This is some awe-inspiring, gritty personal growth story. Well done!

I too was shy and terrified of stage/public performances in school. Things started changing during Engineering when people gave feedback that I was good at presenting and articulating.

But the fear still did not go away until I entered business school for my MBA and I was branded as a good orator by some peers and nominated as the opening speaker for case studies and stuff. Here I also started participating in cultural stage shows and creative presentations.

I remember considering joining Toastmasters when they had come to campus but then I didn’t get enough bandwidth for that. I still can’t say if the stage fear has completely vanished, although I can say that I too now enjoy entertaining an audience.