Thank you JP, Welcome Mani!

Dear Friends

As per a core group decision reached earlier this year, JP, having played an interesting and very useful innings, culminating in NC 2013, will be stepping down and handing the baton to Mr Manimaran, the new Coordinator TISA on 4th October, the first day of NC 2013. Let us welcome Mr Manimaran and thank JP for all that he has contributed to us unreservedly! He will continue to participate and guide as a core group member, we are sure.

Let me also capture and share with you a very brief highlight of last 2 years: JP initiated the idea of National conference and worked very hard to set up the first one in Bhubaneshwar. His inputs in the second conference at Coorg (Bangalore) were also much appreciated. Behind the scenes, he was doing follow up of the new participants in these conferences and making sure that they truly felt welcome in this diverse but growing community. His other major contribution was oversight and maintenance of our online assets: maintaining the website (stammer.in), its renewal and transfer to the new host, Facebook page, blog etc.  He has been answering INNUMERABLE emails and phone inquiries from pws and their families, looking for information and help. He has counseled many pws in person, over phone and emails.
Another salient event was, JP representing us in "Diversity in workplace" conference in Hong Kong. Thanks to Pawas, this networking has initiated an ongoing collaboration, with Vivek participating in a similar workshop in Mumbai, this year. Networking with other organizations has been his special strength.

With all this, he has been contributing to web (like ISAD), his learning, his wisdom. He is also a very good facilitator for workshops like Communication Workshop and SHG sessions. Check out these links:

http://t-tisa.blogspot.in/2011/04/goa-workshop-day-1.html
http://t-tisa.blogspot.in/2013/02/pseudo-recovery.html
http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad13/papers/tisa13.html
http://stuttertalk.com/stuttering-modification-melting-the-fears-away-with-jai-prakash-sunda-324/ 

Of course, JP's association with TISA began much earlier in 2008 from Pune SHG where he was able to start a SHG at his workplace, followed by a 6 month sabbatical where he worked full time with TISA (then, Samagra). He was inducted in core team in August 2010.
His detailed bio is available here:
http://stammer.in/component/content/article/1-cat-latest-news/476-meet-the-new-coordintaor.html

I think, if we all work together, a coordinator can do so much more for us. Let us continue giving our best to the new Coordinator, Mr Manimaran, so that together, we can touch new heights and make self-help a tangible reality in this country.