Virudhunagar, in my view, has always been a town with admirable academicians, speakers and visionaries. It also lodges an equal mix of learners with readiness to receive, learn and grow. When I got introduced to Toastmasters International through MInfy Toastmasters Club, Mangalore, Karnataka, India, in 2009, I started dreaming of involving the delightful people of Virudhunagar in the fraternity. Preliminarily, I became a member of MInfy Toastmasters Club and experienced Toastmasters for 3 years. During that time, I participated in all the contests of Toastmasters International, walked with some of the profound District Leaders/Champions and attended almost all the District Conferences. When I left Karnataka and came back to Virudhunagar to start my organization in 2012, I started spreading word about Toastmasters International to all the people (of Virudhunagar) I thought would love the concept. At that time, Toastmasters Clubs were predominantly found only in Chennai and only a very few Clubs operated in the other towns and cities of Tamil Nadu. So, some like-minded people from Virudhunagar assembled and together, we attended a Division Conference at Chennai. In 2014, we got to know about the installation of Madurai Toastmasters Club. Understanding that support was available nearby, we accelerated with our campaigns, gathered 20+ members and installed Virudhunagar Toastmasters Club under the mentorship of Madurai Toastmasters Club in 2015.
In the first few years, Virudhunagar Toastmasters Club produced many Champions at the Division Level and the District Level. Later, Leaders emerged and they served District 82 at the Division and District Level. When Tamil Nadu became District 120 by itself, opportunities grew and today, there are many Champion Speakers and Excelling Leaders from Virudhunagar Toastmasters who are giving back to the forum that gave us an unforgettable experience of life itself.
We are 10 years old today. I humbly wish that we continue to serve and support many new learners, language enthusiasts and public speaking aspirants. I wish that the Gavel Clubs that are parented by Virudhunagar Toastmasters Club flourish and the children in those Clubs achieve remarkably in their lives. When they turn 18 and become Toastmasters, I am sure that the organization will feel gifted with young and passionate members with complete knowledge about the forum and willingness to give back more.
My best wishes!