“I faced the stage for the first time when I was in class IV. I don't remember if I had a stage fear then but the ball was set rolling for public speaking and literary event then,” says Dr. Seshayyan, adding that it got better at Madras Medical College.
Her spiritual discourses, which she has been delivering for over two decades, have brought her many audiences, including the youth. “There are some who take down notes and follow each verse by verse. Spirituality is balance of the mind,” she says. Her regular study group, comprising school and college students, meets every month and is going strong with the epic discourses.
As a compere, Dr. Seshayyan is one of the most sought-after, particularly at government events. The most recent ones being the valedictory function of the 1,000-year celebration of the Big Temple in Thanjavur, inauguration of the Anna Centenary Library and the World Classical Tamil Conference in Coimbatore.
Anchoring, she says, teaches one many lessons. “I prepare my own script and every event is a new one, where a lot of homework goes into. Also, you cannot always go by the paper… improvisation is the key,” she says. But, do the audience listen keenly to the anchor? “There have been programmes in which some from the audience came and told me that this line was good or I was reminded of this when you read that line.”
Of late, it is also her role as columnist for five magazines that is giving her joy. She writes on spirituality, science and social issues for two fortnightly and three monthly magazines. Once ‘Marghazi' season begins, the feted orator's calendar is booked for discourses every day.
