Daring to dream

KOCHI: They are a diverse group of confident and enthusiastic people always ready to express themselves when the situation demands. There are CEOs, doctors, engineers, advocates and technocrats among them. The unifying bond is that they are all Toastmasters, a part of the Toastmasters International (TI), a non-profit educational organisation that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills.

Leading the group is a gutsy woman who wants to make a difference in whatever she does.

Nirmala L, area governor of Toastmasters Club and head of sales and marketing, Ramada Resorts, is a cut above the rest. It is the sheer desire to excel and rise above the ordinary that has made Nirmala what she is now.

A go-getter and motivator, she is extremely passionate, honest and sincere in whatever she does and these qualities have kept her in good stead. No wonder she managed to start seven new Toastmasters Clubs within a few years of joining this organisation.

Nirmala recalls entering the hotel industry and holding several positions in different key departments with the Taj group of hotels.

Though she was a good communicator she was not very confident in public speaking.

“I owe a lot to the Toastmasters for what I am now. It is their motivation, encouragement and support that made me a confident public speaker,” she says.

Nirmala has an Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS) and an Advanced Competent Leader (ACL) degrees in her kitty and is just a few speeches away from the highest position - DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster). Attending the weekly meeting of Kochi Toastmaster’s Club at POC, Palarivattom, Nirmala recalled that when she joined the Club in 2007, it was a small organisation with just 40 members. “But I triggered a lot of activity after becoming a member.” The first year she became the Competent Communicator (CC). The very next year she charted a new club with 25 members called EKM Toastmasters and became the charter president. This club soon bagged the highest award for a club - the ‘Distinguished President’s Club’ status.

“Slowly the club flourished and the other members too felt that they have to do something different,” says Nirmala. She was instrumental in chartering and mentoring the Nest Toastmasters Trivandrum, Zerone Toastmasters Club and TCS Toastmasters at Kakkanad (all corporate Toastmasters Clubs). The other clubs are EKM Toastmasters, Coastal Toastmasters at Arthunkal and Assisi’s Toastmasters Club, Kakkanad.

There are a few more clubs in the pipeline.

Nirmala is always eager to learn new things and completed her MBA in 2005 through correspondence.

It was without a marketing degree that Nirmala bagged some of the key sales and marketing positions in the hotel industry. It was after doing a MA in Sociology and a secretarial course that she joined the Taj in 1989. Since then she has worked in other hotels in various capacities as well. She took a small break from the hospitality industry in 2008. “It was not a complete break as I was doing freelancing at the time as an event manager, trainer and consultant,” says Nirmala. It was during this time that she started concentrating more on the activities of the club.

Nirmala has been unanimously nominated and will soon be elected as the division governor but has no plans to rest on her laurels. “I made the impossible possible. I have gained a lot from Toastmasters with all the motivation and feedback that I got from my fellow Toastmasters. And I want many more people to benefit from this educational organisation as my intention is community service,” says the woman whose dream was to become an advocate. “Although I couldn’t realise my dream I could make my son an advocate and I feel blessed.” In the US, everyone is a Toastmaster, says Nirmala.

From the school level, children are trained to improve their communication and leadership skills. “Malayalis lack English communication skills to a great extent. And this has to change,” she asserts. She says every school must take the initiative to organise leadership camps for the betterment of students.

“I could make the Toastmasters Club in Kerala from Club to Area and Area to Division within a short span of time and I am sure with the help of all fellow Toastmasters we can make this Division into District,” says Nirmala who is determined to make her dream come true.

manuvipin@expressbuzz.com