By Wanda Pan-Christiansen
A shy newcomer discovers his voice, his humor, and a whole new stage through Toastmasters
Spotlight Feature
When Sudharshan Anandan arrived in the United States from Bangalore in 2013, he was so shy he could barely order a Subway sandwich — “it took 15 minutes just for them to understand me,” he laughs. Fast-forward to today: he has a Phd in mechanical engineering, is a multi-year speech contest winner, and now an aspiring standup comic preparing to perform in a lineup later this month.
Finding His Voice — And His People
Sudharshan credits one thing for his transformation: Toastmasters. Motivated by a desire to communicate clearly, he joined a nearby Toastmaster Club and immediately felt at home. “Everybody was so welcoming,” he says. With encouragement from club members, he began entering contests to sharpen his skills and push past his comfort zone. He is currently an active member of the Fair Oaks Club in Sunnyvale, CA.
Serious Speeches? Not His Style
Sudharshan first tried the International Speech Contest, but quickly realized the format wasn’t for him. “Too structured, too serious,” he says. What he really loved were the playful, high-energy contests — Humorous Speech and Tall Tales.
Both allowed him to improve and experiment with his vocal variety and body movements while leaning further into comedy. He excelled, winning the District 101 Humorous Speech Contest in 2025 and the District 101 Tall Tales Speech Contest in 2026.
Open Mic Nights → Improv Adventures
To prepare for the Tall Tales contest this year, Sudharshan started attending open-mic nights at the Masala Comedy Club. Along the way, someone suggested he try improv — and he was instantly hooked.
“It’s a free fall. There’s no structure. I loved the freedom,” he says. Improv also gave him something Toastmasters can’t always provide: immediate audience reaction, more brutal feedback, and a brand-new crowd outside the Toastmasters club environment.
Catch Sudharshan live!
First show: August 22 (Saturday), 8 PM
Second show: August 28 (Friday), 8 PM
Location: Sunnyvale Theater, 550 E. Remington Dr., Sunnyvale, CA.
The comedy lineup continues with additional shows. Check the Masala Comedy Club website for the complete lineup and schedule. Comics generally showcase content in a mixture of Hindi and English.
About the Author
Wanda Pan-Christiansen lives in Monterey, CA. She joined Toastmasters in a moment of pure desperation — she had a presentation the very next day and needed help fast. What she found was a community that encouraged her and showed her what was possible. Today, she is a confident speaker who has nearly banished “ahs” and “ums” from her everyday conversations, and she loves helping others discover their own voice.