The Levels

Level 0: Call of Duty

Division Governor’s Address

Area Governor’s Address

President’s Address

Editor’s Note

Editorial Team

Level 1: Pantheon Saga

The Wonder woman: An interview with DTM Suganthi

The Titan: An interview with DTM Asha

The Juggernaut: An interview with Evaluation champion TM Sridhar Ranganathan

Level 2: League of Legends

The Gamemaster

Little Big Adventure: Area contest feedback by a non-Toastmaster

The Man of Steel

The Flash

Game of Thrones

The Architect

Level 3: Battlefield

The sands of Time

The Haunting

The Avenger’s Alliance

Level 4: The Quest

Speech Quest

Level 5: Articulator’s creed

Panic on the dais: A new member on her club experience

World of word craft

Call of Duty

Division Governor’s Address

Dear Alphas!

Greetings from your Division Governor and also your

proud fellow member!

I am happy to get an opportunity to address the

members of this club through the newsletter, which

has been meticulously prepared time and again by the

editorial team. Going with yet another creative theme

for this issue, I would like to point out and reiterate

how Toastmasters has been of immense help to me

and to fellow members - by allowing me to progress

through the educational program in a fun yet

challenging manner, like all the games and activities

we enjoyed and continue to enjoy playing. Like your

favourite games, the challenge slowly seeps in as we

progress through the levels of the toastmasters

program to give us an enjoyable learning experience.

The effective feedback from our evaluators, mentors

and fellow members is the step we use to climb

towards our success and there are no cheat codes to

our success! All members go through the same

program and we help our peers learn in the process.

I must congratulate the executive committee and

members for stepping up every time both for your

club and to support activities beyond the club. The last

six months have been of immense learning for all of us

- albeit through contests, conferences and our weekly

meetings. This club has and continues to set an

example for all!

I hope to see this continue and the members of TCS

Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club to end on a high

note at the end of the Toastmasters Year.

My hearty congratulations to you on achieving the

Distinguished Club status within four months of the

start of the educational year!

I greatly look forward to members stepping out of the

comfort zone, enjoying the learning process and

always progressing upwards!

All the best & Seasons Greetings!

- TM Rahul Shankar

Division G Governor 2014-2015

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

Area Governor’s Address

Dear Alphas,

As 2014 comes to an end I would like to take this

moment to thank all the officers and members for

helping our club put up a fabulous show in the past

few months. The hardest things is not getting to the

top but staying there. For the past few months we

have continued our past momentum and this helped

the Alpha juggernaut to keep going. There were lot of

achievements made; to name a few, we had the

division champion TM Preeti coming from our own

club and it is indeed a great honour for any speaker to

represent their club at the district level. I am sure it

would have been extra special since the first one

always remains close to our heart. There were also lot

of active participation as usual from our club in the

Area as well as the Division conference. Last but not

least we celebrated our 150th meeting and it has been

a wonderful journey so far. You guys have made me

and our Area immensely proud. Looking at the future I

wish all the very best to the new Excomm team and I

am looking forward to working with them. We are

already at DCP 5 and I am sure the new officers will

continue to keep the Alpha Toastmasters flag flying

high.

Enjoy!! Have A Blast!!!

Before the golden sun sets,

2014's calendar is destroyed,

And mobile networks get jammed,

I wish in 2015 every moment is enjoyed

- TM Ranganathan

Area Governor 2014-15

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

President’s Address

Dear Alphas,

How do you feel after being on an adventurous trek?

How do you feel after being on an adrenaline-pumping

roller coaster ride? That is exactly how my term as

president left me feeling. The past six months have

been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. There is

never a moment of normalcy. There is a never a

situatio here ou a sa , Ok, I a do e for o . There is always something to look forward to. When I

look back at the past year, I feel overwhelmed with

the transformation I have seen and felt in myself and

others, because of Toastmasters. It has never ceased

to amaze me with what it has to offer. One thing that I

ha e lear t i this ter is, You do t ha e to e someone great to do great things. When greatness is

thrust upon you, you learn to rise to the o asio . It s been an eventful year for Alpha. This year, we have

had two new members beat all odds and go on to

compete at the highest level in the district. We have

never been behind in securing awards on the contrary

we have always been in the forefront. We saw many

leaders emerge, leaders who took the learning from

toastmasters and employed it outside world in many

forms like hosting TEDx-like conference, conducting

Trai i g progra for ollege grads et . But it s ot the number of awards that is more fulfilling, it is the

number of times we have learned something new

after donning each role that made us better than

before. So the learning curve never falls flat at Alpha.

It always goes up at an angle of ninety degrees. We did

have an exodus of many significant members from our

club this year. But despite all that, the next set of

people has stepped up and how! They have pushed

themselves and set a benchmark for others to follow. I

can say proudly that I have done well in my role as a

president because a president is nothing but a

reflection of the other six officers put together and I

know they have done remarkably well. Alpha, today,

is cooler than ever, motivated as always, versatile like

it s k o for a d ost i porta tl it s our ho e a d

it always will be. Once an Alpha, Forever an Alpha.

2014 has been annus mirabilis for Alpha. After a year

full of surprises, learning and fun the same question

pops up i i d Ok, do e it, hat e t? Well, e have our next Excomm who is all set for another year

filled with many more surprises, immense learning and

lots of fun! A big thank you to all those who have

joined the family and best wishes to the next set of

ambassadors!

- TM Ilu Jain

President

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

Editor’s Note

Dear Readers,

I have had the pleasure of working with an infinitely

talented team of Toastmasters here at Alpha. Lately,

our team has been very keen on experimenting with

the themes of the newsletter. Our last edition was the

Royal Edition, released in honour of our milestone

meeting - the 150th meeting. This quarter for the

newsletter, we decided to reminisce on the past, as

we bid good bye to 'what's been' and welcome 'what

will be'. When I think of my childhood, the images that

take shape at the forefront of my thoughts are the

many video games we used to play as children.

Pac-man, Mario, Donkey kong, Contra, the list is

endless. As an ode to our childhood, we decided to

make the theme of our newsletter revolve around

these games that now serve as mere relics of earlier

ti es. This led to the irth of The Muse - Gaming

Editio . All the se tio s a d arti les share their titles with the names of popular video games like League of

Legends, Game of Thrones, Avenger's Alliance, Sands

of Time (Prince of Persia) and many, many more. We

also took it a step further and gave a super-hero

avatar for the different people featured in our articles.

Toastmasters International to me is a lot like a game.

What makes any video game an obsession is the levels

it takes us through and the many points we are

required to accrue. Toastmasters is no different. CC,

CL, ALB, ACB and the rest are all levels we strive to

attain and the awards are like bonus points. And the

est part is though it s all fu a d games; there is a lot

to be learned as well. I hope this is one game I never

stop playing.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my

fellow Toastmasters without whom this dream would

not have touched the realm of reality. A big thank you

to TM Akshaya, TM Sharath, TM Ilu, TM Faraz, TM

Ezhil and TM Sampradha.

Dear Readers, we had a blast brain-storming tile

names and putting together this edition. We sincerely

hope you have as much fun reading the articles.

Read and Be Inspired!

- TM Vijayalakshmi G

Editor-in-chief,

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

The Editorial Team

The Pantheon

Saga

Victory is not forged in a day. Behind each success lies a story, a tale of unwavering

resolve and courage in the face of adversity, a story that's nothing short of a saga.

The Wonder woman

From its humble inception to its soaring evolution this amazonian wonder woman has

fostered the advancement of the Toastmasters Movement here at TCS at every step.

Her patronage has undoubtedly steered the clubs towards the success it now savours.

Recently awarded Best Division Governor, DTM Suganthi shares the secret of her

success in this interview.

What was your experience at your first toastmasters

meeting like?

The then Club President Kohinoor invited me to my

first Toast asters’ eeti g i . The eeti g as held in the Board-Room located in GS-8 in the TCS

Siruseri campus.A group of 20 odd members were

present. I am delighted to have had the opportunity of

liste i g to DTM Oo e Joh ’s i spiri g CC#1 (he

was delivering his 3rd CC#1) and an impeccable

evaluation by Toastmaster George Vinoj (District 82

International Speech 2nd runner-up, 2012). Another

Toastmaster by the name Rajkumar delivered his

speech which again was an inspiring story. At the end

of the meeting, I was in great doubt if one should have

inspiring stories to become a member of this

Toast asters’ lu . I as thoroughly i pressed y the professionalism with which the meeting was

conducted, well balanced with creativity. I signed up

for a Toastmasters membership the same evening.

There is an age-old adage, 'Leaders are born not

made.' Do you believe that Toastmasters made you a

leader or simply helped nurture leadership qualities

you already had?

I would say, some leaders are born, but many are

made! Toastmasters helped me nurture the leadership

qualities that I had already developed over the course

of my school/college/early work years. My journey in

Toastmasters definitely helped me add a few more to

my kitty. I was a semi-introvert who preferred walking

away from interacting with strangers. Toastmasters

changed that and now I can tell that I am well on my

journey towards being labelled an extrovert.

Funniest or most memorable moment during your

term as Division Governor.

There are many moments over the course of the last

year that have left behind fond memories. I was super

happy duri g the aledi tory eeti g of last year’s Division G community Speechcraft listening to

Speechcrafters talk about how the training program

has transformed their lives and helped them build

confidence. I was thrilled witnessing the valedictory

meeting of the Youth Leadership Program conducted

by the students of APL Global school. The kids who

attended the YLP sessions wearing all sorts of causals,

playing pranks on us, came dressed in perfect formals

and presented a meeting with utmost professionalism.

I felt accomplished after listening to the feedback from

the Parents and School management. These are two of

my most fond memories with people who are not

Toastmasters but whom I was able to influence

through the Toastmasters educational program.

The visits to Division G club meetings always filled me

with excitement and new learnings. Division G

members are more like my extended family.

My most funniest (or rather embarrassing) moment

was when I walked into the auditorium as the Division

conference Sangamam 2014 was about to begin and

heard people el o e e ith histles, sloga s et … as they do to cheer a political leader.

I am sure your experience with toastmasters must

have added so much value to your life. Imagine life

without Toastmasters. How different would it have

been?

Definitely, it helped me transform my life in a way that

I wanted to. I am more outgoing and confident while

interacting with stra gers…a o e all, I lear t the art of bargaining (thanks to those numerous TM events that

we run with stringent budgets).

A truly great leader should possess a vision and the

ability to inspire others to share that vision. In a vast

community like Toastmasters it is not uncommon for

opinions to be divided. How do you tackle such

challenges? How did you motivate people to share

your goals for the division during your term as

governor?

Serving as the Division Governor for the largest

division of District 82 was indeed quite challenging.

Every idea was met with mixed feedback from

different groups of people. I understood that it is

difficult to keep all people happy all the time. But, I

learnt that spending time helping our members

understand the idea or thought helped me to buy

them in. At the same time, I was also open to changes

in my ideas and positively worked on the feedback

from members. Timely recognition of achievements

and genuinely motivating members to aim for the

higher goals brought in the desired results. Running a

division is similar to running a family. What works for

one family member may not appeal to another family

member. We will have to employ different tricks of

the trade each time something needs to be

accomplished ;-)

A leader comprises a kaleidoscope of characteristics

such as exceptional communication, skilful delegation,

composed confidence, organization, consistence and

many more. Which trait do you think is your strongest

and which do you struggle with the most?

Composed confidence and organization have always

been my strongest areas. I have always and even still

struggle to settle in for the 2nd best option, unable to

accept that perfection is just a perspective, many a

times.

What would you like our members to remember

when confronting challenges in their leaderships

roles?

Remember the desire to stand out from the rest and

come out with innovative yet simple solutions to

problems. We need not be revolutionaries to make

things work. Work hard towards your goals and

genuinely respect people for what they are. Without

members, there is no leader. So, please remember to

niche all your actions within that thought!

- Interviewed by TM Vijayalakshmi

Editor-in-chief

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters

The Titan

Throughout her spell at Toastmasters she has served as an exemplary role model to us

all. Her dedication and commitment to the fraternity and its growth has been nothing

short of inspiring. At Evaluations, this Titan remains unbeaten. Awarded Best Area

Governor for her outstanding leadership, DTM Asha talks about her success in this

interview.

Tell us your experience at your first toastmasters

meeting.

My first ever Toastmasters meeting was the 50th

meeting of the TCS Maitree Chennai Toastmasters

Club. I attended as a guest and I was impressed by the

professional manner in which the meeting was

conducted. TM George Vinoj was the Toastmaster of

the Day and he conducted the meeting in such a

seamless manner. Two speakers including DTM

Suganthi Periasamy gave their CC#10 that day and I

was bowled over by the quality of the speeches.

I did not hesitate to sign up for a membership

immediately. I still remember all the details of that

first meeting although it took place on 28 Sep 2011.

Has your learning experience at the Toastmasters

fraternity ever come into use at a personal or

professional level? If yes, how?

Toastmasters offer you everyday learning experiences

which bring immense value to everything that you do.

Before I learnt to evaluate speeches at Toastmasters, I

was a critique (I still am in some ways), however,

speech evaluation has taught me to look for good

points as well. This has had a direct impact in the way I

handle appraisal discussions at work. The biggest

learning that I have gleaned from Toastmasters is the

art of patience. From being impatient and impulsive, I

ha e lear t to a ept a other’s style of orki g, hi h could be quite different from my own.

Funniest or most memorable moment during your

term as Area Governor.

A whole year as an Area Governor has been an

exhilarating experience filled with moments of great

joy. I vividly remember our team from Chennai

travelling to Coimbatore to help conduct the club

contests. Although we had train reservations, we were

travelling in the non A/C compartment of Kovai

Express. After a couple of stops, a lot of people

without reserved tickets started flooding the

compartment and tried to push us out of our seats.

During the course of the journey, a rather well-built

lady demanded that I move a little so that she could sit

beside me. I pretended not to hear her. This infuriated

the lady and after a couple of minutes, she plonked

herself right on my lap!

To most of us Toastmasters started out as a mere

recreational activity. I am sure it did with you too. Is

it still just that for you or more? And if more,

elaborate why.

Rather than a recreational activity, at the beginning,

Toastmasters for me was an escape route. I was the

only member in my team and did not have anybody to

talk to or go for lunch with. Today, some of best

friends are from Toastmasters, although we are

spread across the globe, we are still able to speak to

each other as if it was just yesterday that we met at a

Toastmasters meeting.

A leadership role can sometimes be a journey of self-

discovery. It can teach you things about yourself you

didn't know before. Did your term as Area governor

help unravel traits about you that you didn't already

know you had?

I always believed that no matter how difficult the task,

if I put my mind to it, I could accomplish it. However,

my term as Area Governor has taught me that working

as a team is also equally important. I was never

comfortable in asking other people to take up tasks

but I learnt that it is only when you give people the

responsibility and enable them to complete the task,

will they have a sense of accomplishment as well.

Working as a team is something that I would not have

learnt if it were not for my year as Area Governor.

What do you enjoy most about being a Toastmaster?

Toastmasters provides me with an opportunity to

meet with and interact with people from various walks

of life. I love stories and through Toastmasters, I have

been introduced to some fantastic stories. The wealth

of this collective experience is something that I will

always treasure.

What would you like our members to remember

when confronting challenges in their leaderships

roles?

In leadership roles and otherwise, we tend to confront

people rather than challenges. Most of the challenges

that we have are people-centric. The best way to

circumvent this, I feel, would be to address the

challenge directly and get the people to help you

overcome it. For this, I will always be grateful to CK(T

Che dil Ku ar) for tea hi g e to e tough o the issue a d soft o the perso .

- Interviewed by TM Vijayalakshmi,

Editor-in-chief,

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters

The Juggernaut

This Toastmaster is unstoppable, unbeatable and undefeatable. He was crowned the

reigning champion of Evaluations contest at Reverberations 2014, District 82. Read on

to learn the secrets of TM Sridhar’s success.

How has your experience with Toastmasters changed

you?

I never realized a small 6 inches ribbon can bring in

su h a phe o e al ha ge i a o e’s life. M life can be divided into two distinct parts – one before

Toastmasters and the next after Toastmasters. What

started as a simple public speaking attempt has gone

deeper as finding expressions to my thoughts. Nothing

of my life would suggest that I was capable of writing

anything beyond my school assignments. To be

contributing to an article in an elite Newsletter like

Muse of a progressive club is itself a testimony for

what Toastmasters has done to me.

The experience of delivering a speech at the contest

is different from delivering at one's home club

because the crowd is larger, full of strangers and

mostly unpredictable. What has your contesting

experience taught you about delivering on stage in

the face on unfamiliar crowd?

I feel there is a proportionately high gain to all the

challenges the unfamiliar crowd brings in. When some

of those strangers come and tell me that they like the

speech, when some of those strangers send a FB

request I know it has made an impact and I realize it

was worth enduring those challenges. The other

aspect is the difference in mindset we have. At the

club level there is nothing much at stake. It is often

like a net practice. On the other hand in an area,

division or district level contests our priorities are very

different. This is more serious and hence the demands

are more.

What according to you makes a successful public

speaker?

It is a e olutio . A e olutio fro speaki g hat I a t to speak to speaki g hat the a t to liste .

A successful public speaker is beyond words. It is

about emotions, it is about credibility, it is about

authenticity, it is about the connect, it is about the

relevance and much more. I have even observed a

great speech by a great speaker in a different audience

falling flat. So it is the audience impact that

determines the success of a speaker.

What has been your learning at Reverberations,

2014. What insights did you gain from contesting and

eventually winning?

The quality of contest was really good and hence it is

more satisfying. Playing with tough contestants

improves my game much more than playing in an easy

contest. The crowd was very supportive. I had a great

backing from my club. The Area Governor and District

Governor encouraged me a lot. This year I wanted to

experiment and be different in my approach from

other contestants and it clicked. My preparation also

helped me a lot.

I am sure you were nervous before your contest and

everybody reacts differently under pressure. Some

find nervous energy fuelling while others find it

disrupting. How was it with you and how would you

advice us on handling pressure.

My guru once told me something very interesting.

There are two kinds of pressure a speaker is likely to

encounter. One is pressure of performance and the

other is pressure of excellence. The former is a

negative pressure and the other is a positive pressure.

While in the initial stages we may start with pressure

of performance over a period of time it changes into

pressure of e elle e. That’s when I realized

Pressure is i e ita le. “o it is good to ha elize that into a positive energy. I keep telli g self, I have done it many times now and I can do it yet

agai . I o ser e that the duratio a d i te sit of nervousness keep reducing with every attempt on

stage.

What advice would you give our readers who aspire

to become more confident and effective speakers?

The good news is that it is a learnable skill. The better

news is that we improve with every legitimate attempt

on stage. The best news is anyone can become a

champion. The only catch is Speaking is like Swimming.

We can get inspired by seeing others swim. But we

a ’t s i u less e take the plu ge. I itiall there will be struggling to get that synchronization. Once we

get it then it is a question of effort. What starts in the

pool can take us across oceans one day.

During a contest, as a contestant are you hoping the

best speaker wins or that you win?

I always hope I should be the best speaker and I win

An evaluation contest is unlike a prepared speech

contest. You are expected to script an evaluation a

couple or dozen minutes before you actually deliver

it. So how exactly do you prepare for an evaluation

contest?

In my opinion every contest, including evaluation and

Table Topics, needs preparation. After every level of

contest I keep increasing my duration of preparation.

For example, I took up the area contest speech and

evaluated in ten other ways. Each time I wanted to be

different. I then noted down the points. This helped

me to understand what all can I look at in a speech. In

this process I could observe that there are many

aspects of a speech that go beyond the obvious points

that come up in a routine evaluation. And that helped

me a lot.

- Interviewed by TM Vijayalakshmi

Editor-in-chief,

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

League of

Legends There are people in this fraternity who have walked into our club, changed the course

of the club and led us down a greater path. And these people are nothing short of

legends.

The Gamemaster

Speech contests are like multiplayer games, extending through several levels, in quest

of a single title. These ga es do t organize themselves. Someone in the shadows

spends sleepless nights creating the grand arena where the players will battle it out for

the title of winner. The Ga e aster of this year s Area 2, Di isio G s Co test is our

secretary, TM Akshaya. Read on as she shares her experience.

Leaders are not born,

they are made. The

Toastmaster Program is

an initiative that strongly

believes in this ideal, with

its tagline, Where

leaders are ade.

The strong examples of

leadership are our district

officers who always focus

o thei e e s g o th a d lea i g th ough Toastmasters; one of the platforms where true leaders

are made. One such exemplary was the Area Governor

of Area G2, TM Ranganathan who offered me an

opportunity: Contest Chair of Area Level Humorous

Speech and Evaluation Contest.

You know what my answer was? No. You—

toastmaster—would you refuse an opportunity to be

the Contest Chair? I did. I was sure this was a hurdle I

would be unable to cross.I was a rookie, a toastmaster

who was barely six months old. But like any good

leader, TM Ranganathan did not give up. He

encouraged and bolstered my confidence in my ability

to take up and deliver on this new challenge and I,

with trepidation, agreed.

As the Contest Day was creeping closer and closer, I

was a bundle of nerves. A million things could go

wrong. It could all fall apart and it would all be my

fault. On the eve of Contest Day I had had a

conversation with my mentor about how worried I

was. He told me something that I have always held on

to e e ti e I i dou t. He said, Aksha a, al a s

e e e , fea is a good thi g. As lo g as ou e afraid, you know that you have something to lose. As

lo g as ou e af aid to lose it, you will fight to make

su e ou e e do.

Wise words that I knew were truer than anything else

I d elie ed i . The eek efo e the o test as filled with harried calls and sleepless nights trying to get

everything on track for the big day and through all of it

the team that helped me put it together learned so

much in the process. Being the area contest chair was

a miasma of obstacles both big and small. Some we

were able to overcome rather easily, others were like

a complicated knot that we had to unravel. I had a

team of some dedicated toastmasters who helped me

pull the show together and they were one of the main

reasons for its success. But eventually, our hard work

culminated into the Battle of Jest and Counsel. Contest

Day came; our contestants were ready to battle it out.

I would not lie and tell you that everything was

fla less a d e t so sea lessl . E e o e ho s e e planned something – a party, an event or a contest –will tell you that no matter how meticulously you plan;

there will always be something that will go wrong. But

what you learn from that is not to panic when it seems

like the sky is falling, but to take a deep breath and

deal with each difficulty as it comes your way. We had

our moments of doubt and there were some hiccups

but, imperfections are what makes art beautiful, and

Contest Day was a spectacular piece of art bringing

together members from across three cities! At the end

of the day, all of us felt like we had accomplished

something magical, like we had finally pulled the

bunny out of the hat.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists

Of a good leader, who talks little,

When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,

They ill say, We did this oursel es. ― Lao Tzu

The leaders who offered us the opportunity to

showcase our skills stood back and watched us make

Contest Day a success. Behind any endeavour, there is

always someone watching over your accomplishment;

for me, it was our Area Governor and my mentor.

They made sure that I gained the confidence I needed,

that I learned to trust my judgments and they had my

back every step of the way. With leaders like them in

the Alpha family, with their quiet faith and conviction,

Alpha will always be able to reach greater heights.

- TM Akshaya,

Secretary,

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

Little Big Adventure

Vikram, a non-Toastmaster, attended the Area contest organized by our secretary, TM

Akshaya. He conceded that his experience at the contest was nothing short of a little – no

wait – a big adventure!

I received an e-mail

forward which turned out

to be an invitation from a

Toastmaster and a

colleague to witness the

Humorous Speech Contest

between Groucho Marx's,

George Carlin's and Charlie

Chaplin's in the making.

Little did I know about this face of Toastmasters

earlier! Hence, out of sheer curiosity, I 'hastily' agreed

to make my presence felt at the event.

The day arrived. The weather was pleasant and ideal

for a day out but the patterns were chang ing slowly as

the verses of a much anticipated verdict were

pronounced. Hence I and my buddy decided to take

shelter in the contest space instead of roaming on the

streets causing trouble for the zombies and rioters.

Inside the event space, the atmosphere was entirely

different making us realize the possibilities of an

alternate world, existing not so far. As the clocks

ticked, the scores started to orchestrate themselves in

unison. Right from the beauty of an elegant analogy to

Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas, the fastest four hours

passed by drenching everyone in its awesomeness. It

was a lovely sight to witness fresh and original

expressions while we are forced to breathe plagiarism

and monotonous manifestations in the day to day life.

The contestants painted vivid imagery of the platform

they have chosen and even mended elements of

suspense in the process of breaking out the humour.

Though the contest circled around humour, the

contestants made better use of the opportunity to

convey messages of concern for a greater community.

The best part was that they were able to enthral

audience with a divine experience of being

everywhere while sitting in the pointed space. Amen!

I, indeed, thoroughly enjoyed all of these and admired

both the contestants and organizers for crafting a dose

of happiness close to perfection. Heartfelt thanks to

the entire team for presenting a delightful extended

afternoon and a special one to Toastmaster Sharath

Vignesh for dropping the invite.

- Vikram G,

Guest

The Man of Steel

Look, up i the sky! It s a ird. It s a pla e. No, it s super a ! What is the o e thi g that superman and our TM Balaji have in common? Bullets bounce off Superman as if

he were made of steel while failure cannot deter TM Balaji whose resolve is as sturdy

as steel. Read on as the Man of Steel shares his contesting experience.

After contesting at the club level humorous speech

contest for three

consecutive years, you

managed to qualify

for the Area contest

this year. Success is a

drug. But failure is a

deterrent. What drove

you to compete year

after year despite not

succeeding right

away?

The first failure did

hurt me a lot. I almost thought that this is not my cup

of tea; it s ti e to uit Toast aste s. Ma o soled me that it was a brave attempt for a first timer. But

there was one guy, who came running towards me. He

didn't wish the guy who won the contest but instead

he wanted to talk to me. He told me what I should

have done differently to have won the contest.

I believe critical evaluation for someone who lost in a

contest is crucial but very few do it because most of us

console them. That critical evaluation made me

contest in the next year and year after year.

I would say First time failure is a Deterrent, but when

you go through it next time – you will realize so many

hidden strengths within you that you will never ever

want to quit trying.

Success is not a drug. Once you try and fail, your thirst

to taste success at least once becomes a Drug!

What would you say is vital about the contest

experience, the experience of winning or simply the

experience of contesting? Elaborate.

Co e tio , it is ot si pl the e pe ie e of contesting. It takes a lot of courage to be a contestant.

Winning is a subset of contesting. It is just like a shot

of alcohol at a party, you will get high for a moment

and after a while it fades away. The experience of

contesting is not like that. It is Vital. There are many

lessons to learn when you lose.

Do you get nervous before your big performance on

stage? How do you overcome your anxiety?

Of course, every time! But the best way to overcome

your anxiety is to rehearse your speech as much as

possible with as many different audiences. Most of all

enjoy your time on stage! Just think of yourself are an

actor and your job is to entertain/motivate people and

not to recite some speech you have scripted! Say this

to yourself before every speech and it will definitely

boost your confidence.

How has the contest changed you/helped you grow

as a Speaker?

I would instead say that the contest helped me grow

as a better person rather than a speaker! Self

realization is the key here and only contest

performances in front of a crowd will help you find the

key to unlock your potential. Once you become a

better person obviously you will end up becoming a

better Speaker!

How did you celebrate your victory?

Ha ha! I did t pa t because the fear of Area contest

immediately infected my mind and I ended up in a

t pi al Ge Y ele atio that ight, a photo shoot ith loads of “elfies t i g to fit fa il e e s

on the Nexus screen!

- Interviewed by TM Vijayalakshmi,

Editor-in-chief,

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters

The Flash

The Flash is the fastest man alive! Ever seen him whizz through the air? Ever seen TM

Preeti evaluate on stage? Then you know what I am talking about. Her superhuman-

speedy yet sensible evaluations are what got her as far as the District Contest and the

moniker The Flash ! ‘ead The Flash share her contesting experience in this interview.

Do you get nervous

before your big

performance on stage?

How do you overcome

your anxiety?

Yes, I get nervous. But I

take a deep breath,

smile and tell myself

"This is my stage and I

am going to seize this

precious moment". This

helps me gain confidence that everything is going to

be just great.

An evaluation contest is unlike a prepared speech

contest. You are expected to script an evaluation a

couple of dozen minutes before you actually deliver

it. So how exactly do you prepare for an evaluation

contest?

There are many ways of evaluating a speech and I

believe that there is no perfect way to do it. I generally

evaluate all varieties of speeches be it humorous,

inspirational, persuasion, et cetera and see from my

point of view what is best in the speech and what

changes can make it more impactful. Constantly

evaluating at club meetings, evaluating speeches on

the Internet (youTube) and constant practice helps

prepare for an evaluation contest.

Thought it is true that regularly delivering speeches

at the club can boost confidence, facing new

audience at the contest almost never fails to cause

jitters. How do you handle the pressure?

It's absolutely true that facing new audience is

difficult. I had the same feeling at all the levels, club,

area, division and district. But then I reduce the

pressure by thinking that they are our very own

Toastmasters and I have to face them just as I face my

friends.

How did you celebrate your victory as a District

Finalist with your friends at the club?

I spent the day with them and enjoyed to the fullest. A

big special Thank You to Jaswanth, Ilu, Sharanya,

Rahul, Balaji, Faraz, Saranya, Ranga, Akshaya, Vijee,

Sharath and all members for rendering their support

and making me achieve this.

You are the first contestant from Alpha to have

progressed till the District contest in an Evaluations

contest. How proud are you at your achievement?

I feel extremely privileged to be a part of the District

Evaluations Contest, Reverberations 2014. It was a

great moment! A moment to be cherished! At the

same time, this is just the beginning and I want to

experience more in terms of communication and

leadership skills in this colourful journey of

Toastmasters.

- Interviewed by TM Vijayalaskhmi,

Editor-in-chief,

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters

Game of Thrones

It was a tense Thursday afternoon. Silence stretched across the room like a tightly

pulled rubber band, taut and ready to snap. A New Year and new term demanded a

council of new leaders. The election was about to start. The battle was about to begin.

The game of thrones was set to play.

It was a tense afternoon. The election commissioner

was ready. The ballot counter was prepared to face

the task. The audience was sitting at the edge of their

seats. The battle was about to begin. The game of

thrones was set to play.

December meant elections at Alpha. Excitement was

in the air. When TM Ranga called the meeting room to

order, I was busy wishing the contestants. Though I

was not contesting, I found myself fidgeting nervously.

I had to constantly remind myself that I was just a

spectator.

The moment was finally here. It was time to start the

elections for TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club for

the term, Jan-Jun 2015.

President:

For the post of President, we had one nomination, TM

Balaji, the ex-VPE of Alpha. Just when we thought

there would be no further nominations from the floor,

TM Faraz surprised us by nominating himself. TM

Balaji went on stage to deliver an outstanding election

speech which left us wondering whether he was an

u offi ial e e of P i e Mi iste Modi s P‘ Tea . Again surprise in the form of TM Faraz called out from

the audience and withdrew the nomination. Only then

did we realize it was a prank, on our beloved VPE, to

make him speak. With that, TM Balaji became our

President.

VP-Education:

TM Akshaya nominated herself on the floor and we

heard TM Sharath withdraw his nomination. But TM

Saranya Garimella with mischief in her eyes

nominated herself for the post of VP-E. Everybody

figured out what was going on and there were giggles

erupting all over the place. Yaay! TM Akshaya had to

give a speech. It was mandatory. I saw a determined

Akshaya go on stage and deliver her election speech in

her own adorable way. But none of them missed the

murderous glance that she threw at TM Saranya

Garimella who was finding it very hard to control her

laughte . As e pe ted afte TM Aksha a s spee h, TM Saranya withdrew her nomination and TM Akshaya

was elected the VP-E of Alpha.

VP-Membership:

The battle had now begun for the post of VP-M. We

had three competent and enthusiastic Toastmasters

competing for this post and after hearing the speeches

from TM Ashwin, TM Lalitha and TM Suresh, the

audience sat stunned not being able to decide. The

VP-M voting took longer than usual and after few nail

biting moments, the new VP-M was declared. The VP-

M of TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club for the

period of Jan-Jun 2015 was TM Ashwin.

VP-Public Relations:

TM Sharath and TM Ramachandran had nominated to

be the face of Alpha. As expected, both advertised

themselves using their creativity (Hence Proved!) and

left the audience over-exerting their decision making

skills. This was again an intense and difficult battle and

after painful moments of waiting for the results, TM

Ranga announced. The new VP-PR of Alpha was TM

Sharath.

Secretary:

The post of Secretary needed a new queen of English

language. Tm Lalitha had already won all of our hearts

with her words and expressions and with no other

nominations other than herself; she was elected

without contest for the post of Secretary.

Treasurer:

The T easu de a ded a “t i t Offi e to a age the funds and who better than our own TM

Ramachandran. TM Ilu Jain had withdrawn his

nomination and TM Ramachandran became the new

Treasurer of Alpha.

Sergeant at Arms:

Only in Alpha can we find new enthusiastic members

nominating for a seat at the Ex-Comm. We had two of

our young and vibrant Toastmasters, TM Pradeep and

TM Bishnupriya contesting for SAA. After hearing their

speeches I could read the confusion of the audience. I

am sure the ballot counter found both the names in

many voting slips. The tension was finally broken

when TM Ranga announced TM Bishnupriya to be the

new SAA of Alpha.

All in all it was an exciting hour full of tension and

suspense and I could see the tired faces of the ballot

counters TM Virat and TM Deepak finally break into a

smile. TM Ranga called the new officers to the stage

and announced the new Ex-Comm of TCS Maitree

Alpha Toastmasters Club. I could not help but feel

happy. I am really looking forward to seeing this Ex-

Comm team in action. May the Alpha flag fly high in

the hands of this new team.Congratulations Officers!

All the best for the new term!

- TM Sharanya

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

The Architect

In the Matrix, the Architect though a super villain is a grand creator of worlds. She is no

different. She merely flicks her finger and behold, art is born! She shapes our image,

our refle tio i pu li s eyes a d therefore she shapes us. This Toastmaster has a huge

part to play in architecting recent successes our PR team has enjoyed. Read on to find

out what drives our dear TM Sampradha.

What do you enjoy

most about being a

Toastmaster?

I particularly love the

part when my speech is

being evaluated. I am a

person, who loves to

know how well i fared. I

love acknowledgement. And i get these at

Toastmasters. I can officially, demand :) for a feedback

once i give a speech or perform a role. And a feedback

from a toastmaster is honest, providing

encouragement for my positives, and suggestions for

my weak areas. Another thing i enjoy about being a

toastmaster is , listening to speeches. It's interesting

to get to know things through the perspective of other

people.

Despite being a member of Toastmasters for less

than six months, you have already achieved so much.

From one of your flyers making it to the Top Five

Flyers list for the Flyer of the month award awarded

by District 82 to being a part of the PR team for the

Division conference, your contribution to TMI has

been humongous. What drives your devotion to TMI?

I love to design things and i immediately jumped up at

the opportunity, when our VPPR, TM Ezhil, sent out a

mail inviting volunteers for the PR team. From then

onwards it has been a great journey!

They say, "Doing what you love is its own reward.

Getting recognition for doing it is like winning the

lottery." I've been winning lotteries throughout

(Thanks to the Alphas), and that keeps me going!

Tell us a few words about your experience being part

of the PR team for the Division G Conference -

Opulence?

It was a wonderful experience being a part of the

DIVISION G PR team. It helped me hone the ability to

accept other ideas gracefully and co exist and work as

a team . As they say, birds of a feather flock together,

different clubs have their own individualities. To

experience all these individualities at a common point

was an eye-opening experience.

How did you manage to win the Toastmaster of the

month award and what did it feel like when you were

acknowledged by the club at the 150th meeting for

your efforts and commitment to TMI?

I must say, it was an honour to receive the

Toastmaster of the Month Award. And more than the

award, i was totally floored, by the kind words, our

president TM Ilu mentioned about me. It is this kind of

encouragement that is showered upon you

throughout, that helps you reach heights that you

never dreamt you would.

- Interviewed by TM Vijayalakshmi

Editor-in-chief

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters

Battlefield The dais isn’t just a platform for public speaking. It is an arena where you constantly wage

wars against your fear. It is an arena where you are pitted against yourself. It is an area where

you come out the other end better than you were the day before.

The dais isn't just a platform. It's a battlefield.

The Sands of Time

It is said that the Journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Alpha took her

baby steps one warm July afternoon on the year 2012. Since then she has sauntered

steadily, leaving foot prints in the sands of time. Her journey hasn't always been easy.

There are times when she has tripped and fallen. But she has always pulled herself

back on her feet and marched on with head held high. This October 15th, 2014 Alpha

celebrated her 150th meeting!

It is said that the footprints on the sands of time are

not made by sitting down. That was the motto with

hi h e started this e ter . It s ee o er t o years si e the lu s i eption and we have had the

privilege of making more than 250 associates at Tata

Consultancy Services, Siruseri, better speakers and

great leaders. And to top it off we were on the verge

of a milestone meeting. Our 150th meeting was

approaching! It was the perfect occasion to show our

mettle. And put on a great show, we did!

The masters of ceremony TM Ilu and TM Preeti

stepped onto the dais. The king of PJs and the queen

of expressions, as they are fondly called here at Alpha,

worked with amazing co-ordination adding life and

vigor to the meeting. Their presence on stage was

marked with witty jokes.

After a grand welcome to the guests and toastmasters

alike, a special video on the club was screened paying

tribute to its founders and also recognizing the

achievements of the members in recent times. TM

“a pradha, the MD pulled off a all-nighter to make

sure the video was perfect and indeed, it was.

Forget Vogue a d the Ti es, if so ethi g s a tually orth readi g it s our lu e sletter – The Muse. The

Muse – Royal Edition was nothing short of a pearl

from an oyster. The edition features the article that

won the Best Article Award, awarded by District 82 -

Power of prop – written by our very own, TM

Vijaylakshmi. It also includes an article on the secret of

how TM Sharanya managed to bag 52 educational

awards in a year (setting the record for maximum

number of educational awards filed in a year by a

club), feedback from our new toastmasters on club

experience and many more.

The magazine was unveiled by the chief guest, Mr.

Vijay Kannan, HR Head, who also happens to be a

toastmaster and is responsible for chartering a club in

America. The first copy was presented to our very own

division governor, TM Rahul Shankar. The unveiling

was also graced by one of the Maitree heads, Manjula

Devi. That was a moment to cherish, to see our

newsletter getting released. The current president

e e e t o to regard it as a pie e of art .

Speeches have always been the highlight of any

toastmasters meeting, and with two amazing speeches

we were able to prove to the TCS fraternity here at

Siruseri why Alpha is the best club when it comes to

speech quality. The speeches can easily be regarded as

some of the best in the recent milestone meetings. TM

Faraz inspired the audience with his alories to great ess . He ope ed his spee h ith Chile eati g the World champions, Spain at World Cup 2014, Rio. A

hooking open if there ever was one.

The district finalist TM Jaswanth persuaded the

audie e to liste to The u told (the speech title)

wherein he weaved a poignant story about the

relationship between a son yearning for approval and

an uncommunicative father. The story drove home the

message that love exists beyond words and we must

learn to listen to what is left untold.

For the first time in the history of milestone meetings

at TCS clubs, the Alpha Toastmasters club organized a

Table topics session. We were in two minds initially

about the possibility of being able to pull off a TT

session in an auditorium packed with audience and

se ior asso iates. But othi g s i possi le for a illi g heart. The crowd participated enthusiastically; we

even managed to get couple of associates sign up after

the meeting. Milestone meetings are always great for

PR and we were able to cash in on the occasion.

Every ship needs a captain to set its sails right. And

Balaji was our captain. As the General Evaluator he

brought two of his experienced sailors to evaluate the

speeches. Regarded as one of the best humorous

speakers in the district TM Virat began mimicking TM

Faraz on stage and had the audience in splits. He

compared the speech to the German football team, a

winner all the way. TM Akshaya, another talented

evaluator was right on the money with her feedback

and suggestions while evaluating TM Jas a th s speech.

The chief guest Mr.Vijay Kannan HR Head – Retail,

Travel Transportation & Hospitality Business Clusters

at Tata Consultancy Services has 18 years of diversified

HR experience in multi cultural environments and

industries. As he walked onto the podium to give his

address, there was an air of humility about him and a

bright smile throughout. He praised TCS and Maitree

for continuously supporting toastmasters. He

encouraged all the guests to make full use of the

opportunities made available to them through the

Toastmasters platform. He conceded that

Toastmasters was a great place to get rid of our

inhibitions when it comes to public speaking. He even

expressed his interest in joining the club soon!

Next up, TM Rahul Shankar (Governor, Division G)

stepped on the dais and addressed the gathering. His

speech was nothing short of nostalgic. He relived the

moments when he first joined the club. His own

journey in the club has been a fairy tale, becoming the

youngest division governor the district has ever seen.

He acknowledged the efforts of the founders of the

club and wished us all the very best in our

Toastmasters journey, both individually and as a club.

TM Ranga also took us on a trip down memory lane

and talked about how things have changed for the

better and conceded that it was only through sheer

commitment of the members and club officers that

the club is where it is today.

The o eted Toast aster of the o th trophy as presented to TM Sampradha for all her ingenuity

during the PR campaign. She was the mastermind

behind the newsletter design, first-of-its-kind

bookmarks designed especially for the 150th meet.

Well, one thi g s ertai ; there ill e er e a dearth of creativity at alpha.

TM Ilu Jain, the President was one happy man at the

end of the day. He duly acknowledged the efforts of all

the members who contributed to the success of the

meeting right from the PR team, Editorial team and

the role players. He thanked all the guests and guided

them on how they could become members by

introducing the membership team to them. The

meeting was then adjourned on a great note. He left

us all with the message that we should not sit on our

laurels. Instead, we would strive to achieve everything

there is to and create lasting footprints on the sands of

time!

- TM Faraz,

VP – Membership,

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters

The Haunting

On the week before Halloween, members of our club were possessed with a new idea -

to host a special meeting themed around Halloween, complete with scary speeches

and terrorizing table topics. Some doubted its feasibility. But the idea haunted us till

we decided to exorcise our doubts and go ahead with the plan. And we are happy that

we did because the Halloween meeting turned out to be a huge success. Read on to

find out how it went!

Lots of folks in the IT

industry know Halloween

as just another crazy

holiday in the United

States where people dress

up in bizarre outfits as

zombies, vampires and

what- ot. I did t k o anything further about it

until the special

Hallo ee Meeti g (H.M.)

The flyer designed by TM Akshaya was very attractive.

It pulled in many guests who walked in to witness our

special H.M. on October 31, 2014.

TMOD Akshaya took us back in time, through the brief

recounting she gave us on the historic origins of

Halloween. I was awestruck when I realized what

special privileges the pumpkins of America enjoy! We

had a great line-up of prepared speakers starting with

TM Pradeep, who brought in a thrilling episode from

his Conjuring college days with his friend

Amanushiyam. He is a fresh Toastmaster giving his

CC3. And yet we were completely enthralled seeing

him on stage. His theatrics did not fail to add drama to

the speech or hook the audience to him.

TM Faraz took us o a trip a k to the s ith his ACB speech. His delivery was complete with vivid

imagery. He effortlessly helped us visualize the ghost

in his speech adding a great amount of horror and

apprehension to the ambience of the room.

Raise your hands! How many of you here like Dexter

Morgan? Put all the 8 seasons together. I saw the

same intensity and horror-filled dra a i TM Balaji s ACB spee h, Ja k – the ripper . He rought out the emotions of the character he portrayed, Jack – the

serial killer from White chapel district of London in the

days of 88 s. With a dagger i his ha d a d great delivery on stage TM Balaji took us all by surprise as he

raised the knife he used as a prop and made stabbing

gestures at the audience. I would be making no

exaggeration if I said that a guest from the audience

literally covered her face in fright at his flawlessly

executed performance.

I have witnessed him as the finalist of the Area level

humorous speech contest the previous month. This

version of TM Balaji totally blew my brains. This

speech was a testimony of his versatility. He has

proven himself as a talented humorous speaker at the

Area Contest and now we have no doubt that he can

be a dramatic speaker as well.

The special Halloween meeting was as creepy as the

word of the day and we at Alpha Toastmasters Club

celebrated it in our own style with bone chilling stories

and nerve wrenching speeches.

I was truly astonished to see this side of my

Toastmaster friends on stage and the Halloween

special meeting was one of the best meetings I have

attended so far in the world of Toastmastering.

Special Halloween meeting was a pleasant surprise.

Kudos to everyone who was working behind the

scenes for the success of the meeting!

- TM Sharath

VP – PR Elect, 2015

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters The Avenger’s Alliance The arrival of Deepavali meant holidays! As a corporate club it meant cancelled meetings.

To avoid this anticipated evil, the three TCS Clubs residing at Siruseri, TCS Maitree

Chennai Toastmasters, TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters and TCS Maitree Insurance

Toast asters, joi ed for es a d for ed a allia e. Siruseri s ightiest of heroes a e together u der o e roof a d hosted the first e er o i ed eet . ‘ead o to k o more.

It was on the 19th of October 2014 when TM Ilu,

President of TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters club TM

Faraz, Vice President – Membership of TCS Maitree

Alpha Toastmasters club and I were hogging on the

u h lo ed M Do ald s urger he the dis ussio or rather inception of having a combined meet started. It

was Diwali on 22nd

October and 23rd

and 24th

were

(unofficial and unplanned) holidays for many TCS

employees since several would be travelling home for

the festivity so we decided to come up with a plan to

have a meet that has the entire family together. And

by family I mean the three of the seven TCS clubs that

call Siruseri IT Park its home, the TCS Maitree Chennai

Toastmasters club, TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters

club and the TCS Maitree Insurance Toastmasters club.

The head of each family was called and

enthusiastically everyone accepted the proposal with

excitement.

So, in the history of TCS Siruseri Toastmasters, for the

first time the three clubs, the TCS Maitree Chennai

Toastmasters club, the TCS Maitree Alpha

Toastmasters club and the TCS Maitree Insurance

Toastmasters club were going to meet under one roof

at the same time, at the same place in the same

meeting.

The plan was simple, there were to be 3 speeches, 3

evaluations and table topics. TMOD, GE, TAG, TT

Masters, Speeches and Evaluations were to be split

equally between the three clubs. We did not have to

run around for role players. On the contrary, we had

to deny a few people as the roles were full. The day

arrived and the meeting was one of the most fun filled

and exciting meetings we had ever seen.

The highlight of the meeting was the table topics

section that had 12 topics, 4 of a kind under three

headings.

The feeling of oneness suddenly increased to an all

new level. We felt responsible for each other and were

there to guard ea h other s a k. That day he I sa the three presidents TM Ilu Jain, President of TCS

Maitree Alpha TMs, TM Nahas, President of TCS

Maitree Chennai TMs and TM Karthikeyan, President

of TCS Maitree Insurance TMs, adjourn the meeting I

felt I was also a part of the adjourning and not just me,

each and every person in the room must have felt the

same. The best parts of the meeting were two things.

The excitement with which people came up with ideas

right from the flyers to performing roles in the

meeting was astounding. And secondly, the ease with

which we had the meeting prepared was also

surprising. You o t elie e it if I say this ut it took us just one day to set things up. Good things have

been a part and parcel of our everyday lives but better

things come up to give us a surprise. May this tradition

and legacy of our lives pleasantly surprising us

continue for days to come.

- TM Virat,

TCS Maitree Chennai Toastmasters Club

The Quest The art of public speaking is a very sought after skill. It is a craft many spend a lifetime

pursuing and perfecting. It is a quest seeking inspiration and the power to inspire.

Speech Quest

To speak and inspire minds is a craft. To acquire this skill is a quest. Through the

Speechcraft program organized by TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters, her member, TM

Akshaya had the privilege of instigating one such quest to eager participants at

Smartek Consultancy.

When she transformed

into a butterfly, the

caterpillars spoke not of

her beauty, but of her

weirdness. They wanted

her to change back into

what she always had

been. But she had

wings.” ― Dean Jackson

I still remember the day we first started talking about

it. I never knew what it meant to begin that journey. I

did ’t u dersta d hat it e tailed to help a ragtag

bunch of twenty year olds out of their little bubble.

It began when our Division Governor, offered our

toastmaster club an opportunity to conduct a

Speechcraft program. We volunteered but we had no

clue that the voyage we were about to embark upon

would be as challenging as it would be rewarding.

Speechcraft Program began at Smartek Consultancy

coordinated by members of TCS Maitree Alpha

Toastmasters Club.

The first meeting: 11th

October 2014.

We began with a demo meeting. We showed our

Speechcrafters how it was done and since it was a

learn-by-doing program, we first had to showcase how

to do everything a toastmaster does; from being a

speaker or TMOD to being part of a tag team, every

role was demonstrated and explained.

By the end of the meeting, they knew how a

traditional toastmaster meeting went and now it was

their turn to become speakers and role players in the

upcoming Speechcraft meetings and hence the

journey began.

Any Speechcraft program or—for that matter, any

Toastmaster initiative—is voluntary but we were

amazed at the enthusiasm from several Toastmasters

who came forward to mould this program. I was given

the opportunity to be the coordinator of the

wonderful initiative but my efforts would have been in

vain if not for four very valuable members from the

Alpha family: TM Vijayalakshmi, TM Ilu Jain, TM Faraz

and TM Balaji. They were present for each and every

meeting we had and went a step further and became

mentors for the Speechcrafters. Their contributions in

this initiative were invaluable and went a long way in

bolstering the confidence of every Speechcrafter.

What started off as an initiative to help the

Speechcrafters gain confidence and step out of their

comfort zone, became a program that was mutually

beneficial to both Speechcrafters and Toastmasters.

We had some brilliant trainers who were kind enough

to take timeout of their busy schedules and

volunteered to aid our Speechcrafters towards their

communication goals.

The Speechcrafters themselves were a delight to work

with. We could see the yearning in them to learn the

skill of public speaking and leadership and every time

we threw a challenge in front of them, be it giving a

speech or playing the Speechcrafter of the Day, they

took it in stride and delivered tenfold. One of the most

fascinating aspects of this was their hunger for

feedback. As toastmasters, the value of evaluations is

ingrained in us, but it was both a surprise and a

pleasure when we noticed that the Speechcrafters

responded to feedback the same way by working hard

to incorporate the improvements into their next

speech and in turn we learned the effectiveness of

positive reinforcement.

Like the turtle that peeks out of its shell, we saw them

emerge. From the cocoon of self-doubt and stage fear

burst forth the butterfly of confidence. The Alpha

Toastmasters club was proud when we watched the

Speechcrafters shake of all the misgivings they had

had about public speaking and became poised and

even entertaining speakers! While the Speechcrafters

learned the art of communication and leadership, we

Toastmasters learned the art of motivation as we

nudged them over the ledge, with words of

encouragement so they could finally take flight.

On 20th

December 2014, our journey had almost

reached its culmination. It was the day we had all been

waiting for: the day that the Speechcrafters would run

the entire meeting. Four speakers, four evaluators, the

General Evaluator and his TAG team, the Topics

master and the Speechcrafter of the Day. It had been a

long road, one with a few bumps along the way, but it

ended on a high. Our Speechcrafters had transformed

into few of the most dignified individuals we had come

across and that revelation filled us with a sense of

unimaginable pride.

Our voyage with the Speechcraft Program at Smartek

was only for a few meetings but the rapport that we

had built with our Speechcrafters had transformed

into bonds of lasting friendship. Alpha had found an

extended family of whom it will always be proud.

- TM Akshaya

Secretary

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters

Educational presenter’s perception DTM Saro Velrajan, Past Division Governor

You can get everything that

you want to achieve in this

world, if you can help others

achieve what they want" says

Zig Ziglar. Speechcraft

programs are vehicles for

Toastmasters to serve the

community and help the

members of community

achieve what they want.

Smartek Speechcraft organized by TCS Maitree Alpha

Toastmasters is one of the best speech crafts that I

have ever attended. The program was meticulously

planned and organized by the coordinators. I was

inspired to see all the volunteers who were at the

program venue, well ahead of time... that too on a

Saturday morning. All of them sacrificed their

weekend time to serve the community. The passion

and enthusiasm with which they ran the entire show

was incredible. The comfort and confidence given by

the organizers enabled the Smartek employees to

participate well throughout the session.

Toast asters’ olu teers orga izi g “peechcraft programs don't get paid for their service; they aren't

going to lose their promotion if they don't do the job

well; despite these, our volunteers do an impeccable

job of helping others to develop their communication

skills. They selflessly serve others, exhibiting servant

leadership traits. With the skills and experience that

our members gain through Speechcraft programs, I'm

confident that they can make a tremendous difference

at their workplace where they are getting paid for

demonstrating leadership skills. Smartek Speechcraft

will be etched in the history of Division G - as one of

the most successful Speechcraft programs. Wishing

the team to conduct many such Speechcraft programs

in the future.

DTM Jayan Narayanan, Past Area Governor

Speechcraft program is one

of the interesting by-

products of Toastmasters.

It's so heartening to

witness several

organisations and

individuals leverage this

program. Conducting a

Speechcraft programme is not a joke. It calls for

immense preparation and demands attention to

detail, be it arranging a venue, educational sessions,

guest speakers, manuals or sacrificing precious

weekends. I was privileged to be a part of one such

Speechcraft program conducted by TM Akshya of TCS

Maitree Alpha Toastmasters club for employees of

Smartek Consultancy. It was so meticulously planned

and executed. I appreciate the way Akshaya and her

team followed up with me, decided on a topic and

ensured the session went fine. I was pleasantly

surprised by the amount of enthusiasm the

participants displayed towards the program. I had

taken a session on "Selecting a Speech Topic". The

participants actively participated in the interactive

session and made my life easier by contributing to the

topic. Overall it was such an enriching session and I

took back quite a lot of learning. I specifically wish to

mention the warmth and hospitality exhibited by TM

Akshaya, TM Ilu Jain and TM Faraz. Hats off to this

team for their exemplary leadership skills!

Virat Mehta, International Speech Contest Division Champion

It was a Saturday morning and

a holiday for the IT

professional in me. But it was

an early-wake-up-go-have-fun

day for the Toastmaster in me.

Why was that? That is because

I was going to be an

educational speaker for the Speechcraft session that

was scheduled to be held at Smartek Consultancy. The

enthusiastic speechcrafters helped me pump energy

into the session. But this was, as I had expected, just

the beginning of my awesome connection with

Smartek Speechcrafters. On the following meetings, I

helped in any way I could as a role player.

The coordinators did a fabulous job of relentlessly

conducting meetings week after week and making

sure that people who participated got more than what

they had bargained for. Educational sessions were

extraordinary. Now that the Speechcraft is ending, I

look back at moments of laughter, learning and

liveliness. Speechcraft for me is not a session to just

help the speechcrafters improve, it is a place where I

realised how much there is to learn from the awesome

people at this fraternity and how little I know.

To the learning, to the Speechcraft coordinators, to

the educational speakers, to the Speechcrafters and

overall to the moments! Thanks and hats off!

Speechcrafter’s say

Speechcrafter Kathir

The Speechcraft training conducted from 10-Nov-14 to

20-Dec-14 was very informative

for all the participants who

attended. It gave us an

opportunity to overcome the

challenge of public speaking. I

would like to mention that the

table topic sessions were very

interesting though a bit

challenging. It triggered our

ability to response immediately.

Educatio al “essio s like Usage of Gestures a d Vocal Variety a d Orga izatio of “peech ould surely help us fine tune our speaking and presentation styles.

All educational session were very informative,

inspirational and motivating!

We are sure that all of us Speechcrafters have

i pro ed i all 3 C’s, Co fide ce, Co u icatio , a d Co ect .

After a few sessions all of us, speechcrafters, have

come to feel that the Speechcraft platform is

comfortable and has improved all of us in terms of

co u icatio , tha ks to help of the Toast aster’s valuable feedback during each session.

There was lots of good information in each session.

Role play like TMOD or Evaluator/General Evaluator

helped the speechcrafters improve their leadership

and shape their sense of ownership/responsibility.

Suggestions during evaluations like the importance of

eye contact, organizing the speech, etc was useful. We

are especially thankful for the support given to us by

the Toastmasters. It was great and should definitely be

appreciated.

The handout given was useful. It helped us to identify

where we have to focus and improve ourselves in

public speaking.

Speechcrafter Mubeen

I remember my first

session. It was very

comprehensible session

which made us

understand the

importance of improving

public speaking. Neither

my school nor my college

has given me such chances, tips, encouragements and

feedback. But I had it here at Speechcraft.

I wasted so many papers when I wrote my first speech.

I rehearsed a lot. There is no unit to scale the joy I had

at the end of the session. I did not just break my ice. I

felt like I broke Mt. Everest. Such was my sense of

accomplishment.

It is not because I had successfully delivered. I was

happy because of the feedback I received.

Getting a topic during table topics is as exciting as

opening a gift box received from a loved one. My

mentor was TM Vijayalakshmi. She was so gracious

and gentle. The way she pointed out errors on my

script never left me feeling negative.

Overall it was a tremendous experience for me. Now I

will not be afraid of stages anymore. In fact, if I get a

chance I will go on stage with a war cry. It was a great

experience indeed.

Millions of thanks to the coordinators TM Akshaya, TM

Vijayalakshmi, TM Faraz, TM Balaji and TM Ilu.

Speechcrafter Anutosh

I would like to thank

Toastmasters for

organizing Speechcraft

at Smartek Consultancy

Services. I am sure I will

speak for everyone

who attended these

sessions here when I

say that these sessions

have been very helpful to us.

All the Toastmasters bring so much energy and

enthusiasm in the sessions that I started looking

forward to Saturday mornings to attend them.

Mentors, despite their busy work schedule never miss

to review the scripts of their mentees. Evaluators

provide a very constructive feedback for the prepared

speeches delivered by Speechcrafters. They take great

care not to let our spirits down by their evaluation.

They highlight all the good aspects of our public

speaking or speech and at the same time provide very

valuable suggestions on how we can make ourselves

better. I cannot say enough about the quality of

educational speakers who visited us during the course

of these sessions.

I never imagined that I would host one of these

meeting sessions. But after seven sessions I gathered

enough confidence and I hosted the eighth session.

That was a very wonderful experience for me.

Thanks to Toastmasters, now I am sure that if I am

called to speak before an audience, small or large I can

speak about anything confidently and the audience

will like it.

Articulator’s Creed

Toastmasters International isn't just a club. It is a belief system. Toastmasters live by

the creed of learning by doing, leading by example and serving the Toastmaster's

movement. This is the Articulator's creed.

Panic at the Dias!

No matter how many times you deliver on stage, be it your first, your fifth or even your

hundredth, panic is a sure companion! TM Lalitha who delivered her CC1 recently

shares her icebreaker experience.

My heart was beating

like a frenzied disco

track. My palms were

cold and sweaty. The

click from the timer's

stopwatch was as

loud as a gunshot

that signalled the

start of a marathon of

sorts -The journey

towards being a

better leader and a

better communicator.

The first time the

spotlight shined on

me was at the age of

four. Here I was, two

decades and a hundred speeches later, under the

spotlight feeling as nervous as ever but with a smile

that exudes confidence. The icebreaker speech in a

toastmaster club with seasoned speakers hanging on

to your every word and gesture can be an ordeal. Yet

there is nowhere you would rather speak than a

Toastmaster dais. When you are on that stage you feel

the energy of everyone who has stood at the exact

same spot, of everyone in the audience, toastmasters

and guests alike, encouraging you with every fibre of

their being. Every smile and every nod adds to your

energy. What started as a whisper ends in a

tumultuous roar. It is an electric atmosphere where it

is not just the message or the moral that matters, but

the speech itself and every aspect of it. The greatest

perceivable difference was that it was not just about

what you say, but rather how you say what you want

to say; that is what counts.

Being an extempore enthusiast, it was challenging to

stick to a script. A bit of a friendly advice to the newbie

– stick to what you are comfortable with. You could

either pen down the entire speech or outlines. Never

go impromptu for a prepared speech section as it

defeats the purpose – you would find that your

thoughts are far more organized and the message

would be crystal clear.

The greatest honour for every orator is not being given

a stage but it is being given the valuable time of the

audience. Making the most of the 6 minutes time was

a difficult task. Practice and timing your speech can

only take one so far. It is always best to keep an eye

on the timer, but never let it dominate your thoughts.

In every other stage, as soon as you descend the

stairway to join the audience, your mission is

complete. In toastmasters however the most

i porta t part still a aits, The e aluatio . It is somewhat humbling and exhilarating to think that

there would be a person among the audience whose

sole purpose is to offer compliments and suggestions

on improving your oratory skills. An evaluator is far

more, a representative of the audience. A speech, in

the end, is for the benefit of the audience.

As short as a 4 min icebreaker session is to know a

person, is a 400 word article to know Toastmasters. I

Re-discover the orator and the leader in you, through

the amazing avenue that is Alpha Toastmasters.

- TM Lalitha

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

The World of word craft

If art is a form of expression then words are a form of art. The ability to use them

cleverly is a useful craft. When you are on stage delivering a speech you are not just a

speaker or a performer. You are a sculptor. Your words are like chisels. They can shape

thoughts. Read on find out the different rhetoric devices you can use to learn this craft

of words.

Julius Caesar said these famous words to the Roman

senate after winning the war against Pharnaces II of

Pontus.

"Veni, vidi, vici."

"I came, I saw, I conquered."

These words though written centuries ago have not

faded with the passage of time. On the contrary, their

resonance is still strong.

Have you ever wondered why? The reason lays in part

with Julius Caesar, the man behind the words and in

part with the rich rhetoric devices it employs.

Though brief, this phrase makes use of triads - a group

of three words and alliteration - repetition of first

consonant in a group of several words. Imagine, if

words were like knives then using rhetoric is

analogous to sharpening the blade. They add precision

to an already powerful tool.

Rhetoric devices are used for several reasons.

1. They make your speech memorable

2. They add emphasis to a point

3. They help convey complex ideas in a simple way

4. They can add humour

They are several countless number of rhetoric devices

used in the art of discourse. Our Toastmaster's manual

deals with some such as:

1. Simile

2. Metaphor

3. Alliteration

4. Triad

We'll go through some of these devices and how to

use them in this article along with a couple of others

like hyperbole, puns and anaphora.

What are Similes and Metaphors?

Similes and Metaphors are figures of speech that

compare two things that are alike in some way or

share a common feature.

As slippery as an eel.

They fought like cats and dogs.

My school was a prison.

You are my sunshine.

What is the difference between a simile and a

metaphor?

In a simile, the comparison is made using the words

'like' and 'as'.

Example: Life is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and

downs.

In a Metaphor, the comparison is more direct. In a

metaphor, we do not use the words 'like' and 'as'.

Example: Life is a roller coaster. It has its ups and

downs.

Why should you use similes and metaphors?

Imagine, a speaker gets on stage and says 'He was

irritating.'

You understand what he is trying to say. But it fails to

make an impact. But imagine, he says, 'He was as

irritating as fingernails on chalkboard.' Instantly you

picture the sound in your head and it makes you

cringe. You understand with better clarity what the

speaker is trying to say. You can even sympathize with

him. In conclusion, metaphors and similes are great

tools to send ideas across to the audience.

What are Triads?

Triad, also called the rule of three, is presenting ideas

in groups of three.

Some of the popular triads in media and culture are:

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil

- The three wise monkeys

The good, the bad, the ugly.

- The Movie

Up, in the sky. It's a bird. It's a plane. It's superman! :)

- Detective Comics (DC)

Why should you use Triads?

It is believed that people remember things said in

threes a lot better. So if you want your audience to

remember the message in your speech put it in a list

of three.

So why should you use a Triad? Because it's simple, it's

powerful and it works!

What is alliteration?

It is a figure of speech wherein the same sound

appears at the beginning of a group of words.

Toastmasters is exciting, entertaining and educating.

Do or Die

- Gandhi

Why should you use alliteration?

It sounds pleasant. The rhythmic quality draws the

audience focus towards that group of words. Hence, it

helps add emphasis.

These are some of the rhetoric devices recommended

to us by the manual. Some of the lesser known and yet

frequently used rhetoric devices are:

1. Hyperbole

2. Puns

3. Anaphora

What is a hyperbole?

A hyperbole is an exaggeration. It is generally used to

add significance or express the enormity of the

situation. It is not literal.

This book weighs a ton.

I am so hungry I could eat a horse.

I told him a million times not to do that.

Take this example. My mother is going to kill me. It

doesn't mean my mother is chasing me around the

kitchen with a knife in her hand with every intention

of killing me.

No.

But it is used to emphasize how angry my mother is.

Why should you use a hyperbole?

A hyperbole is used to draw focus or emphasize on the

enormity of the situation.

For example - This car drives faster than the speed of

light - is used to draw focus on how fast the car is.

What is a pun?

A pun is born when similar sounding words or the

same word with two different meanings adds humour

to the sentence.

The idea was simple - like my brother.

Why should you use a pun?

It adds wit and humour to your speech. Your audience

will most definitely appreciate a good pun.

What is an Anaphora?

Anaphora is the repetition of the beginning word or

phrase of several consecutive phrases or sentences

respectively.

I want it done right here, right now, and right this

minute!

Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting

better and better.

The repetition of the word or phrase at the end of

every clause is called Epistrophe.

Exa ple for a epistrophe ould be, Government of

the people, by the people, for the people.

Why should you use an anaphora or an epistrophe?

These are some of the most popular and frequently

used rhetoric devices in political speeches. When you

want to stress your message and make it memorable

then repeating words or phrases in succession is just

the trick you need.

An anaphora/epistrophe has been employed in many

inspirational speeches by political speakers like Martin

Luther King, Winston Churchill and to name someone

from more recent times, Barack Obama.

There are several more rhetoric devices. We use

many without realizing it. But why is it important to

use these techniques in your speech? Because when

you are on stage delivering a speech you are not just a

speaker or a performer. You are a sculptor. Your

words are like chisels. They can shape thoughts. So use

them wisely!

- TM Vijayalakshmi

Editor-in-chief

TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club

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