"Hi Everybody..." I blabbered out on microphone. My voice echoed more in my head than in the large auditorium. A long pause!! A pin drop silence!! The focus of 700 pair of eyes and then... everything went dark before my eyes!!! I have become a statue with the only exception of my legs which were shaking in the richter scale of 7.5. I was sweating like a pig in the cool winter morning(I don't know if pigs sweat, but thats what everybody say..) I got back to my senses when back stage; my friend, Rajeev gave a tight slap. I have goofed up badly and have become a laughing-stock for rest of my school days. Welcome to the Glossophobia world of mine. Google says: "Glossophobia or speech anxiety is the fear of public speaking."
DNA; the genetic signature of human beings are made up of 'A', 'T', 'C' and 'G' bonds while mine has 2 extra - 'S' and 'F'; combining it forms "Stage Freight". I was able to trade my turn of giving a presentation at school assembly with my friends. A burger, a coke, Patties or a plate of "Papdi Chhat" was more than enough to seal the deal with my friends; until the day my fate ran out. I was caught & was asked by Principal to present on a topic in next school assembly. The rest as they say is history...
Why did I register for the University level technical presentation competition during my 2nd year Engineering? Sheer Ecstasy! Madness!! Coaxing from friends... I too don't have any concrete answers. I reached the venue after a long 3 hour train journey; only to be told that I will not be allowed to present my topic!!!! Why??? The topic of the presentation was "Affordable Communication for rural people of India in future" & there was I with a different topic - "Quantum Computers". Some goof up between my collage and the university and I came there ill informed. I ran pillar to post requesting judges, professors, organizers to give me a chance to participate. My efforts paid off, the judgement was delivered. I can only deliver my topic on stage only if I can relate it to the topic provided and I will not be eligible for any position. Quantum Computers, the technology of 22nd century is poles apart from "Affordable Communication....". No similarity in WHAT-SO-EVER sense. But then I agreed, and was provided the last slot.
After 18 spectacular tech. presentations from different collage participants, I walked on to the stage; opened my power point presentation using the overhead projector and started talking... from where I had left on the school stage."Hi Everybody, It was overwhelming to know 18 different ways of communication and that too affordable. My affordable communication technique is most unaffordable & for rural people of India it will be like watching Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan. Fantasy of not mythology but that of Science. But then by the end of my talk you all will disagree with my idea of UN-AFFORDABILITY." I don't know how I came up with those opening lines but I could see people shifting on their chairs, leaning forward, some switched their attention from mobile phone to me. May be the fearlessness of not being judged gave me a confidence to carry on and I carried on for next 20 minutes. Between the questioning glances, humor, laughter and technical interpretations I was able to hold on to my audience with Quantum Computers, Quantum Entanglement, QBITS, Quantum Teleportation. In the concluding 5 minuted of my speech I correlated Quantum Teleportation to Affordable Communication... If Einstein would have been alive, he surely would have shaked my hand for bringing his theory in reach of rural people... more so rural people of INDIA :)
I completed my talk with a thunder of applause and splits of laughter. The idea of the correlation was so bizarre and splendid that the whole room was in splits of laughter. I walked back to my seat with the knowledge that I have achieved an impossibility... in modifying my DNA so as to get rid of 'S' and 'F' bonds which the biologists are yet to achieve in their labs :) After sometime, I once again have to run back on to the stage. NO, not because I have forgotten to switch off the overhead projector but to receive the BEST Presentation award. The judges had made an exception. I was awarded the position for my simple yet humorous & informative talk, splendid presentation and above all presence of mind. Amid the fearful world of my stage freight and the euphoria of the achievement, I just have found myself...
After 18 spectacular tech. presentations from different collage participants, I walked on to the stage; opened my power point presentation using the overhead projector and started talking... from where I had left on the school stage."Hi Everybody, It was overwhelming to know 18 different ways of communication and that too affordable. My affordable communication technique is most unaffordable & for rural people of India it will be like watching Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan. Fantasy of not mythology but that of Science. But then by the end of my talk you all will disagree with my idea of UN-AFFORDABILITY." I don't know how I came up with those opening lines but I could see people shifting on their chairs, leaning forward, some switched their attention from mobile phone to me. May be the fearlessness of not being judged gave me a confidence to carry on and I carried on for next 20 minutes. Between the questioning glances, humor, laughter and technical interpretations I was able to hold on to my audience with Quantum Computers, Quantum Entanglement, QBITS, Quantum Teleportation. In the concluding 5 minuted of my speech I correlated Quantum Teleportation to Affordable Communication... If Einstein would have been alive, he surely would have shaked my hand for bringing his theory in reach of rural people... more so rural people of INDIA :)
I completed my talk with a thunder of applause and splits of laughter. The idea of the correlation was so bizarre and splendid that the whole room was in splits of laughter. I walked back to my seat with the knowledge that I have achieved an impossibility... in modifying my DNA so as to get rid of 'S' and 'F' bonds which the biologists are yet to achieve in their labs :) After sometime, I once again have to run back on to the stage. NO, not because I have forgotten to switch off the overhead projector but to receive the BEST Presentation award. The judges had made an exception. I was awarded the position for my simple yet humorous & informative talk, splendid presentation and above all presence of mind. Amid the fearful world of my stage freight and the euphoria of the achievement, I just have found myself...
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