The Tea-Master's Column

In the last so many years, we have accumulated many plastic bags in our house – as a result of our planned, involuntary or serendipitous purchases. Now, we have over 200 plastic bags – big, medium, small. Considering the grave danger – plastics pose to our environment, we have proactively taken up not to take any plastic bags when the shopkeepers offer so. For instance, when we go to the vegetable shop we make sure we carry two plastic bags and then refuse the bags offered by the shop-attenders! They kind of look confused and bemused. When we tell them about the hazard to the environment, they smile in approval (not sure if they understand fully). Now for companies, it is necessary to keep the plastic bags so that the affluent customers can carry the merchandise and along with it the brand. But we must all learn to say ‘No’ to this. In our house, we have now sorted all the plastic bags in various orders and make sure we keep at least 2 of them handy when we go out. Other option is to u...

Had sent this as mail to all my colleagues, collegefriends and Professors on 15th May, 2009.

This is my 8th project speech on using props while delivering the speech. It took me 8 months to think of the idea while I was in US. I collected different kinds of tea-leaves and brands which I put on chart paper. Used milk, raw tea and lemon to show how tea won over coffee. I was disappointed when I lost out to another lady who was delivering her 5th project by just one vote (because I had not participated in the voting process). Big lesson for me. "Chai Chai", shouts the porter at the station at the top of his coarse voice in the wee hours of the morning. Oh it’s so cold today, and I want to snuggle beneath those warm blankets. But alas, nobody ever thinks about me. Am just too tired of getting up so early everyday and waking up everyone else. But at times am lucky when the soft hands of a woman touch me while she makes a cup for her husband. Still on bed, when he takes his first sip me and then says “Aah ..” rubbing his eyes “Honey, you are so wonderful!" Ahh .. well...

This is one of my favourite speeches. Part of the 6th project on mastering words and sentences. This is also special since I won the Best Speaker Award after beating the Big honchos in Toastmasters Club. Its black as ebony. Its beautiful as a maiden in a black gown, as smooth as silk, as shining as diamond. Yet its silent as a grave, mischievous as a black kitten, mysterious as an owl, hideous as the witch, ominous as the blind bats. It’s the canopy that hides the sunlight – yes you are right, am talking about the Night. I fear it, yet I fantasize and am fascinated with it. This is my beauty – my Black Beauty. I had gone on a long tour with my friends during one of our winter holidays. It was evening when it started raining heavily – the winds were howling, the thunder rumbling. We all got drenched and were shivering in cold but there was a lot of excitement within us because tonight was a special night. Finally, the rains stopped and we boarded the train. We switched off the lights an...

The is my fourth Toastmasters speech. The focus was on body movements (BM) and hand gestures (HG). I had chosen Durga Puja as the script itself offered places to demonstrate HG & BM aptly. Also its a tribute to Maa Durga whom I had revered since childhood. Come September, as the dark rain clouds retreat back to give way to the blue skies and feathery clouds (HG), the fragrance of the shiuli flowers and swaying of kash flowers (HG) – the stage is all set to welcome the Mother Goddess to her home. Ya devi sarvabhuteshu, Vishnu mayeti shabdita, Namastastyai Namastastyai Namastastyai namo namaha Good evening Ladies & Gentlemen, fellow Toastmasters, distinguished guests and friends. I guess, you have already guessed the topic of my speech “Durga Puja in Bengal”. Legend goes that Mahisasura – the demon King had prayed (HG) hard to Lord Shiva for years and in the end he granted his a boon (HG) to be Immortal. Knowing that no mortal can ever kill him, the proud and haughty king started...

This is my 3rd Toastmasters Speech delivered in March, 2002 on "Structuring the Speech" India is the land of often bewildering diversity. It is a jigsaw puzzle of people of every faith and religion, living together to create a unique and colorful mosaic. There is a festival for every reason and season. Every celebration centres on rituals of prayer, seeking blessings, exchanging goodwill, decorating houses, wearing new clothes, music, dance and feasting. The first festival is Makara Sankranti held in the month of Jan. It is celebrated throughout India as a harvest festival – way of giving thanks to the elements of nature that help man. In Tamil Nadu and AP, it is celebrated as a 3 day festival – Pongal. In Assam as Bhogali Bihu & Punjab Lohri. In North India, a ritual bathing in the Ganga is important on this day. A big fair is held at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers – called Magh Mela. Also, the season to fly kites – the evening sky is awash with...

This is my Presidential speech delivered on 23 Jan, 2001 at the Installation Ceremony of new officers attended by Chief Guest – Ms Hema Ravichandar, Head HR, Infosys. In the beginning of the last century, to be precise in the year 1903, a young man graduated from Wesleyan University, Illinois with big dreams. As the director of Education at YMCA, he soon realized the need for training in communication skills amongst the young people. So, he started a group called the Toastmasters Club because the activities resembled a banquet with Toast and after-dinner speakers. I hope many of us present here know about whom I’m talking about. Yes, Ladies & Gentlemen, Mr Ralphs Smedley whose brain child is what we are inheriting today. Yet it was not an easy task for this man, working as he was part time for Toastmasters. Wherever he went he started in his capacity a Toastmasters club and helped people understand the benefits of improving their communication skills. Unfortunately, when he left, t...