MEET SABIRA MERCHANT

Ms. Sabira Merchant is a versatile personality with many admirable qualities. She completed her education in liberal arts from Switzerland. She is responsible for training FEMINA MISS INDIAS for the local as well as international competitions and her famous students being the representatives of our country for the Miss India, Miss Universe, Miss Asia Pacific and Mr. International Contest.

Ms Sabira Merchant completed her studies in Liberal Arts from Switzerland. Being a expert communicator and a lover of stage, Sabira was inclined towards the theatre and made her first breakthrough with Theatre group’s ‘‘The World’’ And it was followed by ‘‘The Wild Duck’’, ‘‘Tughlaq’’, ‘‘Duet for one’’, ‘‘The Idiot’’, ‘‘Winter Set’’ and many more. She bagged the All India critics’’ award for her role of Blanche Dubois in the play ‘‘A Street Car Named Desire.’’ She also played the enchantress Madame Manaeksha in the BBC production ‘‘Six steps to happiness.’’ Sabira also debuted in ‘‘The Rummy Game,’’ a sweet and bitter comedy that won rave reviews from all over the world. Sabira made her presence on the big screen too, playing roles in some select Hindi movies including Shyam Benegal’s ‘‘Trikaal.’’

In the 70’s Sabira became very popular on the television circuit as her show ‘‘What’s the good word?’’ ran for a record 15 years on Doordarshan (India’s only terrestrial television network)


Besides being a theatre and film personality, Sabira is an expert guide on speech, diction, etiquette, grooming, stage presence and public speaking. She has the honour of having trained a whole lot of beauty contestants including past Ms. Universe – Lara Dutta Ms. World – Yukta Mookhey, Diana Hayden, Priyanka Chopra etc. The male pageants too have witnessed her students putting up a fabulous performance. Aryan Vaid, Raghu Mukherjee – Mr India 2002 to name a few.

Even the corporate and general public from various walks of life regularly benefit from her knowledge and experience in communication and overall personality development to lead a happy and successful life. The sessions are aimed towards personal/corporate finesse improvement, which is not only personalized but also customized. It meets Organization as well as personal needs of an individual as a separate and as a part of the team as a whole. Participants are helped to create self-awareness empowering them to shed their inhibitions and negativity. Particular care is taken to enhance   their pronunciation, diction, voice modulation, communication skills, phone etiquette, table manners and dinning skills in particular.

The pedagogy deployed i.e. the lectures, role plays, exercises, interactive discussions supplements for social and business graces of international protocol are proved to be best case examples providing individuals to master the art of Public Speaking.

The course is tailor-made fitting each individual’s parameters of day to day requirement and yet a uniformed eye-opener which step by step opens the window of a new world.

It is an introduction and exploration of the self and a realization of your personality and potential. 

Sabira Merchant's Workshop

The sessions consist of:

• Self-assessment and brief introduction of each individual and a discussion following of how the speech pattern, diction and body language can be improved upon. The interactive sessions eases the atmosphere as everyone has some areas that need improvement. This is followed by exercises in speech and diction where each person needs and joins in mutual discussions. At the end of this session the group gets honest appraisal of each other from a personal point of view and that of the instructor.

• The sessions includes various verbal exercises to polish enunciation and pronunciations. Words that are practically used everyday but mispronounced and not understood are tackled and the student uses these within the context of a complex sentence which examines the correct use of grammar. Voice modulation in using the correct range and level of tone are an underlying part of almost every session. Being an expressly interactive and unstructured course, there is total freedom for the participant to interrupt and ask questions – even those that do not pertain to the discussion.

• Conversational skills are practiced at every level – social and business if desired – putting across your point of view emphatically and convincingly. Homophones – words that are confusing as they are similar sounding but different in meaning and spelling are worked on. Each student gets chance to speak and use a set of words. Commonly used Latin. French and Italian phrases are correctly taught e.g the meaning of “quid pro quo” which is used so often and the meaning and usage not thoroughly understood. These phrases are used in legal practice and in references throughout the world. Any individual who believes that he is adept at the language should wield these with subtlety.

• By now the participants would have realized their areas of weakness and how they should reach the platform where they could be at the least – passable public speakers (when and if the occasion arises.) this session is extremely interactive and enjoyable and set up to shed inhibitions. It is very effective in breaking in breaking personal and social barriers. – the participants combined in sets of two or three, design their own ‘plot’ and enact emotions which are usually buried deep within the psyche. At the end of this session – they are relaxed – “at home” with each other and now feel that they are capable to move another session

• The samples of speeches will be distributed to the participants at the beginning of the sessions along with the other notes. They can use some of the phrases and words, but originality of the ideas, vocabulary and delivery are to be aimed at.

• Usages of regular megaphones as well as taped mikes are taught. Each participants gets up – moves to the podium and delivers a) A welcome address or a vote of thanks and also a speech which has been written by them for about 2 minutes. The    strengths and weaknesses of this ‘public speaking’ exercise are discussed with each candidate. If possible the group is videotaped and the tape played back so they see themselves in ‘replay’. All individuals are handled with a great deal of tact and humor.

• There is a session devoted entirely to ‘fine dining’. Which relies on Sabira’s experience and since she’s so well versed with French to discuss culinary terms, etiquette – of all kinds – business and social – learning to read menus and culinary terms which are puzzling. If desired. Wines, Champagnes and Liqueurs are discussed. The entire meal is explained in detail from start to finish including cell phone and smoking etiquette. This is usually rounded off by an actual meal – three courses – where we really have a wonderful time and put into practice all that we have learnt. The raising of toasts is also practiced at this session. The entire course is energized and is an excellent stimulus to the continuous process of self-improvement.

DAY 1

Self assessment and brief introduction of each individual 
Identifying individual areas that need improvement- speech pattern, diction, body language, enunciation and pronunciations
Conversational Techniques 
Build self-confidence and self-esteem
Voice modulation 
Greetings, Introductions the art of small talk-
Making a Great First Impression 
Visiting cards exchange
How to make proper introductions, 
Paying & receiving compliments, 
Small Talk & Networking, Increase valuable business relationships 
Designer terminology
Body Language, Poise, Eye Contact
 
DAY 2

 Fine dining. 
World Class Entertaining 
Host, Hostess, and Guest Responsibilities 
American and Continental Styles of Eating 
RSVP  , Seating Arrangements 
Silverware Savvy , The Role of the Napkin 
Toasting, Receiving Lines 
Wines, Champagnes and Liqueurs are discussed
How to Eat Various Foods, Foods to Avoid 
Travel etiquette 
Business Attire -Clothes and Corporate Culture 
Corporate role play 
Personal Props and Accessories for Men and Women 
Color Strategies for Everyone 
Developing Your Professional and Personal Image 
Pronunciation Of Luxury Brands.
Thank You Notes