Division D contest

Held in the hi-tech and plush auditorium of ABA school, the Div D contest kicked off to a great start at a great setting. Earlier, the Toastfest had been held in the same auditorium and we were well aware of the difference in delivery, especially the angle of the neck, required to perform from a sunken stage.

RTC had 2 representatives in the Area 8 team - TM Rajat for Evaluation and MTM Panna for International. There were a fair sprinkling of role players - MTM Swati, TM Bhaskar and TM Raja - who had been roped into the Division team.

The whole program ran for 8 hours - from 2 pm to 10 pm - almost enough to reach USA by flight. But it was a great flight, with no glitches, expert Contest Chairs, of which our TM Chaitanya was one, for Humorous, and an Emcee DTM Robin Anand who was witty and enthusiastic at the same time, because of which we forgave him for talking about Pathways so much.

Apart from our own club RTC, we were also supporting Area 8 contestants. 

In the first contest which was Evaluation, the model speaker had flown in from Dubai and was an unfamiliar face, which helped us in a way as we had no preconceived notions. I could only hear 4 contestants speak, and all did a good job. The final results were as follows:

1. TM Rajat Ray (RTC)
2. MTM Priyanka Bohidar (Speak & Lead)
3. DTM Rajendra Verma (MMTC)

The Humorous contest had no one from RTC. Once again, there were those whose scripts were fabulous and those whose delivery was rib-tickling. The final results were as follows:

1. MTM Sharaniya Sriram (Smart & Beautiful)
2. TM Sam Cheriyan (MMTC)
3. TM Salim Al Mawali (Pioneer)

After the tea break, Table Topics were conducted, with the topic "Clean your face, not the mirror". As expected, all contestants had their varying takes on it and it finally boiled down to who spoke most logically. Once again, no representation from RTC. The results were:

1. DTM Ramakrishnan Vijayan (SB)
2. TM Vignesh (SB)
3. DTM Rajendra Verma.

The final frontier, the International speech contest was unleashed and we were given a treat of histrionics and hyperboles the likes of which we had never seen earlier. Our President MTM Panna delivered a very powerful speech on parental pressure. When all the dust had settled, the results were as follows:

1. Aloke (Speak & Lead)
2. TM Sankara Subramanian (Pioneer)
3. TM Thomas John (Speak & Lead)

One award to RTC who is going on to DTAC. 

5 awards to Area 8 out of 12 awards. 

Three cheers to both results!

Friends, I hope you all have registered for DTAC. Would love to meet up in Millenium Hotel on 5th and 6th May 2018.