The Prince of Perseverance

Dananjaya Hettiarachchi swears by perseverance. Having contested eight consecutive times at the Toastmasters International’s (TI) Speech Contest, he beat over 33,000 contestants from around the world to be crowned the World Champion of Public Speaking (WCPS) in 2014. He is the first Asian to win the coveted title and has represented both India (Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka at the contest over the years.

In his contest cinching speech, ‘I see something,’ Dananjaya shared how, for a very long time in his life, people around him saw ‘something’ in him; but they could never figure out what it was. As a result, he lived a desultory existence during his early years. He reminisces, “I was a mediocre student for most part of my life, and my school life was nothing short of turbulent. I spent time with the wrong company and I had turned into a bit of a thug because I thought I could claim respect from people that way. I was arrested when I was 18 on charges of assault. My mom came to see me in remand and I had never felt so ashamed in my life. I realised how I had not achieved anything substantial and I wanted to change that. This was the turning point in my life.  I came back home and started studying to get into university. However, I didn’t make it. I was lost and I didn’t know what to do with my life. It was at this time that my dad took me on my first date with destiny — a meeting at a Toastmasters club in Colombo.”

Public speaking was never Dananjaya’s ambition. However, those around him believed in his ability. He elaborates, “When I walked into the Toastmasters club that evening in 2004, my life changed completely because it was there that I met some amazing people, including my mentor, Balraj Arunasalam. He saw me speak at the club and he walked up to me and said, “Kid, I see something in you; but I don’t know what it is. Let’s try to bring it out.” This was the first time that someone ever told me that they saw potential in me. I was really happy, and soon after, Arunasalam took me under his wing. For the next few years, my life was all about speaking.”

It is not uncommon to wonder why the title of the WCPS meant so much to Dananjaya, who, by then, had already established himself as an accomplished speaker over the years. He elucidates, “In 2006, I won the World Taped Speech Contest that was organised by TI. I was invited to attend their International Convention in US and I was blown away by what I saw. It was there that I had first seen the International Speech Contest. As I was witnessing it, one part of me said it was impossible for me to get on that stage. Another part of me yearned to get there and become the WCPS. I returned to Sri Lanka a changed man because I had now seen what success looked like. I went back to school, finished my exams, got into a private university, and started studying. I was hungry to achieve something in life, and in the next five years, I did my degree, my MBA, and started my career in HR.”

While perseverance is a delectable ingredient in the recipe for success, it does come with a lot of peer pressure. Fortunately for Dananjaya, the support of his loved ones kept his appetite for victory going. “Contesting consecutively every year put me under a lot of mental pressure. I started off as the underdog. People loved me and my perseverance. But when I failed to win year after year, my critics started questioning my ability as a speaker. A lot of people wanted me to stop trying. Fortunately for me, I have always had a inner circle of strong people in my life who kept my confidence going.”

In order to master the art of public speaking, the champion has made innumerable sacrifices. He shares, “In 2010, after losing the WCPS four consecutive times, I decided that if I had to win, I had to go all out. I quit my job and decided to become a full-time soft skills trainer because I wanted to spend time practising my skills before an audience. Things weren’t smooth then, as I had just got married and I was struggling to support my family financially. I decided to give up; but my mentor and wife pushed me to finish what I had started. In my 10 years as a public speaker, I’ve spoken for over 9,000 hours on stage and spent over `4 million on coaching myself, but most importantly, I’ve sacrificed my time with my family and friends.” 

Those who know Dananjaya vouch for the intense practice and preparation he undergoes. He says, “I start preparing for my speech by first thinking of a message I want to deliver to my audience. I write it innumerable times until I think it is easy to remember and recall. Then, I start building the content of my speech, and practise, prepare and rehearse my delivery on stage. Then, I close my eyes and visualise how I will deliver my speech. I do this multiple times until I know what exactly I will be doing on stage. A day before the contest, I lock out everything — my family, friends, and phone, and get into a private zone before I finally deliver my speech on stage.”

Today, as he basks in the glory of his hard work, Dananjaya reveals how being the champion can be challenging too. He divulges, “When you’re the WCPS, people expect pearls to fall out of your mouth every time you speak. That’s the responsibility of your title. I’m willing to work hard to deliver my best to my audience because I know where I want to go now. Noorain.nasir@yahoo.com

 http://www.newindianexpress.com/education/edex/The-Prince-of-Perseverance/2014/11/10/article2512553.ece