have come to the borders of hope, It is an unfathomable place, A club for the brave and the vulnerable There is no book nor the face of dearest look, Which can show me what courage looks like I see it here, in the faces of the prepared, And the unprepared speakers, Who glaze my screen Their voices perch my soul, And sing the tune of hope Here, fear ends, Courage towers, Hope thrives and, Regret dies.

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 48

KNOW YOUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (July 2021 - December 2021)

Ihsaan Muhiyadheen (PRESIDENT)

Simran Chauhan (VP EDUCATION)

Devendra Villa (VP MEMBERSHIP)

Kejal Ranka

(VP PUBLIC RELATIONS)

Divya Dialani (SECRETARY)

Himanshu Rane (TREASURER)

Utsav Jena (SERGEANT-AT-ARMS)

INVESTING IN OURSELVES| PAGE 49

Email ID: Share2communique@gmail.com

Shreya Sinha Kejal Ranka Raj Bharat Ihsaan Muhiyadheen Aaliya Ali Kshitija Suryavanshi Kannagi Mishra Hasan Neha Kirve Tuba Mansoor Prerana Ukey Nayan Jain Hasan Haider Anu Jain Uday Pednekar Anurag Sinha Pankaj Wadibhasme Aashutosh Tripathi Devendra Villa Divya Dialani Glen Sobrinho Manju Jacob Harshala Yeola Mehul Janodia Aatif Momin Sameer Patil Smriti Rajpal Shreyasi Rao Rahul Sankhe Dipak Desale

"The strength of the team is each individual member.

The strength of each member is the team." --Phil Jackson

"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." --Helen Keller

Simran Chauhan Saurabh Kumar Prashant Karkera Rakesh Kuwar Utsav Jena Nayana Mohan Piyush Dudhatra Sudha Prasad Amit Yeri Sadaf Ahmad Nevathika Narendran Namrata Keni Anil Baheti Maruf Shaikh Jyoti Shanbhag Tanya Bhardwaj Mansi Rungta Suyog Mankar Kunal Kabra Preetika Thakur Vrushali Mohole Himanshu Rane Charu Agarwal Deepak Shukla Rini Basu Sarthak Raizada Sankalp Singh Sankaranarayanan Gurunathan Vinayak Shinde