Mangaluru: The Winner’s Toastmasters International Club, witnessed a Management transition at a glittering installation ceremony at the Hotel Ocean Pearl here yesterday. The Winner’s Club, the oldest and most prestigious Toastmasters club of Mangalore, and the fore runner to the many clubs that have bloomed in the recent past, installed a new managing committee to handle its club affairs during the year 2015-16. The honors were down by Triple Crown Winner, TM Vera Katpitia
Group GM, Corporate Strategy and Projects, Susheel Chandra, the Chief Guest, lit the lamp, heralding the theme of the installation, the Light of Knowledge. Speaking later, Susheel Chandra, praised the movement for its ability to bring out talent, remove inhibitions and help individuals blossom and become leaders and communicators. He traced his own journey into public speaking, which began with a disaster in the 3rd standard and evolved successfully over many years and paper and other presentations. He expressed confidence that the incoming team would carry on the traditions of the club and equal and surpass the achievements of the outgoing team.
The outgoing president, the dynamic and ever smiling Savitha Salian, commended the members and the members of her team (Shivani Baliga as VP – Education, Brian Fernandes as VP Membership, Capt. Ramprasad as VP – Public Relations, Shwetha D’Souza as secretary, Radhika Adappa as Treasurer and Roshan Madtha as Sergeant at Arms) for the unstinting support for all the achievements and awards including the golden gavel plus, which she listed, and wished the incoming team the very best. She now goes up in the hierarchy of the movement taking on the mantle of Area Director from outgoing Area governor Shashikanth.
Shivani Baliga, the incoming president, just as optimistic and dynamic, addressing the gathering traced her rise in the Toastmaster’s movement, “from seeing a light only at the gas stove, to lighting the lamp of knowledge for others” saying that it is proof of the efficacy of the TM credo – ‘where leaders are made’. She expressed the confidence that her team of winners (Bhaskar Kiran as VP – Education, Roshan Madtha as VP Membership, Stuthi Shetty as VP – Public Relations, Deborah Lobo as secretary, Praveen Pinto as Treasurer and Keith as Sergeant at Arms) would meet all expectations of the World wide organizations and bring laurels to the club and the city.
Phyllis Maria D’Costa, was honoured for introducing a number of members, while Capt. Ramprasad was honored with the outstanding Toastmaster of the club award for setting up a web site and and generally popularizing the club through his activities as VP-PR. 5 new members were also inducted as TM’s on the occasion by Veteran TM Bharathi Shevgoor and VP – Membership Roshan Madtha. Outgoing Area Director was lauded by all the dignitaries for his untiring efforts to raise the standards, effectiveness and quantity of clubs in the area. He was awarded by outgoing LG-ET M. N. Pai
Division Director, Distinguished Toast Master Malini Hebbar, also a member of the Winners club, was present on the dais and wished the team well.
The ceremony was compered by TM’s Bhasker Kiran and Sthuthi Shetty, while gratitude was expressed by Deborah Lobo. The ceremony concluded with a scrumptious dinner.
