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1 3 : 5 1 : 4 2 Memorable moments

Above: RI President Shekhar Mehta met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Delhi and discussed, over a 45-minute meeting, various development programmes, where Rotary can work with the GoI. Rashi Mehta, Rajya Sabha MP PDG Vivek Tankha (RID 3261) and PDG Ashish Desai (RID 3054) were also present. Below: RI President Mehta assumes charge at the Rotary International headquarters, One Rotary Center, in Evanston, USA.

P_Wrapper_Front_Front_Inside_September 2021_2.indd 2 01-09-2021 13:51:41 Inside

12 12 Erode Rotarians build a `20-crore hospital in a record 45 days RI President Shekhar Mehta handed over a 401-bed state-of-the art Covid hospital built by Rotarians in Erode to the Erode Government Medical College Hospital.

18 18 10 years of giving hope to burn victims RC Coimbatore Metropolis has transformed the lives of over 600 burn survivors through its Hope after Fire project launched in 2012.

20 RC Delhi South launches Beti Siksha After providing scholarships to 273 girls last year, the club has expanded the project to cover 500 girls.

24 RI Prez announces recognition for 38 membership growth Under the Each One Bring One scheme, Rotarians will get special pins for introducing new members.

38 Solar lights keep elephants away in Assam villages RC Digboi installed solar street lamps in 10 villages which were frequently being attacked by elephants.

42 42 Rotary flag flutters on the Annapurna summit Bhagwan Chawale from RC Pune Gandhi Bhavan conquers the Mt Annapurna.

62 Kishori Amonkar, The Lonely Perfectionist With her unique voice, she carved a niche in classical NVTJD JODMVEJOHÜMNT

68 Chefs go down childhood culinary lane Check out these long-forgotten recipes that take 62 you through a kaleidoscope of memories of your mother’s cooking.

On the cover: RI President Shekhar Mehta with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 68

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 3

K_Inside _September 2021.indd 3 01-09-2021 14:27:06 LETTERS

Delightful tribute to Dilip Kumar

I was delighted to view the cover photo of the DEI mantra on which past president Dilip Kumar in the August issue. His memo- Holger Knaack had laid emphasis are really ry will be cherished by movie buffs. Both the important. My compliment to PRIP Saboo, obit pieces on the veteran actor are excel- who headed and encouraged medical missions lent. RI President’s message dwells on the to Africa and India to help the poor and need to keep Rotarians constantly engaged. needy. He is an epitome of dedication, and The Editor’s note on the importance of humility and his article Saluting our doctors women’s empowerment and RI Directors’ is interesting. messages on environment, membership Raj Kumar Kapoor retention and inducting more women into RC Roopnagar — D 3080 Rotary are all good. Glad to read the noble work of two I simply loved the obit feature Style, Sub- Delhi clubs in constructing a check dam in Rajasthan stance and more on the legendary actor Dilip Kumar to benefit 700 households. Saluting our doctors by written by Editor Rasheeda Bhagat. PRIP Rajendra Saboo and the services rendered by RC Kriti Makhija, RC Delhi South — D 3012 Tirupur are noteworthy. All other articles including the one on Africa’s climate crisis and a wedding reception An insight into the life of Dilip Kumar in the cover story creating a rural eye hospital in Odisha, and Club Hop is wonderful. This edition is enough for the coming photos are good. Congrats for a good job. generation to know about the veteran actor. Powered Philip Mulappone M T by the Sun by Preeti Mehra is well-written with RC Trivandrum Suburban — D 3211 primary information to set up a solar photovoltaic system at home. I fail to understand why Rotary News has given enor- Mohan P Shaji, RC Cherthala Green City — D 3211 mous coverage to Dilip Kumar. Are we running short of Rotary projects for coverage? Or Rotarians who have An excellent issue, right from serious, thought- transformed communities with their dedicated work? provoking articles to delightful pages recalling the Even Rotaractors are doing amazing work, which can great thespian Dilip Kumar with lovely pictures. be featured. These are the highlights of the August issue. The Sandeep Goel, RC Karnal Midtown — D 3080 editorial on DEI is timely and inclusion of women in sport must be taken up as a mission in Rotary Dilip Kumar was a complete actor and there is no one programmes. to match him. He really had style, substance and more; Abhay Kishore Sandwar he was stunningly handsome and a versatile actor, RC Dhanbad Midtown — D 3250 very serious and choosy when it came to accepting film roles. He was adored by all, especially Bollywood Compliments on yet another wonderful issue; I loved actresses like Vyjayanthimala, Madhubala, Noor Jehan the fact that you dared, so deservingly, to put the great etc. Noor Jehan, his heroine in Jugnu, once went to Dilip Kumar, a non-Rotary person, on the cover! This the extent of shoving others aside to hug Dilip. is what ‘regional’ really means in a Rotary regional President Mehta’s vision to empower girls and magazine! Your small but very meaningful personal

Let’s promote diversity women and they are fully involved in priority; RID A S Venkatesh stresses and women’s empowerment club activities. on transforming new members into President Mehta’s mantra to empower Col Vijayakumar (Retd) RC Alleppey fine Rotarians; RID Mahesh Kotbagi girls through club projects across India Greater — D 3211 stresses on environment-friendly ini- like scholarships, giving bicycles, toi- tiatives like tree-planting, and PRIP lets in schools; his vision to increase The August editorial on DEI inspires Saboo salutes our doctors — all worthy membership from 1.2 to 1.3 million, Rotarians to follow RI’s new mantra, messages. are noteworthy. Of the six new mem- on girls’ empowerment. President K M K Murthy bers inducted in our club, three are Mehta makes membership growth a RC Secunderabad — D 3150

4 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

G - NEW - Letters to the Editor - September 2021.indd 4 8/29/2021 9:18:25 PM LETTERS

A ‘Chak de’ moment Merit counts in Rotary News Chak de India, say Odisha girls was Thanks for publishing our work in heartwarming and inspirational. The Rotary News. Your positive and quick touches to the magazine add timing was perfect as our country has action encourages Rotarians to share value, like the apt title ‘President made great progress in Tokyo Olympics. their work through our magazine. It is Speaks’ instead of President’s Odisha has taken a lead in reviving the rightly said in Rotary circles that merit Message. RN’s continuing empha- fortunes of Indian hockey, and the wom- is the only criteria for getting published sis on range and depth of cover- en’s hockey team success story is equal in Rotary News. Thank you. I will try age of Rotary events and projects, to winning a medal. Rotary should make to do even better and come back again. along with non-Rotary subjects, it a point to empower sportswomen. Manik Raj Singla such as books, is appreciated. RC Patiala Midtown — D 3090 Thanks for the Q&A with TRF An inspiring RI President The cover story Dream weaver ignited Trustee Chair John Germ, which K L Saigal, a genius will clarify Rotarians’ doubts. my mind. The life of President Mehta is I was overwhelmed by the article on Atul Bhide, RC Thane a spectacle of true, selfless service. K L Saigal. I’d like to add that Jagmohan, Hills — D 3142 Dr Jayasekharan V P the great singer, says in his autobiog- RC Payyanur — D 3204 raphy that while learning music under I read your article on the great Shambhu Maharaj (uncle of Birju Maha- actor Dilip Kumar. The nostalgia, I salute President Mehta for his message raj), “actually a dancer but also a great memories and events are really on the environment, as ecological pro- ustaad of thumri and tappa gayaki,” he well-written. Thanks for such an jects are badly needed. As a professor, I once met a “tall man” (Saigal) learning excellent article. will educate my students on environmen- a new thumri ‘Babul mora.’” Jagmohan Uday Subhedar talism and saving our planet. too wanted to learn it, but Guruji said RC Pune Metro — D 3131 Dr A R Johnson Durai it would take 4 months. But Saigal, the RC Cuddalore — D 2981 With due respect to Dilip Kumar, genius, mastered it in just a few days. does Rotary News need film Satish Vyas heroes on the cover? Please President Mehta has given a clear mes- RC Bhavnagar — D 3060 include real heroes — we have sage about our responsibilities. We have many in Rotary — and not reel to update our projects on virtual plat- Thanks for sending three issues of heroes, as we are not a film forms. I wish him a fulfilling year ahead. Rotary News (May, June and July). All magazine. Editor, it’s all in your Indra Goenka, RC Belur — D 3291 the pictures are eye candies as they cap- hands. ture the essence of Rotary. The articles Sham Phadnis, RC Kharghar Let the better light shine by Preeti are compelling you to read them. Midtown — D 3131 Mehra offers a practical approach with Sanjay Pahuja effective solution to save energy by RC Yamuna Nagar — D 3080 Thanks for writing such a great switching over to energy-efficient LED Correction article on Dilip Kumar. It was ex- and CFL light, to save 6 per cent in our Manish Motwani is not a recipient of tremely well-written and did justice electricity bill. the Service Above Self Award (page 11). to the veteran actor. Aswini Kar, RC Bhubaneswar The information, sent by RI Communi- P N Mohan Meadows — D 3262 cations, was incorrect. RC Madras — D 3232 We welcome your feedback. Write to the Editor: [email protected]; [email protected]. I am happy President Mehta will Mail your project details, along with hi-res photos, recognise Rotarians who bring new to [email protected]. members. His message An engaged Messages on your club/district projects, information and links on zoom meetings/ Rotarian is an asset forever is timely. webinar should be sent only by e-mail to the Editor at [email protected] The Editor’s note on a more equitable or [email protected]. WHATSAPP MESSAGES world through women’s empowerment WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED. is inspiring. Click on Rotary News Plus on our website S Muniandi www.rotarynewsonline.org to read about more Rotary projects. RC Dindigul Fort — D 3000

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 5

G - NEW - Letters to the Editor - September 2021.indd 5 8/29/2021 9:18:25 PM President Speaks Remove barriers to education of girls

reetings, my dear changemak- Improving outcomes for more people the country’s Rotary clubs and its ers. I am sure you are having worldwide is possible only if countries government, has demonstrated how to Gan enriching experience as remove barriers to education for girls. scale up literacy efforts to reach mil- you Serve to Change Lives. One of the The economic argument for doing lions of children. And at a time when ways you can make the greatest change so is clear: In some countries where schools across India were closed in a person’s life is to help them learn schooling is geared toward boys, the due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the to read. Literacy opens up the world to cost of missed economic opportunity programme’s e-learning component us. It makes us better informed about is more than $1 billion per year. reached more than 100 million chil- life in our own communities and opens Empowering people through edu- dren through national television. vistas to other cultures. Reading and cation is among the boldest goals we Literacy is the first step out of writing connects people and gives us have as Rotarians. We don’t have to poverty. As Nobel laureate Malala another way to express our love for travel far from our homes to encounter Yousafzai has noted, “One child, one one another. those whose lives are being curtailed teacher, one book, and one pen can September is Basic Education and because they struggle with reading, change the world.” Literacy Month in Rotary. Enhancing rely on others to read for them, or literacy skills is critical in our pur- cannot write anything more than their suit of reducing poverty, improving own name. health and promoting peace. In fact, Starting this month, consider how if all students in low-income countries your club can Serve to Change Lives left school with basic reading skills, through literacy: Support local organ- it would result in a significant cut in isations that offer free programmes to global poverty rates. support adult literacy or local language Without education, illiterate learning, or that provide teachers with children become illiterate adults. professional development centred Today, 14 per cent of the world’s adult around reading and writing. Become population — 762 million people — literacy mentors, or work with an lack basic reading and writing skills. organisation like the Global Partner- Two-thirds of that group are women. ship for Education to increase learn- Literacy and numeracy skills are essen- ing opportunities for children around tial to obtain better housing, healthcare the world. Have conversations with and jobs over a lifetime. local schools and libraries to see Especially for girls and women, how your club can support their literacy can be a life-or-death issue. existing programmes or help If all girls completed their primary create needed ones in your education, there would be far fewer community. maternal deaths. And a child is more In India, the TEACH likely to survive past age 5 if he or programme, a successful she is born to a mother who can read. collaboration between

Shekhar Mehta President, Rotary International

6 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

G - President Message - September 2021.indd 6 8/27/2021 11:01:39 AM Who will help Afghanistan’s women?

s I watch horrific images emanating from Afghan Air Force pilot Niloofar Rahmani, who now Afghanistan of desperate women behind lives in the US, said she fears both for her family and the Aa barbed wire fence at the Kabul airport country’s women. She predicts that the world will soon screaming for help saying “the Taliban are coming for witness the stoning of “a woman in a Kabul stadium for us”, RI’s new focus on the girl child and DEI (Diversity, no reason at all”. Equity, Inclusion) gain a sharper focus. Having visited The brilliant Afghan novelist Khalid Hosseini, who and spent 10 days in Afghanistan in 2005 to report poured his heart out on the social media as the Taliban from there, my mind keeps going back to the vibrant effortlessly captured Afghanistan in a matter of days, women I had interacted with in the Bagh-e-Zanana, wrote in a Facebook post that he feels “heartbroken, an exclusive garden for women in Kabul. Four years helpless”, and worries for the “millions of Afghans who had gone by since the ouster of the Taliban, but the have fled (from their homes). Where will they go? What Afghan women continued to be haunted by their will happen to them? But I worry the most about my fel- memory, and were terrified to talk to strangers lest they low Afghan sisters. Women and girls stand to lose more be Taliban informers. But once they knew that I was than any other group. There are many lasting horrific a journalist from India, they opened out their hearts, images from the last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan: and admitted that they still had nightmares about the the public beatings, cutting off of hands, executions Taliban returning. inside stadiums, barbaric and senseless destruction of Well, the Taliban are back and in order to get historical artifacts. But for me the lasting mental picture international legitimacy are making politically correct of the Taliban circa 1990s is that of the stick-holding statements on treating women decently, allowing Talib beating a burqa-clad woman. The Taliban system- girls’ education and women in offices. But going by atically terrorised women. They took away their free- past experience and the brutalisation of the Afghan dom of movement, their freedom to work, their right to women during their reign from 1995–96 to 2001, these education, their right to wear jewellery, to grow their statements ring untrue. Abaya-clad women journalists, nails or paint them, to laugh in public, to even show including western ones, their heads covered, are their faces.” courageously out on the streets of Kabul, interviewing The title of Siba Shakib’s poignant book Afghanistan the locals and the Taliban alike. In one video footage we where God comes only to weep, comes to mind. It is can see the Taliban leader laughing his guts out when about the courageous woman Shirin-Gol, who after her a woman reporter asks him if democratically-elected village is devastated by Russian bombs in 1979, flees women politicians will be allowed in government. Then as a child to Kabul first and then ends up in a refugee he asks her to “stop the video”. camp in Pakistan, is forced into a marriage to pay off her CNN’s Clarissa Ward was also out in Kabul reporting brother’s gambling debts, and ends up selling her body from the ground and she and her crew were threatened to feed her family after her unsuccessful attempt to get by a Taliban, but managed to escape. The first woman out of the country.

Rasheeda Bhagat

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 7

P_Editors Note_Sep2021.indd 7 31-08-2021 18:25:01 Governors Council

RID 2981 S Balaji RID 2982 K Sundharalingam RID 3000 R Jeyakkan RID 3011 Anup Mittal We need to increase awareness RID 3012 Ashok Aggarwal RID 3020 Rama Rao M on organ donation RID 3030 Ramesh Vishwanath Meher RID 3040 Col Mahendra Mishra RID 3053 Sanjay Malviya RID 3054 Ashok K Mangal ot many Rotarians may be instrumental in setting up one of the RID 3060 Santosh Prdhan aware that India ranks second first-of-its-kind skin bank in Telangana RID 3070 Dr Upinder Singh Ghai Nto the United States in doing to aid burn and trauma patients. RID 3080 Ajay Madan the largest number of transplants in the While there is no data available RID 3090 Parveen Jindal world. However, there remains a huge on the rate of organ donation in India, RID 3100 Rajiv Singhal gap between those requiring transplant a huge disparity remains between the RID 3110 Mukesh Singhal surgery in India and those who get it. And demand and supply. However, with RID 3120 Samar Raj Garg this is mainly due to lack of awareness, increased awareness, we can expect a RID 3131 Pankaj Arun Shah ignorance, and access to appropriate organ larger population to donate. In 1994, RID 3132 Dr Omprakash B Motipawale RID 3141 Rajendra Agarwal donors and proper medical facilities. the Transplantation of Human Organs RID 3142 Dr Mayuresh Warke India’s organ donation is an estimated Act was passed to regulate the removal, RID 3150 K Prabhakar 0.65 per million population, and there storage and transplantation of human RID 3160 Thirupathi Naidu V is a crying need to promote awareness organs; this was amended in 2011 to RID 3170 Gaurishkumar Manohar Dhond on voluntary pledge to donate organs. address inadequacies. RID 3181 A R Ravindra Bhat The government has set up the Organ Non-profit organisations like RID 3182 Ramachandra Murthy M G and Tissue Transplant Organisation at Rotary are actively working to raise RID 3190 Fazal Mahmood the national, zonal and regional levels to awareness and simplify the process RID 3201 Rajasekhar Srinivasan address this issue. of organ donation, and also increase RID 3203 Shanmugasundaram K RID 3204 Dr Rajesh Subash There are two types of organ awareness about the need to donate to RID 3211 Srinivasan K donation, living and deceased donation. help people. We have to educate our RID 3212 Jacintha Dharma Under Indian laws, the donors and their local communities that the process RID 3231 Nirmal Raghavan W M families must agree for donating an organ. of pledging to donate is quite simple. RID 3232 Sridhar J After death, the consent of an immediate But the entire process needs to be RID 3240 Dr Mohan Shyam Konwar family member is required. Incidentally, transparent as cases have been reported RID 3250 Pratim Banerjee the Rotary Club of Pune Gandhi Bhavan, in the past of sale of organs, particularly RID 3261 Sunil Phatak D 3131, holds a Guinness Record for kidneys. RID 3262 Santanu Kumar Pani making a record number of people sign up Unfortunately, in India, only 0.01 RID 3291 Prabir Chatterjee for organ donation from across per cent of the population has shown 950 cities in 2018. willingness for organ donation and to

Printed by P T Prabhakar at Rasi Graphics Kidney donation is the give consent to donate organs. A lot Pvt Ltd, 40, Peters Road, Royapettah, most popular donation in of work is still required in this area, Chennai - 600 014, India, and published India, followed by liver and we Rotarians need to spread by P T Prabhakar on behalf of Rotary News Trust from Dugar Towers, 3rd Flr, 34, transplant, with very awareness on this crucial and Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008. few opting for heart and critical service that a human being Editor: Rasheeda Bhagat. lung transplants. Rotary can render after he or she passes on. Club of Hyderabad The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor or has also been Trustees of Rotary News Trust (RNT) or Rotary International (RI). No liability can be accepted for any loss arising from editorial or advertisement content. Contributions — original content — is welcome but the Dr Mahesh Kotbagi Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity RI Director, 2021–23 or length. Content can be reproduced with permission and attributed to RNT.

P_RI Direstors Message_Trustees list_Sep 21.indd 8 31-08-2021 18:25:33 Board of Trustees Shekhar Mehta RID 3291 RI President Dr Mahesh Kotbagi RID 3131 RI Director & Let’s aim for quality Chairman, Rotary News Trust A S Venkatesh RID 3232 education for all children RI Director Gulam A Vahanvaty RID 3141 TRF Trustee he last few weeks have Rajendra K Saboo RID 3080 been hard. In addition to the Kalyan Banerjee RID 3060 Tpandemic, we were witness to Panduranga Setty RID 3190 an earthquake in Haiti, uncontrolled Sushil Gupta RID 3011 fire in Greece and the developments Ashok Mahajan RID 3141 in Afghanistan. While our thoughts P T Prabhakar RID 3232 are with those affected, incidents like Dr Manoj D Desai RID 3060 these only reinforce the relevance of C Basker RID 3000 organisations like Rotary. Rotarians Dr Bharat Pandya RID 3141 have been working tirelessly to Kamal Sanghvi RID 3250 improve the lot of the less fortunate around the globe. Executive Committee Our commitment to world peace Members (2021–22) is stronger than ever. Peace is not just Gaurish Dhond RID 3170 an absence of war. There can be real Chairman peace only if each and every one in this Governors Council world is assured of food, clothing and propel us closer to this goal. This Anup Mittal RID 3011 shelter. There can be peace only if we pandemic may have pushed many Secretary Governors Council can create a disease-free world. There children out of the education network Ramesh Meher RID 3030 can be peace only if every one has and it is our duty to locate, identify Secretary access to affordable basic education. and put them back in school. Let Executive Committee These are precisely the areas which every child in this country have access V Thirupathi Naidu RID 3160 Rotary clubs and Rotarians are focus- to quality education. Let every school Treasurer Executive Committee ing on in their quest to make this world be a happy place that a child looks Jacintha Dharma RID 3212 a peaceful place. forward to going to. In short, let us Member To make a difference, one has to make quality education available, Advisory Committee dream big and aim higher. We cannot accessible and affordable to every be content with small changes as these child in this country. A literate popu- changes may not last if they are not lation can make a difference to several Editor significant enough. Our service has to other spheres of activity as well. Rasheeda Bhagat change lives. Large service projects, We do not know what Rotary will with significant impact, are the need of be in future but it will depend, to a Senior Assistant Editor the hour. I urge every club to set their large extent, on what we do today. Jaishree Padmanabhan sights higher and soon you will realise Let us do all we can to script our Rotary News Trust that you have found a way to reach organisation’s future. 3rd Floor, Dugar Towers, those goals. That is the magic of good 34 Marshalls Road, Egmore intent and selfless thoughts. Chennai 600 008, India. Rotarians in India have pledged Phone: 044 42145666 to make this nation fully literate and [email protected] in this month, which is designated www.rotarynewsonline.org Basic Education and Literacy month, A S VenkatesVenkateshh Now share articles from RI Director, 2021–23 let every club do an activity that will rotarynewsonline.org on WhatsApp.

P_RI Direstors Message_Trustees list_Sep 21.indd 9 31-08-2021 18:25:47 Message from TRF Trustee Chair 2022 Houston Convention If you can dream it, Cultural bonanza you can do it Miyoki Walker alala Yousafzai is a young M Pakistani activist for the edu- cation of girls and women. As a teen- ager, Malala, whom the world knows by her first name, courageously spoke out for the rights of girls to learn. Extremists in her country disagreed with Malala, and she was shot by a Taliban gunman on her way home from school. But the attack didn’t dissuade her; it made her more determined. As soon as she recuperated, she hether you are drawn to classical art or resumed her mission of education activism. Today the Malala Wcontemporary, photography or architec- Fund supports education through projects around the world. ture, Houston has a museum for you. During the Not only is Malala an inspiration for Rotary members, we 2022 Rotary International Convention, June 4–8, also have some commonalities: a drive to do what is right, a pas- plan a day trip to the city’s museum district: Its 19 sion for literacy, and the power to transform dreams into reality. museums include the Contemporary Arts Museum; One of my life mottos is: If you can dream it, you can do the Menil Collection, a 30-acre campus featuring it. This applies to everything Rotarians do, particularly with free and fully accessible galleries; and Children’s The Rotary Foundation. We literally make our dreams happen. Museum Houston, one of the best of its kind in the Like Malala, we know that literacy is, for many, the first United States. step out of poverty. To put our vision into action, we first under- With nearly 70,000 art pieces spread across three stand a community and the unique problems of its members, buildings — which are connected by interactive art and then form a partnership with them. Next we join forces tunnels — the collection of the Museum of Fine with others — exchanging ideas with clubs in other districts, Arts, Houston, ranges from ancient art to 20th-cen- and working with people and organisations outside of Rotary. tury sculptures by Henri Matisse and Joan Miró. It Our solution, in the form of a district grant or global grant, isn’t possible to view it all in one visit, so pace your- will be tailored for that community. And if it’s a Rotary grant, self and make a plan for what you most want to see. you can bet it will be well-planned, strategic, and most of all, The Rothko Chapel, commissioned by John sustainable. We want that gift of literacy to not be a one-time and Dominique de Menil, who were known as pio- book donation but a plan to transform a community over time. neers of Houston’s art scene, has been a must-see Over the years, I have seen countless literacy efforts in destination since it opened its doors in 1971. Its Rotary, from national programmes to local projects. When the 14 large abstract paintings by Mark Rothko and global Covid-19 pandemic hit last year, many clubs took action its intentional architectural choices are meant to to help communities adjust to online schooling, including pro- provoke spiritual exploration and social change. viding laptop computers. Rotary’s solutions are endless, our Ready to reconnect with nature? Head to the volunteers tireless. And if I know Rotarians, I know that more Houston Museum of Natural Science, where you solutions are being created as I write these words. can take a stroll through the Cockrell Butterfly Rotary’s passion for literacy and education projects is well- Center, peek underneath the Rainforest Conserva- known. So is our commitment to make them happen. You, tory’s waterfall, and listen to entomologists speak through Rotary, are a big part of helping people take their first about the plethora of creatures on display. And if step out of illiteracy, out of poverty, and into something much you’ve always been curious about what cricket better. Remember, if you can dream it, you can do it — just chips taste like, you’re in luck — just grab a snack like Malala. from the insect vending machine. John F Germ Learn more and register at Foundation Trustee Chair convention.rotary.org.

10 ROTARY NEWS SEPETMBER 2021

G - Trustee Chair Message + Convention - September 2021.indd 10 8/27/2021 11:07:06 AM Membership Summary As on August 1, 2021

RI Rotary No of Women Rotaract Interact RCC District Clubs Rotarians Rotarians (%) Clubs Clubs 2981 128 5,807 7.35 31 51 225 2982 76 3,373 7.03 44 97 68 3000 132 5,164 9.43 88 259 213 3011 121 4,410 27.71 68 113 36 3012 127 3,952 26.44 59 75 59 3020 76 4,255 6.51 26 166 350 3030 94 4,859 14.47 114 226 359 3040 102 2,536 14.31 40 78 196 3053 66 2,724 16.23 29 48 116 3054 183 7,345 20.12 99 167 562 3060 112 4,957 14.65 62 67 147 3070 120 3,177 15.33 34 23 58 3080 94 3,767 12.16 124 156 113 AT THE 2022 ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 3090 88 2,223 4.27 32 17 123 3100 103 2,268 9.92 8 19 146 HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA 3110 133 3,516 10.18 11 15 106 4-8 JUNE 2022 3120 84 3,397 15.96 57 30 55

Register today at 3131 135 4,900 22.8 98 223 131 convention.rotary.org 3132 88 3,355 10.25 28 122 165 3141 116 6,061 26.28 131 175 100 3142 101 3,466 20.83 74 137 80 3150 114 4,038 13.32 74 135 118 3160 76 2,439 6.85 14 20 82 3170 137 5,910 13.87 82 236 171 3181 85 3,310 8.79 31 193 115 3182 84 3,143 9.51 42 124 104 3190 154 6,155 18.23 146 187 67 3201 151 5,774 8.83 92 87 54 3203 84 4,205 7.44 71 232 36 3204 61 1,944 6.07 16 22 13 3211 145 4,642 7.76 6 24 133 3212 141 5,102 11.9 74 204 153 Rotary at a glance 3231 96 3,463 7.65 28 81 419 3232 144 7,254 16.75 105 209 97 Rotary clubs : 36,787 3240 99 3,404 15.19 55 402 214 3250 102 3,702 19.94 59 73 184 Rotaract clubs : 10,408 3261 82 2,944 17.66 14 23 44 Interact clubs : 16,393 3262 116 3,877 13.03 62 47 80 3291 163 3,901 22.46 127 93 637 *RCCs : 11,769 India Total 4,313 1,60,719 2,355 4,656 6,129 Rotary members : 1,181,919 3220 76 2,283 16.51 86 131 74 3271 122 1,984 16.43 89 134 24 Rotaract members : 221,650 3272 146 1,863 17.34 45 18 47 Interact members : 377, 039 3281 299 8,102 18.71 261 144 208 3282 169 3,800 11.55 196 46 47 As on August 18, 2021 3292 152 5,941 16.55 164 125 127 S Asia Total 5,277 1,84,692 3,196 5,254 6,656 Source: RI South Asia Office

P_Membership Details - September 2021_2.indd 11 31-08-2021 18:25:11 Erode Rotarians build a `20 crore hospital in a record 45 days

Rasheeda Bhagat

am absolutely awestruck and Totally overwhelmed at the mag- foundation takes around 40–45 days speechless... and am experienc- nitude, timing and lightning speed in a building. But here you have con- ing such a great feeling as I stand of the project, he told PDG Dr E K structed an entire building in 45 days. here before you at this wonderful Sagadhevan, RID 3203, the moving Not just the building, you’ve also hospital. A hospital that has been spirit behind the project: “You have equipped it as a hospital to the last oxy- built and equipped at a cost of not made only my day, but my whole gen supply level. This is simply remark- I`20 crore, and in just 45 days,” said year as RI president. For it takes a lot of able and I am sure it will go into the RI President Shekhar Mehta, partic- courage to embark on a project of this annals of Rotary history as one of the ipating in an event where a 401-bed magnitude and to complete it with such best projects ever done. In my 36 years state-of-the-art Covid hospital built by finesse in such a short time is not only a in Rotary, I don’t think I have seen a Rotarians in Erode was handed over Rotary feat but an engineering marvel.” single project of this magnitude.” to the Erode Government Medical Mehta said that he was a builder Another big positive was that the College Hospital. by profession and “normally, just the extra beds would allow the training

RI President Shekhar Mehta, RIDs Mahesh Kotbagi and A S Venkatesh at the hospital. Also present (from L): DG K Sundharalingam (2982), Rtn K K Vijayachandran, S Senguttuvan, PDGs A Karthikeyan (3203), E K Sagadhevan (3203), Kishore Kumar (3020), C Sivagnanaselvam (2982), P M Sivashankaran (3203), DG Shanmugasundaram (3203), DGN Dr S Sundararajan (3203) and PDG K A Kuriachan (3201).

1212 ROROTARYOOTTARYARARYY NNENEWSEWSWS SSESEPTEMBEREPEPTEMEMMBERBBEERER 20212002221

K_Erode Rotarians build a Rs 20 crore hospital in a record 45 days.indd 12 01-09-2021 10:04:50 Seated (from L): Rotary Health Care Trust President S Senguttuvan, RID Venkatesh, DG Shanmugasundaram, RI President Mehta, RID Kotbagi and PDG Kishore Kumar Cherukkumali. Standing (from L): V Rajamanickam, the Trust’s vice-president; PDG Sivashankaran (mentor); V Mohanraj (treasurer); G. Shanmugam (founder trustee); PDG Dr Sagadhevan (founder chairman); K K Vijayachandhran (joint secretary) and M K Sivakumar (founder trustee).

of 150 additional doctors through this Erode — “and people were going from raise the money — `14.5 crore for the medical college hospital. one hospital to another in ambulances, building and the remaining `5.5 crore In a lighter vein, he referred to hooked to oxygen machines, and some- for medical equipment — the builder, Sagadhevan’s speech where he had times even dying because they could Rtn K Nandagopal, an AKS member said the hospital project team had not get an ICU bed,” Rtn Sivabalan, a from RC Tirupur South, suggested decided to take it to this magnitude member of RC Erode, approached the that precast technology should be used because Mehta always urged Rotari- dean of the Govt Hospital Dr Mani. as the hospital needed to come up at ans to make bigger and bolder projects. He offered to donate 75 Covid beds the earliest. “As we had no money to “Well, I keep saying this all the time from Rotary, but the dean wondered begin with, he himself came forward and am so happy that it has made such where he would put all those beds and to donate `1 crore for this project. We a big impact here.” suggested that the Rotarians also give formed a trust — Rotary Health Care Earlier, giving details of the genesis a hospital building to put those beds. Trust — and without any hesitation of the hospital project, PDG Sagadhevan This is a teaching hospital and is located 125 Rotarians from Erode donated said that during the second wave of the in a gigantic campus stretching to 300 `5 lakh each, and we made all of Covid pandemic in May, when there acres in Erode. them trustees.” were no hospital beds available in Next, they tapped CSR funds and the region — Coimbatore, Salem and Huge CSR donations managed to get `2 crore from Shakthi Sagadhevan added that this hospital Masala group, `2 crore from the had 1,000 beds but not one was avail- Olirum Erodu Foundation, and `1 able for patients during the height crore from Nani Agro Foods which of the second wave. “We felt that if makes Aditya masala. In my 36 years in Rotary, the predicted third wave comes, this Sagadhevan is the Founder trustee, I don’t think I have seen a single region should have additional capacity S Sengottuvan, past president of RC to treat Covid patients.” The govern- Erode, is the president of the Trust, project of this magnitude. ment hospital provided the land, and Sivabalan the secretary, and everybody soon what began as a `75 lakh project who donated a substantial amount is Shekhar Mehta exploded into a `20 crore project, either an executive trustee or a trustee. RI President which included two TRF global grants He added that there were no corners totalling around `1.5 crore ($200,000). cut in equipping the hospital, and all As the Rotarians went into a huddle to the beds have oxygen supply; there are

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 13

K_Erode Rotarians build a Rs 20 crore hospital in a record 45 days.indd 13 01-09-2021 10:04:50 58 ICU beds, 58 dialysis beds. “Once Addressing the meet, Dr Mani, Covid is behind us, this will be con- dean of the hospital, said that dur- verted into a non-Covid Rotary spe- In India, we make temples, ing the second wave, as people were cialty hospital, with consultation rooms, dying for lack of hospital beds with but today you have created a four operation theatres, etc. The hospital oxygen “I was in extreme agony has been designed keeping future possi- temple of service, hope and and could not sleep. But I believe bilities in mind,” he added. healing in an incredible short in two things — prayers, and grat- Striking an emotional note, he itude. I am extremely thankful to said what had enthused the core team span of 45 days. Rotary and Rotarians who came for- involved in the project the most was ward to help us in our time of need. the thought that “this permanent hos- Mahesh Kotbagi I sleep much better now because pital will continue to save lives beyond RI Director I have an additional 401 beds, thanks our lifetime; that is our objective. As to Rotary.” we worked day and night to bring it But, he added, having built such a up in record time, there were 1,000 quality hospital, the Rotarians needed Covid cases in this government hos- RCs Erode and Erode Central thanks to do him another favour. “At some pital, and our family members were to this project.” Rotarians from other point I will go, but you should promise most anxious about the danger of our neighbouring districts have contributed me that you will maintain the hospital getting infected, but we continued and `2 lakh and joined as trustees; the Trust that you have built.” completed the project.” now has 11 executive trustees, 125 He also thanked DG K trustees and over 200 members. A temple of hope and healing Shanmughasundaram, and PDG P M He added, “We find several times RI Director Mahesh Kotbagi, a doctor Sivashankaran for their “total involve- that club members don’t contribute himself who runs a hospital in Pune, ment and support”, adding that this for projects; but this time the money said: “I am speechless, and don’t have unique project had achieved the double came in from club members in Erode, the words today. In India, we make objective of not only enhancing Rota- neighbouring clubs, our entire district temples, but today you have created ry’s public image, but also growing (3203) and also neighbouring districts, a temple of service, hope and healing Rotary. “As the construction began, with several PDGs contributing.” in an incredible short span of 45 days. many non-Rotarians contributed `5 Money has come from other countries Collecting `20 crore in 45 days is akin lakh for it, and later joined Rotary; over too; anybody from any country could to collecting half a crore of rupees a 100 new members have been added by contribute and become a trustee. day. I would urge you to add to the

RI President Mehta hands over the Rotary hospital's key to the Erode Government Hospital dean Dr Mani in the presence of RIDs Kotbagi, Venkatesh and members of the Rotary Health Care Trust.

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K_Erode Rotarians build a Rs 20 crore hospital in a record 45 days.indd 14 01-09-2021 10:04:51 existing capacity and make the area 1 lakh sqft.” Four records Recalling his own anxiety and agony during the second wave of DG E K Sagadhevan said construction was going on and Covid at his Pune hospital, Kotbagi Pthat even as the project was we have managed to enter four said that one day when one of his staff expanding, the trustees were record books, for being the members told him that “we have 160 aware that they were going largest hospital built through pre- patients in ICU and in the next four to create a record of sorts in cast technology in a record time hours we will run out of liquid oxy- building a hospital of 69,200 sqft of 45 days.” gen, my heart skipped a beat. I became in a record time of 45 days with This project has been certi- breathless when I heard this. We doc- precast, innovative technology. fied in the Elite World Record, tors are in an industry where day in and “So we applied for four records; Asian Records Academy, Indian day out we deal with people who come their representatives came and Records Academy and Tamilan with pain, suffering, agony. Creating a inspected the site even as the Book of Records. hospital is a tough job, but running a hospital and maintaining it is tougher.” Hence Dr Mani, the dean, had done a building a hospital to put the beds you building a hospital in 45 days using new very smart thing by asking Rotary to had originally offered, and come to the technology.” also maintain the hospital and “I assure rescue of Dr Mani.” Addressing the meet, TRF Trustee him that Rotary will do this.” Referring to President Mehta’s Gulam Vahanvaty said all those who RI Director A S Venkatesh, refer- oft-repeated mantra of “do more and donated for this project “have made a ring to Dr Mani’s words that he could grow more” Venkatesh said: “He is magnanimous gesture, but what satis- not sleep during the worst phase of the never satisfied with doing anything fies me is that TRF has also supported second wave of Covid, congratulated small, and he doesn’t hesitate to tell us this project by sanctioning two GGs, the Rotarians for “this amazing project. so on our face. That is the kind of inspi- each around `75 lakh for equipping the You have done great service by coming ration and motivation he has given all hospital. I congratulate you Rotarians forward to help him. A true Rotarian is Rotarians. Today you have made him for your enthusiasm and ingenuity in one, who when he sees a child not going proud by doing this project and proving coming up with such a unique project.” to a school, thinks about not just putting that if you find a good cause, the money Mehta had the last word when her in school, but building a school for will come, as it did — all of `20 crore. he said: “If there is a third wave of that child. You have done the same by And you achieved the amazing feat of Covid… I hope it doesn’t happen, but if it does, how well you would have served the community and what a huge contribution you would have made in saving lives by creating this hospital. Thank you RID Venky and Dr Saga for the leadership you provide in your region… I salute you both.” He had always maintained that “the greatest reward for service is the opportunity to do more service. And in this journey of service there are no goals to reach, only milestones to cross. Now the next project you do can’t be smaller, it has to be bigger and bolder.” If this was done, Mehta promised to come once again to inaugurate such a project during his presidential year.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat

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K_Erode Rotarians build a Rs 20 crore hospital in a record 45 days.indd 15 01-09-2021 10:04:52 RI President on the move

RI President Shekhar Mehta being received at the Coimbatore airport by PDG A Karthikeyan in the presence of PDGs A V Pathy, K A Kuriachan and Rtn S Senguttuvan. PDG Kishore Kumar is also seen. Below: (From L) RID A S Venkatesh, RI President Mehta and RID Mahesh Kotbagi enjoy a traditional meal.

P_Picture pages_RI President on the move_4.indd 16 31-08-2021 18:25:37 Above: President Mehta felicitates contributors to the Each One Bring One programme at Erode in the presence of RID Mahesh Kotbagi (third from R) and DG K Shanmugasundaram (RID 3203).

Left: President Mehta with RIDs Venkatesh and Kotbagi at the Erode hospital; (above) with RID Venkatesh at the Chennai airport.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat Designed by Krishna Pratheesh S

P_Picture pages_RI President on the move_4.indd 17 31-08-2021 18:26:03 10 years of giving hope to burn victims

Jaishree

ver 600 burn vic- the arm totally useless. “We tims have benefited have done the first stage of a Oimmensely since very major surgery and in six 2012 through Hope after Fire months, following a couple of (HAF), a unique flagship more procedures, she will be project of RC Coimbatore fine,” smiles Dr Sabapathy. Metropolis, RID 3201, being These surgeries are carried implemented in partnership out free for needy patients, with the Ganga Hospital, says Palaniappan, president, Coimbatore. RC Coimbatore Metropolis. Leading the project is club The club takes care of the member Dr S Raja Sabapathy, hospital expenses and the director of the hospital and consumables, while the head of its reconstructive sur- hospital contributes by waiv- gery wing. He points out that ing surgeons’ fees and other following a series of surgical professional charges. The reconstructions, the victims are project value until Aug ’21 able to return home in a much is `6.29 crore ($845,276). better condition and, more Successive leaders of the club importantly, able to use their have wholeheartedly supported limbs to do productive work. it through regular fundraising The 1,000th surgery under (about `3.99 crore) and the the project was performed in hospital has contributed its July ’21 on Nikki Devi by Dr services worth `2.3 crore since Sabapathy. Nikki and her hus- 2012. Until August 2021, band, both hailing from UP, 1,010 reconstructive surgeries are migrant workers settled in have been performed on 606 Erode with their two children. burn victims. Five years ago, a major fire “We are keen to not only accident while cooking left keep it going but also expand Nikki’s face disfigured. The its reach significantly to cover fingers of her left arm got many more such people. plastered together rendering Money is not a constraint.

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K_10 years of giving hope to burns victims_1.indd 18 01-09-2021 10:03:43 We want to spread awareness about HAF so that more people benefit from this initiative.

Palaniappan President RC Coimbatore Metropolis

Clockwise: Dr S Raja Sabapathy, director, Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore; Nikki Devi on whom the 1000th surgery of the Hope We want to spread awareness after Fire project was performed; Thilagavathy, a beneficiary of about HAF so that more people Hope after Fire, is now able to lead a near-normal life, partic- benefit from this initiative,” says ipating in household chores and helping her husband in his Palaniappan. weaving activities; Srija, whose feet were badly burnt, walking “Most of the fire accident survi- with special shoes after a series of reconstructive surgeries. vors wish they were dead rather than alive and face societal rejection. Disfigured and deformed, they battle depression and older people face the additional challenge of earning a livelihood,” says the surgeon. With right treatment such disfigurement can be corrected. But it requires more than just one sitting, and a lot of patience and resolve, he adds. HAF has earned accolades from senior Rotary leaders such as PRIPs Rajendra Saboo and K R Ravindran and PRID C Basker for the func- tional transformation brought about in the survivors. Most of these beneficiaries are leading near-normal lives and even contributing to the family’s financial wellbeing, says Dr Sabapathy with quite pride. “Each patient we have treated has a story to tell. But when we see the visible outcome and the immense joy the cure gives the patients and the people surrounding them, it is then we realise the power and magic of Rotary,” he adds. HAF has been shortlisted for the British Medical Journal’s South Asia Award and he is hopeful of winning it. „

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 19

K_10 years of giving hope to burns victims_1.indd 19 01-09-2021 10:03:44 RC Delhi South launches Beti Siksha

Rasheeda Bhagat

n Rotary year 2020–21, our club Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Beti members spontaneously decided Bachao Beti Padhao’, “and to further to take up a project to empower our commitment to the education and Igirls because it is common independence of women of tomor- knowledge that even after 73 years of row, we launched a project tiled Beti Independence, the birth of a girl child is ko Shiksha aur Samman. The project not welcomed in many Indian homes. had the objective to give scholarships Quite often she is neglected from birth to 200 girls from underprivileged fam- and faces discrimination, humiliation, ilies,” she says. and oppression all through; be it in her The scheme involves paying the education or healthcare,” says Kriti monthly fees of around `1,000 per Makhija, secretary (20–21) of Rotary child for 200 girls from marginal- Club of Delhi South, RID 3011. ised families to ensure they remain in Keeping in mind the kind of bar- school and achieve their full potential. riers that girls from lower-middle This project was the brainchild of classes encounter, even when it comes Anil K Agarwal, who was then the to primary education, and adhering to club’s president-elect. RC Delhi South

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K_RC Delhi South launches Beti siksha_1.indd 20 01-09-2021 10:05:20 A whopping amount of `32.76 lakh poured in; “enough to provide scholarships to 273 children, which was above our target of 200,” smiles Kriti. She says the club members worked tirelessly to get the money required from their circle of friends, family and acquaintances. “The sol- idarity amongst the members, who worked together closely for this com- munity welfare project to empower girls from needy families was exem- plary,” adds Agarwal.

has 64 members and is in its 53rd year, being the second oldest Rotary club in Delhi. “I’m proud to tell you that almost To identify the right students, 40 per cent of leadership positions in our who were not exactly poor, but came club are held by women,” Kriti beams. from lower-middle class families, at When the details of this project the same time ensuring that the candi- were discussed with club members, dates were bright and keen to pursue they embraced the project enthusias- a quality education, the club drew up tically, and “in the very first year of the a plan. “The girls we selected do not project, we received an overwhelm- actually come from slums, they are ing response from our members and above the poverty line, and are already donors, who are mostly their friends in school, but faced the danger of being and family members.” pulled out because their family were under financial pressure and struggling to pay their fees. They were actually interested in keeping their daughters in school and money was the only cri- terion between the girls and a quality education,” she adds. The scheme itself had clear guide- lines; the beneficiaries had to have merit and a decent academic perfor- mance record, be from Class 6 to 8, and score consistently at least 65 per cent in their results. “Or else, they should have extraordinary talent in fields such as arts, sports, music etc. And the family income of the student should not exceed `20,000 a month,” says Agarwal, the club president. The girls selected for scholar- ships were from NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Committee) schools, and the Rotarians reached out to the NDMC to identify 200 meritorious

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K_RC Delhi South launches Beti siksha_1.indd 21 01-09-2021 10:05:20 girl students from the NDMC schools in the locality. Once the 200 girls were identified from about 23 NDMC schools, the club started paying the monthly fee of `1,000 from Jan 2021. What is admirable is this project is both long-drawn and sustainable. “We have decided that once we pick a girl for scholarship, we will see her through high school,” says Kriti. To ensure that the child continues to do well in her class, once the Covid restrictions are lifted, a group of Rotarians who form the core committee of this project, will meet the beneficiaries at regular intervals and monitor their progress. “We will receive the quarterly report card of every student supported by we could support a much smaller num- market; learn socio-emotional and life us, so we can track their progress and ber of really talented girls through col- skills necessary to navigate and adapt support them with any intervention, lege or a vocational training course,’ to a changing world; make decisions where required. We will also remain she responds. about their own lives; and contribute in touch with their teachers to identify Incidentally, both Agarwal and to their communities and the world.” their needs and progress.” Kriti have really worked hard for the Towards this goal, in RY 21–22 the Both Agarwal and Kriti are pas- Beti Siksha project, and raised almost club plans to implement another layer sionate about their project and want it to 80 per cent of the funds finally put of support… career counselling for girl be a sustainable one, with the objective together. “We are happy to note that students from 10th–12th classes to guide of seeing the girl complete her school- with our support, their needs such as them in choosing and planning their ing. So will the brighter ones be helped Wi-Fi for online classes, books, course future — either further education or through college also, I ask Kriti. materials, stationary etc are being choosing their area of work. “We are “We have not yet thought about met,” says Agarwal. also evaluating the possibility of tying that. In the second leg, we want to get As a girl child education goes up with institutions to get psychomet- those who reach high school, some beyond schooling and towards mak- ric testing done for girl students to be counselling for vocational training ing her independent and empowered, able to identify their core strengths and so that they can be financially inde- the club members also realised the areas of interest,” she added. pendent. But yes, in the near future we importance of imparting knowledge The gung-ho core committee might come up with a project where and skills “to compete in the labour members of this project plan to expand it to include 500 or more girl students in 2021–22. “This will empower the young girls to get proper education, know, understand and avail govern- ment schemes/benefits which are available but often go begging because of lack of awareness.” Through this project the hope is a spiral-down effect — late marriage and hence prevention of motherhood at a young and tender age, better nutri- tion and healthcare, few children, and overall empowerment of women. „

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K_RC Delhi South launches Beti siksha_1.indd 22 01-09-2021 10:05:21 Gordon McInally selected 2023–24 RI President

ordon R McInally, a member of meetings remain important, as they GRC South Queensferry, Lothian, encourage greater interaction.” Scotland, is the selection of the The best way to increase mem- Nominating Committee for President bership is engagement, according to of Rotary International for 2023–24. He McInally. To better support clubs, he will be declared the president-nominee says, Rotary International, regional lead- on October 1 if no challenging candi- ers and district teams all need to engage in Edinburgh. He was the chair of the dates have been suggested. with them. Engagement through social British Paedodontic Society and has McInally lauded Rotary’s ability to media will reinforce Rotary’s brand held various academic positions. He has adapt technologically during the Covid-19 and showcase the opportunities that also served as a Presbytery elder, chair pandemic, saying the approach should come with it. And engagement with of Queensferry Parish Congregational continue and be combined with the best governments, corporations, and other Board and commissioner to the church’s of our past practices as Rotary seeks to organisations will lead to meaningful general assembly. grow and increase engagement. partnerships. With better engagement, A Rotary member since 1984, “We have learnt there is a willing- “we will grow Rotary both by way of McInally has been president and vice- ness within communities to care for membership and in our ability to provide president of Rotary International in one another,” he says, “and we must meaningful service.” Great Britain and Ireland. He has also ensure that we encourage people who He adds, “Membership is the life- served as RI director and as member or have recently embraced the concept of blood of our organisation. I would chair of several committees. He is cur- volunteering to join us to allow them to encourage the use of the flexibility rently an adviser to the 2022 Houston continue giving service.” now available to establish new-style Convention Committee and vice-chair McInally says that senior leaders’ clubs that would appeal to a different of the Operations Review Committee. ability to communicate directly with demographic.” McInally and his wife, Heather, are club members online will be one pos- McInally, a graduate of dental sur- Major Donors and Benefactors of The itive legacy of the changes Rotary has gery at the University of Dundee, owned Rotary Foundation. They are also mem- had to make. But, he adds, “face-to-face and operated his own dental practice bers of the Bequest Society. „

Medical equipment for Covid centre in Mumbai Team Rotary News

edical equip- its Covid care centre in ment worth Vashi, Mumbai. This M`20 lakh were project was done with were handed over to the “This CSR activity donated by RC New support from GN Hearing corporation commissioner is a good example of Bombay Seaside, RID India which had donated Abhijit Bangar by DG organisations coming 3142, to the Navi Mumbai for this cause under Mayuresh Warke and together to do something Municipal Corporation its CSR funding. The Sunil Vinzanekar, MD of good for the community,” for treating patients at critical care equipment GN Hearing India. said the DG. „

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 23

K_Gordon McInally selected to be 2023-24 RI President_1.indd 23 01-09-2021 10:04:45 Rotary Prez announces recognition for membership growth

V Muthukumaran

etting a three-point working girls and Rotary Days of Service, in If only each club adopts EOBO, “we agenda for Rotarians in zone- which clubs can unite to showcase can grow more to do more and really 4, 5, 6 and 7 (Indian subcon- signature projects of their district move mountains,” he added. Stinent) for his presidential once every quarter to enhance Rota- Recalling his meeting with UP year, RI President Shekhar Mehta ry’s public image at a mega event in chief minister, the MoU with Haryana declared that EOBO (Each One Bring which non-Rotarians participate in government, the e-learning content for One) pins and ‘thank you’ certificates large numbers. 1,000 schools in Punjab; and the resolve will be given to those who bring in During his visit to the installation to do 10 per cent of GoI’s projects in new members. The thank you note events at RIDs 3011 (Delhi), 3141 check dams and water bodies in the will be signed by Mehta and RI gen- (Mumbai), and 3131 (Pune), he had next five years, he said he will be writ- eral secretary, and those who bring 25 persuaded the new governors to raise ing to PM Narendra Modi on Rotary new members will have their photos their membership target to over 2,000 India’s ambition to usher in Saakshar displayed in the Virtual Hall of Fame net growth (for each district) this year, Bharat (literate India) by 2025. at the RI headquarters in Evanston. he said. “While we have added 40,000 Mehta urged governors to seek the In a freewheeling tete-a-tete over new members in the last 10–12 years, help of Rotary India Literacy Mission zoom with DGs, zonal and district we have inducted over 10,000 Rotari- (RILM) and Rotary India Humanity membership coordinators, regional ans last year (2020–21) alone across our (RIHF) for getting sponsors and find- leaders and club presidents, Mehta four zones.” And in the first 25 days of ing the right resource persons for pro- called upon them to also focus on two the current year, the zones had already ject implementation across Rotary’s other prpriorityiority areas — eempoweringmpowering inducted over 10,00010,000 new members.members. seven focus areas.areas. WhileWhile servservinging hhumanityumanity iiss Rotary’sR business, “membership“membership is our greatest asset andand ggetsets tthehe highhighestest prpriorityio as it is thethe rawraw materialmaterial withwith whichwhich wew come outout with our finished producproduct,t that is, service,”service,” saidsaid PRID KamalKamal Sanghvi,S

RI President Shekhar Mehta (R) with RID A S Venkatesh.

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K_Rotary Prez Shekhar announces recognition for adding members_1.indd 24 01-09-2021 10:05:36 membership chair at RI. The new man- tra in the bylanes of the Rotary world is EOBO and “our zones have risen up to his challenge as in just one month (Jan 23-Feb 23, 2021) we inducted over 6,000 new members under the Paul Harris Membership Challenge.”

NextGen clubs Calling for a flexible approach in form- ing clubs, he said, “each district must have at least 10–15 e-clubs as we are opening up to diversify our membership under the new DEI (diversity, equity, inlcusion) policy. We need to bring in more women in our clubs as they form just 24 per cent of our global member- RID Mahesh Kotbagi (L) with PRID Kamal Sanghvi. ship as against 48 per cent of the world population. In India, women’s member- coming out with a game-changing Empowering girls ship is much lower at 14–16 per cent.” concept,” he said. Rotarians can also In his presentation, RID A S Venkatesh He mooted the idea of forming Rotary refer their relatives and friends in other said 132 million girls dropped out of clubs in apartment clusters and residen- cities and towns for membership and school in the last few years across tial colonies as part of diversification. get duly rewarded, he added. India, which was an alarming situa- Sanghvi urged DGs to “excite the tion. All the focus areas of Rotary can Rotaractors” to join Rotary clubs and Sync data with websites be leveraged to empower girls. These impress each of them to bring at least For clubs to get RI recognition, they have include sending them back to school one Rotarian and a Rotaractor. “We to sync all their uploaded data (mem- through the Asha Kiran programme, need to be consistent in increasing our bership, projects and programmes) distribution of educational aids, build- brand messaging and visibility through on rotary.org with rotaryindia.org by ing gender-segregated toilets, gifting high-impact projects and showcasing using the authorised vendor Roster on bicycles and installing solar lamps in our work to a larger audience.” To Wheels, said RID Mahesh Kotbagi. rural homes. “The three As — availa- retain members, club presidents must Clubs must actively upload their pro- bility, accessibility and affordability — give opportunities for members to get jects and performance at rotaryindia. are critical elements for any project to involved in service projects. org, he said, and added that from Aug empower girls/women,” he said. Also, Rotarians, clubs, DGs and dis- 19, a Master Class programme will be skill development programmes can be trict membership chairs (DMCs) who held every Wednesday for DGs, district designed to provide a regular source of bring in new members will be given leaders and club presidents on making income for them, he said. appreciation letters signed by Mehta effective use of this portal and the A range of advocacy programmes with recognition pins of graded value Rotary India App. such as talk shows, rallies, nukkad (Level-1, 2, 3 etc) based on the num- Another priority area is Rotary performance, puppet shows and flash ber of new members they sponsor over Days of Service in which during every mobs can be implemented with the time. Likewise, star certifications with quarter, a few clubs may join to show- help of Rotaractors, said Venkatesh. pins will be given to DGs and DMCs case a mega project of the district for Mehta intervened to point out that if they form 10 new clubs and in mul- the benefit of the larger public as this DGs can share ideas and give sug- tiples thereafter. Districts and clubs would boost the public image of Rotary, gestions on means to empower rural that achieved 100 per cent retention thus attracting new members in the pro- women by uploading their views and will get a specially-designed pin with cess. Each district or a group of clubs plans on rotaryindia.org. Around certificate signed by RI president. can host 3–4 such events in a quarter so 1,200 club presidents, PDGs, gover- “EOBO has become the new reli- that the general public can appreciate nors and Rotary coordinators took part gion of Rotary; thanks to Mehta for the work being done by Rotary. in the webinar. „

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 25

K_Rotary Prez Shekhar announces recognition for adding members_1.indd 25 01-09-2021 10:05:36 Obit

architect and civil engineer, new millennium, it became A Marathon Man he would check the feasi- a very significant year. At bility at Barcelona and if his International Assembly Rajendra Saboo the venue was Orlando, he he announced the forward would help in site logistics. looking theme “Rotary 2000: I had full confidence in him Act with Consistency, Credi- ver energetic and district governor in 1977–78. and his multipe skills. bility, Continuity”. E enthusiastic, never I was district governor in In the meanwhile, Carlo chose Jonathan tiring, physically and 1976–77 and we met around Carlo’s Rotary career got Majiyagbe, who later emotionally, a man of a long that period. I was Rotary disturbed. For RI president became RI president, as race, was Carlo Ravizza. International director in (1993–94) his name was his aide. Carlo had been Possessing multi-skills, 1981–83 and he in 1984–86. proposed by his district. impressed by Jon’s per- some of them family traits, During these years we had Instead, Robert Barth of formance as TRF trustee he had an active 96-year life frequent interactions. I used Switzerland got nominated. appointed earlier by RI span. I have always enjoyed to travel to South Germany I, as RI president, was President Robert Barth. Also his company as a compan- on business through Zurich. attending the combined Carlo and Jonathan were ion and co-traveller on his Frequently, I would break Rotary Institute for RIBI and good friends. Carlo confided Rotary journey. for 2–3 days in Luzern in Europe in 1991 at London. that he wanted to have an Carlo was born in Switzerland. Carlo had his Carlo expressed to me his intellectual, enlightened Milan, Italy to a prosper- home and office around total disappointment. Speak- and knowledgeable Rotary ous family. His father, also Luzern, and I would visit ing at the Institute, he openly leader from Africa. Jonathan Carlo, was born in St Gallen, him for lunch. If Usha was expressed his emotions of filled that slot and became Switzerland. Carlo senior with me Rossana would depression with tears in his confidant and adviser. migrated to Milan after also join. And they enjoyed his eyes. Later, I consoled As RI president, Carlo World War I. Growing up in cooking vegetarian food him that with his qualities flowed the idea of a three- a bilingual environment and for us. Of course, we talked and experience he surely year term for an RI president attending different interna- substantially about Rotary, would get the chance when in the future. The idea was tional schools, Carlo become including its philosophy. We the Nominating Committee incompatible. Nonetheless, a linguist and quickly both shared the feeling that would think of Europe. that was his vision. learned French, English Rotary had been a teacher He did get nominated in Carlo visited India and Portuguese. Carlo’s in life. 1998 to become the RI pres- many times. He was father was an architect, When I got nominated ident for 1999–2000. In fact, passionate about polio and his son inherited the as RI president I had to this, being the advent of the eradication. India was business as also the values quickly decide the Con- of honesty and integrity. vention committee. The Expanding his undertaking, Convention was originally and facing tension, at times slated to be in Barcelona he neglected his family. but the city was not ready A friend advised him to join and likely it would be Rotary to ease his tension. changed, the alter- Thus, in 1971 he became native option being a member of the Rotary Orlando, Florida, US. Club of Milano Sud-Ovest, I appointed Carlo Italy. Soon he became its vice-chairman of the president for 1972–74, and Convention. As an

PRIP Rajendra Saboo with PRIP Carlo Ravizza and his wife Rossana during one of their visits to Delhi.

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P_A Marathon Man.indd 26 31-08-2021 18:24:48 PRIP Ravizza, as TRF chair, along with the then RI President Glenn Estess (fourth from R), at the RI Presidential Polio Summit held in Delhi in 2004, for which the then President of India Dr A P J Abdul Kalam was the chief guest. Also seen (from L): Vinita Gupta, PRIP Saboo, Rossana, PRID Sushil Gupta, PRID Sudarshan Agarwal and PRIP Kalyan Banerjee.

the world capital of polio residence at Ambala. We The couple stayed under and sincerely thanked me for virus transmission and stayed in Delhi and watched Shekhar’s care visiting the advice. Carlo visited it before the famous Republic Day projects and inaugurating a I knew Carlo as a getting into the presidency parade. Rotary hospital. practical visionary. He circuit. Carlo and Rossana Carlo as RI presi- As TRF chair he came had a vision and being a came to attend the Rotary dent-elect went to Pakistan to Delhi to attend the RI civil engineer realised that Institute 1998 under the in January 1999 and on Presidential Polio Summit visions need foundation chairmanship of Kalyan Jan 29, from Lahore they in August 2004, joining on reality. Yet he never Banerjee, then RI director. crossed the Wagha (Attari RI President Glenn Estess. compromised his ideals. They arrived few days border) and DG Riaz and The event was held under At times he was misunder- earlier to attend the 7th DGN Akhnoor bid them the leadership of then RI stood as rough but within Rotary Awards for Service farewell. With DG Arun Director Sushil Gupta. he had an angelic heart. to Humanity on Dec 9, Kapur and other District President of India A P J Rossana always neutralised 1998. After the Institute 3070 leaders, and their Abdul Kalam was the chief his exterior. She has been Carlo and Rossana left wives, I received them. They guest and PRIP Banerjee an extremely warmhearted for Italy. walked a few metres from was also there. We visited person. She always called Within a few days, Pakistan to India and at both the President of India me Mr President. Usha and Carlo, with Rossana, common land, got the saluta- and also Prime Minister I remember the couple as returned as RI presi- tion from the border police Manmohan Singh. one of our best friends. dent-nominee to attend of both the countries. After Carlo had come to Once in Evanston, I the CoL in Delhi from Jan a big meeting in Amritsar attend the Rotary Institute in asked him where he went 12–16, 1998. Thereafter, as Carlo and Rossana, escorted Chennai in December 2002. for his morning walk. He friend, Carlo and Rossana by me, took the Shatabdi Addressing the audience, said, “To Chicago, about came to Chandigarh. He to New Delhi. DG Sanjeev mostly past governors, he 15 miles away.” On asking did participate as chief Khanna, Sushil Gupta, DGE said, “I have done 55 district how did he return, he guest at the installation Ranjan Dhingra and other conferences as RI presi- replied, “Same, walking.” of an Interact club in a Rotary leaders received us at dent’s representative….” Indeed, Carlo was a mara- school and also at the the station. Later, as a friend, I told thon walker. Not winning career seminar. They Carlo as RI president him that most of the past against anyone but challeng- left Chandigarh for came to Kolkata on April 2, governors had not served as ing himself. He was truly a Delhi, accompanied 1999, and was received by RI president’s representative marathoner in life. by me, and we halted RI President Shekhar Mehta, even once. He immediately The writer is a at late PRID Y P Das’s then DGE in Carlo’s team. realised what he had done past RI president

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 27

P_A Marathon Man.indd 27 31-08-2021 18:25:00 Home turf bids adieu to President Shekhar

Rasheeda Bhagat

t a glittering, gala event organised in Kolkata by the chairman of global Amembership Kamal Sanghvi, senior Rotary leaders from India felicitated RI President Shekhar Mehta and Rashi on the first day of his assuming charge as RI president. The participants included RI Director Mahesh Kotbagi and his wife Amita, TRF Trustee Gulam Vahanvaty, several district governors, past district governors and mem- bers of Rotary Club of Calcutta Mahanagar, Clockwise: RI President Shekhar Mehta launches RC Calcutta Mehta’s home club. Mahanagar, his home club’s MHM programme by distributing Responding to the warm wishes and enco- menstrual hygiene kits to adolescent schoolgirls. Rashi, Amita and miums showered on him in an event filled with RI Director Mahesh Kotbagi are also present; PDG John Daniel nostalgia, walk down memory lane, music and with Shobha Kishore, Amita, Rashi and Sonal in an entertainment dance, Mehta was, for a moment, at a loss for programme; An invocation dance; RI President Mehta and Rashi greet words. But he soon regained his composure, the delegates; Rashi gives a piece of cake to PRID Kamal Sanghvi. reiterated his dreams for Rotary — a much TRF Trustee Gulam Vahanvaty, Amita, Sonal, RID Kotbagi and RI higher membership achieved through the “Each President Mehta are also seen. one bring one” initiative, bigger and bolder projects, working passionately and relentlessly to take Rotary’s public image to a pinnacle, so that it becomes the NGO of choice for those who want to help the less fortunate. Mehta said that though he would be leav- ing for Evanston in a week or two, he would continue to live up to his reputation to wake up many of them late at night to discuss ideas and projects he had in mind for Rotary. He thanked everyone present at the meet for their support to him, without which, he said, he would not have made it to RI’s top- most post.

P_Picture pages_Home turf bids adieu.indd 28 31-08-2021 18:25:33 P_Picture pages_Home turf bids adieu.indd 29 31-08-2021 18:26:03 From left: RID Kotbagi and Amita being felicitated by PDG Kishore Kumar and Shobha; (From L) PRID Kamal Sanghvi, Amita, Rashi, RI President Mehta, RID Kotbagi and Sonal.

Below: RID Kotbagi and Amita with PRID Kamal Sanghvi and Sonal.

P_Picture pages_Home turf bids adieu.indd 30 31-08-2021 18:26:08 RI President Mehta and Rashi.

Above: RI President Mehta and Rashi pose for photographs with district leaders.

Left: (From L) PRID Kamal Sanghvi, RID Kotbagi, RI President Mehta, Rashi, Amita, Sonal and Shobha.

Pictures: By special arrangement Designed by Krishna Pratheesh S

P_Picture pages_Home turf bids adieu.indd 31 31-08-2021 18:26:09 Rotary-Rotaract synergy in RID 3291

Jaishree

otary clubs in RID 3291 thanks to PRIP Barry Rassin who more Interactors and Interact clubs. are creating a role model formally proposed the move for This becomes easy as Rotaractors by associating with Rota- Rotary membership to include both can connect easily with schoolchil- Rract clubs to implement Rotary and Rotaract and batted for dren,” says Nag. On the other hand, service projects and design various Rotarians to treat Rotaractors as PDGs have been appointed as chief programmes. “It has been an exciting equals and engage them in their advisors and mentors at the district journey for Rotaractors since the start community activities. The fallout Rotaract council. of this year,” says DRR Arka Kumar of the CoL saw several positive Rotary and Rotaract clubs are Nag as he leads the district’s Rotaract policy changes including one which working together in three significant team to work with Rotarians. He was encourages Rotaractors to serve service projects in RID 3291 — invited as a guest of honour for the alongside Rotarians on district and a mega blood donation camp; an installation of DG Prabir Chatterjee RI committees. empowerment programme for girls/ and a special guest for the installation Each of the 18 Rotary commit- women called Veerangana, that of 15 Rotary club presidents, all of tees in RID 3291 has a Rotaractor includes life-skill training, self- which he considers a “great honour”. as co-chair. “This has enhanced the defence workshops and legal coun- Rotarians have also attended his morale of Rotaractors. It gives us selling; and the Hariyali project that installation as DRR, he says. an opportunity to contribute effec- aims to plant 10,000 saplings across Rotaract’s elevated status was tively to Rotary’s overall goals. the district by the year-end. “It was a landmark decision approved by For instance, the co-chair of the good to accompany our DG and the 2019 CoL to make Rotary more Rotary Interact Committee who is a assistant governors to various project appealing to young professionals, Rotaractor is responsible for adding sites. I have learnt a lot from such visits on designing and implementing service projects, choosing deserving beneficiaries and sourcing supplies at competitive rates.” The Rotary-Rotaract team is setting up a high school for tribal children at Pakur village. The school will be run by a Christian missionary and will have houses (groups) named after the four Indian RI presidents — PRIPs Nitish Laharry, Rajendra Saboo, Kalyan Banerjee and RI President Shekhar Mehta, and the auditorium will be named after Paul Harris. The foundation for the school DRR Arka Kumar Nag (R) with RI President Shekhar Mehta and was laid in mid-August. RID 3291 DG Prabir Chatterjee (L). Nag, a dual member, joined RAC Tollygunge in 2017 and served as its

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K_Rotary-Rotaract synergy in RID 3291_3.indd 32 01-09-2021 10:05:47 DRR Nag and DG Chatterjee in one of the Veerangana programmes of the district.

president for three consecutive years. club, RC Tollygunge, and the state more Rotaractors into Rotary as dual He joined RC Tollygunge this year Labour department.” members. The district had 47 dual as a Rotarian and serves as the club’s Other Rotaract projects done dur- members last year and he is hopeful Conflict Management chair. He is an ing his leadership include fixing 500 of adding a considerable number this advocate by profession. taps and controlling flow of water year. “We have a target to increase As a Rotaractor he led his club from the open pipes across Kolkata; Rotaract membership to 1 million by to honour the artists who make providing books in Braille and white 2029. When I updated the president huge Durga idols for pandals across canes to the visually-challenged; and that we Rotaractors will also work Kolkata during Durga Puja. “We did creating legal awareness in the com- on Each one, bring one (EOBO), this with guidance from our parent munity in association with RotaLaw he modified it as EOBOR — that (Research Organisation for Teaching is each Rotaractor bring one dual and Advancement of Law). member to Rotary. Then both Rota- As DRR his agenda includes ract and Rotary membership will organising eye wellness camps increase,” says the DRR. The co-chair of the Rotary throughout the year and distribut- Nag is keen on Rotaract brand- Interact Committee who is ing spectacles. “Initially we have ing and plans to enhance Rotary begun eye-screening for police and Rotaract’s public image in all a Rotaractor is responsible personnel and municipal corpo- possible ways. The Rotary-Rotaract for adding more Interactors ration workers in Kolkata and the clubs are planning to distribute Sundarbans. We aim to donate benches and desks to schools as and Interact clubs. This 20,000 spectacles through our suggested by Rotaract co-chair Ravi becomes easy as Rotaractors Rotaract clubs and based on the Vadlamani. All the furniture will can connect easily with programme’s success, RI President sport the Rotary and Rotaract logos. Mehta has promised to help us The logos will also be printed schoolchildren. expand it nationwide,” he says. on the tree guards to be installed Encouraged by Mehta’s sug- around each of the 10,000 saplings gestion Nag is batting to transition to be planted. „

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 33

K_Rotary-Rotaract synergy in RID 3291_3.indd 33 01-09-2021 10:05:48 Eco-friendly stoves in Nashik villages Kiran Zehra

A woman using a bronchodilator to breathe easy. Women in villages near Nashik were found to suffer from various lung-related ailments due to long-term use of firewood-based stoves.

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K_Eco-friendly stoves in Nashik villages.indd 34 01-09-2021 10:04:43 Members of RC Nasik after distributing smoke-free stoves in a village.

moke-free chulhas (cook- to reach government schemes to poor houses came down to 1.5kg from 5–7 ing stoves) in Zari, Ambas, households. Reaching LPG cylinders kg. “Women using the new stoves SBehedpada, Navinpada, and to them is also difficult when people were thrilled and the village head- Palshikhurd villages near Nashik, have to travel several kilometers on men requested that all households — Maharashtra, have improved the bad roads,” says Praful Bardiya, in around 250 — be provided with these lives of village women by drastically charge of CSR projects (2020–21). new stoves.” reducing toxic indoor air pollution and A year ago, when the club did a life The club’s CSR team roped in eliminating firewood. All thanks to RC sustainability survey in the five ham- Autocomp India which contributed Nasik, RID 3030, that distributed 250 lets, they found a direct link between `3 lakh to purchase new smokeless smoke-free stoves to these villages. the villagers’ health and the rapid stoves from a local dealer. When the Located 150km from Nashik, there deforestation. “Women complained of lockdown was lifted in June 2021, IPP is no black-topped road to connect blurred vision, cough and chest conges- Mugdha Lele and Bardiya, along with with these villages, which are tucked tion. We were shocked to find that the a few club members and company offi- in the heart of the Peth forest, a part smoke was affecting infants too,” says cials, distributed the new stoves to ben- of the Western Ghats. “The amount Vivek Pendse, former club director, eficiaries. “This project has improved of firewood consumption for cooking Village Adoption. The study revealed our women’s quality of life as they are has increased over the years, which that a large number of trees were felled no longer exposed to smoke or other is worrisome, and the lack of pucca for use as firewood for cooking. “There noxious fumes,” smiles Nanda, a home- roads makes it logistically challenging are 50 houses in each village and on maker at Ambas village. In each ham- average, each of them requires wood let, close to 1,000 villagers will benefit from three trees a year. Which meant from this eco-friendly project. Moreo- that 150 trees were being cut down in ver, thousands of trees were saved from these villages annually,” he adds. being axed,” smiles Pendse. By switching over to Following this study, a series of the new eco-friendly meetings was held with the villagers, Covid vaccination camp especially the women, to sensitise In a joint initiative, RC Nasik’s Rotary stove, the daily firewood them about the health hazards from Charitable Trust, HCG Manavata consumption in these traditional stoves. Using club funds, Hospital and Indian Valve carried out a two smoke-free stoves were given to vaccination drive in which around 630 houses came down to two families in each of the villages underprivileged people were vaccinated. 1.5kg from 5–7 kg. as a pilot project. By switching over A team of 40 Rotarians and 10 Rota- to the new eco-friendly stove, the ractors from RAC JDC Bytco College, daily firewood consumption in these Nashik, implemented the project. „

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 35

K_Eco-friendly stoves in Nashik villages.indd 35 01-09-2021 10:04:43 RID 3141 builds low-cost houses for Palghar villagers

Team Rotary News

n ambitious low-cost housing Khosla was assigned the task of was willing to work under the existing project Aashiyana of RID initiating the project by contacting terms of the housing scheme. District A3141 for Adivasi families the local authorities for permission, secretary Anil Jain devised a “brilliant living in mud-reef huts across various roping in architects and selecting idea of conducting a fundraiser called padas (hamlets) in the Palghar district the building contractors. Before the ‘game of housie’ that was played of Maharashtra has so far completed initial forays, he had to convince the across the district by rolling the dices. 110 pucca, concrete houses, while Adivasi beneficiaries to take advan- And one of the conditions is that to 215 units are under construction. The tage of the Pradhan Mantri Awas participate in this game, a club has project team led by district project Yojana (PM’s Housing Scheme) that to sponsor a house. In the first month director Raj Khosla has got consent to provides low-cost homes to the rural itself, 50 houses were committed by deliver 425 houses. “Soon work on the poor. The Aashiyana project was the district clubs, and the game was balance 100 houses will start. Thanks implemented under the ambit of this a phenomenal success,” said Mehra. to the large-heartedness and continued scheme. support of district Rotarians, we have The GoI gave a subsidy of `1.2 Aashayein ‘Dil mein hogi’ got fresh commitments to build new lakh for a unit cost of `2 lakh and But the money raised was not enough houses which will be taken up in due the project hit a stumbling block at and Ann Mini Khosla curated a musi- course,” said IPDG Sunnil Mehra. the early stages itself as no contractor cal fundraiser titled Aashayein dil mein hogi (Hope in the heart) which One of the beneficiaries of the Aashiyana collected sizeable CSR funds from the housing project in their old home. corporates. The project team worked with the zilla parishad officials to release the government portion of funding, convinced the homeowners to demol- ish their existing dwellings and got the right contractors for the housing project. RCs Palghar, Dahanu and Wada helped the team to hold meet- ings with local officials including the gram panchayat sarpanch. “Completing the first 50 houses was the toughest. But after the initial struggle, the Aashiyana team set up an excellent system and from there on the construction went smoothly,” said Mehra. Utmost care was taken in designing the house to ensure optimum use of available space and provide an aesthetic look.

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G - RID 3141 builds low-cost houses for Palghar villagers - September 2021.indd 36 8/27/2021 11:02:44 AM A joyful moment While handing over the first house, DG Mehra felt embarrassed, though happy, after a beneficiary, an 80-year-old woman bent and touched his feet as a token of gratitude to Rotary. She broke a coconut, did a small puja before entering the house. After completing the ritual, she took out a box of pedas, and put a piece in Mehra’s mouth. “She was happy to step into her very own new home for the first time in her life.” The club presidents who went to hand over the completed houses announced a number of service pro- jects for the beneficiaries — a 3H Project (health, hunger and hygiene) where food grains and reusable san- itary pads were distributed; around A low-cost home built under Project Aashiyana with its new owner. 1,600 children were given nutritious food to tackle malnourishment; bore construction of community and medi- Bombay Hanging Gardens provided wells were dug and pipelines laid for cal centres for the Adivasi families was tube lights and fans to be installed at supply of tap water to all houses; and announced. Rtn Dilip Shah from RC the Rotary Aashiyana houses.„

Rotary Oxybanks save Covid patients in Odisha

Pradeep Panda and S S Khadgaray worked out the strategy to procure 500 oxygen cylinders from Mumbai to be distributed among various Rotary clubs in the district. The clubs will in turn sat- isfy the oxygen needs of Covid patients under home isolation and in rural areas. The cylinders costing `16,000 each in the market was procured by the clubs at `8,400 after negotiations from the district office. “The cylinders were due to arrive in IPDG Saumya Rajan Mishra handing over oxygen cylinders and medical Bhubaneswar by May-end. But the deliv- accessories to a Rotary club for the Oxybank. ery was delayed due to cyclone Yaas on uring the Covid second wave, like most other cities, the Odisha coast disrupting the transport system,” said Smita DBhubaneswar was also reeling under oxygen short- Sinha, a member of RC Baramunda. Two Rotarians who had age and with surging demand, price of oxygen cylinders oxygen plants — Subranshu Samantaray, a member of RC skyrocketed and black marketing for the lifesaving gas Cuttack Midtown and Debabrata Swain — helped in refilling was rampant. the cylinders free of cost. In this scenario RID 3262 led by the then DG Saumya The initiative was appreciated by RI President Shekhar Rajan Mishra floated an idea to set up Oxybanks through Mehta and Rotary India Covid Task Force chair Ashok Rotary clubs across the district. Project coordinators Mahajan.„

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 37

G - RID 3141 builds low-cost houses for Palghar villagers - September 2021.indd 37 8/27/2021 11:02:44 AM iving in constant fear of wild Lelephants, villagers living in mud huts at Kherjan and Dhekiajan, a cluster of 10 villages to the east of Digboi in Tinsukia district of Assam, seek refuge at concrete homes during night. “Some of us even stopped going to paddy fields as the animals had destroyed our crops,” says Rikiraj Gogoi, a village youth. His village lies close Solar lights keep to the forest and was once an elephant corridor. “Deforestation and steady elephants away encroachment of elephant corridors have led to a spurt in human-wildlife conflict in Assam villages in villages near Digboi,” says Satyakam Dowerah, IPP, RC Digboi, RID 3240. The club decided to Kiran Zehra help the ten villages after five people were killed by elephants in the last two years. To scare away the animals, they burst crackers and beat drums; and keep night-long vigil to guard their agricultural land.

As the villages shine brightly at night with solar lamps in full glow, the elephants have stopped invading our crops and rampaging homes.

Joychanda Borah A father accompanies his child back home from Village headman school. With the streets well-lit, the villagers no longer fear being attacked by elephants at night.

38 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

P_Solar lights keep elephants away_4.indd 38 31-08-2021 18:26:03 “But nothing could stop the elephants from ransacking the villages. We had stopped cultivating paddy, fruits and vegetables as all of it had become fodder for the beasts,” says Gogoi. During a meeting with the villagers “we explained to them that the elephants are now confined to less space due to loss of habitat, poaching and their traditional routes being encroached upon through human settlements and Women are back to work construction activities,” at the paddy fields. says Dowerah. Two virtual seminars were held to find a solution to the challenge. Union Ministry of New Development Agency and erecting a high mast One suggestion was to illu- and Renewable Energy that (AEDA) were roped in, lamp.” Meetings were held minate the streets to deter offered a ray of hope for and Project Pohar (‘light’ with the villagers after the the animals from entering the villagers,” he says. in Assamese) took shape. installations for the smooth the villages. “We also came Soon the officials The club decided to install custody transfer of these across a scheme by the at Assam Energy 100 LED lamps powered lightings, and two teams by 12Watts photovoltaic were formed to take care of cells. These PV cells their regular upkeep. are charged by lithium A solar street light batteries at vantage spots Tuskers stay away being installed. across ten villages. “We As the villages shine got the solar lights at `2.7 brightly in the night with lakh under the subsidised solar lamps in full glow, AEDA scheme, which “the elephants have stopped otherwise would have cost invading our crops and us a whopping `27 lakh.” rampaging homes. Rotary Dowerah got `2 lakh from has done for us, what the the RID 3240 Foundation, government could not do thanks to IPDG Subhasish for years,” says the elderly Chatterjee, and the club village headman Joychanda mobilised the balance Borah. While the older peo- `70,000 through member ple have returned to farm- donations. ing, the youth now attend AEDA has taken up the evening college in Digboi installation of these lamps without fear of being and will also maintain them chased by wild elephants for five years. Village youth while returning home late were involved in the field night. The club plans to supervision of the project. take up this solar lamp pro- “They were given train- ject in other villages facing ing on cleaning the lamps similar problems. „

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 39

P_Solar lights keep elephants away_4.indd 39 31-08-2021 18:26:05 P_Adv_Institute Promo_2.indd 40 31-08-2021 18:24:48 P_Adv_Institute Promo_2.indd 41 31-08-2021 18:24:49 5RWDU\ÀDJÀXWWHUV on the Annapurna summit

Jaishree

eet Bhagwan Chawale achievements — Priyanka Mohite, For the recent expedition he (39) who recently scaled a mountaineer from Satara became and his fellow climbers left Pokhra, Mthe Mt Annapurna, the first Indian woman to scale this Nepal, by May-end and completed the 10th tallest mountain in the mountain and “we broke a record by acclimatisation rotations for a week world. He is a member of RC Pune having eight Indians reach the sum- in each camp before reaching the Gandhi Bhavan, RID 3131. mit against an earlier record of four.” peak on April 16. “We were fortunate Mt Annapurna is a massif on Chawale had earlier climbed the not to experience any casualty this the Nepal-Himalayas with one peak Everest in 2018 after a failed attempt time because Mt Annapurna is quite 8,091 m tall and other ranges 7,000 the previous year. “In 2017, I was formidable. Words cannot describe m high. “We were an 87-member just 100 m away from the peak.” the elation I felt when I stood there at team. But only 67 of us could He had to abandon the last leg due the top. All those discomforts — reach the summit as the rest had to to harsh weather, and the death of treacherous slopes, cold winds, discontinue due to health issues,” two of his teammates added to avalanches and frost bites — just he says. This trek had two unique his misery. blurred. It felt like being on top of the

Bhagwan Chawale holding the Rotary flag atop the Mt Annapurna.

4242 RROROTROTARYOTARARYARYY NENNEWSEWSWS SESSEPSEPTEMBEREEPPTTETEMEEMMBERBBEEERR 2021200221

K_Rotary Flag flutters on the Annapurna summit.indd 42 01-09-2021 10:05:26 world, and I had goosebumps when I planted both Rotary and Indian flags there,” says Chawale proudly. However, the mounds of gar- bage dumps on these mountains caused him worry. “People should be a little more sensitive to keep this fragile environment clean and at least clear their garbage while they descend to the base camp,” he says. He did collect and bring down abandoned oxygen bottles, tents, cans and wrappers. “We have to deposit $1,000 as refundable garbage fee which is forfeited if we do not bring back our waste. But mountaineers bring back a small amount of waste to reclaim

SEPTEMBERSEPEPEPTEMTEEMMBBEBERR 22021021022 ROT ROTARYOTARYAR NENNEWSWS 434

K_Rotary Flag flutters on the Annapurna summit.indd 43 01-09-2021 10:05:27 the deposit,” he adds. Cleaning campaigns are regularly organ- ised and sometimes those who descend with garbage get monetary compensation. Talking about expenses, Cha- wale says he spent around `14 lakh for this expedition. His Rotary club had helped with `50,000. “In addition to support from friends and family I took a loan and also dug into my savings. Whenever I plan an expedition, I get into a shoestring mode and save as much as possible,” he smiles, adding that the Everest expedition cost him $11,000 to get a permit from the Nepal Mountaineering Association and an overall `30 lakh for the climb. His daily fitness regimen includes three hours of running, cycling and strength training. Chawale, a development manager at LIC, Pune, developed Chawale proudly displays the Indian national flag on reaching the summit of Mt Everest.

a passion for mountaineering and other adventurous activities during his college days when he was an NCC cadet. He is a national winner with a gold medal in rifle shooting and a bronze in yachting. A triath- lon athlete, he organises adven- ture camps over weekends. His other mountaineering expeditions include scaling the Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Stoke Kangri and Bagirathi-2 peaks of the Himalayas and Vanarlingi, Vajir, Lingana and Tailbaila on the Sahyadri ranges. “My elder daughter, Raj Nandini, is my biggest fan and she loves to accompany me on short treks. My wife who was initially reluctant, is my best cheer leader now,” he says. He is now preparing for the next climb up Mt Manaslu on the Nepal-Himalayas, a 40-day expedition beginning on Sept 4. „

44 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

K_Rotary Flag flutters on the Annapurna summit.indd 44 01-09-2021 10:05:28 Doing good with TRF help RC Bombay enables complex paediatric heart surgery

Rasheeda Bhagat

hen 4-year-old child The child was born with a very com- Jatia adds that the child was due Hemant Naik, whose fam- plicated heart disorder which required for the last surgery in the series, which Wily lives in a Mumbai slum intervention in several stages. This was is known as the Fontan procedure. area in Ghatkopar, required a complex a very complicated surgery with high “Children get this after the Glenn heart surgery, RC Mumbai Ghatkopar, risk. The parents were explained the procedure, usually when they are 18 RID 3141, referred him to RC Bombay, risks before surgery and counselled. to 36 months old. In the Fontan pro- which has an ongoing global grant to DGE Sandip Agarwalla (RID 3141), cedure, which is a type of open-heart fund children’s heart surgery. “The a member of RC Bombay, explains surgery, the goal is to make blood child was referred to the Kokilaben that this child was born with a complex from the lower part of the body go Ambani Hospital for a complex heart condition known as the hypoplastic directly to the lungs. This lets the surgery; he had already undergone left heart syndrome (HLHS). “If left on blood pick up oxygen without having four balloon procedures and an open their own without treatment, such babies to pass through the heart.” heart surgical procedure at the Wadia won’t survive. The left side of the heart In babies with hypoplastic left Hospital earlier,” says past president can’t be fixed, so the goal of the surger- heart syndrome, low-oxygen blood and director in charge of global grants ies is to rebuild parts of the heart and from the lower part of the body mixes for RC Bombay, V K Jatia. ‘redirect’ the way the blood flows.” with high-oxygen blood. After the Fontan procedure, low-oxygen blood and high-oxygen blood no longer mix. This lets the heart deliver only high- oxygen blood to the body, he adds. Thanking RC Mumbai Ghatkopar 4-year-old Hemant Naik for referring the child Hemant to them, and Rotary Ann Natasha Sejpal of RC Mumbai Lakers for coordinat- ing the entire process, Jatia said, “We were all very relieved to learn that all our efforts have borne fruit; the surgery was successful and the child has gone home.” The cost of surgery — around `2.75 lakh was given from RC Bombay’s GG, and additional expenses for pre-operative check-up and PPE kits etc amounting to `40,000 were borne by the parents. Jatia adds that RC Bombay has so far sponsored 270 paediatric heart sur- geries, spending a total of `2.36 crore, in hospitals in Mumbai as well as the Haria Rotary Hospital in Vapi, Gujarat.„

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 45

K_RC Bombay enables complex paediatric heart surgery.indd 45 01-09-2021 10:05:10 pp

Helping Covid patients fight anxiety

Kiran Zehra

n most cases, Covid patients suffer mental Iagony and depression during quarantine and hence need counselling along with recreation to overcome the psy- chological stress, says Mohammed Tasleel, past president, RC Bangalore Manyata, RID 3190. Under Project Co-heal, the club has set up a Covid care centre at the Rajiv Gandhi Medical Hospital in a tie-up with Presidency University, Bengaluru, and Globals, an IT firm. The uniqueness of this centre worth `1.75 crore is that it has a recreation centre Mohammed Tasleel, past president of RC Bangalore Manyata, for asymptomatic and distributing a grocery kit to a family. mildly-affected patients being admitted here for preliminary care. dependency units (HDU), begin to drown in uncer- or chess with my son… The centre provides BiPAP machines, oxygen tainty and this could lead something I hadn’t done holistic treatment for concentrators, a doctor’s to various other complica- in a long time.” Even Covid patients. “Quaran- lounge, lab and pharmacy, tions,” she points out. after being discharged tine is a must to control we set up a recreation Sagar who was admit- from the hospital “my son the spread of the virus, centre for patients to keep ted at the centre along and I play these games but patients mustn’t suffer themselves busy during the with his 10-year-old-son together,” he smiles. mental agony because isolation period.” Niruta says, “I was wor- The centre, set up of the misconceptions Dr Shoba, Director at ried about my son. I kept in less than a week, is and stigma attached to School of Home Science, asking doctors and nurses recognised by the Bruhat Covid. Some people Maharani University, and about his condition. I felt Bengaluru Mahanagara think they are going to member of RC Bangalore better after the online Palike which is bearing die. These thoughts affect Platinum City, has been counselling sessions, the cost of medicines and their recovery,” explains counselling patients at yoga, breathing and men- other consumables at this Tasleel. When the state- this centre. “There is no tal health strengthening facility. While the Suhas of-the-art facility was magical treatment or pills exercises. These sessions General and Charitable being put together “along for patients suffering from helped me to overcome Hospital, Bengaluru, is with 70 oxygen beds, 15 psychological symptoms. anxiety. I could also overseeing the opera- general beds, and 15 high If they test positive, they enjoy a game of carrom tions of the facility, the

46 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

G - Helping Covid patients fight anxiety - September 2021.indd 46 8/27/2021 2:29:34 PM Rotary club through its Trust is providing meals to its patients and staff. “We ensure that non-medical staff (house- keeping and security) are also paid salaries. The centre provides lodging to the medical and non-medical staff,” says Tasleel. Oxygen flowmeters and pipelines offer round-the-clock service and patients who develop complications Covid patients performing relaxing exercises at the Covid care centre set up by the club. are referred to larger hospitals. Oxygen concen- be accommodated due to Basavaraj Bommai inau- www.healthdiaries.org for trators are sent to patients’ non-availability of beds. gurated the centre. The the public to register for home if they could not Karnataka chief minister club has created a portal Covid vaccination.„

Making the visually-challenged digital-savvy

Team Rotary News

Seated (from L) Parimala Bhat, founder Snehankit Helpline; Kedar Vidwans, president, RC Thana West; DGE Kailash Jethani and Jayant Joshi, club secretary, with the beneficiaries.

otary Club of Thane West, RID a stand-alone or can be connected to project lead and a past president of R3142, along with RCs Thane a computer or a smart phone. RC Thane West. RC Thane West is Green City, Khargar Midtown and The device is equipped with celebrating its golden jubilee this year Creekside, distributed Braille Me 6-dot Braille cells, Bluetooth and “we plan to distribute this device devices to 15 visually-challenged and an SD card facility. “The to 50 people to mark the occasion,” people in Thane and Mumbai. visually-challenged can now send she says, adding that each device Braille Me is a sleek, multi lingual messages on WhatsApp or SMS costs `30,000. Snehankit, an NGO digital Braille display device that using this device. It also helps working towards empowering the helps the visually-challenged access them in sharing text files and Excel visually-challenged, is helping the books, files and notes. It can work as sheets,” says Sadhana Vaze, the club in identifying the beneficiaries.„

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 47

G - Helping Covid patients fight anxiety - September 2021.indd 47 8/27/2021 2:29:36 PM Rotary to help in Uttarakhand’s progress

Team Rotary News

RI President Shekhar Mehta in discussion with Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami. Rashi Mehta, RI Director Mahesh Kotbagi, PRID Kamal Sanghvi, PDGs Vivek Tankha and Hemant Arora; and DG Ajay Madan are also present.

ttarakhand chief minister water conservation. He said it was Rotary clubs. “All efforts will be made UPushkar Singh Dhami has important to stop the migration from by the clubs to extend cooperation to the sought the help of Rotary in provid- border areas in Uttarakhand as “people state government,” he assured the CM. ing self-employment to the hill state’s living in these areas have a special role Mehta was accompanied by Rashi, youth and thus, arrest the trend of as border guards”. The discussion also RI Director Mahesh Kotbagi, PRID migration from rural areas to cities and extended to areas such as providing tele- Kamal Sanghvi, Rajya Sabha mem- other states. This was conveyed to RI medicine facilities to remote villages, ber PDG Vivek Tankha, ITV Media President Shekhar Mehta when he led e-learning, martial arts training for girls Network founder-chairman Kartikeya a delegation to call on CM Dhami at and literacy campaign, among others. Sharma, DG Ajay Madan, PDGs his residence in Dehradun. Praising Dhami for promoting Hemant K Arora, Arun Sharma, Ravi During a wide-ranging discussion, saplings instead of presenting bouquets Langer and Rtns Rajeev Agarwal, Dhami urged Rotary to help the state as gifts, Mehta said that over 10,000 Sunita Dharma, Savita Madan, Pavitra in education, health, environment and trees will be planted in Uttarakhand by Arora and Sushant Ahuja.„ Yogi Adityanath praises Rotary for “nation-building”

ttar Pradesh chief min- literacy, water and sani- Uister Yogi Adityanath tation “where Rotary can appreciated Rotary’s active work with the government role in nation-building and of the most populous state its contribution towards in India,” said Mehta. social progress during his Also present during the meeting with RI President meeting were Jai Pratap Shekhar Mehta in Lucknow. Singh, state minister for Mehta was felicitated and Health and Family Welfare, accorded the status of Satish Chandra Dwivedi, official guest of the state minister of state for Pri- RI President Mehta meets UP CM Yogi Adityanath in the by the CM. mary Education; and Rtn presence of ministers Jai Pratap Singh (R) and Satish During the meeting they Arvind Vikram Chaudhary, Chandra Dwivedi (second from L); and Arvind Vikram discussed speedy develop- immediate past president, Chaudhary, IPP, RC Gorakhpur. ment in areas such as health, RC Gorakhpur, RID 3120.„

48 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

G - Yogi Adityanath praises Rotary for “nation-building” - Sept 2021.indd 48 8/27/2021 11:08:18 AM Rotarians shine in the Tokyo Olympics

Team Rotary News

otarian Wang Chi-lin Finland, for javelin Rand his partner throw at the 1988 Seoul Lee Chang won gold by Olympics. beating Li Junhui and In India, Rotarian Liu Yuchen of China P R Sreejesh, the goal- in the men’s doubles keeper of the Indian badminton final at the hockey team which won Tokyo Olympics. Wang the bronze medal at the is a member of RC Unity Olympics, was the star of Taipei, RID 3521. He the game by saving two becomes the third Rotar- penalty corners in the last ian to have won gold 50 seconds of the game. at the Olympics after He is a member of Duke Kahanamoku from RC Kizhakkambalam, RC Honolulu, Hawaii, RID 3201. UAE-based USA, for the 100-metre Indian entrepreneur freestyle swimming at the Dr Shamsheer Vayalil 1912 Stockholm Olym- has announced pics, and Tapio Korjus `1 crore reward for the from RC Lapua Kiviristi, goalkeeper.„ Indian hockey team goalkeeper P R Sreejesh A state-of-the-art dialysis centre in Chennai

DG J Sridhar (fifth from R) at the new dialysis centre. DRFC M Ambalavanan (second from R), RC Chennai Capital president Rajiv Sampat and Rtn Vinod Saraogi are also seen.

ith an aim to make dialysis Sathyalok Charitable Trust Dialysis managed by the Tamil Nadu Wservices affordable for the Centre in Porur, Chennai, at the Kidney Research (TANKER) poor, RC Chennai Capital, RID cost of `3 crore. The centre is set to Foundation and cater to 40 3232, jointly with Madras West offer dialysis at `375 per session. patients a day. DG J Sridhar, Round Table 10 and Sathyalok The 5,000 sqft centre with RID 3232, was present at the Charitable Trust, established the 20 beds will be operated and inauguration. „

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 49

G - Rotarians shine in the Tokyo Olympics.indd 49 9/2/2021 12:49:24 PM Meet your

A R Ravindra Bhat Hotelier-builder, RC Central Mysore, RID 3181

He’ll transform Puttur into a clean city

ore than 70 out of 85 clubs in his district have Pankaj Shah Mresumed weekly physical meetings and 100 per Engineer, RC Pune Sarasbaug, RID 3131 cent of the members are vaccinated. “By August-end, we will charter at least 10 clubs, and I am confident of adding 20 new clubs before the end of this Rotary year. Promoting Rotary Action Groups I am hopeful of a net increase of 1,400 members to take the total membership to 4,000 during my year,” says ne way to increase membership and get newly-inducted Ravindra Bhat. ORotarians involved in service activities is to promote His ambitious plan is to turn Puttur into a mega various Action Groups being encouraged by Rotary Interna- ‘Clean Environment City’, where wet, dry and haz- tional, says Pankaj Shah. “We need to create awareness on ardous waste will be segregated and recycled through these action groups which take up exclusive activities like a bio-composting process to make tonnes of organic trekking, cycling and other joint endeavours that develop manure for agricultural and other uses. “We have signed bonding among members.” His goals include 30 new clubs, an MoU with the Puttur municipality which has given and 1,000 new Rotarians which will take the membership two acres of land to us to install the machinery and take to 4,700-plus. He is also focusing on satellite clubs that are up the recycling process.” This pilot project (GG: `8.92 flexible enough to suit the needs of young professionals. crore) will see the local residents joining hands with As schools and colleges are closed in the pandemic, “I Rotary to make this town green and beautiful, he says. will be chartering 20 community-based Rotaract clubs with “There will be no dump yards or landfill sites once it is net increase of 500-plus Rotaractors.” implemented.” One of his thrust areas will be starting 10–12 dialysis Another pet project of his is to give a facelift to centres through a mix of GG and CSR funding. “We will burial grounds across the district. Through a mix of also revamp and increase capacity of the existing 10 centres DDF and global grant, 40 cemeteries will be revamped set up by Rotary in the past at major hospitals by providing with amenities for the relatives of the deceased, he says. modern dialysis equipment,” he says. Three major hospitals in Mysuru, including JSS Hospital, Once the ongoing project of 12 Happy Villages is com- will get medical equipment and other facilities through pleted, “we will do a community assessment and based on the a global grant project ($125,000). Bhat is working to needs of the local people, another set of 10 Happy Villages rope in at least 50 per cent of Anns into Rotary by form- will be taken up for rural transformation,” explains Shah. The ing exclusive clubs for them. As schools and colleges district will also implement 25 Happy Schools in rural areas were closed due to lockdown, “I am still collecting data with the aim to increase their enrolment ratio. “Pandemics on the number of Rotaractors and Interactors. But at will come and go, but Rotary’s service projects are creating least 50 new Rotaract clubs will be formed.” His target an impact in villages,” he says. His target for TRF giving is $2 for TRF giving is $500,000. A former Rotaractor, he million. “The overall membership will double in western India joined Rotary in 2002 sponsored by his hotelier-friend in the next 10 years,” he predicts. Shah was ‘self-inspired to Rtn N P Vishwanath. do social service’ which led him to join Rotary in 2009.

50 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

K_Meet your Governors_1.indd 50 01-09-2021 10:04:55 Governors V Muthukumaran

Santosh Pradhan Fazal Mahmood Air-conditioning, RC Udhna, RID 3060 Architect, RC Bangalore Metro, RID 3190

Urban forests to bloom in Gujarat Looking for new opportunities in the pandemic

ach One Bring One is a revolutionary concept e is another Rotaractor who has become a district gover- Edevised by RI President Shekhar Mehta and “this Hnor. When things get tough, the tough gets going, says Fazal EOBO concept has already done wonders in my Mahmood, as he gets ready to motivate the clubs and district team district,” says Santosh Pradhan. In July alone, the to spread out and take up “impactful service projects in villages district has added 500 new members, and “we will despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.” The health crisis have a net increase of 1,500 which will push our has also opened up many opportunities for Rotarians to get involved membership to around 6,400 by the end of this in community projects, thus shoring up Rotary’s public image. Rotary year.” He will charter 5–6 new clubs to take Recently, he formed an exclusive satellite club for the transgender the total number to 118. community, “probably the first such group in Rotary for this mar- Pradhan has tied up with local NGOs to create ginalised section.” He aims to charter 25 new and achieve a 30 per 5–7 urban forests in cities and towns across Gujarat. cent growth in membership. “The Miyawaki concept will be adapted to Gujarati Project Zero Hunger is distributing groceries, food packets and topography to develop social forestry which will be other essentials to migrant and underprivileged families on a daily the landmarks of cities,” he says. The funding will be basis. On birthdays, festivals and special occasions, Rotarians and through member contributions. their families sponsor meals for attendants of patients at hospitals The district has signed an MoU with the in Bengaluru. “The Anns of the clubs led by the district’s First Lady Gujarat government to provide micro loans to at prepare food at homes and deliver it to hospitals,” says Mahmood. least 50,000 rural women to give them a liveli- Under Project Hosa Belaku (New Light), each club will take care hood. For empowering girls, impactful projects will of a slum and a nearby police station by setting up all the civic be taken up under the leadership of PDG Deepak amenities they need for social development. Agrawal. On the Rotaract front, he is confident of Another innovation, Project Sahayoga (collaboration), enables adding 15–20 new clubs, and 250 Rotaractors tak- two city clubs to partner with a rural club to do projects under ing the total to 75 clubs with over 2,250 members. seven focus areas in that village. The district will allot a DDF of He aims to collect $1.5 million for TRF. $1,000 for each such project. He aims to collect $1.25 million for Though he became a Rotaractor in 1990, “I lost TRF. A Programme of Scale is on the cards for teaching schoolchil- touch with Rotary when I shifted to this place in dren English language for effective communication. After being Gujarat. However, during a train journey, Rtn Dharmesh a Rotaractor from 1979-88, he turned Rotarian in 1993 to give Kachiwala, a past president, impressed me so much that wings to his dreams. I joined my home club in 2008,” he smiles. Designed by N Krishnamurthy

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 51

K_Meet your Governors_1.indd 51 01-09-2021 10:04:56 Africa’s Agents of Change

Jeff Ruby

n the last week of February, stage in Rotary’s new yearlong certifi- Africa once these peace fellows — and in Kampala, Uganda, 15 cate programme in peacebuilding, con- those to follow in the years ahead — Rotary Peace Fellows gath- flict transformation and development. complete their studies at Makerere and ered at Makerere University (The peace centre at Chulalongkorn disperse across the continent to share for the inaugural session of University in Bangkok, which previ- what they have learned. Rotary International’s new ously offered a three-month version peace center. Among them, of the certificate programme, has also Patience Rusare the peace center’s first cohort adopted this new model.) Following The first time Patience Rusare represented 11 countries and the 10-week session in Kampala, they encountered tribalism in her native spoke, in addition to English, will return home to begin implement- Zimbabwe, she was in first grade. As a dozen African languages, ing their social change initiatives, members of the Shona tribe living in including Luganda, Swahili, checking in periodically with their Bulawayo — a city dominated by the and Zulu. “Coming from diverse back- instructors and fellow students. They Ndebele people — her family didn’t grounds, and yet with a shared desire will return to Makerere in early 2022 speak the local language as well for peace in Africa, they are the epit- to complete the programme. as their neighbours. “I answered a ome of unity in diversity,” said Anne Earlier this year, as they prepared question in class, and the other kids Nkutu, a member of the Rotary Club to depart for Kampala, Rotary maga- laughed and called me a deroga- of Kampala Naalya, RID 9211, and the zine spoke with six of the peace fel- tory name,” recalls Rusare, now 32. host area coordinator for the Makerere lows via Zoom and WhatsApp. The “I went home and asked my parents: University peace centre. conversations were a crash course in Is something wrong with us? You With an average age of 40 when African history and politics. They were could see that the tensions were com- they were admitted to the programme, also an inspiration, offering a glimpse ing from home, and the children were the fellows are not novice peacemak- of the possibilities that lie ahead for bringing them to school.” ers. These are established professionals with a minimum of five years of expe- rience in peace and development. They arrived at Makerere University — home to an established programme in peace and conflict studies — already working on an initiative, or with an idea for one, that promotes peace or social change within their workplace or community. “The fellows are more interested in the practical side of peacebuilding,” said Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, the direc- tor of the peace centre. “They want to see how things are done, as opposed to our regular students, who are more interested in the theoretical aspects. So the fellows come off as, and indeed are, change agents.” Prior to arriving at Makerere, the peace fellows began their studies with a two-week online session, the first

52 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

K_Africa’s Agents of Change.indd 52 01-09-2021 10:03:53 Twenty-five years later, Rusare is In 2019, in hopes of learning “the “I want to give South Sudan stability and an editor and a senior political journalist nitty-gritty of peace dealings,” she got improve the lives of people there,” says for The Patriot, a newspaper based in a master’s degree in peace, leadership, Pal, 52. “If I have the opportunity to Harare. In 2013, after years of writing and conflict resolution. “I made a com- help, I will. Because I am one of them.” business stories, she changed her focus. mitment to myself to use the media to As a community educator for the She began covering conflicts, whether create a more just and peaceful world,” Victorian Electoral Commission in political crises in Lesotho and Mali in Rusare says. southeastern Australia, Pal is trained 2014 and 2015, hostile Ugandan elec- As special elections, rescheduled in peacebuilding and diplomacy. “The tions in 2016, or a coup d’état in her from 2020, approach in Zimbabwe, the electoral process is critical for good native Zimbabwe in 2017, often trac- same tribal conflict that Rusare wit- government, for choosing the right ing underlying issues back decades to nessed as a child rages on. Through her leadership and learning to exercise explain the current climate. social change initiative, Rusare wants democracy,” he says. “People have the “People were not making informed to change the approach of journalism right to make the final decision about decisions,” Rusare says. “And that in Zimbabwe. “We’ve got to get rid of what’s right for them.” When he heard lack of information can make people the idea of ‘if it bleeds, it leads,’ and about the Rotary Peace Fellowship, he desperate and easy to manipulate.” work as peace practitioners,” she says. recognised an opportunity to use his As she wrote in an unbiased manner, “A positive peace story can get peo- skill set on a global level — and take it she began to see a direct correlation ple to buy a newspaper if it’s a good back to his home country nearly 8,000 between the information in her stories enough human-interest story.” Her miles away. and public policy. In Lesotho, Rusare plan is to train 20 journalists in the On a 2017 trip to South Sudan, says, mediation from a Botswana-based art of conflict reporting — a group of Pal was shocked to find that formerly intragovernmental organisation called Ndebele and Shona journalists, work- healthy rural areas had been urbanised the Southern African Development ing together — and charge each one to without the necessary health facilities Community led to a resolution that was go out and mentor journalists among and educational opportunities. Small influenced by a story that she had writ- their own people until the approach towns had been completely neglected ten for The Patriot. “I feel like I really extends across the country and beyond. by the government. He envisions made positive change in the world “I don’t want my children to go combating this neglect by promoting there,” she says. “They have some last- through what I went through,” says peace — not simply the absence of war ing peace in Lesotho.” Rusare of her 8-year-old and 3-year- and tribal infighting, but a day-to-day old. “I want them to grow up in an stability where essential services such environment where all people love each as healthcare, food and water are avail- other regardless of the ethnic groups able. “Without these things, people will they belong to. They will know that we always fight amongst themselves,” says are all diverse, but we are all one.” Pal. “Only when there is this kind of peace do you have the opportunity to Peter Pal plant seeds of education.” It’s simply not in Peter Pal’s personality As part of his social change ini- to talk about trauma. When he speaks of tiative, Pal plans to engage with pro- harrowing experiences — fleeing a civil fessional peacebuilders to explore war in his native Sudan in 1989, seeing alternative dispute resolution. Of par- loved ones and friends die, spending 11 ticular focus is the need to restore dig- years in a refugee camp in Ethiopia with nity for the most vulnerable victims of no goal beyond survival — it’s with a South Sudan’s continued crisis: moth- surprising, matter-of-fact frankness. ers and children. “Ignorance continues “You learn to live through it so that to dehumanise them in Africa,” Pal you can be strong,” he says. says. “Women continue to give birth So when Pal tells you about the day to children who don’t really flourish. in 2001 when he left the camp and immi- And though they’re not part of the pol- grated to Australia, you might think he itics, they are the ones who suffer when would never look back. You’d be wrong. people die in a reckless war.”

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K_Africa’s Agents of Change.indd 53 01-09-2021 10:03:54 Despite all that Pal has experi- enced, he remains hopeful. And why Fikiri Nzoyisenga Catherine Baine-Omugisha not? Twenty years ago, he escaped a violent civil war in Africa, and now he has returned on a peacebuilding mission. “If we are not optimistic, we will all be stuck focusing on what’s in our own hand rather than looking into alternatives that can be applied for the betterment of all society,” he says. “Not just in South Sudan, but for Africa and the world.”

Jew Moonde A democratic country in southern Africa, Zambia is not known for its record on women’s rights. As Jew Moonde explains, the country’s deeply embed- ded patriarchal values have tradition- ally subjugated women in a variety of ways, some of them violent, some systemic. Gender discrimination has been woven into the fabric of Zambian society, he says, and as a result, when election time arrives, women’s voices are not heard. “Women have not gotten a fair share of participation in the electoral process,” says Moonde, 50, the peace and conflict manager of the Electoral Commission of Zambia. “And if women are not engaged in the political process, their grievances will continue building up. It is time for women to take a stand politically.” Zambia’s recent elections have been marred by violence and intimidation, which breaks Moonde’s heart. For nearly half his life, the Lusaka native has been a consultant with the Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID); working with this Lusaka-based NGO, he’s ded- icated to building an infrastructure to ensure free and fair elections, whether by meeting with politicians to sensitise them to the gender imbalance or train- ing people on how to manage conflict in the electoral process. After two decades, many of ZCID’s legal reform proposals have been passed into law by parliament. But getting women involved in The peace fellows visited Kampala’s densely populated slums and the Bidi the political process is only a part of Bidi refugee settlement near Uganda’s border with South Sudan.

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K_Africa’s Agents of Change.indd 54 01-09-2021 10:04:16 Moonde’s mission. He wants to get Congo after receiving death threats Paul Mushaho the younger generation on board, too. from a Mai-Mai militia group. Almost “Politics is predominantly for old folks as soon as he arrived in Nakivale, in Zambia,” says Moonde, who has Mushaho saw opportunities to improve degrees in psychology and peace and the refugees’ quality of life. Two of his conflict studies. “Unemployed youths earliest projects were a money-transfer are the implementers of violence, and service and a beekeeping business that they’re also the victims.” To engage sold honey. That second project caught them, ZCID focuses on social media the eye of Rotarians in Kampala. outreach and youth-oriented commu- Soon, with an assist from the nity radio stations; it also helps young American Refugee Committee (known people develop skills that might one today as Alight) and Rotary clubs in day help them find a rewarding career. Uganda and Minnesota, Mushaho was “If you want change to come, empower launching his own Rotaract Club in people with the knowledge that Nakivale. Its members have taught they have the right to something,” farming and masonry skills, planted says Moonde. trees, established a women’s commu- If all goes as planned during his nity centre, and delivered blankets and peace fellowship, Moonde wants to mattresses to people who have taken in acquire the knowledge to help trans- orphaned children. “I tell them: All we form ZCID into a statutory body: a per- have given you is a sign of apprecia- manent peace structure that provides tion for all you do in the community,” an official platform for dialogue and Mushaho says. mediation in Zambian politics. “I start A charismatic 29-year-old, Patience Rusare hearing politicians talking and youths Mushaho has an almost supernatural talking, exercising their rights to ability to find ways to help. When he expression,” says Moonde. “It shows saw that the camp’s elderly popula- us that what we do has an impact on tion found themselves marginalised, people. No one will help Zambians he organised lunches where they unless they do it themselves.” could share their experiences as for- mer diplomats, engineers, teachers, Paul Mushaho and doctors. When he noticed that There are more than 11,000 Rotaract young refugees of different nation- clubs worldwide; one of them is in a alities weren’t interacting, he helped refugee settlement in Africa. Founded organise a soccer tournament. More in 2016 in Nakivale — a huge rural recently, Mushaho’s team made and camp in southwest Uganda where delivered 14,000 masks and 8,000 bars about 150,000 people live in more of soap to slow the spread of Covid-19 than 75 villages spread across an area in Nakivale. “I see people who are roughly the size of Kolkata — the club happy, simply by receiving what they has members from half a dozen Afri- are supposed to get,” says Mushaho. can countries. “Nakivale is like a mini- “We are creating hope in people who United Nations,” says Paul Mushaho, have lost their hope.” the club’s co-founder. “People have In 2018, Mushaho was invited to the fled their homes because of war and United Nations Africa headquarters in had trauma on the way here.” Nairobi, where he was honoured as one In 2016, Mushaho, a student with of six Rotary People of Action: Young degrees in business information sys- Innovators. “Our refugee community tems and computer engineering, fled realised our local challenges needed his native Democratic Republic of local solutions,” he said in his speech.

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K_Africa’s Agents of Change.indd 55 01-09-2021 10:04:35 collaboration among police, prosecu- tors, prisons, probation officers, wel- fare agencies and the judiciary. The programme worked so well that it was rolled out nationwide. Now she is hoping her fellowship will enable her to apply that spirit of cooperation on a larger scale. “In Uganda, at the moment, we are dealing with issues of respect for the rule of law, respect for human rights, and cor- ruption,” says Baine-Omugisha. Her principal concern is domestic violence, an ongoing problem that stems from a combination of factors: cultural and gender biases, economic hardships, and a lack of awareness about what actually constitutes domestic violence. In educating community leaders about domestic violence’s triggers and effects, as well as its legal and policy framework, she hopes to shift the focus to prevention, rather than addressing it after the fact. There is a southern African phi- Jew Moonde (right), walking with the peace fellows through a losophy called ubuntu that says, “I am Kampala slum. because you are.” It’s a reminder that no “We are not beggars; we are a genera- resolution in family issues — but she one can exist alone. Baine-Omugisha tion of change and inspiration.” might as well be talking about her own says the fellowship has helped her In Makerere, Mushaho sees a reflec- personal path. rediscover that concept’s value as a tion of his environment in Nakivale, With her composed demeanour and homegrown peace approach, and she where he was surrounded by innovative, pragmatic approach, Baine-Omugisha plans to put it into effect. “I may not multicultural people who were full of rose through the male-dominated world single-handedly change Uganda’s ideas and energy, all of them seeking of law in Uganda, serving as a mag- direction,” she says. “But every inter- ways to break barriers that inhibited pro- istrate, a lecturer, a technical adviser vention I make to change the ordinary moting peace. “The fellowship aligns in the ministry of justice and constitu- citizen’s outlook toward human rights closely to what I am doing in the camp,” tional affairs, and, currently, a private is a good contribution. If we have a says Mushaho. “When I go back, I will practitioner with her own consulting number of people doing that, we can know how to tackle different challenges firm in Kampala. bring about significant change.” in different communities based on their Through it all, her approach has been norms and beliefs. My dreams and the same: Maintain composure. Listen, Fikiri Nzoyisenga hopes are delighted.” encourage others, and seek solutions. Be While growing up, whenever Fikiri open to exploring a new way of doing Nzoyisenga washed dishes, his friends Catherine Baine-Omugisha things. Test it. If it works, embrace could not stop laughing: Why are you “If people are not calm, no one is it. In 2000, while serving as a magis- doing the dishes? That is for the woman going to get anywhere,” says Catherine trate at Masaka chief magistrate court to do. He just shrugged. In his home, Baine-Omugisha. In this instance, the in southern Uganda, Baine-Omugisha chores were for girls and boys, just as 45-year-old Kampala attorney is refer- joined a pilot programme called the his father and stepmother shared the ring to her legal specialty — conflict Chain Linked Initiative; to enhance cooking and other domestic tasks. “This mitigation and appropriate dispute access to criminal justice, it encouraged was not normal,” says Nzoyisenga.

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K_Africa’s Agents of Change.indd 56 01-09-2021 10:04:39 The gift of a new Peace Center

n April, as the peace centre at center will offer a professional develop- member of the Rotary Club of New Makerere University hosted its ment certificate programme focused on York in 1971. inaugural class of peace fellows, peacebuilding and development issues Later, Otto and Fran focused on The Rotary Foundation announced in the region. The gift from the Walter their philanthropic foundation, becom- Ithat the Otto and Fran Walter Founda- Foundation, which is based in Boothbay ing personally involved in the grants tion has pledged $15.5 million to start Harbor, Maine, will fund the centre’s they funded. After the Walters’ deaths a Rotary Peace Center in the Middle start-up costs and operating expenses, in 2003, Frank Helman, a law col- East or North Africa. as well as an endowment that will pro- league and friend, became president “Rotary has for a long time looked vide peace fellowships in perpetuity for and director of their foundation. He at how we can make a tangible con- as many as 40 students each year. and his wife, Martha “Marty” Helman, tribution to the one area of the world Otto Walter was born in Germany the current president of the foundation, where the element of peace has in 1907 and worked as a lawyer. After helped shepherd the $15.5 million seemed so elusive,” said K R Ravindran, the Nazi government enacted laws that gift to The Rotary Foundation. The the 2020–21 Rotary Foundation trus- pushed Jewish professionals out of their Helmans are members of the Rotary tee chair. “Now that opportunity has jobs, Walter was disbarred. He immi- Club of Boothbay Harbor. come our way, thanks to the immense grated to the United States in 1936 and “The Walter Foundation can generosity of the Otto and Fran Walter settled in New York. Because his law imagine no better way to remember Foundation. We will take full advan- degree wasn’t recognised in his new Otto and Fran and their legacy than tage to create a centre where we can home, Walter earned a licence as a cer- through a Rotary Peace Center in the inspire our peace fellows to give flight tified public accountant and started an Middle East, a part of the world that to their spirit and equip them to be able accounting firm. has been torn by conflict,” says Marty to support action that will bring about Confronted with various legal Helman, who also serves as chair of peace and goodwill.” issues in his business, Walter began The Rotary Foundation’s Peace Centers The Rotary Foundation will select attending evening classes at New York Major Gifts Initiative Committee. “The a partner educational institution to host Law School, where he graduated with Walter Foundation is a small family the Otto and Fran Walter Rotary Peace a J D in 1954. The next year, he started foundation. We needed the partner- Center in 2024, and the first Rotary a law firm that, with the support of his ship with Rotary to create a world-class Peace Fellows are expected to start wife, Frances Doonan Walter, grew peace center.” studying there in early 2026. The new to employ 40 lawyers. He became a Ryan Hyland

“Things were very different in my against gender-based violence that he led programmes that empow- household than in others.” It was also works in three provinces in Burundi. ered nearly 3,000 households from different in another way: With his “Women in my community used to face more than two dozen villages across father a member of the majority Hutu many challenges linked to our Burundi Burundi. With Semerera, a team of 14 group and his stepmother a Tutsi, their culture that considered women inferior has assisted more than 8,200 women marriage was forbidden. “They did it to men,” he says. “So I wanted to be an and girls through socioeconomic ini- anyway,” says their son, “to show there advocate for women’s rights.” tiatives, leadership empowerment, and was no problem with that.” Nzoyisenga survived an unstable free legal support to victims of abuse In the staunchly patriarchal country childhood that included civil wars in and discrimination. of Burundi, his family’s defiant exam- Burundi and the Democratic Repub- Nzoyisenga does not overlook ple made a huge impression. “The lic of Congo (where he lived for five another crucial element to change: way I was raised by my father and years), went on to study law, and began educating men on gender inequalities. stepmother shaped what I became,” volunteering for women’s empower- “We cannot talk about peace without says Nzoyisenga, 36, the founder ment organisations. It was only a matter giving all people the opportunity to and executive director of Semerera, of time before he became a community live with dignity and contribute to the a Bujumbura-based youth coalition organiser. Through Spark MicroGrants, development of their communities,” he

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K_Africa’s Agents of Change.indd 57 01-09-2021 10:04:39 says. “We are part of the problem, so with South Sudan and meeting with we must be part of the solution.” survivors of the disastrous landslides Meet the other After completing his Rotary fel- in the country’s Bududa district. “These lowship, Nzoyisenga plans to expand excursions enabled us to have firsthand Makerere Peace his work to two more provinces of engagements on peacebuilding and Burundi, where he will mentor other conflict transformation in communities Fellows young people through campaigns affected by migration and environmen- around peaceful cohabitation, cohesion, tal disasters, as well as gender-based Olusina Ajao and human rights. “My father taught me violence,” said Baine-Omugisha. Nigeria; security and crisis tolerance and acceptance, and respect- The fellows also interacted with management ing others no matter their differences,” local Rotarians, who worked with the Eleanor Curl he says. “In time, we hope more men peace centre’s host area committee to United Kingdom; psychosocial and women in Burundi will come to serve as counsellors to the new arrivals. support and trauma treatment understand that things need to change.” “They showed them around Kampala, and invited the fellows to their homes Sunny Dada and clubs,” said Nkutu. “Despite living Nigeria; conflict transformation in a country with a history of conflict, and violence prevention Rotarians have not been clear on how Ronald Kasule s they completed their 10-week, they can get involved. The peace center A Uganda; disability rights and on-site session at Makerere University, has generated interest in learning about inclusion advocacy the peace fellows provided an update the different ways Rotarians can pro- about their time at Rotary’s new peace mote peace and conflict prevention.” Pinkie Mothibedi center. Or at least they tried to. “I can’t “The inaugural cohort is very warm,” Botswana; community empower- explain in words what an amazing added Nambalirwa Nkabala. “They ment and social justice experience this has been for me,” said quickly settled in comfortably with Stephen Sempande Rusare. “The fellowship has made me each other. They have harnessed their Uganda; youth protection and more determined to pursue my social differences in personalities and cultures social service development change initiative on peace journalism. for the good by being a support system The design is finally taking shape.” to each other.” That camaraderie — Thomas Sithole She praised her teachers, who shared a literal fellowship — among the peace Zimbabwe; media and informa- “practical experiences that made it easy fellows will sustain them through 2021 tion literacy to grasp many theoretical approaches” as they work on their initiatives in their Nobantu Taylor to peacebuilding and conflict resolution. home countries. It will also serve as a Liberia; civil society engagement Moonde provided a detailed outline of model for the next cohort of peace fel- and skill-building those approaches; they included instruc- lows at Makerere. tion in analytical methods drawn from “Having a peace centre at Makerere Amina Warsame the business world; sessions led by rep- University means a lot to Africa,” Somalia; gender equality and resentatives from the Institute for Eco- Mushaho told The Wave, the monthly human rights policy nomics and Peace (a Rotary partner); and newsletter published by District 9211 an introduction to indigenous traditions, (Tanzania and Uganda). “It’s a great The 2023–24 application for fel- such as the Mato Oput ceremony — opportunity for Africans to learn and lowships at all Rotary Peace Centers which involves the drinking of a bitter understand that peace is the foundation will be available in February 2022. herb — practised by the Acholi people of every development.” Candidates will have until May 15, of northern Uganda. The peace fellows will return to 2022 to submit their completed Though pandemic restrictions led Makerere in early 2022. We’ll check application to The Rotary Founda- to the cancellation of a planned trip to back with them then to see what they tion. Districts must submit endorse- Rwanda, the peace fellows had many have achieved — and what lies ahead ments to The Rotary Foundation by opportunities for work in the field, for Rotary and Africa. July 1. For more information, go to including visiting the Bidi Bidi refu- Pictures by Tobin Jones rotary.org/peace-fellowships. gee settlement near Uganda’s border © Rotary

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K_Africa’s Agents of Change.indd 58 01-09-2021 10:04:39 Adv_Saga.indd 59 01-09-2021 10:03:40 Powered by the wind

Preeti Mehra

A simple wind-powered device can serve energy needs of a home

n today’s world, at home had no electricity. During the day locals in how to manage them and or at the workplace, energy they did without power and at night generated electricity that lit up the has become the basic source they lit kerosene lanterns or used villages at night. The power supply to power every one of our diesel gensets for larger applica- charged phones, worked television requirements — be it a light tions. Children found it difficult to sets, and even allowed shops to be Ibulb, refrigerator, mixer, mobile or study after dusk, there was no TV open till late hours. When I laptop. And with the climate change for entertainment and people walked visited the area, I saw first- crises looming over our heads and miles to get their mobiles charged. hand how this initiative being felt across the world, even in Then one day a few young men had changed the lives our cities, deriving a large portion who came from the region and were of the people. of this energy from renewable now professionals in their own right, sources would be the best bet. decided to light up the area with Apart from reducing electricity renewable energy. Through their bills, it would be one massive step research they zeroed in on to communicate to the world our rice husk that was widely commitment to going green. available. They set up sev- In the last issue, we spoke eral small husk-powered about the easiest way to set up a power plants across solar energy system at home and the region, trained bask in the blessings offered by the sun. This time let’s look at other non-conventional energy sources. Some of them may not be suitable for a city home, but others could very well fit the bill. For instance, wind energy. It is now being consid- ered as an option for home use and there are young minds bringing this innovation to our doorstep. But before going into wind energy, I thought my experience in rural Bihar may be an interesting digression into doing things the green way. Some years ago, large tracts of West Champaran district were off the grid and the villagers

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P_Go Green_Powered by the wind_3.indd 60 31-08-2021 18:25:06 As time went by, and their needs through clean energy. Similarly, installed on any rooftop, big or small, increased, the villagers wanted power there are youngsters who have as it requires about 25 per cent of 24x7. So, the youngsters developed taken to setting up household the space an equivalent solar system a hybrid system that provided power wind energy units as a challenge would require. through a solar system during the day because they see its immense Arun, the CEO of Avant Garde and through husk at night. They even potential in coastal areas, hilly Innovations, to whom I spoke for provided a livelihood for unemployed regions and wherever wind this column, says that the Avatar-1, women who then turned the residue speed is good. Two brothers, which generates 5kWh/ day at mean from the husk into agarbattis. The Arun and Anup George from windspeed of 5.5 m/s, can power 14 company, Husk Power Systems, Kerala, have developed their LED lamps of 10W each; two laptops has expanded its reach today to own product which made it to the of 50W each; two LED TVs (100W); other states and countries. Despite UN Innovation Summit in 2019. one 165-litre refrigerator; four fans challenges, it has stuck to its They manufacture from scratch 75W each and a water purifier renewable energy agenda. the ‘Made in India’ off-grid (100W). There are other models that This story illustrates 1kW Avatar small wind turbine. generate higher levels of power and the power of ideas and This provides a daily output of go up to 25 kWh/day. Avatar has the initiative that goes 5kWh at mean (average) wind been installed in various locations into problem-solving speeds of 5.5 m/s and can be across the country, in flats, farms, and also at Leh for the Indian army. Arun emphasised the advantages of wind versus solar, in that the for- mer generates power during the day and night, has lower space utilisation, higher efficiency, longer life of bat- tery, low maintenance and is unaf- fected by rainfall, snowfall or clouds. He feels the Avatar competes easily with rooftop solar installations as it is affordable at `60,000 onwards. However, there are also other brands in the market, many of which are assembled and sold by traders. It is best to thoroughly research the market before opt- ing for a product. Alternate sources of energy are in sharp focus following the code red warning for humanity issued recently by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It literally asks nations and citizens to act now to avert climatic disaster and save the Earth. Wind power could be a welcome addition to the effort.

The writer is a senior journalist who writes on environmental issues.

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P_Go Green_Powered by the wind_3.indd 61 31-08-2021 18:25:06 Kishori Amonkar (1932–2017) The Lonely Perfectionist

V Ramanarayan

eet Gaya have to wait for too long. Pathharon Ne.’ Within a week, I had the G This lovely answer: Kishori Amonkar. song from the 1960s I had never heard the name, Hindi film of the same but I was impressed. What name had me wrong- a brilliant new playback guessing the identity of singing voice! its singer. Was it Asha It took me a couple Bhosle or Geeta Dutt, of years to realise that I wondered. I could this was not a regular not make up my mind, contributor to film for the voice sounded music, that Kishori slightly different from Amonkar’s was an these two delightful enviable classical representatives of music lineage, film music capable of that she was the handling the nuances talented daughter of raga music. I wasn’t of the formidable even sure that Geeta grand dame of Dutt was still alive. Was the Jaipur-Atrauli it Lata Mangeshkar, gharana, Mogubai the reigning queen of Kurdikar, who film music? I could not was also her first google the answer, for guru. I was to learn that small wonder of from available the Internet was still literature, notably decades into the future the writings of then. I did the only Mohan Nadkarni thing to do: I sat next and Deepak Raja, to the radio listening to that she was one Vividh Bharati waiting of the leaders of for the song to be the avant garde played again. I did not movement

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P_Music and Melody_KISHORI AMONKAR_3.indd 62 16-09-2021 12:58:04 within her gharana. According to Raja, With music director and “Kishori was not only a classical flautist Pandit formidable musician, but Hariprasad Chaurasia. also the chief ideologue of the romanticist movement — by the power of her intellect, erudition, and excellent articulation in at least three languages, including English. She was, incidentally, known to possess one of the finest private libraries on musicology and aesthetics. She held audiences spellbound at seminars and conferences, as much as she did on the concert platform.” Raja went on to describe her as a romanticist, whose was no more than a mild raga received in her the grammatical bound- interpretations of flirtation. Her mother gharana. For this devi- aries of the raga. ragas gave them certainly prevented it ation from the norm, Though I love a spice hitherto from blooming into a and for borrowing from Sahela re by Kishori for unattempted in full-blown affair, by other gharanas, Kishori its delicately feminine her orthodoxly threatening her with was deemed a rebel, a appeal — described by cerebral school. the dire consequence charge she dismissed, some as the artist’s foray Kishori’s of being denied a final even denouncing the into a romantic interpre- dalliance with look at her physical gharana system as tation of the raga, my cinema music remains when the artificial and stifling of favourite renderings in time came, should she creativity. She believed that mode across genres continue to pursue her the musician should be primarily include the tinsel dream. totally free to pursue the exciting explorations I The next Kishori beauty of raga music grew up enjoying from Amonkar song to capti- unhindered by any great Carnatic vocalists vate me was the bandish restrictions other than like Maharajapuram Sahela re in the raga Bhup or Bhupali, one of her favourite ragas, along with Bageshri. This song in Kishori’s For borrowing from other gharanas, voice has captivated Kishori was deemed a rebel, a charge she generations of listen- ers. Hers is a beautiful dismissed, even denouncing the gharana interpretation, sentimen- system as artificial and stifling of creativity. tal, sensuous almost, very different from the clinical treatment the

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P_Music and Melody_KISHORI AMONKAR_3.indd 63 16-09-2021 12:58:07 Viswanatha Iyer and ML Vasanthakumari and the incomparable Lata Mangeshkar’s Jyoti Kalash Chhalke from the movie Bhabhi ki Chudiyan in the 1950s. In recent years, I have found the multifaceted Sriram Parasuram’s por- trayal of the raga (both Bhup and Mohanam, its southern parallel) both evocative and pure of enunciation — in voice as well as on violin strings. As she evolved as a musician, Kishori became more and more convinced that music must have emotion at With santoor maestro Shivkumar Sharma.

its core, that to truly best. To her the musi- find a raga in its true cal notes had distinct colours was to plumb its personalities, were in She held audiences spellbound at emotional depths, that fact persons that spoke seminars and conferences, as much as without that emotional to her, sang to her. she did on the concert platform. quotient, music stayed Anyone who has at a mundane level of listened to Kishori technical mastery at Amonkar regularly and witnessed her on-stage demeanour will agree with Raja. The loneliness was palpable. Hours before the concert, she started preparing to focus totally on merging with the music, with the ragas she started practising weeks ahead of the programme, so that she could move into a trance once she started singing. The trance was all important to her, the reason why

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P_Music and Melody_KISHORI AMONKAR_3.indd 64 16-09-2021 12:58:10 she allowed nobody to grow impatient enter her green room, while this lonely the reason why she perfectionist made no secret of her went in search annoyance when people of musical in the audience includ- nirvana — ing senior artists moved and getting around or greeted one lost in byways another. “How can I go and allies. When into a trance if they do she did hit that that?” she would ask. pluperfect note, it was Sadhana was sacred to sheer bliss. Who could her; it was never mere complain after that? practice. It was an act To quote Deepak of complete devotion to Raja once again, the music. She likewise “Listening to Kishori made a clear distinc- Amonkar, one was tion between a guru immediately struck and a teacher. The guru by a sense of deep showed you a path, and loneliness… a loneli- left you to explore it on ness rendered rich and your own. luminous, bearable and Achieving a state of ennobled by the music. total self-forgetfulness It gathered the listener on stage was not always in with its beauty and easy. Kishori often took left one longing for a long time to warm up more.” in a concert. As a result, This loneliness, her music could seem plus the deep pain desultory and listless and anguish she while she was struggling suffered as a girl for that complete merger growing up, when- with the sur, the precise ever she witnessed arrival at the perfect the humiliating shadja or rishabha or treatment her nishada. Audiences, mother was meted even diehard fans, could out during her performance career, and a luxury suite with must have led to white walls in a five-star Kishori’s temper tan- hotel, when on a concert trums and idiosyncratic visit to Bengaluru — or behaviour once she the inordinate time she Listening to Kishori Amonkar, one was established herself and took over aligning her reached diva status. She tanpuras and completing immediately struck by a sense of deep could drive organisers sound checks before loneliness rendered rich and luminous, round the bend with her the start of her perfor- sometimes extravagant, mances. The wait was bearable and ennobled by the music. eccentric demands — as more often than not when she insisted on a totally worth it, as she white Mercedes Benz fulfilled the immense

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P_Music and Melody_KISHORI AMONKAR_3.indd 65 16-09-2021 12:58:12 “I suppose it takes a genius to acknowledge another,” she said with a shy smile, upon learning that Zakir Hussain described her so.

promise of a genu- mine would of course be ine Kishori Amonkar considered blasphemous concert. by both her thousands Personally, for all of fans and the more her indisputable mastery serious followers of of her art and the depth classical music of vastly of her musicianship, I superior scholarship. found her voice rather Kishori Amonkar, high-pitched, and who left us four years therefore preferred ago, and received every the more full-bodied conceivable honour voices of Prabha Atre, including that of Padma or Veena Sahasrabudhe, Vibhushan, professed not to mention the an elaborate disdain for near-masculine tones of awards and prizes. Gangubai Hangal or such “I don’t need the Bharat magnificent voices of the Ratna,” she is said to Carnatic music stream have told an admirer as MS Subbulakshmi, who rued what he DK Pattammal, ML considered a lapse on Vasanthakumari or the part of the nation in T Brinda. This view of failing to bestow on her

that crowning accolade. With Zakir Hussain. Recognition by art- ists she respected was quite another matter. “I suppose it takes a genius to acknowledge another,” she said with a shy smile, upon learning that Zakir Hussain described her so. “I love him,”she added. The diva was a romanticist indeed!

Designed by Krishna Pratheesh S

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P_Music and Melody_KISHORI AMONKAR_3.indd 66 16-09-2021 12:58:15 Membership Referral Reward Pin

his year the focus is on Mem- 3. Scroll down to > Club & Membership Referral Reward Pin Tbership Growth, and our target Member Data > Designate a club Rotarians who refer a member to any is to take it to 1.3 million members. management vendor club or district other than his own for Our RI President Shekhar Mehta has 4. Scroll down > Club Management the first time will be recognised with launched EOBO ( Each One Bring Systems > Edit a pin. Here is the link to claim the One ) campaign, and Rotary India 5. Edit Club Management> Scroll Membership referral reward pin — has specially designed Membership Down> Add Vendor https://eobo.rotaryindia.org/. Award Pins for members, clubs and 6. Select Vendor > Drop down list A Rotarian, his/her partner, districts based on their performance. > Roster on wheels > Vendor or Rotaractor can claim a referral For this, each club has to get Access Level > View only reward using this link. enrolled and enable Membership access> Club Intends to use Data Sync from Rotary.org to Vendors service Steps for Membership Referral Rotaryindia.org by selecting Roster 7. Scroll Down>tick the box of Reward Pin on Wheels as a vendor in rotary.org. Certification > Click ‘I Agree’ The Rotarian has to select the district, club and the person he Who can sync data: Club president/ If you have any difficulty in has referred and choose the proper secretary/executive secretary is author- doing this, please get in touch sponsor from the club. He will ised to enable this feature in rotary.org with the help desk at support@ get three attempts to identify the rotaryindia.org sponsors. Then the system will Steps for data sync Please note that when a club block him from claiming the 1. Login to www.rotary.org leader logs in to www.rotaryindia.org, referral reward for that particu- 2. Manage> Club & District he/she can check whether the club lar referred person. He can con- Administration > Club is ROTARY SYNC enabled or tinue claiming the reward for other Administration disabled on the top of the dashboard. referrals. „

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K_Membership Referral Reward Pin.indd 67 01-09-2021 10:05:02 “ Heat a pan with 1/2 tsp ghee add dry rice and sauté for 1 min Nolen gur payesh and keep it aside. “ Take a heavy bottom pot and boil the milk. Once it boils add cardamom and bay leaf and boil it for 5 minutes on low flame. “ Add rice to the milk and keep cooking on low flame until Chefs the rice is fully cooked. Stir occasionally so that the milk does not stick to the bottom. go down “ Once the rice is fully cooked and soft then add cashew nuts, raisins and Nolen gur to it. Mix well and cook for another childhood Suvaranjan Banerjee 5-10 minutes till it thickens to Executive chef, Grand Mercure desired consistency. Switch off Bengaluru at Gopalan Mall the flame. culinary “ Allow the kheer to cool down Growing up, Nolen gur payesh completely and serve at room was my favourite dessert. temperature or cold. lane Watching my mother cook the payesh is one of the fondest cooking memories that I have. Even when only available in Sharmila Chand the winters, my mother ensures Sattu Ka that a small jar is saved for my Paratha birthday which falls in August. She taught me the importance Chefs talk about their of going that extra mile for Neelabh Sahay mothers as their source someone’s happiness and when Executive chef, Novotel Kolkata of inspiration. Here I began my culinary journey, I Hotel and Residences they go down memory knew that was exactly what I wanted to do for my guests. My mother has this knack lane and share their of adding her own twist to stories of love in the Ingredients traditional Indian dishes. Here form of interesting  1 ltr full fat milk I share one of the most famous recipes. Enjoy their  50 gm gobindobhog rice dishes for which she is well memorabilia with some  ½ cup nolen gur/dark palm known in the family — Sattu jaggery ke parathe and aloo tamatar ki delicious home-style  1–2 pods cardamom subzi. dishes.  One bay leaf  10–-12 cashew nuts and raisins Ingredients  ½ tsp ghee For the dough  100 gm wheat flour Method  100 gm all-purpose flour “ Wash and soak the rice in water.  ½ teaspoon of salt After 30 minutes strain and spread  ½ teaspoon of carom seeds it to dry.  2 tablespoon oil

68 ROTARYROTARY NEWSNEWS SEPTEMBERSEPTEMBER 2021

P_Chefs go down their childhood culinary lane_2.indd 68 31-08-2021 18:25:06 Warm water, as required to and put pressure on the top to and all the powdered spices. knead the dough make flat rounds. Divide the Cook the masala till the oil stuffing into four portions. Put floats on the surface. For the stuffing the stuffing at the centre of “ Now add potatoes and stir it for  ½ cup roasted brown chickpeas the extended round disc of the 5 min. Add required amount of flour dough. Now seal the stuffing water and cover the pan.  1 small onion, finely chopped by gathering all the sides. “ Cook the subzi till potatoes  1 inch ginger, grated Sprinkle some wheat flour are soft and tend to break. Add  1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped on the rolling board. Roll the chopped coriander leaves.  2 green chillies, finely chopped stuffed dough carefully into a  ½ tablespoon mango pickle, thick paratha. heaped “ Once the pan is hot put the  1 teaspoon mustard oil rolled paratha on it and dry  Salt to taste roast it from both the sides.  1 tablespoon water Drizzle some oil and spread Lasooni palak paneer  Oil to fry the parathas on the top too. Shallow fry the parathas from both sides. Cook Method the paratha On medium flame “ To prepare the dough, measure until it gets cooked perfectly all the dry ingredients and put and golden spots appear on both them in a large mixing bowl. the sides. Mix all the ingredients well. “ Enjoy the paratha with aloo ki Add oil into the mixing bowl subzi. followed by water to make a soft dough. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel or muslin cloth and let it rest for half an hour. Aloo ki Gaurav Lavnia “ To prepare the stuffing, take subzi Executive chef, Sheraton New roasted chickpea flour in a bowl, Delhi Hotel add chopped onions, garlic, grated ginger and green chilies. Ingredients My culinary love story finds its Mix well. Add salt, chopped  500 gm potato roots in my mother's den. I have coriander, mango pickle and  1 tsp of cumin always noticed her passion for the mustard oil into the mixture.  1 tbsp of chopped ginger food she cooked, starting from “ To prepare the paratha knead  1 tsp turmeric grinding masalas to buying fresh the dough for a minute  2 tsp red chili powder seasonal vegetables. She always and divide them into equal  1 tsp dhania powder prepares Lasooni palak paneer on portions. Now roll the portions  100 gm chopped tomato my birthday. It’s fragrant, full of lightly in between the palm of  Salt to taste home ground spices. I love to have  2 tbsp chopped coriander it with tawa parathas.  50 ml mustard oil Ingredients Method  30 gms ghee “ Dice the potatoes into pieces,  2 gms cumin seed wash and keep aside.  2 gms whole red chilli “ Heat oil in a pan and add whole  40 gms paneer, diced cumin. Let them crackle. Now  1 gm asafoetida add chopped ginger and sauté  30 gms chopped garlic it for a while. When the ginger  30 gms chopped onion turns golden add tomatoes, salt  3 gms black pepper powder

SEPTEMBERSEPTEMBER 2021 R ROTARYOTARY NEWNEWSS 69

P_Chefs go down their childhood culinary lane_2.indd 69 31-08-2021 18:25:25  2 gms cumin powder her which I will cherish  3 gms salt forever.  450 gms washed and shredded Patta gobhi kheer spinach Ingredients  100 gms spinach puree  ½ cup urad dal (whole)  2 gms slit green chilly  ½ teaspoon coriander powder  10 gms brown garlic  ½ teaspoon cumin powder  2 gms ginger julliene  ½ teaspoon red chilli powder  8 gms butter  ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder  ¼ teaspoon whole black Method peppercorns “ Blanch the spinach and  2 teaspoon vegetable oil keep it aside. Heat ghee in a  1¼ cup water Gaurav Mathur frying pan and add hing and  2 dry red chillies Executive chef, WelcomHotel red chilli. When it crackles,  Salt to taste Dwarka add chopped garlic and let it Born and raised in a Kayastha Cooking Method brown. Add onions and saute Mathur family, we had a tradition “ Heat a pan and dry roast till transluscent. Then add to fast once a week, preferably on black gram for a few minutes cumin powder, black pepper Tuesdays. During our fasts, my until you can smell the and salt. Add the diced paneer grandmother used to put together aroma. Set aside. Once it and blanched spinach and saute. a wholesome kheer rich in iron cools down, grind it to a fine Next add the spinach puree and and nutrients. It was made of patta dry mixture. simmer for 2 minutes. Add the gobhi (green cabbage). The dish is “ Take a heavy base pan. Heat slit green chillies and ginger very close to my heart as I recollect vegetable oil and temper juliennes. my childhood memories while it with dry red chillies “ Stir well and serve. Garnish making it. with butter and browned garlic. and pepper corns. Add coriander powder, cumin Ingredients powder, red chilli powder,  500 gms shredded green cabbage turmeric powder, salt with  1½ ltr full cream milk 2 tablespoons of water and  200 gms sugar Chainsoo fry for a minute. Add the  20 gms puffed lotus seed (Uttarakhand style ground black gram, mix  20 gms raisins it up and then add water.  10 gms charoli seeds (chironji) black gram) Cook on a medium to low  5 ml saffron water flame for 20–30 minutes, stir  15 ml ghee occasionally until it thickens. Sudershan Bhandari Once it is done, switch off Method Executive chef, Eros Hotel New the gas and serve hot with “ Blanch cabbage and squeeze Delhi Nehru Place steamed rice. water. Keep aside. “ Boil milk. Let it simmer for My mother has been an 25–30 minutes. Add cabbage inspiration and a motivator and sugar. Let it simmer for throughout my life. Her another 10–12 minutes. recipes are very close to my “ Finish with sautéed dry fruits in heart. Chainsoo is one dish ghee. that my mother used to cook “ Garnish with saffron water and for me during my small and serve warm. big triumphs. This recipe brings sweet memories of Designed by Krishnapratheesh S

7070 ROTARYROTARY NEWSNEWS SEPTEMBERSEPTEMBER 2021

P_Chefs go down their childhood culinary lane_2.indd 70 31-08-2021 18:25:50 District Wise TRF Contributions as on July 2021 (in US Dollars) District Annual PolioPlus Endowment Other Total Number Fund Fund Fund Funds Contributions India 2981 11,223 486 0 135,135 146,844 2982 12,686 260 0 0 12,946 3000 177 11 0 0 188 3011 2,205 280 0 2,027 4,512 3012 10,907 3,734 19,000 0 33,641 3020 308 253 0 4,620 5,181 3030 2,218 0 0 0 2,218 3040 71 0 0 2,701 2,773 3053 565 0 0 0 565 3054 1,400 84 0 500 1,984 3060 6,042 28 0 47,014 53,084 3070 336 0 0 738 1,074 3080 2,486 154 0 0 2,640 3090 3,956 0 0 0 3,956 3100 4,157 0 0 0 4,157 3110 35 0 0 0 35 3120 2,167 0 0 0 2,167 3131 97,807 8,885 30,000 4,151 140,843 3132 5,832 137 5,000 0 10,969 3141 134,315 27 0 148 134,490 3142 27,709 105 0 24 27,838 3150 5,241 1,050 0 1,764 8,055 3160 4,120 321 17,264 0 21,704 3170 17,473 2,248 1,196 1,227 22,144 3181 1,113 0 0 0 1,113 3182 1,266 0 0 0 1,266 3190 20,286 3,266 0 0 23,552 3201 8,020 526 0 1,848 10,394 3203 2,944 1,070 2,072 119,060 125,147 3204 245 0 0 1,036 1,281 3211 10 280 0 0 290 3212 3,220 133 1,036 0 4,389 3231 3,263 28 0 0 3,291 3232 18,122 8,329 1,500 26,857 54,808 3240 9,101 267 0 401 9,769 3250 367 0 1,036 0 1,403 TAKE YOUR CLUB IN A 3261 2,183 14 0 0 2,197 NEW DIRECTION 3262 1,623 0 0 0 1,623 3291 1,865 39 5,541 0 7,444 Is your club flexible and ready for the future? India Total 32,014 83,644 349,249 891,974 New resources on Satellite Clubs, Passport Clubs, and 427,066 Corporate Membership can help you create an experience 3220 Sri Lanka 5,949 473 1,510 0 7,932 that works for every member. 3271 Pakistan 308 316 0 1,155 1,780 LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS AT ROTARY.ORG/FLEXIBILITY 3272 Pakistan 707 60 0 0 767 3281 Bangladesh 5,244 825 0 0 6,069 3292 Nepal 10,395 1,100 0 2,155 13,650 South Asia Total 449,669 34,789 85,154 352,559 922,171

*Figures may not be accurate as the system is being migrated to ERP platform. Source: RI South Asia Office

G - TRF Details - September 2021.indd 71 8/27/2021 11:18:21 AM Tori’s search for this It’s not as if Maeve and sibling is the crux of this Danny particularly love debut novel. Admittedly, it their house, but to Andrea Wordsworld is not always great writing, the house is a trophy but the story is emotional and any previous thing and evokes images of connected to it, unpalatable. Books can be like a Japan that seem almost She orders M and D to Indian. That’s the thing leave. This is about as about ‘real’ stories, even dramatic as the novel gets hockey team when fictionalised — they as it goes on to explore bring you home. relationships: between The second book — people, between people they’ve been listed in and things; people and random order, no pref- memories; the past and the erences intended -— is present; between hope and The Dutch House by Ann expectation. The writing Patchett. Slow, unremark- compels you to read every able, emotionless, ‘yaar, word and, especially if nothing happens!’ — these you have a ‘house’ in your Sandhya Rao were some of the com- personal history, reflect ments in our book club. upon it and the stories that But everybody agreed the may lie hidden in its walls. Random picks, varied styles, absorbing writing was lucid. The You wouldn’t be off book is named after the the mark if you thought yarns… each uniquely examining the house in which the central ‘Hamlet!’ upon reading the fundamental human need to belong. characters live. The name Hamnet by Maggie mother runs off to India, O’ Farrell. This is a story leaving bereft her husband inspired by Shakespeare’s e’ve been myriad-hued multitude that and two children, Maeve son who died young; four uplifted, and is this nation. and Danny in the care of years later, Shakespeare Wthe icing on The package of books housekeepers. Eventually, wrote Hamlet. Rooted in the cake was the calm, laid out today is, in a way, the father remarries, bring- fact, it dramatically reveals confident, graceful gold like the Indian women’s ing Andrea and her two a broad canvas of sixteenth medal-winning demeanour hockey team — each children into the narrative. century England even as of Neeraj Chopra. So selection is unique, and it tunnels deep into details young, so dignified in together they convey a so minute you hear every execution and victory. sense of belonging breath exhaled, feel the Then came news of some in different ways. juice ooze from plums, hear people ‘celebrating’ the Importantly, each the scratch of every word defeat of the women’s voice sings its own paper. Read for yourself: hockey team in the semi- song. The Woman in the ‘Hamnet starts awake, the final. They stood outside White Kimono by Ana mattress rustling beneath the Haridwar home of a Johns, based on the true him. Something has player and hurled offensive experiences of the author’s woken him — a noise, a remarks against the family, father, unravels the story bang, a shout — but he apparently ‘protesting’ the of the central character, doesn’t know what. He presence of dalits in the Tori Kovac, whose father can tell, by the long Indian team. Yet, this team dies, leaving behind a life- reaches of the sun into is quintessential India: changing letter for her: she the room, it must be a representation of the has a half-sister in Japan. near evening. What is he

72 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

P_Words World_Books can be like a hockey team.indd 72 31-08-2021 18:26:03 doing here, asleep around ideas of faith and descriptive, languorously on the bed? He fundamentalism. Farah sensuous, and exuding twists his head and tackles the subject head-on the languidness of siestas then he remembers by premising the story on on humid afternoons, as everything. A form the experiences of a Somali in: ‘Luiza yawned and lies flat, next to him, couple, Mugdi and Gacala, stretched. It was such a head twisted to one side. having escaped from bore having to get dressed! Judith’s face is waxen troubles in their country, She would have liked and still, a sheen of sweat now well-adjusted to simply to be dozing off in making it glimmer like living in Oslo, Norway, a pink marble bath full of glass. Her chest rises and with their two children. warm, perfumed water! Or falls at uneven intervals. However, when their else to be rocking gently Hamnet swallows, his son grows up to become in a silken hammock, with throat closed and tight. a jihadist, and dies in a all the windows closed, His tongue feels furred, terrorist attack, and they listening to music! She ungainly, too large to fit in in an agbada, Mugdi is sad are forced to look after his shook off one slipper and his mouth. He scrambles that scenes such as this, wife and her two children, sat looking fondly at her upright, the room blurring where a variety of races everything changes for small, milk-white foot with around him. A pain enters congregate at a public them. As The Oprah its tracery of blue veins, the back of his head and arena, are unavailable Magazine observed, ‘The thinking about all kinds of crouches there, snarling, in Mogadiscio. As he political becomes personal things …’ like a cornered rat.’ watches the expressions in this beautifully affecting In its own way, this Nothing is known on the faces of some of tale.’ In tone, tale and tale parading cuckolds about the real Hamnet but the Norwegians, he can telling, it’s completely and mistresses, hypocrisy he is heroed here, in ‘a spot some whose gentle different from the other and deceit, blackmail and great work of imaginative features stiffen, turning books laid out today. sentimentality, is also recreation and a great ugly when they come The fifth book is a founded on a yearning to story,’ writes Dominic face-to-face with a Muslim completely different cup of belong — to somebody, Dromgoole. ‘It is also woman in full Islamic gear. tea. This is Cousin Bazilio to a set, to high society. a moral achievement to Maybe a woman with a by the Portuguese novelist The characters materialise have transformed that Muslim headscarf is seen Eca de Queiroz, in English before your eyes and even young child from being as a threat, whereas a sari- translation by Margaret if you have never visited a literary footnote into wearing woman is viewed Jull Costa. Although Lisbon, the city comes someone so tenderly alive as unusual and fascinating first published in 1878, it alive. that part of you wishes he in this part of the world. never feels dated. Richly Lucky you; so many had survived, and Hamlet Mugdi remembers reading books to choose from! never been written.’ In about a judge in the state What you read, how much, the end, you cannot help of Georgia in the US who and when, is your privilege. but wonder how on earth barred a woman with a What matters is that you Maggie O’Farrell created headscarf from entering take a shot. After all, like this masterpiece. his court. Would the in sport, it doesn’t matter Right now, though, I same judge turn away if you win or lose, it’s how am under the spell of North a Jewish man with a you play the game. of Dawn by Somali writer yarmulke or a nun in Nuruddin Farah: ‘As his her habit?’ The columnist is a eyes move from the face It is very much a children’s writer and of a Caucasian woman to a story of our times, senior journalist. man with Middle Eastern beset with conflicts features, and from a woman and confusion Designed by in a sari to an African man particularly Krishnapratheesh

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 73

P_Words World_Books can be like a hockey team.indd 73 31-08-2021 18:26:04 Health Develop the wonderful elixir… gratitude

Bharat and Shalan Savur

here’s nothing like a little phys- are undergoing anxiety disorders, obses- As Yogananda puts it so aptly, “The ical pain to keep your mind off sive compulsive disorders, are beset by darkest mind, if you bring light to it, Tyour emotional problems,” says a constant fear of contracting Covid, transforms.” And the transformation is Snoopy. It’s true. You may have experi- or losing their loved ones. Sales of a delightful process; calmness replaces enced it like I did… news arrives that a anti-depressants, tranquillisers, anti- turmoil, healing insights overtake infor- cousin you grew up with is in hospital with psychotics and anti-migraine medica- mation and love eases out fear. Covid. An hour later, your lower back tions have all dramatically risen. hurts, your voice turns raspy. Emotions It’s not a great picture, but it’s Let love be the driver. When you expe- shy off distress, but the body doesn’t. our picture, and we’ve got to navigate rience any resistance, any niggle of neg- What do you do? Dr John E Sarno, through this entire maze of information ativity that holds you back, tell yourself professor of rehabilitation medicine with this clear, firm belief: ‘I’m fit, softly, ‘Let love drive me.’ The Wise in New York, says, “Consciously and I’m fine, I’m flourishing.’ Living from say, “Love is the waking consciousness forcefully shift your attention to what is a good place in our mind helps — a in the body. And the waking conscious- worrying you” — in this case, your cous- place where there’s no fear, a place that ness is you.” Such a truth with its enor- in’s well-being. It’s not pleasant thinking emphasises good health, good thoughts, mity gives you immense energy, and the of him being on love for oneself and everybody else. effect is electric. oxygen. It hurts When love is the driver, you can and the body empathise and sympathise with your reflects it. cousin in hospital without Intense worry itself being drawn into your causes mild oxygen depriva- own vortex of worry and tion which then causes the pain fear. You accept the situ- in a vulnerable part of the body. But ation and it frees you from when you face up to it, and say, ‘this is unwholesome thoughts. “The worrying me,’ it sends a message to the moment you accept what trou- brain — ‘this is not a physical affliction, bles you’ve been given, the door will but an emotional one.’ Gradually, the open,” promises Rumi. You get to see pain eases and then ceases. the bigger picture. The pictures we are being shown are real, yet they are only The sheath of understanding. We part of reality. Look again from love, can’t armour our emotions but we can not fear, and you see all those who are sheath them with understanding. As helping to heal all those who are sick health consultant Steve Ozanich says, and you know your loved ones are in “Truth changes as perception changes.” good hands. A wider perspective draws This is so very important in today’s us out of our self-referential brooding to context. We all know that more people a more balanced and serene state.

K_Health_Develop the wonderful elixir… gratitude.indd 74 01-09-2021 10:04:53 Banish any aching tiredness in bedtime, waking up. As it sees order in everyday life, the spirit tones up. body, worry in mind, lowness in spirit The moment you accept what that you may be undergoing. Be born The spirit also needs a wonderful again. Be the one who reduces stress troubles you’ve been given, the elixir — gratitude. Gratitude is a great in your life and that of others. Build door will open. recognition of the good life we are expe- a bonfire every night by visualisation riencing. It shifts our perception from and cast all your fears into it. It’s a burdens to blessings, form dissatisfac- great way to prepare for a new day, a tion to appreciation. Can you see how it new way of being. Take charge and relax the mind. tones and builds up the spirit? During the Sit comfortably, head and neck sup- lockdown, being indoors all the times, Loosen the body. The body needs to ported. Breathe slowly, deeply. Inhale many grumblers learnt the value of free- relax before it rests. Ferry it to bed, through your nostrils to eight counts, dom; the day they run outdoors into the tenderly make it lie down. Stretch it by exhale through your mouth to another sunshine, into the rain without any fear, extending your arms above and your eight counts. As you inhale, draw in is the day they will know gratitude. It’s legs below — like an exclamation mark your stomach; as you exhale, swell it a point to be noted that Archbishop and being pulled at both ends. Feel the relief out. Do this until you feel an easing. the Dalai Lama constantly thank every- from top to toe. Then relax. Lying on Now, visualise yourself as encased in body they encounter. The Archbishop your back, move your hand gently in a block of ice sitting in the sun. Let also greets every new experience with circles over your stomach until you feel the warmth of the sun melt away your a heartfelt ‘Wonderful!’ Brother David the body loosen. Some ancient traditions anxiety, aggression, tiredness and fear. Steindl-Rast, a monk has got it right, “It believe a circle symbolises creator and Feel yourself melting inside and the is not happiness that makes us grateful. creation. The circle itself is still and the cool stream running inside you. If any It is gratefulness that makes us happy.” energy of creating moves inside its cir- thoughts arise, let them come and go And here’s another spirit-toner cumference. Everything moves in it — without clinging to them. It’s all about that was recently forwarded to me. It’s energy, health, order — the harbinger being easy, no clinging, just sitting, about a wonderful toning exercise. It of balance. Now silently command each body relaxed, thinking silent, mind still. goes: ‘Stand on a comfortable surface part of your body to relax — from toes Gradually, you’ll feel a lighten- where you have plenty of room on to head. Or listen to a Yoga Nidra medi- ing, an opening, a spaciousness in you. each side. With a five-pound potato tation recording on Youtube, relax your You’ll feel an urge… Follow its direc- bag in each hand, extend your arms body and drift off to sleep. tive. You’ll find yourself willingly tack- straight out from your sides and hold ling tasks. It’s amazing how those 101 them there as long as you can. Try to Still the mind. Interestingly, when the things now shrink to 10. And when you reach a full minute, and then relax. mind feels fatigued, it requires not rest complete doing one task, the 10 things Each day, you’ll find that you can hold but something more — it needs still- magically become two. And everything this position for just a little longer. ness. It needs to stop thinking. The seems doable, life seems livable. You’re “After a couple of weeks, move mind is not a race course, thoughts are fine, life is fine. up to 10-pound potato bags. Then try not racehorses. But when they begin 50-pound potato bags and eventually to behave what they are not, fog and Tone up the spirit. Often, the spirit try to get where you can lift a 100- fatigue set in. Racing thoughts are nor- wearies from feeling nothing is going pound potato bag in each hand and mally about lots of things to be taken our way and the world is against us. This hold your arms straight for more than care of within a short space of time. gives rise to a feeling that there is never a full minute.” (“I’m at this level,” says There’s anxiety about not doing what enough. There aren’t enough biscuits in the forwarder.) one needs to do, not getting what one the packet. There isn’t enough money in “After you feel confident at that wants, not meeting a commitment and the bank. There isn’t enough goodness level, put a potato in each bag.” 101 things more. That there is a virus and efficiency in people. Please under- Are you laughing? That’s the the world over does not help. So much stand, this comes from a disorganised spirit-toner we all need! energy is taken up by anxiety that mind that wears down the spirit. Such The writers are authors of Fitness for we cannot sit or focus on our work, a mind needs to be kept busy organis- Life and Simply Spiritual – You Are instead, we keep moving around rest- ing things — daily accounts, paying Naturally Divine and teachers of the lessly, growing even more tired. bills, regular meals, exercise session, Fitness for Life programme.

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 75

K_Health_Develop the wonderful elixir… gratitude.indd 75 01-09-2021 10:04:54 From RI South Asia Office desk

Fundraising highlights from South Asia for ™ Annual Fund giving from South Asia increased by Rotary year 2020–21: 17 per cent over the last Rotary year. ™ India achieved the highest ever contribution of $22.3 ™ Eight districts crossed $1 million mark in total TRF million and moved to No 3 position in the list of contribution and are also featuring in world top 50 top-giving countries. districts list. ™ Total 23 new AKS members (including level change) Arch Klumph Society members from from South Asia and 16 were from India. South Asia region for Rotary year 2020–21 ™ 73 per cent of the clubs in South Asia have contrib- Taizoon Fakhruddin Khorakiwala uted towards TRF in RY 2020–21. and Edith Khorakiwala (RID 3141) ™ Donor participation remained at 33 per cent for Vinay and Rashmi Kulkarni (RID 3131) South Asia. Banoo Jafer and Jafer Noman Sura (RID 3141) Districts from South Asia in Rauzat and Saif Qureishi (RID 3141) top 50 districts worldwide Suresh and Kiran Poddar (RID 3054) 2020–21* Total Worldwide M Ambalavanan (RID 3232) District Contribution in Rank US $ Ajay and Rooma Dubey (RID 3131) 3141 $3,525,764 1 Khandkar Shafiqul Haque (RID 3281) 3131 $1,760,573 10 Mituli Mahbub Hossain (RID 3281) 3232 $1,739,390 11 Nikunj Pravin Jhaveri and Kanan Jhaveri (RID 3141) 3190 $1,320,244 27 Ashok Kumar Mahansaria (RID 3141) 3201 $1,292,207 29 Ashok Kumar and Bindu Mehra (RID 3141) 3060 $1,208,745 34 Narendrakumar and Bhavani Mehta (RID 3060) 3281 $1,024,779 44 Nitin and Harsha Mehta (RID 3141) 3011 $1,019,684 47 PNB Murugadoss and Devi M (RID 3212) *Interim unaudited update Dipti Ranjan and Indrani Patnaik (RID 3261) RY 2020–21* Top 5 Giving Clubs from South Asia Ramesh and Asha Poddar (RID 3141) Total TRF Contribution K R Ravindran and Vanathy Ravindran (RID 3220) District Club Name in US $ Muhammad and Dilara Ajaz Saya (RID 3271) 3131 Pune Central $540,501.36

Srinivas T (RID 3190) 3141 Bombay Airport $437,577.44

S V Veerramani and Radha Veerramani (RID 3232) 3141 Bombay North $350,430.47

Irena Malabika and Tipu Munshi (RID 3281) 3141 Bombay Queen City $327,943.85

Atos Global IT Solutions and 3141 Queen’s Necklace $311,927.43 Services Private Limited (RID 3142) *Interim unaudited update

76 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

G - RISAOffice - September 2021.indd 76 8/27/2021 11:04:00 AM On the racks

A Different Route to Success Author : Ramesh Narayan Publisher : Notion Press Pages : 110; `299

iving readers a peek into A Kashmiri Century Ghis professional life, the Service Above Self – Author : Khemlata Wakhlu author examines the factors Publisher : HarperCollins that contributed to his success The Biography of Pages : 356; `388 M K Panduranga Setty in the advertising field. The ritten by former cabinet founder of Canco Advertising Author : Vedam Jaishankar minister Khemlata was quite active in this field M Satyanarayan W Wakhlu, a Kashmiri, this book for well over two decades, Publisher : Vimal Publication delves into the lives of Hindus before retiring at 50 for good. Pages : 292 and Muslims living in the The author narrates anecdotes ith a foreword by RI President valley. We get a glimpse of the from his own life making the WShekhar Mehta, this book is Kashmir that Khemlata grew book an interesting read. He an interesting account of the life of up in, its ethos and culture over elaborates on what success PRID Panduranga Setty. From his several centuries. Having been means to him and the journey first trip to Switzerland as a nervous ruled by kings from diverse that took him to where he is boy to becoming a well-known faiths and cultures, the region today. Genius is not the only educationist and industrialist of has undergone various cycles important thing that determines Karnataka, this book narrates the of social, cultural and religious a person’s success, Narayan story of Setty, his successful career changes which have impacted the states, and explains that practi- and journey in the Rotary world. life of the Kashmiris. The stories cal learning is critical to attain Over the years he learnt to appreciate in the book are an insight into professional goals. According the beauty of nature, followed an Kashmiri society, its evolution to him there is “no one formula arduous work ethic, and took up and how the people dealt for success. Nor one route to charitable work. The book gives with the valley’s bitter past. It this holy grail.” The self-help readers a ringside view of his life highlights the natural beauty of book tells his success story in as a member of RC Bangalore for the region, its contributions to simple language with a mix of the last 54 years, his achievements Indian literature and its vibrant interesting anecdotes, honest and the service he has rendered. It flora and fauna. The stories are insights and a different look at also highlights how he developed a based on the author’s personal success. strong network of friends and rich experiences and her intimate experiences which aided him in understanding of what it means to doing good in the world. be a Kashmiri-speaking native. Compiled by Kiran Zehra

SEPTEMBERSEPTEMBER 2021 RO ROTARYTARY NEWNEWSS 77

P_On the Racks_September21.indd 77 31-08-2021 18:25:13 CLUB HOP

RC Mannargudi Midtown — RID 2981 RC Kundli — RID 3012

A health camp was Club members held at the club’s led by president adopted village Neelam Sehgal near Thirumeni planted 50 lake in which saplings and around 200 protected them Narikuravas, a with tree guards homeless tribe, at an industrial were screened for area in Kundli. various ailments.

RC Karur — RID 3000 RC Nasik Godavari — D 3030

Medical equipment worth `26,000 Interest-free micro were donated to loans up to the Kasturibai `21,000 were Municipal given to 20 Maternity women to help Hospital. Also, them set up doctors and small businesses frontline staff such as tailoring were honoured by units and beauty the club. parlours at homes.

RC Delhi Khubsurat — RID 3011 RC Jaipur Bapu Nagar — RID 3054

Medical devices and elec- This all-women’s club trical appliances cost- distributed sanitary ing `1.7 lakh were pads, cosmetics donated to a and ayurvedic PHC at Manpur medicines to Macheri village 120 women at through the the Leprosy club’s RCC. Centre, Lajpat Club president Nagar, to boost Narendra Mal their confidence and Mathur and his family provide nutrition. sponsored the project.

78 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

G - Club HOP - September 2021.indd 78 8/27/2021 12:25:46 PM CLUB HOP

RC Pathankot Midtown — RID 3070 RC Sanskriti Moradabad — RID 3100

Around 90 patients The club contributed were screened in an `50,000 for the eye camp at the operation of a Apollo Laser 2-day-old baby Eye Hospital. girl who was Rtn Dr Pallav born with an Aggarwal under- developed conducted eye food pipe at the tests. Free cataract Jaswal Children’s surgeries will be Hospital, Pathankot. done on eight patients. The infant is doing well.

RC Chandigarh Midtown — RID 3080 RC Agra Northeast — RID 3110

Over 200 expectant mothers were screened for high risk pregnancy with Over 200 trees testing for blood were planted sugar, BP and at the Guru other param- Ka Taal eters. Club Gurudwara, president Salil Sikandra, to Chopra gave mark the new dry rations to 25 Rotary year. mothers who delivered on that day.

RC Sri Ganganagar City — RID 3090 RC Lucknow Baradari — RID 3120

PDG Vijay Gupta inaugurated an ambulance (GG: Garments and toys `25 lakh) with were distributed the support of to children RC Capalaba, at the Sishu Australia. IPP Bal Griha, an Shailesh Goyal orphanage, and club president having around 50 Sanjiv Garg contrib- inmates. uted to the project.

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 79

G - Club HOP - September 2021.indd 79 8/27/2021 12:25:47 PM CLUB HOP

RC Guntur Vikas — RID 3150 RC Bangalore East — RID 3190

Laptops were donated The club members to teachers at the planted saplings Saraswathi to usher in a Vidya Niketan green land- High School, scape in the Dommasandra, neighbour- and Swami hood. A number Vivekananda of volunteers High School, took part in the Neralur, for online initiative. teaching. Also, 550 food kits (`3.85 lakh) were distributed to students.

RC Adoni — RID 3160 RC Udamalpet — RID 3203

The club sponsored Around 330 people cataract opera- were inoculated tions for two at a Covid vac- patients. Sew- cination camp ing material held at the worth `30,000 Rotary House. were given to The project 10 underprivi- enhanced the pub- leged women to lic image of Rotary in help them earn a sus- the vicinity. tainable income from home.

RC Hubli Vidyanagar — RID 3170 RC Tirunelveli Twin City — RID 3212

Around 60 people were Umbrellas with inoculated at the Rotary logo were Covid vaccination distributed to camp held at the 60 vegetable SCAD Primary vendors at School. A look- three locations alike of former in the city. Tamilnadu CM The project cost MGR attracted the `15,000. people.

80 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

G - Club HOP - September 2021.indd 80 8/27/2021 12:25:50 PM CLUB HOP

RC Vellore North — RID 3231 RC Rourkela Queens — RID 3261

With the help of RCC Saplings were volunteer Sanjukta planted on the Bindu Barla, the premises of the club planted Auxilium Col- 300 saplings lege, Vellore, including with the support fruit-bearing of college prin- and medicinal cipal and NCC plants at Birkera students. village, around 30km from the city.

RC Bongaigaon — RID 3240 RC Bhubaneswar Metro — RID 3262

Covid-related devices Saplings were planted such as oximeter, on the premises of nebuliser, inhaler Kripalya Child and reusa- Care Institute at ble PPE kit, Dangtol village. besides ready- The desti- to-make snack tute children items, were interacted with donated to five Rotarians and gave orphanages in and a dance performance. around the city.

RC Jamshedpur Midtown — RID 3250 RC Geetanjali Kolkata — RID 3291

Menstrual cups were Health camps at donated to teachers Amratala village at the Prem Jyoti in South 24 Prangan. District Parganas and chair (new gen- Kajla tribal eration) Simran area, Barasat Sagoo and tehsil, screened Rtn Dr Renuka over 250 villagers Choudhary spoke for ailments. on its eco-friendly attributes. Compiled by V Muthukumaran

SEPTEMBER 2021 ROTARY NEWS 81

G - Club HOP - September 2021.indd 81 8/27/2021 12:25:52 PM Of drivers & journalists and their declining skills

TCA Srinivasa Raghavan

ompared to its counterparts in me measure it when I came back from even though I am now retired and my Cmost parts of the world, the mid- the office which was 45 minutes away income has halved. Clearly, the supply dle class in India lives quite com- then. Now it is 110 minutes away. So of drivers has increased very fast. fortably, what with access to cheap one working week, my wife, who is as That’s fine if you look at it only domestic help that it has. True, this good as any doctor when it comes to from the money point of view. But help is no longer full-time as it was telling me what not to eat and drink, as always happens — mobile phone when we were growing up many years measured it. And lo! As my cousin had networks are an excellent example — ago. Now it is 90 per cent part-time. predicted, it was very high. Since I also when supply goes up very quickly, It was in this context that last month I used to smoke around ten cigarettes a quality declines very sharply. It’s not had written about the mali, or gardener, day, my wife issued an edict: we will just the driving skills that fall short; problem. Gone are the days when gar- employ a driver. these guys don’t have any clue of dens were so large that you needed a Two weeks after he started work- the car’s mechanism. Thus, over the full-time gardener. Now it is only the ing for us, my blood pressure was last 20 years we have had six drivers, car, regardless of its size, that requires checked again. It was normal. So since each worse than the previous one but a full-time driver. So most people I then I have not driven, even though it earning more. Our current chap drives know have one, not only because they now costs 20 times as much, up from extremely well, or has begun to, after have the money and because the traffic `1,000 a month to `20,000. But as constant hectoring by me from the is so horrible, but also because they a percentage of our family earnings, passenger seat in the front. But he has are old and getting older and, above the amount has actually come down no idea of how the car works. Thank- all, parking is such a great problem. fully, he can change a tyre now, but Indeed, drivers are more useful as only after we had paid a workshop to parking valets. I often wonder why teach him. more malls, shopping streets and hos- I pointed this out to my wife who, pitals don’t follow the five-star hotel as a professor, has become accustomed Arching her eyebrows my mode of employing such attendants. to dealing with the declining quality of When you consider it, a major reason wife said: “Isn’t that exactly her students. She arched her eyebrows for online shopping is that you don’t like you journalists? All you and asked “Isn’t that exactly like you have to find a place to park when you journalists? All you fellows do now is go shopping. And, increasingly, it fellows do now is Google, cut Google and cut and paste and get paid is also the parking charges that can, and paste and get paid more more now for doing much less work depending on location and the time of than you did 20 years ago.” now for doing less work than the day, vary from `50 to 200 an hour. She had, as usual, got to the core I stopped driving 20 years ago after you did 20 years ago. of the issue — that there was no differ- a doctor cousin explained to me what ence between media people and driv- exactly driving for over half-an-hour ers. I have decided to stop complaining does to our blood pressure. She made about domestic help now. „

82 ROTARY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021

K_LBW_Drivers to beat traffic and parking issues.indd 82 01-09-2021 10:04:54 In Brief Emperor Penguins in endangered list In a bid to save the Emperor Tom Daley knits a medal Penguins the case for his gold medal US Fish & Wildlife Service After winning gold in the synchro- (USFWS) has nised 10m platform diving at the proposed that the Tokyo Olympics, Tom Daley, an species be listed LGBTQ icon, was spotted knitting as threatened while watching the women’s 3m under the Endangered Species Act. Although the species springboard final. Pictures of the star is not found within the United States, a listing under the diver watching the action while knitting went viral on social Endangered Species Act would help federal agencies media. A photo of Daley knitting purple yarn shared by the minimise harm to them from activities in their habitat, official Olympics Twitter account got over 1.6 lakh ‘likes’ in for example, from fishing. The USFWS study shows the a day. He shared a glimpse of the little woollen pouch he knit decline of sea ice at the rate projected by climate models for his Olympic gold medal on his @madewithlovebytomdaley under current energy system would dramatically reduce Instagram account which has over 4.2 lakh followers. penguin colonies making them quasi-extinct by 2100.

Take Covid vaccination, New hydrogel to treat Parkinson’s

urges Jennifer Aniston The Australian National Hollywood actor Jennifer Aniston University (ANU) in pleaded with her 37.7 million collaboration with The Florey followers on Instagram to wear Institute of Neuroscience a mask and has cut ties with a and Mental Health have few people over their vaccination developed a new hydrogel status. Saying “it’s a real shame,” she called out “a few that could help in the people in my weekly routine who have refused or did not treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Made from natural amino disclose (whether or not they had been vaccinated), and acids the gel will act as a gateway to safely transfer stem it was unfortunate.” Vaccination, she said in an interview cells into the brain and restore damaged tissue by releasing with InStyle magazine, is “your moral and professional a growth-enabling protein called GDNF (Glial cell line- obligation. It’s tricky because everyone is entitled to their derived neurotrophic factor). The cost-effective technology own opinion — but a lot of opinions don’t feel based in is said to be easy to manufacture on a mass scale and could anything except fear or propaganda.” undergo clinical trials soon.

Solar buoy to test sea water

National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Chennai, has a placed a high-tech buoy off the coast of Puducherry. Fitted with sensors, the buoy will automatically measure and transmit oxygen, water temperature, conductivity (salinity), depth, blue-green algae, turbidity, pH and chlorophyll levels in the sea through a computer model and the quality readings can be viewed through a smartphone app by anyone near the coast. The solar-powered buoy, anchored 1.5km from the coast, will also study atmospheric temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, besides wave speed and direction of currents, and can withstand rough weather including six-metre high waves.

Compiled by Kiran Zehra; Designed by Krishnapratheesh S

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