Mangaluru: The new team of Office Bearers of Port Town Advanced Toastmasters Club for the year 2020-21 led by President Lyra Pinto was installed on Saturday 11 July 2020 at a meeting held online. Dr. Derek Lobo, Rtd Regional Advisor, WHO, South East Area Region was the chief guest of the occasion.
“Where is the India that I love?” asked the chief guest Dr. Derek Lobo rhetorically and then emphasized that a deeper understanding and analysis of communicable diseases is needed for a multicultural and multiethnic country like India for facing pandemics. The pandemic, he said, has provided all of us a different perspective of the importance of reaching out to each other. While providing instances from his experiences as a member of several international organizations on the forefront of providing succor to third world countries, especially with regard to diseases like leprosy, he said that if we genuinely desire the well-being of all our countrymen we need to have kindness as an important value by which we live our lives. “We must function with compassion so that the poorest of the poor are not left behind.” A pandemic is a time to reconnect and reach out and that is what this Toastmasters platform provides, he opined. The Chief Guest was introduced to the virtual gathering by TM Frances Pinto.
After Shivani Baliga introduced Toastmasters Area F4 Director Jyothika Shetty, the Area Director administered the oath of office to the new team of office bearers for 2020-21, led by President Lyra Pinto. The team includes Amita Shetty (Vice-President – Education), Anvesh Shetty(Vice-President – Membership), Frenil D’Souza(Vice President – Public Relations), Radhika Adappa(Secretary), Shivani Baliga(Treasurer) and Brian Fernandes (Sergeant-at-Arms).
The Investiture commenced with opening remarks by Oliver D’ Souza. Maria D’Costa rendered the invocation. Geeta Periera welcomed the gathering and Dr. Chandra Kumar Ballal presented the annual report in the form of a PowerPoint Presentation highlighting the achievements of the club during the past year. Dr. Malini Hebbar presented a creative video of the passing of the baton from the old team to the new, keeping in mind the theme of Spring, on which the program was based.
Outgoing President Preetham Kamath thanked her team and club members for their cooperation during her tenure. Bharathi Shevgoor introduced the incoming President Lyra Pinto to the audience. In her acceptance speech, Lyra Pinto expressed her vision and the goals to be achieved by the club during her term.
Division F Director Molly Chaudhury inducted Anu Sharma and Dr. Veena into the club. They were introduced by the new Board’s young and dynamic duo of Frenil and Anvesh.
Since ‘Spring’ was the theme of the ceremony, the functionaries referred to rejuvenation and resilience while taking the stage, virtually.
District Officers Immediate past District Director Raj Kumar Bansal, Program Quality Director Vanita Rangarajan, District Club Growth Director Savitha Salian, Division F Director Molly Choudhury, Divison C Director Kavitha, District Public Relations Manager, Neil Gonsalves, Area Directors DTM Beena Shetty, Sapna Shenoy, Deepa Bhandary and Jyotika Shetty, and the Presidents / Representatives of clubs in Division F felicitated the new officer bearers. The felicitation was hosted by Brian Fernandes the incoming Sergeant-at-arms.
Richard Pinto, husband and Kum Kum, daughter of the newly sworn-in President too felicitated the team.
Radhika Adappa proposed the vote of thanks. Vidya Shenoy and Amitha Shetty were the Master of Ceremonies.
