Gerald D'Cunha

I find it very amusing… Some boys and girls, while on stage, find it difficult to go beyond two or three lines… sometimes, even one! It’s a huge challenge for me to help them open up… say more, feel free and at ease. Slowly and steadily, many of them do learn to speak more and speak with ease. Well, some of them simply give up! On the other end of the spectrum, there are those boys and girls, who find it difficult to end… They can go on and on and on… Hop from one idea to another and then to another and then to another. I have to constantly remind them to keep it short… Filter out their ideas, crystallize them into few main points and convey them well. “What is the point in saying so much when your audience is not able to recall anything from what you have said?” I remind them, “Cut it short… Say a few things, but say it well.” Yes, slowly and steadily, many from this category, too, learn to edit their long story into a razor-sharp script. Well, some of them sim...

M any years ago, I was teaching a group (five) of T.Y. B.Com students. It was a late-night batch (9:30 to 10:30) and it was held at the bungalow belonging to one of the students. Akhil* was one of the five. He turned up to class, every night, straight from the workshop where he worked during the day; often, with his greasy hands. It was he who would drop me home on his motor bike after the class, every night… We remained good friends, ever since. I always knew that Akhil would come up in life as a self-made successful young-man. He did. My admiration for Akhil rose a few notches higher, when, one day, he came up to me and said, “Sir, I wish to help a couple of needy students by meeting their education cost. I also wish to sponsor a couple of deserving students, every year, for P.D. Programme of THE DAWN CLUB.” He added, “On the condition that they should not know about me!” It is more than twenty years now. Akhil has been, religiously, helping. Every year, a cou...

M any years ago, when Kashmir was burning, THE DAWN CLUB had asked young boys and girls to speak (in the Public-speaking class) on the topic: ‘SHOULD INDIA GO FOR A NUCLEAR WAR WITH PAKISTAN’? The following was the speech delivered by Amish Sahni, then a young college student. This speech occupies a space, prominently, in our book – ‘Vaachas Chame – Grant me the power of expression’, which is being used as a text book by Dawn Club students over the years… As Kashmir is, once again, burning… and, as everyone around me is angry and cries for revenge… blood… an eye-for-an-eye…  Yes, as I hear this and see this around me, I remembered this speech, today… I sincerely feel it is as relevant today as it was years ago… Hope, I am not alone in such a feeling… “IS ANYBODY THERE?” - by Amish Sahni ------------------------------------------------------ “Is anybody there?” “‘Is anybody there?” “IS ANYBODY THERE?” Respected sirs and my dear fri...