21st January 2011, when I ended my speech, for which I had thoroughly prepared for 15 days, thunderous audience gave me a lukewarm applause! That too it was not for my speech, but for ending it. The same audience, consisting 250 people, had given a long standing ovation to the previous speaker, who had spoken impromptu!
That day as I was entering Hotel Bangalore International, I was set to become a celebrity. In an hour I had to address members of Lions Clubs in Bangalore, Lions we are called, on ‘Global Warming: What Lions can do’. I remembered how the speech had come my way.
“Sharath, we want you give a 20 minute speech at our Regional Meet.” asked Lion Suresh Jain, the event coordinator, with wrinkles forming a question mark on his tanned face.
“Prof B.M. Hegde will be the Guest Speaker. Kannada film actress Hansika Poonacha will be there too.”
I had heard neither of their names. But I agreed, after all I was a Toastmaster.
“Around 350 people will attend the event. I suppose that’s not a problem for you.” asked Suresh Jain.
I replied “I never have problem with any audience. But they often do!”. He had not got the pun.
I had spent next 15 days thoroughly researching the topic. I searched and downloaded every picture of Hansika that was available on internet! She had done just one movie in Tamil and had a Kannada movie to be released soon. Prof Hegde was a Padma Bhushan awardee. I decided to focus my speech on what Lions, as an NGO, could do to tackle Global warming. Google gave plethora of points and I noted important ones, without concerning myself with basics. I would end my persuasive speech saying: “When we Lions act, things change. Let us be the leader the world needs so badly today." You all know what an amazing persuasive word, ‘leader’ is.
When I reached the hall, I noticed that stage was huge. I could unleash all body language tricks I had learnt. The huge event poster, which included every speaker’s picture, except mine, brought a certain aura to the hall!
Though I was disappointed, I told myself “Every dog has its day!”
The poster picture looked very familiar. That day I learnt one important lesson: Never ‘research’ from page 1 of Google result.
When Hansika arrived people eagerly rushed to take picture with her. I did not meet her. I told myself “Her time will come….after my speech.”
Prof Hegde, short, bald headed, when requested to address, asked the MC, what he should be speaking on. The MC told “Sir, theme of the event is Global warming.”
He started by saying “I am surprised that Lions are now interested in Global warming”. I instantly realized we had something in common: we both spoke in ‘Kannada accent English’.
What followed was a miracle. He never moved from lectern. His body language was limited to bare hand gestures. But his words had magic. He was not a speaker. He was a hypnotist who entangled the audience to his thoughts. He quoted several scientists, research papers, formulas. He explained chemistry, biology, economics and politics of Global warming. He recalled humorous incidents and audience did not know they were laughing and even I did not know those jokes were available on internet! He quoted Upanishads and explained its relevance to Earth and Global warming. He connected them all beautifully.
I had learnt another lesson the hard way: Never bring your girl friend where your reputation may be at stake!
In between the Mr. Hegde’s speech my friend, Vignesh, whom I had got to move my slides, signaled: …. It didn’t mean “Sharath, You too can rock the floor” but meant “Let’s quit”.
Prof Hegde, in his 50 minutes impromptu address, had argued that Global Warming was a hoax. As people rose to give him a standing ovation, they were convinced that need of the hour was not any action on Global Warming but a peg of whiskey!
Then MC called out: “Welcome Lion Sharath Pandeshwar to speak on Global Warming: What Lions can do!”
Though I had points of action for Global Warming, I did not have knowledge behind that information or wisdom to apply that knowledge to refute Prof Hegde. I learnt the lesson: Information is not knowledge. We have more information today, than any point of time in the history. Only if we can deliberate and reflect to understand their patterns and their implications, that information becomes knowledge. Only if you understand the principles behind knowledge, it turns into wisdom.
