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The Story of Cask Orators

                                                                                                                   By Rajat Santhosh, DTM (Charter Member)

Every great thing starts with a single step. Cask Orators also has a rich history. Someone conceived the idea of this club, gathered like-minded people, and turned it into a reality. That idea helped many individuals become better versions of themselves. Over time, that idea has continued to improve, much like a fine wine, and will live on forever.

The Birth of Cask Orators

Cask Orators was the brainchild of then Area Director, Sreenivasan P R, DTM, a Chartered Accountant and Past Chairman of the Ernakulam Branch of SIRC of ICAI. He envisioned a club exclusively for CA students in Kerala, which led to the name CASK Orators. Along with CA Salim Abdul Rasheed and CA Nagarajan P A, DTM, Past District Director of District 92, he brought this idea to life. Cask Orators was chartered on March 26, 2021, with 27 CA students as members and started as an online club due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The Founding Team

The executive committee that took charge from March 26, 2021, consisted of:

President: Salim Abdul Rasheed
VP Education: Rajat Santhosh
VP Membership: Sharmik Pradeep
VP Public Relations: Phoebae George
Secretary: Shimy Shaji
Treasurer: Harish Chandran
Sergeant At Arms: Poornendu M Nair




The Early Days

We started strong, meeting online every Saturday at 8:00 AM. Nagarajan P A, DTM, served as our club mentor, guiding us for almost a year by attending nearly all our meetings. The energy and enthusiasm of everyone led to Cask Orators achieving 5 DCP points within just 78 days.

Challenges and Growth


In subsequent renewals, we faced membership challenges due to scheduling conflicts, dropping to fewer than 15 members. However, our meetings continued to thrive with the support of other Toastmasters. During the 2022-23 program year, we began meeting in hybrid mode and made the bold decision to open the club to everyone, not just CA students. By the end of 2023, we shifted to fully offline mode, meeting on Sundays at 3:30 PM at SFS Grandville Apartments, Thrikkakara, Kochi.

Events and Activities


We have always stood out for the variety of activities we conduct beyond our regular club meetings. Some of the memorable ones are listed below:

  1. In 2022, we collaborated with Comedy Lounge - A Leading Stand Up Comedy Club in Kochi, Kerala
  2. In 2022, we collaborated with Toastmasters Club of Thrissur for a Virtual Escape Room - Brawl Night
  3. We collaborated with Ernakulam Branch of SICASA of ICAI for various events like Book Review Contest, Short Film Review Contest, and so on
  4. We have conducted numerous Educational Sessions, Debates, Group Discussions, and so on, with an intent to provide as much value as possible for our members

Clubs in Cask

In an attempt to go above and beyond, we opened up two new clubs inside Cask Orators

  • The Cask Book Club - A space where voices meet words. Every month, we pick a book, share perspectives, and spark conversations that go beyond the pages. It’s less about reading alone — and more about reading together.

  • The Cask Debate Society - Where ideas clash, and confidence grows. From thought-provoking motions to spontaneous arguments, we explore both sides of every story — sharpening our logic, expression, and presence with every debate. 

Achievements and Awards

In 2022-23, we achieved the "Fast 5" award for reaching 5 DCP points quickly and the "Super 7" award for all club officers attending both Club Officer Training Programs. In 2023-24, we secured third place in the "Social Media PResence Award". for our outstanding presence across Social Media, and for the first time, achieved the prestigious "President's Distinguished Club" status. In 2024-25, the club achieved the prestigious "President's Distinguished Club" award for the second time in a row. Cask Orators stole the spotlight by bagging seven awards from the District for the PY 2024-25, during the District 121 Annual Conference, Crescendo - 2025, held at Manglore. The awards were:

  • Best Newsletter Award - First Place
  • Best Brand Builder Award - Second Place
  • Metamorphosis Award
  • Best Outstanding Website Award - Third Place
  • Legacy Laureate - Achievers
  • Best Social Media PResence Award - Second Place
  • Spirit of 121



In 2025-26, Cask Orators achieved seven awards in total during the program year, at the District 121 Annual Conference, Crescendo, held at Gokulam Park, Kochi, on May 8, 9, 10. The awards were

  • Smedley Distinguished Award
  • Metamorphosis Award
  • Fast & Fabulous 5 
  • Super 7 
  • Thriving 30 
  • The Power of 2+ 
  • Spirit of 121 


The Journey Continues

Every week brings new surprises, camaraderie, learning, and mystery to Cask Orators. We're more than just a club – we're a tight-knit community supporting each other inside and outside Toastmasters. As the world changes, we help each other prepare through conversations, speeches, presentations, impromptu speeches, and leadership opportunities. If you've already visited our club, keep coming back. If you haven't, what's stopping you?