Toastmasters International’s driving creed - “to make effective oral communication a worldwide reality” – has always found ready takers in Bangalore. Fate, however, ordained that most of those early believers would come to set up their clubs – outposts of the Toastmasters movement – in the heart of the Garden City, and consequently out of reach for a great many of the city’s denizens. And it was thus that a need arose to broadbase the extent and reach of the movement
in Bangalore. Daffodils Toastmasters was born in response to this need.
Conceptualised by a thoroughly eclectic group – the charter members included a financial consultant; a laproscopic surgeon; an orthodontist; entrepreneurs in the software services, chemical and forestry sectors; an HR professional and even a banker – meetings of the club were consciously situated in the leafy, so-called “pensioners’ locality” of Malleswaram in order to make the Toastmasters movement accessible to an entirely new strata of individuals. The initial meetings were admittedly sleepy and it took a fair while for things to take-off, but when they did….by God!
The club secured its charter i.e. its official recognition from Toastmasters International on 12th June, 2003; and has gone on since then from strength to strength. Most importantly though, its consciously cultivated culture remains the same – it’s the very same family-like environment where every single individual is made to feel right at home that continues to prevail. In fact, when I attend meetings today, nearly five years and two hundred and fifty meetings on since inception,
the enthusiasm and energy levels leave a warm, lasting sense of satisfaction in my heart. I believe we have succeeded in what we set out to achieve – to help each other become better speakers, listeners and leaders. And the journey has only just begun!
Three cheers to Daffodils Toastmasters!
Madan Govindraj, President (January – June, 2004) |
|
