Vol. 57 No 47 June xx25 - June xx,30, 2016 President’s Report t feels like just yesterday that a group resounding success and will continue to of Rotarians took to their feet at my make a lasting impact on Bombay. The Installation to surprise everyone and Animal Committee was another active new shake things up with their flash mob initiative, working with the animal hospital Irendition of “Happy”. in Parel and with Welfare for Stray Dogs. And a happy year it has been. I have been We acted on our decision to be exacting on the recipient of so much affection and membership rules and unfortunately had to amazing support that this job has been a ask for the resignations of four members. wonderful experience. This past year 7 of our senior members passed away .We added a total of 12 new Preparations for the year began with an members; all of whom we hope will make April retreat in Pune with the Board of promising results. Our Talwada projects great contributions to the Club, resulting Directors, where much of the setting of have struggled with lack of water from in a total Club strength of 314. We have priorities and planning for the year was April onwards for the past few years; this actually seen a lowering of the average mapped out. This was an experiment — year, the deepening of the well and the age of our club.we started the year at an the first of its kind — but it was such a building of a new pipeline will ensure that average 58.9 and end it at 56.9. resounding success that I’m sure it will they will no longer face a water shortage become a permanent part of our Club. We in the future. Club Assemblies were lively, participative emerged from this two-day session clear affairs, with less focus on reporting and more on how we were going to tackle issues of The Scholarship Committee undertook an on interaction and on how projects could membership, fundraising, attendance, the extensive overhaul of the way we evaluate overlap and work together. One of these Rotary district’s expectations as well as our and support deserving students and has actually took place on an overnight trip to goals for the various community service developed a model that actually gives Khandala, allowing members to spend time projects. As a result of this increased meaningful and consistent support to the focusing on Rotary without interruptions clarity, there were few issues that took us most deserving. and creating greater understanding of our unawares or unprepared. I’m proud of the Many of you were present to see the Club’s strengths and challenges. exceptional job the Board has done this inauguration of Phase 2 of the solar power year. I leaned and relied heavily on their project at the Museum, which will result in As always Interact and Rotaract were advice and they were unstinting in giving enduring monetary saving, as well as make important partners, and we actually added their time and leadership. an impact on the environment. Our Jal to the number of Clubs with the inclusion Jeewan water project has grown beyond of the Rotaract Club of Indian School of Much of my focus has been on developing expectations and we have filed a Global Design and Innovation. our community projects to have depth Grant application to enable its replication and to actually change lives rather than in slums across Bombay. But all work and no play makes for a dull merely “touch” them. With the support of Rotarian, and our various Committees Committee Chairs at Bhavishya Yaan and Two of the new projects rolled out this ensured that there was no fear of that! the Night Study Centers, we have begun year were the partnership with the Asiatic For the first time, the Sports Committee supplementing the nutrition of the children Library, working on conservation as well as included an extremely popular table with whom we work. The BY committee has facility renovation, and the refurbishment tennis tournament, outdoor soccer and a worked on developing evaluation criteria and renewal of the International Women’s memorable car treasure hunt. and creating an e-learning module that Association clinic to provide medical will supplement traditional teaching with services to the city’s poor. Both have had (Full Report on Page 2) Page PBThe Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Bombay June 25 to June 30, 2016 June 25 to June 30, 2016 The Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Bombay Page 1 (Cont’d form Page 1) These activities not only resulted in much family fun but also showed the fiercely competitive side of our members. The In Camera Committee hosted some excellent speakers, allowing Rotarians to explore several topics in depth, while the Assimilation Committee outdid itself in ensuring that new and old members felt connected and hosting multiple small get-togethers. The year featured an outstanding line We reinstituted the practice of in-house The Gateway — that enduring channel up of speakers and topics. We started debates and our members delighted us of communication — underwent major the year with the delightful Boman Irani, with their arguments on the issues of the changes too, stylistically and editorially. heard from Anant Goenka, editor of The beef ban and the legalizing of pornography. We changed the publishing deadlines so Indian Express, explored the world of the We even had a wonderful afternoon with that it is now delivered on Mondays and blind, listened to Sufi music, met Amrish Sabira conducting a Rotary version of even earlier in its emailed format. Tripathi,Shabana Azmi, and Vidya Balan, What’s the Good Word? and even climbed Mount Everest in the I cannot end this report without acknowledging course of our afternoon series. We danced The Fellowship Committee excelled in and recalling the fabulous event that was with Astad Deboo, crawled over the roofs giving us a delightful and memorable year. our fundraiser with Javed Ali. A great group of the Museum, and heard members read We started with an unforgettable trip to of Rotarians worked on the event, pulling off from the Asiatic Library’s archives during ISRO, India’s space center, and followed an evening par excellence. We exceeded some of our off-site meetings. it up with a fun foodie weekend in Pune. our own targets monetarily, but equally We undertook a pilgrimage of sorts to important, we showcased with pride what Benares and Sarnath, and ended with a RCB is capable of and works for. tiger-spotting trek to Tadoba. From Parsi New Year to Diwali and Christmas, we Someone once told me, “Being President celebrated with a fellowship event nearly of the Rotary Club of Bombay is like every month, enjoying the company of fellow steering a large cruise ship. You can Rotarians and building new relationships. only make small corrections to its path.” We even hosted our first ever International It’s been a marvelous experience, and I Fellowship which included clubs from hope that I’ve helped steer this great ship Madras,Malaysia,Austria and the United to smoother waters. States. Dr.Batra’s meeting announcement We are pleased to announce that our incoming president Dr.Mukesh Batra’s first meeting will be on Jul 1st, 6:30pm at the Taj. Chief guest is Ms.Maneka Gandhi and our guest of honour is DG Dist. 3141 Rtn. Gopal Mandhania. The meeting will be followed by a fellowship dinner. Page 2 The Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Bombay June 25 to June 30, 2016 June 25 to June 30, 2016 The Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Bombay Page 3 “Oh God It’s Almost Over” his was the first whole year that I spent as an office bearer (OB) of the Rotary Club of Bombay (RCB). I had promised myself it Twould be a learning experience, and it really was. But first things first. What are my fleeting memories of the year that was? Here’s a light-hearted look from inside the goldfish bowl. Sonya had probably spent more time talking with various Rotarians in the run- up to her term than any President-Elect has. And I guess this gave her the insights she was looking for to ensure hers was a year with a difference. And what a “different” year it has been. Silos fell and Committees realized that the Roster and opened my eyes to what being strange bed-fellows could actually solid hard work and truly large-hearted The offsite for Office Bearers and Directors be fun. Environment and Animal Welfare; Rotarians could add up to. Committees at Pune was delightful. Apart from the Bhavishya Yaan and Women’s Empowerment; like Assimilation suddenly sprang up to extravagant generosity of Jai Advani who to name a few. make sure every single Rotarian felt part made a perfect host, it gave the Office of one big family. And with Rotary meetings Bearers an opportunity to actually sit And the wanderlust that Rotarians in such novel settings as the Asiatic Library down together, marshal their thoughts displayed was a revelation. From the and the Mumbai Museum, the “different” and plan out things in an organized cutting edge rocket launch site of ISRO theme played out strongly. manner. The offsite as a tool in the RCB to the shore temples of Mamallapuram; had arrived! from the spotlessly clean ghats of Varanasi And of course what does one say about to the deep cool bamboo forests of the First Family? The affable and ever- The difference was really seen and felt Tadoba, Sonya and her merry band of smiling Don Bomi, the spirited Zeenia at her installation as President.