Nepal rules in Toastmasters Public Speaking Championships

- Historic hat-trick at the International public speaking competition in District level

- District Champion Alfa M. Shakya graduates to Regional quarterfinals

- 3 champions from Nepal outshined contestants from 235 clubs of District 41

Division A (Nepal) has marked an unprecedented historical milestone. Three District Champions in a single year! 

Three Toastmasters from Nepal have created history. Representing Division A, Toastmasters Priya Chapagain (Speech Evaluation Contest), Alfa M Shakya (International Speech Contest) and Asira Khanal (Table Topics Contest) won the District 41 speech competitions held May 29-31, 2020. Speech contests first begin at the club level. Winners then advance to the Area and Division Level. Division Champions then compete at the District Semi-Finals which then culminates at the District Finals. No one from Nepal had yet won a District Championship title at District 41 that covers Bangladesh, Bhutan, India (North & East), and Nepal comprising of 6000+ members.

Khanal is a member at Himalaya Toastmasters, a community Club, while Chapagain and Shakya are members at KU-SOM Toastmasters, a club established at the Kathmandu University School of Management.

‘The hat-trick wins demonstrate the capabilities of Toastmasters in Nepal and the growing assertiveness to believe they are world-class. Focus on quality paid off,’ remarked Division Director (2019-20) Suman Shakya, DTM under whose leadership team Nepal has achieved many milestones this year. Shakya also served as the Contest Chair for the District Semi-Finals 1 of International Speech Contest. 

Every year Toastmasters International organizes the World Champion of Public Speaking amongst its 358,000 members spread across 143 countries. Alfa M Shakya will now represent District 41 and participate in the Regional Quarter Finals. ‘It will be a matter of great pride to have a Nepali representation at the world stage finals,’ envisions Ranjit Acharya, DTM who is the current Club Growth Director, District 41. Acharya also served as the Contest Master for the District Table Topics Finals. 

Toastmasters in Nepal started in 1991 with the second club opening only in 2004. Interest in Toastmasters accelerated after Nepal joined District 41 in 2017 with 8 clubs. Currently, there are 34 clubs in Nepal. Close to 1000 Toastmasters have been actively engaged in virtual meetings after the pandemic overtook our normal lives. The contest wins have brought Toastmasters smiles and positivity to an otherwise dreadful time.