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RI President Ron D. Burton and Jetta

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July 2013

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EDITOR’S LETTER

11 Editor’s Letter

13 In My Thoughts

14 Straight Shooter

18 RI Director - 2013–15, P. T. Prabhakar

20 The Challenge and the Strategy

WHAT’SINSIDE

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28 In the Face of Danger

32 Presidential Citation

40 Get Great in Life

48 Embracing a Sport called Cricket

50 All-in-All

60 Some See Medicine Rotary Sees Life

INSIDE

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WHAT’S


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ROTARY NEWS TRUST 3rd Floor, Dugar Towers, 34 Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008, India.Phone : 044 42145666Fax : 044 28528818e-mail : [email protected]

ADVISORY BOARD

RID P. T. Prabhakar RI Dist. 3230

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee RI Dist. 3060

PRID Ashok Mahajan RI Dist. 3140

PRID Yash Pal Das RI Dist. 3080

PRID Shekhar Mehta RI Dist. 3291

DG Rabi Narayan Nanda RI Dist. 3262

DG Radhe Shyam Rathi RI Dist. 3053

DG Hari Krishna Chitipothu RI Dist. 3150

PDG R. Badri Prasad RI Dist. 3190

PDG Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh RI Dist. 3261

PDG Ramesh Aggarwal RI Dist. 3010

Rtn. T. K. Balakrishnan RI Dist. 3230

62 Service Pursuits

70 How important is Calcium in your diet?

72 Celestial Radiance

83 Very Briefly

WHAT’SINSIDE

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6270

83ROTARY NEWS

ROTARY SAMACHAR

Editor Rtn. T. K. Balakrishnan

Assistant EditorsJaishreeS. Selvi


JULY 2013 ROTARY NEWS 11

Rtn. T. K. Balakrishnan

The first part of the theme this year is to ‘Engage Rotary.’ That means we also have to take Rotary to others who are not in the movement. Every member of Rotary

becomes an ‘Image Consultant.’ They have to inspire confidence in others always. Rotarians cannot justify or make excuses for the way they appear. Members of the public should be able to identify you as a Rotarian by looking at you, the way you carry yourself always. People must identify your personality traits by interacting with you for a short time. Are you confident that you can get people to accept your ideas easily and most of the times? In today’s increasingly competitive environment, the people you meet for talking about Rotary often judge you on the basis of what meets their eye. So whether it is for inviting them to become members or asking for a contribution, success and opportunities come to those who are prepared.

If you are the image of Rotary to the public, then you have to project a power-ful and appropriate image of Rotary. As the image of Rotary you have to make simple but intelligent adjustments in your clothing, grooming, etiquette, body language and verbal communication. You have to inspire confidence in the people you meet. You are a leader in your vocation. But after joining Rotary, you have become something bigger. If you aspire to bring new members into your club, you will be constantly evaluated by the people you meet. You have to project a more convincing image of yourself as a Rotarian. As the image of Rotary, you will be seen by everyone and you will have to work with people at a very personal level, becoming instrumental to their decision making and making friends for life. You have to use your knowledge skill and creativity. You have to change the people’s perception of Rotary. You will have to pick and choose individuals and groups who are likely to become members and talk with confidence in group sessions. You must have the patience and the passion to stay focused.

As the public image of Rotary, you have to be one 24 x 7. It is not a 9 to 5 activ-ity. You are empowering others with your powerful image and a little bit of training before you embark on membership development or fund development will surely help. By talking to others and getting them to become members of Rotary, you are guiding individuals to project a winning image of themselves as a responsible member of the community. You must have a strong desire to be the public image of Rotary that will attract others to see how they can partner with the organisation.

Rotary International is utilising the services of an international firm to position itself as a strong brand in the minds of the public. Every organisation realises the need for image management. The intelligent realise it on time. So if you are the one who is projecting the image of Rotary to the public, what winning formula do you carry?

Image of Rotary

EDITOR’S LETTER

Not a JokeIn the Rotary News of May 2013, the cartoon in ‘Just Laugh’ was worth a laugh, but I couldn’t accept the imagery of a ‘beggar’ or ‘begging’ being published in a Rotary magazine that too for the sake of joke; there could be so many things that we can afford to laugh at, but please, not on social issues which we are not proud of.

Rtn. R.Murali KrishnaRC Berhampur

RI District 3260

Retain MembersI refer to the March issue of Rotary News and compliment you for the excellent Editor’s Letter, ‘Engagement Review.’ Knowledge Retention is essential for mem-bers to retain in Rotary. As such membership development and reten-tion can be maintained in the club meeting, club bulletin, the kinetic image of Rotary and reading Rotary News regularly. Knowledge management can also be maintained by senior Rotarians by guiding all to avoid talk-ing on Non Rotary issues and comments.

Rtn. S. NatarajanRC Koothapakkam

RI District 2980

Accolades and more...Congratulations for bringing out the Rotary News on time month after month. The news coverage is excellent.

We are able to appreci-ate the happenings in the Rotary world sitting in Coimbatore. The families of Rotarians have started reading Rotary News for the coverage on the sites of historical importance. Please keep up the good work.

Rtn. Chella K. Raghavendran

RC Coimbatore Spectrum RI District 3201

We are happy to inform you that we are getting the Rotary News magazines regularly well in time. The quality of the book and the information are beautiful.

Rtn. R. Dinesh GuptaRC Kollegal

RI District 3180

May 2013 issue of Rotary Samachar is really excellent; especially the cover page is very beautiful. With many interesting articles it was a fascinating read.

Rtn. Sudhir RandadRC Akola Midtown

RI District 3030

Remembering GujralI congratulate you for bringing out nice articles in the Rotary News magazine regularly. The article ‘Gujral in the age of Rotary’ is very interesting to read. We are able to know about the great person and his finest qualities and his services to Rotary and India at large. These articles indeed will create

an interest for young Rotarians to follow his principles in their personal life and their services to Rotary.

Rtn. T. SusantRC Berhampur

RI District 3260

Leaders HonouredIn Rotary News June 2013 issue, the article, ‘Honouring Path Makers’ was excellent. It gave the readers a feel of being present in the convocation and witnessing the whole programme. I thank the Editor for such a nice article. I also liked the ‘Editor’s Letter’ and the articles ‘Council Votes’ and ‘High Performance Delivered.’Rtn. S.S. Venkatachalam

RC Chennai IT CityRI District 3230

Bringing SmilesIn the article titled, ‘Fixing Smiles’ in April 2013 issue, Ms. Jaishree in her impeccable English has brought forth a noble Rotaplast Medical Mission project conducted by the Rotary Club of Karaikal with the help of Rotaplast International Inc., of USA. The vivid description of the Rotaplast Mission’s activities at Karaikal from 2004 to 2012 is very interesting.

Rtn. K. RaghavasamyRC Karaikal

RI District 2980

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ReactionsL E T T E R S F R O M R E A D E R S

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

This is an incredibly exciting time to be a Rotarian. This Rotary year can be one of the greatest years we have yet experienced in Rotary — but it is up to each one of us. We are now writing the last chapter in our fight against polio. While it has been a long, hard journey, we have learned many valuable lessons. We have learned that as a group we can move mountains, we can change people’s lives for the better, and we can honestly make a difference in our world. Perhaps the greatest lesson has been that the more we challenge ourselves, the more we can achieve.

We are also embarking on a new chapter in the storied history of our Rotary Foundation. We have the rare privilege of launching an entirely new grant structure we’ve come to know as Future Vision. It gives us the opportunity to challenge ourselves to do the absolute most we can, with all of our resources. Just think how much more we can do with a stronger Foundation, with stronger clubs filled with more Rotarians who are fully engaged in Rotary service.

It’s time for us to recognise that the real challenge we face isn’t just bring-ing new members into Rotary. It’s turning all members into true Rotarians. It’s helping members get engaged in Rotary — helping them realise the potential they have, and how their Rotary service can change lives. We need to make sure that every member is active and contributing, and making a real difference — because when you’re doing meaningful work in Rotary, Rotary is meaningful to you.

When we realise what we can achieve in Rotary — when we really engage Rotary — that’s when lives change. We change the lives of the people who need us. That is inevitable. And along the way, our lives are changed as well. That is also inevitable. That’s what our theme is all about in 2013–14: Engage Rotary, Change Lives.

It’s time to open our eyes to the potential each of us has through Rotary. Rotary lets us reach higher, do more, and be a part of something larger than our-selves. No matter how much we give to Rotary, we get more in return. And that, too, is inevitable.

In 2013–14, let’s turn all of our potential into reality. It’s up to us. We can do it by engaging in Rotary service, by getting involved, by staying inspired, and by remembering every day the gift we have in Rotary. Together, we will Engage Rotary, Change Lives.

Ron D. Burton President, Rotary International

In My Thoughts

14 ROTARY NEWS JULY 2013

With his congenial manner and his inclination to keep things

simple, Ron Burton has a natural ability to put people at ease. But don’t let the easygoing demeanor of Rotary International’s new President lull you into thinking that he doesn’t get seri-ous when it’s time for business.

“If you ask my opinion, you’re going to get it,” Burton says, his neighbourly look morphing into a solemn gaze. “When I feel strongly about something, I will argue like crazy for my position. I suppose that’s sort of an ego thing, but if I discern that someone has a vested interest or may be looking at a personal economic benefit, I have a simple sug-gestion: Apply The Four-Way Test.

An uncompromising sense of ethics may be the only personal quality that the former president of the University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc. is willing to wear on his sleeve. “Like most peo-ple, I don’t like to be told I’m wrong,” he says. “But I can be convinced that there’s another way to look at some-thing, and sometimes I’ll change my mind. If it’s an ethical issue, though, you’re not going to tell me I’m wrong. It’s not going to happen. I’ve dealt with too many people over the years who wanted to misuse funds. I’ve looked them in the eye and said, ‘I’m not going to jail for you or anyone else.’ ”

Burton says most of his career suc-cess came from being “in the right place at the right time.” It started with growing up in a small town (Duncan, Okla., USA) in the postwar era and having a chance to operate his own business at age 13. “Delivering newspapers was a business back then,” he says, recalling his days as a Duncan Banner carrier. “You had to buy your papers, buy your rubber bands, buy your bag; you had to wait for the papers, roll them, and deliver them; you had to collect, you had to pay your bill. Anything left over was yours.”

A few years later, as a student at the University of Oklahoma in the late ’60s, Burton worked part time in the account-ing office. Between graduation and law school, he was hired to replace a

Rotary International’s new President

Ron D. Burton


Facing page: Ron Burton made his mark on his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, where he served as president of the school’s foundation for nearly three decades; Above: Burton serves up pancakes at the Rotary Club of Norman’s annual fundraising breakfast at Norman High School. At left is Paul Wilson, whom Burton sponsored as the first African American member of the Norman club. Wilson has perfect attendance. At right is club treasurer Larry Pace; Below: When you’re talking football and the University of Oklahoma, an unintentional pun will pop up sooner or later. On the weekend when archrival Oklahoma State came to town, Burton recalls, “we had the whole family at the house, and the whole nine yards.”


close friend at the office who had been drafted into the military. (Burton did his own military service through advanced ROTC and the National Guard.)

“I ended up being the No. 2 account-ant for the University of Oklahoma a week after I got out of school,” he says. He continued in the job during his first year in law school, but soon was recommended to replace the outgoing treasurer of the University of Oklahoma Foundation. “When I graduated, my boss, who was a past governor of our Rotary district, asked me to stay on, with the idea that I might be selected to succeed him when he retired. I took over his position as president in 1978 and retired in 2007. That’s my career at Oklahoma — storybook, really.”

When it came to meeting his future wife, Jetta, Burton was initially in the right place, but his timing was a bit off. Both charter members of the baby boom generation, they were born in the same year and at the same overcrowded hospital, where dresser drawers substituted for basinets. But

he arrived three months ahead of her. They had mutual friends growing up and finally met in high school, where they were members of the band. He was a junior and played trombone. She was a sophomore and played bassoon. Their first date was 18 September 1962. They tied the knot in college.

After 45 years of marriage, with a daughter, a son, and three grandchil-dren, Burton emphasises that their life together has been a partnership, espe-cially when it comes to Rotary.

“Jetta is my best critic,” says Burton, a member of the Rotary Club of Norman. “She will level with me, on whether I made a natural and believable presentation — on all sorts of things. She’s been supportive all along the way, from Presidents-elect Training Seminars to District Assemblies and conferences. If she had not supported me in this, I wouldn’t be here today.”

The vital role of the family in Rotary is at the core of Burton’s beliefs. “When we talk about the family of Rotary, I know public relations is a

part of that,” he says. “But to me, it really is the family of Rotary. If you get your own family involved in this, with your own heart, and it expands to the world, that’s the family of Rotary — that’s community service.”

Throughout his time in Rotary, especially during this past year of travelling and meeting Rotarians from various countries, that perspective has helped Burton appreciate the diver-sity and ever-growing potential of the organisation. “Speaking to Rotarians from around the world has made me more tolerant of different points of view,” he says. “You learn that there is another way to do things, that there are differences in cultures and differences in individuals. But the basic tenets come through for all of us, no matter where we are. I’d like to think there are no regional differences in the integrity aspect of the organisation, but I believe we may need to do a better job of work-ing on that and highlighting it.”

Burton is firm in his view of the rela-tionship between Rotary International

The Burton family heads for the stadium to watch the University of Oklahoma play Oklahoma State. The game went into

overtime. Oklahoma State was first on the board with an OT field goal. Oklahoma quickly answered with a game-winning run.

Burton tries not to gloat, but he admits that he “hates orange.”


and Rotarians. “Rotary International is nothing more than an association of Rotary clubs, and the Secretariat is here to serve those clubs,” he says. “Rotary International’s job is to support the clubs, and Rotarians are the ones who do things. We need to keep that in mind. The Secretariat is a sacred place, and it should be respected, just like the office of the President. Our job is to inspire people, to act as an inspirational pivot point to bring the senior leadership in, to serve those clubs and districts so that we can make things happen. But Rotary International is not an end in itself.”

Burton is enthusiastic about the success of his “first class” campaign, which aims to make the 2013–14 class of Rotary leaders the first in which every District Governor and Club President contributes to The Rotary Foundation. “We’ve already raised $3.64 million, and we’ve only got 8,128 Club Presidents so far,” he says. “All the Governors are in, for the first time in history.”

Success in fundraising was a hall-mark of Burton’s three decades of service at the University of Oklahoma Foundation. During his tenure, he notes, the foundation’s assets grew

from $17.5 million to $890 million. But that achievement is not on the short list of his proudest accomplishments.

“There are two things I take great pride in,” he says. “One is that there was never a penny out of place — every single cent was always accounted for. The other is that, more than five years after I’ve left, except for subsequent retire-ments, everyone who was working for me is still there. I think that’s a great testament that I did something right.”

The management style that led to that success is unlikely to change much, but Burton, whose reading pleasure runs toward biographies of American presidents, believes that his experience watching and working with past Rotary Presidents will help him hone an effective approach.

“I don’t want to leave anyone out, but some of them do stick out in my mind,” he says. “Bill Boyd had a big impact on me — he’s a great communicator. I learned a lot about tolerance from Carlo Ravizza. Jim Lacy ran a great meeting and was businesslike in his approach. Jon Majiyagbe is a great role model as a gentle person with a steady manner. And then there’s

Frank Devlyn. I’ll tell you what: If you don’t like Frank Devlyn, I don’t like you. It’s that simple.”

Seeing and expressing things in simple, straightforward terms is one of Burton’s most apparent strengths. “If I had one wish for the American peo-ple,” he says, “it’s that they could go to one of the impoverished countries that Rotarians do so much work in and see how good we have it here.”

For Burton, there’s no doubt about how good he’s had it. “I’ve had a blessed life,” he says. “I had a great family life growing up, and I look at our kids and our grandkids, and I think they’ve done pretty well too. You worry about things, of course, and you want the best for your family. I think Rotary gives me an oppor-tunity to help make this world a little bit better and help give others a better life — not only my grandkids but other people’s grandkids too.”

A year from now, Burton will look back and measure his success by a stand-ard that is pure Oklahoma: “At the end of the day, I hope to leave the woodpile just a little higher.”

By John RezekReproduced from The Rotarian

Ron and Jetta Burton tied the knot 45 years ago while they were undergraduates at the University of Oklahoma. They have

lived in the same house in Norman since 1980.


Born on November 13, 1950, Rtn. P.T. Prabhakar known as PTP is one of the youngest ever Rotarians to be elected District Governor in RI District 3230. PTP is an Electrical Engineer. After working with Siemens India for 10 years and Siemens Germany for two years, he set up his own business. He is the Managing Director of P T Power Gear (Pvt) Limited, who are distributors for Siemens-make switch gears and motors.

He joined the Rotary Club of Madras Central in 1983 and was Club President in 1988–1989. He was elected Governor of the District 3230 for the Rotary year 1996–1997. PTP started the first ever Rotary Centre in Madras, which provides a common meeting place for seven clubs. In May 1993, he led with distinction, the District’s GSE Team to District 6510, Illinois, USA.

During 1996–1997, as Governor of District 3230, PTP planned and executed several outstanding projects. Notable amongst them are:

With the help of the unique Coin Scheme, he achieved a contribution of US $1,65,000 to The Rotary Foundation, which was the highest for any District in Asia Zone 6, for 1996–1997.

As Project Chairman, Rotary Central – TTK, VHS Blood Blank, he set up the most modern blood bank in Madras with the help of a 3-H Grant of US $3,00,000 by the Rotary Foundation. The total project costs is Rs.4 crore (US $8,00,000) which includes a 8,000 sq.ft modern building built at a cost of Rs.60 lakhs (US $1,20,000) by his club, the Rotary Club of Madras Central.

He is the recipient of Rotary’s highest award for service, “Service Above Self Award.”

He is the recipient of “Citation for Meritorious Service” and the “Distinguished Service Award” the highest awards given by The Rotary Foundation.

For Rotary years 2001–2003, he served with distinction, as Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator for Asia Zone 6, which has 21 Rotary Districts spread over eight countries.

For Rotary years 2004–2005, 2005–06 and 2007–08, 2008–09 PTP served as the Member, Global Selection Committee for “Scholarship Fund Pool for Low Income countries” of The Rotary Foundation. In 2010–12, PTP served as the President of Global Network for Blood Donation.

PTP is married to Ann Nalini and both are Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation. PTP and Nalini have represented the RI President, in the Conference of District 3050, in 1998, and also at the Conference of Dis-trict 5260, Los Angeles, USA, in May 2008. PTP has been elected as RI Director for 2013–15. Nalini was the District Chairman of Inner Wheel District 323 for the year 2001–02. PTP and Nalini are blessed with two sons, who are engineers, working in India and UK.

Nalini and P.T. Prabhakar

P.T. PrabhakarDirector, Rotary International, 2013–2015

District Wise Contribution Totals to The Rotary Foundation as on May 31, 2013

India

Source: RI South Asia Office

DistrictNumber

APF PolioPlus* OtherRestricted

Permanent Fund

TotalContributions

* Excludes Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

(in US Dollars)

2980

3000

3010

3020

3030

3040

3050

3060

3070

3080

3090

3100

3110

3120

3131

3132

3140

3150

3160

3170

3180

3190

3201

3202

3211

3212

3230

3240

3250

3260

3291

India

India Total

3220

3271

3272

3280

3292

South Asia TotalWorld Total

31,442

200

73,915

42,619

1,225

3,422

0

9,322

1,733

48,241

2,500

800

2,215

1,000

1,49,248

1,344

1,63,130

73,849

37

5,460

420

1,000

1,19,972

511

2,550

35,739

16,283

9,959

33,352

757

1,065

75

8,33,385

7,230

2,494

1,199

0

0

8,44,3082,39,01,267

100

3,000

19,125

887

14,346

16,992

2,533

23,715

16,497

32,911

0

2,104

1,153

1,177

77,100

5,804

61,595

89,555

400

56,100

18,372

66,276

41,885

6,000

13,252

0

23,566

2,000

0

1,414

86,912

6,84,771

31,645

17,302

3,100

29,384

11,800

7,78,0021,32,35,539

35,626

0

40,300

204

10,000

0

8,000

58,772

0

2,852

0

0

0

0

1,253

0

45,748

26,785

0

1,100

1,109

25,926

98,188

1,000

2,400

11,000

3,05,197

0

7,037

12,029

500

6,95,026

10,039

1,000

3,000

25,306

0

7,34,3711,97,39,696

2,64,640

17,678

8,48,010

1,01,328

33,113

63,198

75,654

1,89,859

63,366

1,97,138

11,217

38,624

56,800

36,882

4,42,875

1,13,029

9,87,513

2,63,999

30,613

1,11,778

1,73,991

5,88,843

6,11,936

31,440

1,61,040

1,02,895

7,76,882

97,339

83,076

80,917

1,85,696

260

68,41,629

2,23,608

29,441

48,774

6,63,698

92,937

79,00,08715,22,21,131

1,97,472

14,478

7,14,670

57,618

7,542

42,784

65,121

98,050

45,136

1,13,134

8,717

35,720

53,432

34,705

2,15,274

1,05,881

7,17,040

73,810

30,176

49,118

1,54,090

4,95,641

3,51,891

23,929

1,42,838

56,156

4,31,836

85,380

42,687

66,717

97,219

185

46,28,447

1,74,694

8,645

41,475

6,09,008

81,137

55,43,4069,53,44,629

Pakistan & Afghanistan

Sri Lanka

Pakistan

Nepal

Bangladesh


POLIOPLUS

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee at the Meet.

Today every Rotarian around the world, espe-cially in India, will feel truly overwhelmed when they realise that history

is about to be made. Polio is nearly on the verge of being eradicated, because Rotary took up this chal-lenge over three decades ago. All the great powers in the world recognise the great value of the linkage between Rotary and the Governments in this crusade against polio. The next year

will belong to Asia. India will have a chance to celebrate the announcement that the region is ‘polio-free.’

The strategy to eradicate polio was many. The formation of the Ulema Committee in India by TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan eliminated the resistance to immunisation from Muslims and expedited the process of India being taken off the list of polio endemic countries by WHO. The big-gest strategy was the unleashing of the creative potential of thousands of

Rotarians across India who took to the streets literally to create aware-ness about immunisation and assisted in every booth to administer the polio vaccine.

The Chair of the International Polio- Plus Committee (IPPC) of The Rotary Foundation, PRID Robert Scott used to come to India with a heavy heart every year to inaugurate and par-ticipate in the National PolioPlus Orientation and Planning Meet that was being organised by the India National PolioPlus Committee under the chairmanship of PDG Deepak Kapur. He had travelled across India, coming all the way from Canada, to ensure that Rotarians worked and to motivate them to finish the task of eradicating polio. During the meet-ing held on May 16 and 17, 2013, at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi, he hoped that this would be the last of such programme.

Government of India along with other Governments and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation became sup-porters for the programme with liberal grants. There was an intense Rotary-Government interaction. India had a daunting task of immunising nearly 176 million children on every NID. The National Committee Members of the INPPC were alert and had trained

JULY 2013 ROTARY NEWS 21JULY 2013 ROTARY NEWS 21

PRIP Rajendra K. Saboo addressing the Meet.

A section of the audience.

the District Governors and the District PolioPlus Committee Chairs.

Emphasising the need for improv-ing the routine immunisation pro-grammes, INPPC Chair PDG Deepak Kapur said that there were no polio cases for 26 months in India and that no virus was found in the sewages. He was happy that 17 years of advo-cacy is now bearing fruits. Stressing on the strengths of Rotary to eradicate polio, TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan said that though the weakness was

the poor routine immunisation activ-ity across India, the opportunity to eradicate polio was now here and had to be grasped.

Cautioning the Rotarians against complacency, Dr. Sunil Bahl, Deputy Project Manager, NPSP-WHO said the India Advisory Expert Group had recommended more SNIDs and also to target migrant population. At the World Health Assembly which was held in Geneva, Switzerland, health ministers from all over the world had

acknowledged the progress achieved during 2012 in bringing polio to its lowest levels. One case of polio was reported in Pakistan, three in Somalia and one in Kenya during the week and fortunately, there were no new cases from Afghanistan and Nigeria. However, in 2013 Afghanistan had two cases, Nigeria reported 24 cases, Pakistan came up with nine cases, Kenya with two cases and Somalia with four cases. Kenya and Somalia were polio-free in 2012 but have reported


cases this year. Total wild polio cases reported in May 2013 were 41 from all over the world compared to 64 during the same period last year.

The reduction in polio cases made PRIP Kalyan Banerjee speak on how Rotary’s dream of a polio-free world is becoming true. Tracing the history of the struggle against polio from 1979, PRIP Rajendra K. Saboo men-tioned that on October 2, 1994 the first immunisation programme was launched in New Delhi. He recollected how PRID Sudarshan Agarwal had helped Rotary to bring the attention of the Government of India on the vital subject of polio eradication during his tenure in the Rajya Sabha as the Secretary General. PRIP Rajendra K. Saboo said Rotary had a vital role to play in making the Government of India announce the ambitious National Immunisation Days.

Complimenting the role of Rotary was Ms. Anuradha Gupta, Additional Secretary and Mission Director (NRHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. “We have miles to go before we sleep,” said IPPC Chair Robert S. Scott who advocated setting up of a ‘Heroes Fund’ that would be used to help the families of the vaccinators who were killed by terrorists while administer-ing polio drops. His emotional speech titled ‘Pax Polio’ revolved around how there were inimical groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria who were opposed to polio vaccinations in the name of religion. These vaccinators, who were believed to be agents used by some governments to find the hide-outs of terrorists, were merely saving children by administering polio drops and hence their families needed to be supported by all like-minded people, especially Rotarians.

From top: IPPC Chair Robert Scott; TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan; INPPC Chair Deepak Kapur.


The highlight of the meet was the presentation of the Polio Eradication Champion Award to Mrs. Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi, for her support in the polio eradication programme. IPPC Chair Robert Scott presented the award at an impressive function and thanked the Chief Minis-ter of Delhi for extending the support of her govern-ment for the immunisation programme. Accepting the award, Mrs. Sheila Dikshit said that it was an honour to the people of Delhi and pledged the support of the govern-ment to Rotary in its fight against polio.

The NCMs Raman Bhatia, Siddhartha Bose, Vinod Bhatia, Sambasiva Rao, K.P. Kamaluddin, Bharat Pandya and P. Narayana were educating the Dis-trict Governors-elect and their Dis-trict PolioPlus Chairmen during the breakout sessions along with Rtn. Dr. E.G.P. Haran who gave a brief report on the certification process. During the concluding session, Ms. Pushpa Suryamurty, President-elect, Innerwheel Association of India and RI Director-elect P.T. Prabhakar also addressed the delegates.

IPPC Chair Robert Scott, accom-panied by TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan went to Lucknow after the seminar to meet the Ulemas there and thank them for their support to the immunisation programme which has resulted in con-taining the polio virus from spreading. The Principal Secretary, Health, Gov-ernment of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Praveen Kumar and Dr. Ved Prakash, General Manager of the National Rural Health Mission discussed the plans that were being made to strengthen the immuni-sation programme in Uttar Pradesh with

IPPC Chair Robert Scott and requested the help of Rotarians in maintaining the impetus that has been achieved in the surveillance programme.

Every year the national orienta-tion meet is being held at an enormous cost. Every year a duty is laid upon the Rotarians to eradicate polio, which they ought to perform promptly. This is to ensure that the burden of the mas-sive budget outlay earmarked for polio can be used for other developmental projects. This includes literacy, water and sanitation. Since India is now happily poised to celebrate the exit of polio, the work of the Rotarians is to ensure that the awareness is stepped up for routine vaccination. Rotary clubs must see to it that they do not crush or weaken or damage the Polio-Plus Committees that have been put in place. The first duty of the club is to create awareness amongst the soci-ety it serves about the need to prevent the re-entry of polio in our country.

Every NID and SNID will still be rel-evant and probably be prepared for the change in the vaccination system. The oral polio vaccine will be replaced by injectable vaccines in 2019 and that means more work. These are some of the things that Rotary clubs ought to do and not leave the others undone. Every element of advocacy is impor-tant in the coming years. Rotarians should realise that polio anywhere is a threat everywhere.

It would be an unspeakable trag-edy if the countries which have strug-gled so long against overwhelming odds to eradicate polio, should lose that victory for which they sacrificed so much. Great responsibilities have been placed on Rotarians by the swift movement of events that have led us to eradicate polio. The children of the world are confident that we will face these responsibilities squarely.

Rtn. T.K. Balakrishnan

Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Sheila Dikshit receiving the Citation from IPPC Chair Robert Scott and TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan.


Seventeen years of intensive polio eradication efforts in India that started with the first National

Immunisation Day in 1995 have finally succeeded. India has not reported any case of laboratory-confirmed polio since January 2011. Rotary has been at the forefront of this effort from the very beginning — 25 years ago when it started supporting polio vaccination programme in 1987 to last year, in February 2012, when it organised the Polio Summit in which the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared that India has been removed from the list of polio endemic countries. It is hoped that by February 2014, India will reach the milestone of three years without any detection of wild poliovirus and be certified as polio-free soon thereafter. This article summarises the process of certification.

CERTIFICATION PROCESSThe WHO has established a Global Commission for the Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis (Global Commission) which is responsible for certifica-tion of any region as polio-free. In addition, Regional Certification Commissions for Polio Eradications (Regional Commission) have been established in each of the six WHO regions and each member-country within the

region has an independent National Certification Com-mittee for Polio Eradication (National Committee).

National Committees will be responsible for assessing the documentation prepared by national staff, verifying it, where necessary, by field visits. National Committees will have no authority to certify polio eradication in any country. It will submit necessary documentation with its opinion to the Regional Commission which in turn will review and make appropriate recommendation to the Global Commission.

CRITERIA FOR CERTIFICATION OF POLIO ERADICATIONThe Global Commission has stated that WHO regions can only be certified as polio-free after all countries of the region have fulfilled the following criteria. No individual country will be certified as polio-free.• The country is free of polio for three or more years,

i.e., no indigenous wild polioviruses have been detected during a three year period in which high quality surveillance has been maintained at the level of performance needed for certification.

• The National Committee in each of the countries has validated and submitted the certification docu-

mentation required by the Regional Commission. • Appropriate measures are in place

to detect and respond rapidly to importation of wild polioviruses, that is, an emergency preparedness response plan is in place.

• Laboratory containment: A critical prerequisite for any country to be recommended for certification is that it has made a comprehensive inventory of all those laboratories that still preserve stools specimens in minus 20 degree Celsius deep freezers that could potentially carry the wild poliovirus and that appro-priate safety measures are being followed. These specimens will eventually have to be destroyed before global certification.Three of the six WHO regions

have already been certified as polio

Preparing for India to be Certified as Polio-free

WILD POLIOVIRUS CASES, INDIA, 2008-2011

2008

559 cases in

90 districts

2010

42 cases in

17 districts

2009

741 cases in

56 districts

2011

1 case in

1 district


free — North, Central and South America (PAHO region) in 1994, Western Pacific region (that includes China) in 2000 and the European region in 2005. All other countries of the WHO South East Asia region have been without polio for more than three years and waiting for India to reach that landmark so that the region could be ready for certification in 2014.

PREPARING FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF INDIA — STATUSThe Government of India established the National Certification Committee on Polio Eradication on August 7, 1998. This National Committee has been meeting regu-larly (20 meetings held so far) and has been preparing necessary documen-tation in phases. It is also planning field visits later in 2013 to all states and a sample of districts for field verification of data obtained. Since India is a large country, it was rec-ommended by the Regional Commis-sion that the National Committee should present the certifica-tion documentation in a phased manner in three groups as follows:

Group 1: Low risk states and Union Territories (UTs) 19 states and union territories with no polio cases/no importations from 2008-2011, that is no cases for over five years. These include the three southern states (Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu); seven north-eastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura); three other states (Chattisgarh, Goa and Gujarat); and all six Union Territories (Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry).

Group 2: Medium risk states 12 states that had five or less importations over a period of less than three years from 2008-2011: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, Rajasthan, Haryana, Jharkhand, Punjab, Uttarakhand,

Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh.

Group 3: High risk/endemic states Four states with over five imported polio cases during the last three years or traditionally endemic states: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Delhi.

Documentation for the first two groups has already been presented to the Regional Commission and the documentation for Group 3 is to be presented in October 2013.

India’s detailed documentation has been well received by the Regional Commission. India is on course in the certification process but maintaining the zero polio

status in the next ten months is most crucial. Potential risks include pro-gramme compla-cency, international importation, areas with low population immunity due to poor routine immu-nisation and delayed and/or inadequate response to importa-tion. It is critical that laboratory contain-ment documentation should also be com-pleted in time.

It is not over until it is over everywhere. Therefore, Rotary must continue to play its crucial advocacy and social mobilisa-tion role:

• Continue to support pulse polio rounds with focus on migrant populations.

• Help strengthen routine immunisation in high risk areas through participation in District Task Force meetings, monitoring of immunisation sessions through local volunteers and solving local problems.Rotary started this marathon race against polio and

it should be at the finishing line when the celebrations start.

Rtn. E. G. P. Haran, Ph.D., Honorary Consultant, INPPC and Member,

National Certification Committee for Polio Eradication

Group I - 19 states

Group II - 12 states

Group III - 4 states

CATEGORISATION OF STATES


In 1988, thousands of families in Sierra Leone fled their homes as the Revolutionary United Front executed its

campaign of terror against civilians. Despite the chaos, health workers and volunteers carried out National Immuni-sation Days as planned. Polio immunisation teams searched for refugees along the nation’s roadways and in the jungles. Risking their lives as heavy artillery resonated nearby, they continued on, determined to provide lifesaving drops of vaccine to every child they could find. Today, Sierra Leone is polio-free.

Because of the sacrifices of those who have participated in the global immunisation effort, including hundreds of thousands of Rotarians, polio is on the brink of extinction. Teams have conquered the disease in war-ravaged countries and in regions grappling with political unrest. Only Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan remain polio-endemic.

But obstacles persist in the final battle for worldwide eradication, and the disease has proved to be a complicated, contentious foe. Misinformation and rumours of conspiracy continue to sweep through some areas, as vicious and nimble as the virus itself. The small drops of vaccine, administered to save children’s lives, become a source of fear, and as suspicion and hostility grow, immunisers can become targets.

The frontline heroes of the world’s war on polio are its health workers and volunteers — the nurses, mothers, fathers, Rotarians and community leaders who travel door to door, in slums and in isolated villages, to carry out immunisation efforts. And with the recent murders of at least 20 health workers in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, as of 2 March, eradicating polio has become an act of courage.

Here are the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to fight polio.

IN THE FACEOF DANGER

NIGERIA Political and religious leaders in northern Nigeria boycotted the polio vaccine in 2003. They argued that the vaccine was tainted, and part of a Western ploy to spread HIV and render girls infertile. Immunisation efforts resumed in September 2004, after new tests convinced officials of the vaccine’s safety. But many Muslim leaders in the region remain at odds with the campaign, and in the crowded metropolis of Kano, deadly strikes against polio workers threaten the country’s progress. Northern Nigeria is the only place in the world where polio cases are increasing: In 2012, 122 cases were reported — more than twice as many as in 2011.


CHAD (Top Left and Right) Along the Sudanese border in 2003, more than 35,000 people from Darfur fled to the Bredjing refugee camp to escape civil war in their homeland. Harsh living conditions and poor sanitation made the camp a fertile ground for poliovirus transmission. Volunteer refugees underwent training to immunise children.

INDIA (Below) In 2007, 70 percent of polio victims in Uttar Pradesh were Muslim. By mid-2008, the proportion had plummeted to 29 percent due to a Rotary-led initiative that involved Muslim leaders in educating these communities about the vaccine’s safety.


Photographer Jean-Marc Giboux has reported on polio for 16 years, travelling through 15 countries in Africa and Asia, including Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Chad, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, to document the faces behind the campaign.

“The polio workers travel through places of desperation and distress, through every slum, war zone and refugee camp, with one mission in mind: to reach as many children as possible. No place is off-limits,” Giboux says. “They have a commitment to their cause that you don’t often see. Without them, polio eradication cannot happen. I’m proud to document their legacy.”

By Megan FerringerPhotographs by Jean-Marc Giboux

Reproduced from The Rotarian

PAKISTAN (Right) A doctor from Afghanistan teaches Afghan refugees how to immunise children against polio in the Jalozai camp near Peshawar. In December, nine health workers administering the vaccine to children were murdered. The attacks came after the Taliban blocked a planned round of immunisation efforts for 2,80,000 children, in protest of U.S. military activity in Pakistan.

YEMEN (Below) A health worker travels with a cooler filled with polio vaccine. In 2009, Yemen was declared polio-free. The country endured an outbreak of 473 cases in 2005.

AFGHANISTAN (Above) Polio transmission is restricted largely to 13 districts in the provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan in the south of the country, where reaching children is difficult due to political conflict.

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Country No. of Clubs RotariansIndia 3,183 1,23,656Pakistan 154 3,208Bangladesh 197 5,706Sri Lanka 61 1,732Nepal 83 2,683Afghanistan 2 26Bhutan 1 27Maldives 1 32Total 3,682 1,37,070

Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in South Asia

As on June 3, 2013 Source: RI South Asia Office

His classification is Medicine and serving humanity is his mission. That is what

makes PDG Dr. Rajiv Pradhan from RI Dis-trict 3132 a Medical Mission Man. For him, Rotary has given a noble purpose to his life, to serve in his community and beyond bor-ders. His medical missions are designed to ease life’s burden for others. In short, PDG Rajiv Pradhan brings hope.

Hope is an expectation of better things. When PDG Rajiv Pradhan decides to undertake a medical mis-sion anywhere, he travels to the area many times and studies the infrastructure and facilities available. For the Udhampur Medical Mission if PRIP Raja Saboo was the initiator and mentor, it was PDG Rajiv Pradhan who led the mission as Project Chairman to an outstanding success. As the chief co-ordinator, he directed and tied up all loose ends before the RI President Sakuji Tanaka and the Minister of Health, Government of India, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad came to the site. They were so impressed by the facilities put in place. The Minister of Health requested Rotary to undertake more such missions.

What keeps PDG Rajiv Pradhan going? How does he undertake medical missions in India and Africa effortlessly? It is the spark that keeps him going. He says, “Life without it is nothing more than existence in despair.” It is a state of mind that swells from within him. People who work with him in the medical missions say, “PDG Rajiv Pradhan helps in the attainment of better health. He causes hope to come to people.” It can be the restoration of vision or making the polio victim get up and walk — this Medical Mission Man is there to put the orchestra together. Big or small, every medical mission brings hope for a better life for the benefi-ciaries and the team which works with PDG Dr. Rajiv Pradhan have pride in the Rotary emblem they wear.

He wears sincerity and humility in typical Rotary spirit and always gives credit to his doctor and surgeon colleagues in the medical mission.


Medical Mission Man

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Find more great ideas at www.rotary.org/en/membershipbestpractices

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The 2013–14 Presidential Citation recognises Rotary clubs for an array of achievements that promote our member-ship growth, enhance humanitarian service through our Foundation, and strengthen our network through the fam-ily of Rotary. By qualifying for the Presidential Citation, clubs contribute to Rotary’s strategic goals and multiply the impact of their good work through the collective focus of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs worldwide.

ProcedureClubs are asked to use the following form to assess their accomplishments this year. To qualify for the Presidential Citation, clubs must complete all three required activities, along with three additional activities in each category. Clubs that complete four additional activities in each cat-egory will qualify for the Presidential Citation with Dis-tinction. Unless otherwise specified, all activities must be undertaken and completed between 1 July and 31 March of the 2013–14 Rotary year.

Clubs should complete the form and send it to the District Governor no later than 31 March. Forms sent to Rotary International will NOT be processed.

District Governors must report the names of their qualifying clubs through Member Access no later than 15 April.

Promote Membership Growth

Required activity

Attract and/or retain members to achieve a minimum net gain of at least one member between 1 July and 1 March.

Our club has completed this activity.

Additional activities

Submit 2013–14 membership development goals using Rotary Club Central.

Initiate or update a new-member welcome and men-toring programme.

Increase the diversity of your club’s membership by recruiting at least two new members who belong to a demographic group (gender, age, profession, ethnicity, etc.) that is underrepresented in the club.

Conduct a membership engagement assessment and introduce changes to maintain a member retention rate of at least 85 percent.

Adopt a programme1 for the leadership development of all members OR ensure that each club member is assigned a specific role in your club’s leadership development goals for the year, either in a leadership position or as a member of a club committee, subcom-mittee, or project initiative.

Encourage member engagement by ensuring that every member has participated in at least one service activity and one club social activity.

Organise at least one networking event in which club members can meet other local professionals and intro-duce them to Rotary.

Initiate an outreach and communication programme for club alumni OR recruit at least one Rotary or Rotary Foundation alumnus.

In this category, how many additional activities has your club completed?

(minimum of 3 to qualify, 4 to qualify with distinction)

Enhance Humanitarian Service Through Our Foundation

Required activity

Participate in a local or international service project related to at least one of Rotary’s areas of focus:2

Peace and conflict prevention/resolution

Disease prevention and treatment

Water and sanitation

Maternal and child health

ENGAGEROTARY

CHANGE LIVES

2013–14Presidential CitationPRESIDENT RON D. BURTON


Basic education and literacy

Economic and community development



Submit 2013–14 Rotary Foundation giving goals using Rotary Club Central.

Support polio eradication through a community fun-draising initiative OR implement a public awareness campaign to inform the community about Rotary’s contributions to polio eradication.

Attain 100 percent participation in Rotary Foun-dation Annual Fund giving (every active member contributes).3

Attain a minimum Annual Fund contribution of US $100 per capita.

Help secure our Foundation’s future by making a con-tribution or a bequest to the Permanent Fund.

Have at least 10 percent of club members enrolled in Rotary’s recurring giving programme, Rotary Direct.

Participate in a project funded by a global grant or packaged grant.

Sponsor a Rotary Peace Fellow OR assist another club in its support of a Rotary Peace Fellow.

In this category, how many additional activities has your club completed?


Strengthen Our Network Through the Family of Rotary

Required activity (complete one or both options)*

Hold at least one fellowship or service activity that involves all club members and their families.

Partner with a non-Rotary organisation on a service project in your community.



Define your club’s signature activity (the one you’d like to be known for in the community) and get non-Rotarians in the community to participate in it.

Use social media, such as Rotary Showcase, to regularly publicise your club’s activities, enhance public image, and recruit prospective members.

Emphasise Rotary’s unique commitment to vocational service in at least one of the following ways:4

Start a career counselling or vocational training programme and invite non-Rotarian participants from the community to attend.

1 Consider using Leadership Development: Your Guide to Starting a Program (250-EN) as a reference.

2 For ideas, consult Rotary’s Areas of Focus (965-EN).3 Consider using the EREY Club Success Booklet (958-EN) as a resource.4 For ideas, consult An Introduction to Vocational Service (255-EN).

Organise a discussion or workshop on maintaining high ethical standards in the workplace and invite local non-Rotarian business leaders to attend.

Sponsor a career day in which club members bring young people to their places of business to inform them about career opportunities.

Support New Generations programmes in at least one of the following ways:

Sponsor a new Rotaract or Interact club or support an existing one.

Pair Rotarian mentors with Rotaractors in your community.

Conduct a joint project with an Interact or Rotaract club.

Sponsor a participant in a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards event.

Sponsor or host at least one Youth Exchange student.

Support past Rotary youth programme participants and Foundation alumni either by hosting a networking event for them or by inviting them to attend or speak at a club meeting.

Have at least 5 percent of the club’s members join a Rotary Fellowship or Rotarian Action Group and con-nect with people from around the world who share their interests.

Sponsor a new Rotary Community Corps or support an existing one.

In this category, how many additional activities has your club completed?*


*If you completed both of the options for the Required activity, count one as an additional activity.

Rotary Club of

Rotary Club President

Submit this completed form to your DistrictGovernor no later than March 31, 2014.

Source: www.rotary.org


RC MADURAI NORTHWEST RI District 3000

The Rotarians brought smiles to the innocent faces

of the children of the orphanage, Sevashram when

they gifted them with new clothes.

RC MANNARGUDI RI District 2980

The medical camp organised by the club in associa-

tion with Rotary clubs of RI District 3230 provided

medical relief for the rural people of Karuvakurichi

village to a great extent.

FOCUSCompiled by Jaishree


RC GWALIOR MAHANAGAR RI District 3050

The Rotarians have adopted the 55 children resid-

ing in the slums of Jhuggi Jhopdi and are provid-

ing them education and healthcare and are also

working out ways to enrol them in schools.

RC CHOPDA RI District 3030

As an endeavour to promote education among the

underprivileged society, the Rotarians distrib-

uted uniforms to the students of Muk-Badhir

Vidhyalay.

RC VUYYURU RI District 3020

The villagers of Pydikundalapalem village would

now be able to read and write with the basic educa-

tion provided by the Rotarians under their adult

education service project.

RC FARIDABAD MIDTOWN RI District 3010

About 1,600 elderly people were screened for eye

defects at four villages. Cataract surgeries were

performed for the needy so that they may enjoy

better eyesight.


RC ANKLESHWAR RI District 3060

Under Matching Grants with RC Queenstown,

RI District 9980, New Zealand and TRF, the

club donated FECO machine worth Rs.13 lakhs

to Jayaben Modi Hospital at Ankleshwar.

RC RAJPURA GREATER RI District 3090

Wheelchairs were distributed for the orthopaedic-

ally-challenged so that they can be mobile and

independent to an extent. This would boost their

morale too.

RC UDHAMPUR RI District 3070

The club organised a four-day eye camp along

with M/s. Leighton Welspun Contractor Pvt. Ltd.

and Rotary Eye and ENT Hospital. Cataract sur-

geries were performed for the needy.

RC SAHARANPUR GREATER RI District 3080

Under Matching Grants with Rotary clubs of RI

District 5870, USA and TRF, water filters were

donated to schools to provide safe drinking water

to the students.


RC PANVEL MIDTOWN RI District 3131

Oxygen concentrator and water beds were donated

for the benefit of the AIDS patients under the care

of Jyoti Care Centre at Navi Mumbai.

RC VARANASI CENTRAL RI District 3120

Blankets were distributed to the poor residents of

Benipur village near Varanasi. This project of the

Rotarians would help them have a comfortable

sleep.

RC SHAHJAHANPUR RI District 3110

The Rotarians distributed toothpastes and tooth-

brushes to students of Satya Bharati School in

order to help them maintain healthy teeth. Aware-

ness lecture on oral hygiene was delivered at the

school.

RC MORADABAD MIDTOWN RI District 3100

The Rotarians donated a house to a widow who

has six children to support. This asset would be

of immense help to her and it would save her the

exorbitant rental expenditure.


RC SOLAPUR NORTH RI District 3132

To facilitate better comforts for people deprived of

their upper limbs, the club organised a camp to fix

LN4 prosthetic arms. This is a joint project with

RC Bangalore Peenya, RI District 3190 and RC

Capital City, RI District 3220, Sri Lanka.

RC ANANTAPUR CENTRAL RI District 3160

The club along with RC Anantapur donated

benches and desks to government schools to facili-

tate comfortable learning for the students under

Matching Grants with RI District 6940, USA.

RI District 3140

Rotary Microcredit Conference was organised

to create awareness on microcredit projects and

Rotary Microcredit scheme was launched to dis-

tribute rupees one crore to an NGO to benefit 1,000

beneficiaries.

RC KAMAREDDY RI District 3150

The Rotarians distributed English dictionaries to

students of various schools. This project costing

Rs.40,000 to the club would improve the vocabu-

lary and create interest in the language in these

children.


RC TIRUPUR METROPOLIS RI District 3202

The club has constructed a passenger shelter for

the benefit of the bus commuters to provide them

respite from the scorching sun and the rains. This

would also make Rotary more visible.

RC KOTHAMANGALAM RI District 3201

As part of literacy promotion activities, the club in

partnership with International Book Project, USA,

donated books on various topics to eight school

libraries and also to other Rotary clubs for distri-

bution to other schools.

RC SHIMOGA RIVERSIDE RI District 3180

The club donated stationery materials and fur-

niture to different schools. They also gifted bed-

sheets and suitcases to children at Sharadha Blind

School.

RC PANAJI RIVIERA RI District 3170

The club donated solar lamps that would light

up 1,200 homes of Bulanjury, a village in The

Gambia, Africa. This international project would

enhance the comforts of these villagers.


Life is pure adventure and it becomes more exciting when

you do great things being part of Rotary. People who realised this were able to treat life as art and spread the culture far and wide. The success of the Rotary clubs started in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay during the 1920s made some wise men ponder over the thought why this movement cannot be taken to other cities.

In 1938, a Rotarian belonging to the Rotary Club of Madras named Capt. Abdul Hamid talked to one Mr. Devaji Rao, a prominent citizen of Madurai about forming a club in Madurai. The British who were in

Madurai took a lead and Sir James Doak along with his friends convened a meeting in his residence. The intro-ductory talk about Rotary was given by Rtn. M.R.A. Baig from the Rotary Club of Bombay. The idea clicked and the stalwarts of Madurai including the doyens of industry such as Mr. T.S. Krishna, Mr. T.S. Rajam, Sir P.T. Rajan and Mr. K.M.S.L. Sundararaman came together with Sir James Doak, Rev. E.L. Nolting, Mr. C.V. Coulter, Mr. J.A. Andrew and others to start the Rotary Club of Madurai.

Today, after 75 years of success-ful existence, the members recollect how the club hosted dignitaries such

as Mr. K. Kamaraj, Chief Minister of Madras, Mr. O.P. Ramaswamy Reddiar, another Chief Minister of Madras, Mrs. Rajakumari Amrit Kaur, Minister of Health, Govern-ment of India, RI President Joseph A. Abbey, Dr. C.V. Raman, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Sri Jayaprakash Narayan and Mr. V.V. Giri when he was the Vice President of India. Rotary Club of Madurai sponsored the first Rotaract Club in India dur-ing 1968–1969.

After a series of bifurcations of the district from the time it was District 88, today RC Madurai is in RI District 3000. Four Rotarians

TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan delivering his speech.


from the club have become District Governors and the club has been supporting the literacy programme extensively by donating computers and related items with the support received from The Rotary Foundation and from District 3300, Malaysia. Providing clean drinking water in schools and construction of toilets in girls’ schools has been done at regular intervals. With the help of Districts 7710 from USA, the club gave a mobile van fitted with medical equipment to the ISHA Foundation which is involved in rural rejuvena-tion projects.

The platinum jubilee celebrations of the club was inaugurated by TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan at an impres-sive function in Madurai. Compli-menting the club for the inclusive growth over the past seven decades, TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan said, “We are in Rotary for service. Each day, life will send you small windows of opportunities. Your life in Rotary will not be measured by how many years your club has been in exist-ence but by how you respond to these windows of opportunities that allow you to serve humanity.”

The successful 75 years of service in Rotary has taught the members of this club a valuable lesson. They

know that the more successful they and their club become the more humble and devoted they need to be. For the Club President Rtn. Rm. Subramanian this year has been eventful. Planning and executing a platinum jubilee celebration has been a herculean task and with a galaxy of past and future district leaders attend-ing the celebrations, the event will be remembered for a long time.

The APF per capita contribution of the club which was US $101 during 2008–2009 has steadily dwindled. The membership of the club which crossed 139 during 2009–2010 has

now stabilised around 60. The all-time giving from the club has been over US $1,52,866 and with 99 PHFs and seven major donors, the club is planning to increase its support to TRF.

The members of the Rotary Club of Madurai take pride in saying that their club has sponsored 11new clubs to be chartered over the years. This is commendable. They understand that some of life’s best pleasures are its simplest ones and one among them is sharing the joy of Rotary with others. It is said that too many among us are afraid to be ourselves. So we give up our dreams to follow the crowd. Not the members of Rotary Club of Madurai. They have established their willingness to lead from the front.

Great leaders have said, “Being a leader isn’t about being liked. It’s about doing what is right.” Rotarians realise that to achieve greatness in life they should fulfill their inner call to be of service to others. Rotary clubs are built by people who felt some discontent with the way things were in the community and knew that they could do better with collective effort. That is precisely what the Rotary Club of Madurai has been doing for 75 years.


Rotarians with their family along with TRF Trustee Ashok Mahajan.

Rtn. Rm. Subramanian President, RC Madurai.

July 2013 vol1

Documents

prabhakar ri

balakrishnan ri

medicine rotary

member of rotary

appropriate image of

ri president ron

badri prasad ri

prid ashok mahajan ri