The stage is set; the technicians are done checking the sound and lights; the guests walk in and linger in the aisle for a while, trying to spot seats with a better view. I stand stiff in the wing, breathing deeply and anticipating edgily. I talk to myself, ‘Is my outfit alright? Damn! I hope I don’t forget announcing the important names’. I hawk my throat a couple of times and clear it, look down at my footwear to make sure there are no stains, tightly wrap my fingers around the stem of the mic and close my eyes. ‘This is it’, says the voice within me. I walk onto the stage and take my position behind the podium. I pan my head and connect with the audience. And I smile before I can tell myself that I need to smile. That’s the feeling I crave for. That’s me feeling alive. I am Shilpa Nainani! A Host, an Emcee, a Master of Ceremonies, an Anchor for 7 years now, and it feels like it was just yesterday when I first walked onto the stage and said my first ‘Hello everybody!’. ”