RIYADH – Bazm-e-Urdu Toastmasters Club Riyadh completed its 10 years of formation. A grand event was organized by BUTMC to commemorate this milestone at Red Onion Restaurant, Olaya, Riyadh. The chief guest of the evening was Honorable Moin Akhtar, Second Secretary (Community Welfare) of Indian Embassy, Riyadh. The Keynote Speech was delivered by Dr. Shaukat Parvez, Principal Al Yasmin International School, Riyadh.
TM Syed Abdul Hamid, founder member of BUTMC started the program enthusiastically as Sergeant at arms by briefly introducing the Toastmaster meeting’s regulations. He quoted a beautiful Urdu couplet of poet Manish Shukla “Baat karne ka haseen taur-tariiqa seekha, Ham ne Urdu ke bahane se saliiqa seekhaa” and invited the MC TM Syed Ateeq Ahmed.
Toastmasters International was founded by Ralph C. Smedley on October 22, 1924, in California, United States and today the organization serves over 364,000 members in 145 countries, through its 16,200 member clubs said TM Syed Ateeq Ahmed. He said that Bazm-e-Urdu Toastmasters Club, Riyadh was established in the year 2013 and its founder President was Arc. M.A.R Saleem. Since then the Club has seen many ups and down yet consistently grew and has the privilege of being Distinguished Toastmasters Club for the past several years. TM Syed Ateeq quoted the Urdu couplet of poet Javed Saba “ Ek hi phool se sab phoolon ki khushboo aaye, Aur ye jaadu use aaye jise Urdu aaye”
Area 1 Director, TM Mirza Zaheer Baig presented flower bouquets to the dignitaries at the dais.
MC, Syed Ateeq introduced and invited Immediate Past President of BUTMC, TM Mohammed Saifuddin who is a Banker and Senior Journalist to address the audience and present the past year’s (2022-23) report. TM Saifuddin elaborated the achievements of BUTMC in his tenure and highlighted the memorable events like Kavi Sammelan and Mushaira (at Indian Embassy Auditorium), International Women’s Day, International Journalists Day, Ramadhan Event etc. He also mentioned the awards and accolades received by BUTMC last program year. TM Saifuddin inspired the audience with this Urdu couplet “Safar hai shart kisi simt ko nikalte raho, silah mile na mile raaste pe chalte raho”
Next, the Present President of Bazm-e-Urdu Toastmasters Club Riyadh, TM K. N. Wasif who is a well known and respectable figure in social circles and a Senior journalist took to the podium and presented the success plan of the Club for the program year 2023-24. The outgoing ExCom transferred the Toastmasters pins to the incoming ExCom team and a group photo was shot.
TM Syed Ateeq then invited founder Member of BUTMC TM Dr. Sayeed Nawaz to speak about the ten years long journey of Bazm-e-Urdu Toastmasters Club Riyadh. He mesmerized the audience with his unique diction of Urdu and kept the audience glued to his words.
It was now the turn of the prominent person in Indian Diaspora, an educationist par excellence, the keynote speaker of the evening, Dr. Shaukat Parvez, Principal Principal Al Yasmin International School, Riyadh. He spell bounded the audience with his unique articulation proficiency and did full justice to his role. The audience applauded at each of his experiences he shared and valuable recommendations he gave in upbringing the new generation.
Glittering awards were presented to the deserving founder members and past Presidents of BUTMC. Upcoming and dedicated Toastmasters were also honored accordingly with mementos.
The Chief Guest, Honorable Moin Akhtar was invited to present his views by the MC, Syed Ateeq Ahmed. He congratulated the office bearers and members of BUTMC on the 10th Anniversary and extended his best wishes. He stressed that doing service for any language is a remarkable task and suggested to form a Hindi Toastmasters Club too. He shared his experience of attending Hindi Diwas early in the day and gracing the Urdu Toastmasters event later in the evening. He praised Bazm-e-Urdu Toastmasters Club Riyadh for organizing “Kavi Sammelan and Mushaira” at Indian Embassy Auditorium and proposed to organize the same this year too.
DTM Afdhal Shaheer-Dist 79 Club Growth Director, DTM Rozel Sinon-Dist. Admin Manager,DTM Riyas Ibrahim Kutty-Division A Director and DTM S. R. Sridher-Past PQD Dist. 79 graced the occasion.
Budding Toastmaster Mubarak Hussain presented the vote of thanks whole heartedly and invited the audience for gala dinner.
