Rotary News English February 2015

Vol.65, Issue 8 Annual Subscription Rs.420

February 2015

3

S. Asians

at RI Helm

Moments from the International Assembly 2015 San Diego

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat

12 CONTENTS

07 09

From the Editor’s Desk President Speaks

12 Rotary won’t allow ‘lowly’

Taliban to succeed in Pakistan

16 20 25 28 30

20

46

Glimpses from International Assembly 2015 Of villages and beauty business Skilling India’s youth

36

Rotary partners Sankara Nethralaya Indo-Pak peace in the Peshawar aftermath

36 In quest of a polio-free world 38 40 45

Are achche din around the corner?

Mouth Matters Operation Swachh Mumbai

46 Mumbai’s romance with EXWWHUÁLHV

50 59

68

30

Tirupur’s Tryst with AKS Mauritian gastronomy entices Chennai

38

64 Making Strides in Sri Lanka 66 68 70

Beware of child abuse Bowling out polio Conducting operations, Building toilets

70

LETTERS Kudos to 3230 The new year issue is filled with lot of interesting articles and news items with colourful photos. Each one is worth reading. I congratulate your leadership and active journalism. The article, No way to run Rotary, is worth reading. RIPE Ravindran’s emphasis on transparency, performance and cost cutting at all levels is welcome

and long overdue in Rotary. He really means business. If implemented it will make club leaders more responsible and accountable. I congratulate D 3230 for making India proud through the largest human flag formation.

Rtn T Susant RC Berhampur-D 3262

Stop wasteful expenditure Your article, No Way To Run Rotary, on the extempore speech by RIPE K R Ravindran was both inspiring and timely; my salute to him for his advice to Rotary leaders. This was long overdue. For quite some time Rotary in India has been functioning like most other NGOs. The pomp and show without substance has become the bane of most clubs. The DGs too follow the same practice. These days PEMs and such meetings have become dining and enjoyment events. Most clubs in Delhi cannot afford such extravaganza. It will be interesting to know the real cost of such events. Balls and grand dinners are organised in the name of Rotary Foundation. Huge funds are collected. Has anyone assessed how much actually comes in the Foundation kitty out of such collection drives? I hope and pray the advice given by RIPE is followed both in letter and spirit. I must compliment RIPE for his advice on appointment of Rotary officers at district level. Today’s District Directory is voluminous and generally distributed much after the start of the year. This has to be rectified. With good wishes and hope for achhe din for Rotary India.

Rtn Gulshan Rai RC Delhi Midwest-D 3010

It is immensely pleasing to find Rotary News in a novel get-up with Rasheeda Bhagat as Editor, with enlightening articles and profiles of men in action, such as Achyuta Samantha of KISS. Rtn Korukonda Butchi Raju RC Anakapalli-D 3020

Excellent Jan issue Rotary News is now catering to the taste of all readers, with a variety of articles. Water in Rajasthan, bullets in Pakistan, challenges being faced by polio workers in Pakistan, interview with Mukesh Malhotra, are master pieces. Your team has excelled; keep moving to further heights. Jai Hind.

Rtn Col Gopinathan RC Wadakanchery-D 3201 Congratulations for bringing out an excellent magazine. Kindly publish articles on the contribution of Rotary in the formation of the UNO, Rotary Cancer Institute at AIIMS Delhi, memories of ex-PM I K Gujral as President of RC Delhi and late JRD Tata as a member of RC Bombay.

Rtn Sanat Jain RC Raipur Heritage-D 3261 4 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

I received an excellent Jan issue, with welcome changes and bold views in ‘From the Editor’s Desk.’

I found interesting articles on Gary and Corinna, Vanakkam Chennai, First Thoughts, RIPE Ravindran’s speech, Colour and Sparkle, the photo pages, Giving away Money. Congratulations to your team.

Rtn S S Venkatachalam RC Chennai IT City-D 3230

The photograph in Tiranga Makes History is superb. From the Editor’s Desk is perfect.

The presentation of No way to run Rotary is very nice. Prime Minister Modi’s message is like a tonic, photo collage in District Scores is excellent.

If possible, please include ‘Rotary Quiz’ to develop Rotary knowledge.

Rtn C Pandian RC Dindigul-D 3000 The new concept of Rotary News is noteworthy and more readable.

LETTERS On Facebook 441 likes and still counting...

I am noticing a sea change in the layout and contents of Rotary News, since you assumed office as Editor. The classy editorials speak volumes about your experience as a Journalist. Congrats and do carry on the great work.

Rtn Raghunandanan Parakkal RC Palghat East-D 3201 Additional page for ‘Letters’ column is most welcome.

Rotary News has become more informative and less illustrative; club activity pictures are parted with. Of course it is difficult to select a picture from over 1,000 clubs reporting.

Last cover page drew attention, ‘Register by 15 December 2014 for the lowest rates’ in Jan issue which reaches readers not before 10th Jan! Rtn Arvind Patel RC Bombay Northwest-D 3140 It was a stunning experience to read Dada J P Vaswani’s column, The Stunning Gift, in the Jan issue. It is a lesson for the present younger generation to practise good deeds so that they will reap good things in life, per return.

Rtn B Pasupathi RC Dalmiapuram-D 3000 The January issue is very informative.

Articles related to day-to-day life — saving energy and water — will make the magazine more interesting.

Rtn Dr Sheban RC Thuckalay-D 3212 More space for Rotary projects I find that very few grant projects are being reported in Rotary News. The place is taken over by high profile Rotary meetings at the top level with photographs running into several pages. The poor Rotary club projects have taken a back seat and reported without proper photographs. We hope

the Editor will seriously look into the matter.

Rtn Gopalakrishnan Natarajan RC Rajapalayam-D 3212 Valuable lesson in First Thoughts RI Director’s First Thoughts contains valuable suggestions about Rotary awareness and the wonderful thoughts about William T Sergeant, who after 12 years of membership, no office, little contribution and worst attendance record, was asked to write the club bulletin and later was elevated to RI Director, which shows anybody with initiative can rise to any level.

Thanks for publishing such motivating thoughts.

Rtn M T Philip RC Trivandrum Suburban-D 3211 Well-penned Editorial The Peshawar carnage which is against human values needs to be condemned by all sensitive individuals and Rotarians world over. You took your right pick by penning such an issue which is to be debated at all quarters for a viable solution. Your pointer to introspect the true spirit and essence of religion and to punish the offenders twisting ideology is a bold proposition.

Rtn Arun Kumar Dash RC Baripada-D 3262 Not welcome 2014: the election that changed India

by Rajdeep Sardesai is political news.

Rotary Samachar should have Rotary

news of the world. Rajdeep Sardesai is not neutral.

Rtn Dr R K Sinha RC Jamshedpur-D 3250 Research required My response to the Jan issue would run to four pages — that is the value of the Vanakkam Chennai Special! The frank and forthright address of RIPE Ravi is very rewarding; he looks at the crux of the problem and has a lot of courage to say what he did.

All the reports and coverage of the Institute gave me, a Rotarian for 42 years, who has not attended larger meetings other than District Conferences, a better picture of Rotary.

Why don’t you research Indian Clubs on the lavish spending by aspirants for the DG’s post, or for starting new clubs and adding non-existent members just for their votes? These aspirants spend lavishly amounts which can be donated to TRF or to construct a community hall in their city. Such work will be well appreciated by Ravi, though not by our PDGs, DGs, DGNs and DGEs. Your team is on the right track and in one issue after another there is something novel.

Rtn Nan Narayenen RC Madurai West-D 3000 Kudos from a R’Ann Initially when I saw you as Editor of Rotary News I wondered how a non-Rotarian can write about Rotary and its activities. But my husband and I were pleasantly surprised to see Rotary News blossom into a beautiful magazine, under your editorship.

I’d just skim through the magazine every month when it arrived, but now I find myself reading it from end to end; it is so absorbing. I am a Rotary Ann but attend many weekly Rotary meetings.

R’Ann Sobhana Narayan RC Kalamassery-D 3201 FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 5

ADVISORY BOARD

TRUSTEES Chairman DG Ramesh Agrawal, RI Dist. 3052

RID

P.T. Prabhakar

RI Dist. 3230

Secretary DG Vyankatesh S. Metan, RI Dist. 3132

PRIP Rajendra K. Saboo

RI Dist. 3080

Treasurer DG Sanjay Khemka, RI Dist. 3250

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee

RI Dist. 3060

RI Dist. 2980

DG

S.P. Balasubramaniam

PRID Sushil Gupta

RI Dist. 3010

RI Dist.3000

DG

Jagannathan Paramasivam

PRID Ashok Mahajan

RI Dist. 3140

RI Dist.3010

DG

Sanjay Khanna

PRID Yash Pal Das

RI Dist. 3080

RI Dist.3020

DG

Dr. G.V. Mohan Prasad

PRID Shekhar Mehta

RI Dist. 3291

RIDE Dr. Manoj D. Desai

RI Dist. 3060

RI Dist.3030

DG

Dattatraya Shantaram Deshmukh

DG

Ramesh Agrawal

RI Dist.3052

RI Dist.3040

DG

Narendra Kumar Jain

DG

Vyankatesh Metan

RI Dist. 3132

RI Dist. 3051

DG

Jagdish B. Patel

DG

Sanjay Khemka

RI Dist. 3250

RI Dist. 3053

DG

Anil Maheshwari

DG

I.S.A.K. Nazar

RI Dist. 3230

RI Dist. 3060

DG

Ashish Ramesh Ajmera

PDG Rabi Narayan Nanda

RI Dist. 3262

RI Dist. 3070

DG

Gurjeet Singh Sekhon

PDG Radhe Shyam Rathi

RI Dist. 3053

RI Dist. 3080

DG

Dilip Patnaik

PDG Hari Krishna Chitipothu

RI Dist. 3150

RI Dist. 3090

DG

Pardeep Kumar Chehal

RI Dist. 3100

DG

Sanjiv Rastogi

RI Dist. 3110

DG

Ashok Jyoti

RI Dist. 3120

DG

Satpal Gulati

RI Dist. 3131

DG

Vivek Aranha

RI Dist. 3140

DG

Ajay Gupta

RI Dist. 3150

DG

Malladi Vasudev

RI Dist. 3160

DG

G.S. Mansoor

RI Dist. 3170

DG

Ganesh G. Bhat

RI Dist. 3180

DG

Dr. S. Bhaskar

RI Dist. 3190

DG

Manjunath Shetty

RI Dist. 3201

DG

P. Venugopalan Menon

RI Dist. 3202

DG

K. Sridharan Nambiar

RI Dist. 3211

DG

K.S. Sasikumar

RI Dist. 3212

DG

M. Ashok Padmaraj

RI Dist. 3230

DG

I.S.A.K. Nazar

RI Dist. 3240

DG

Swapan Kumar Choudhury

RI Dist. 3261

DG

Shambhu Jagatramka

RI Dist. 3262

DG

Ashok Bihari Mohapatra

RI Dist. 3291

DG

Pinaki Prasad Ghosh

COMMITTEES DG P. Venugopalan Menon - Chair, Finance Committee DG Dr. G.V. Mohan Prasad - Chair, Editorial Committee DG Sanjay Khanna - Chair, Marketing Committee DG G.S. Mansoor - Vice-chair, Marketing Committee

ROTARY NEWS ROTARY SAMACHAR Editor Rasheeda Bhagat Assistant Editors Jaishree Padmanabhan Selvi Kandaswamy

Send all correspondence and subscriptions to ROTARY NEWS TRUST 3rd Floor, Dugar Towers, 34 Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008, India.

Phone : 044 42145666 Fax : 044 28528818 e-mail : rotarynews@rosaonline.org Website : www.rotarynewsonline.org

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Something to smile about in gloomy times…

T

he theme of this issue is peace and conflict resolution, an area in which Rotary International has spent millions of dollars to educate and equip bright people from across the world with adequate skills to work at bringing sense, sensibility, sanity and peace in conflict zones. That our world is getting more and more violent has been proved once again by the dastardly and shocking terrorist attack on the office of the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, during which eight journalists — including an editor and cartoonists — were gunned down in Paris.

Earlier too several attempts were made on the lives of the magazine’s cartoonists who have created extremely provocative cartoons of Prophet Mohammed, Islam’s most revered religious leader. But the precision and brutality and the manner in which this operation was carried out, with both the gunmen walking away till they were hunted down, chased and killed, but not before four more lives were lost, has left the entire world shocked. What is fiercely being debated is freedom of expression. While infuriated readers in the West have demanded that all media houses must reprint the offensive cartoons to show solidarity with the slain journalists, leading newspapers like The Guardian and The New York Times have desisted, arguing against this definition of solidarity. Pope Francis too has given his take on the right to free speech coming with a rider.

An expert on India’s relations with its neighbours such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, retired IAS officer Shakti Sinha, who was Joint Secretary to former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, analyses the intricacies of the Indo-Pak conflict and why it has been such a challenge to resolve it.

I write this edit while attending the week-long annual International Assembly at San Diego. At the opening ceremony while the Flags of the Rotary World were being presented in a cheerful and colourful background, as the presentation began with Afghanistan and Algeria, and the flags of Egypt, Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan, Palestine, Israel and so on flashed by, the

troubled times in which we live was reinforced. These are countries that have seen or are continuing to see a great upheaval and violence in their lives. Displaced and traumatised people forced to flee their homes and live as refugees, children denied the most basic of rights — to education and a safe environment, women and girls denied the right to study or work, as is happening in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan … the list continues.

This reinforces how much we have to be grateful for in India, home to 1.3 billion people of diverse faiths, languages and cultures. It is not as though we don’t face challenges, the biggest of them being poverty and unemployment. But then it is heartening to see so much being done on the ground level. Whether it is through the National Skills Development Agency (whose Chairman S. Ramadorai has written in this issue), or corporate houses such as the pharma major Lupin, or thousands of NGOs, not to forget the thousands of projects being undertaken by India’s Rotarians, India’s young are getting new skills, and along with them, better livelihoods. The manner in which lives and livelihoods have been transformed in the villages around Bharatpur in Rajasthan, through acquisition of skills such as marble cutting, gems polishing or smart and advanced agricultural practices, has been detailed in this issue. After all, our disadvantaged classes are not asking for the moon — basic education for their children, a clean and safe environment to live in, and a decent livelihood. We may stumble and fumble, take a wrong turn here or do something stupid there, but slowly and surely we are marching resolutely towards these basic goals. And that is something to smile about in these gloomy times.

Rasheeda Bhagat

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 7

District Wise Contributions to The Rotary Foundation as on December 31, 2014 (in US Dollars)

District Number 2980 3000 3010 3020 3030 3040 3051 3052 3053 3060 3070 3080 3090 3100 3110 3120 3131 3132 3140 3150 3160 3170 3180 3190 3201 3202 3211 3212 3230 3240 3250 3261 3262 3291 India Total

APF

89,160 20,055 20,513 37,038 1,240 64 30,119 (64,500) 18,097 43,269 27,744 64,551 35,996 34,782 60,760 34,538 74,090 11,050 3,59,940 48,351 4,138 42,282 1,01,909 2,18,264 16,719 2,59,793 56,328 27,854 87,535 72,999 2,05,997 10,733 46,074 5,998 21,03,480

PolioPlus*

Other Restricted

India 35,898 0 861 600 305 615 50 0 0 0 1,450 19,786 0 0 1,714 0 5,514 1,000 4,136 1,017 17 1,583 0 100 3,404 949 1,000 10,724 1,328 1,597 925 0 0 0 94,574

Endowment Fund

Total Contributions

0 0 21,800 20,373 1,164 0 0 1,627 4,000 11,690 1,829 36,567 0 0 0 103 4,26,999 3,000 2,31,626 18,076 0 0 6,247 27,921 0 0 0 0 17,381 4,053 105 0 0 57,360 8,91,922

7,834 7,115 1,000 12,536 0 593 0 83,136 0 11,543 0 12,398 0 0 0 0 26,801 0 11,650 28,639 0 0 0 0 0 1,017 6,000 0 49,386 15,050 12,245 0 30,000 0 3,16,942

1,32,892 27,169 44,174 70,547 2,709 1,272 30,169 20,263 22,097 66,501 31,023 1,33,302 35,996 34,782 62,474 34,641 5,33,405 15,050 6,07,352 96,084 4,155 43,865 1,08,156 2,46,286 20,123 2,61,759 63,328 38,579 1,55,629 93,699 2,19,272 10,733 76,074 63,358 34,06,918

2,25,504

Sri Lanka 2,515

880

15,000

2,43,899

3271 3272

4,885 25,552

Pakistan 18,794 43,740

0 (816)

0 1,000

23,678 69,476

Bangladesh 13,235 99,525

7,200 1,000

18,000 0

2,43,472 2,86,430

Nepal 50 900 2,72,432 9,01,086 1,29,88,468 74,10,411

0 3,50,942 1,10,94,768

39,498 43,13,371 8,69,71,853

3292 South Asia Total World Total

2,05,037 1,85,905 38,548 27,88,911 5,54,78,205

* Excludes Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Rotary Social Media www.rotary.org/socialnetworks

More Online Resources books www.rotary.org/rotarian

www.rotary.org/rotaryminute

Rotary Images www.rotary.org/rotaryimages

3220

3281 3282

Bookmark Rotary

Source: RI South Asia Office

Rotary eNewsletters www.rotary.org/newsletters

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Dear Fellow Rotarians, As president of Rotary, it’s my job to encourage and inspire Rotarians wherever I meet them. It’s also my job to listen to what they have to say. Whether it’s a successful project or a challenge to overcome, a great Rotary Day or a new idea, I want to hear what Rotarians are thinking, doing and planning. So whenever I travel, I ask my hosts to talk to me about their clubs. What’s going well, where do they see a need to improve, and what can we at RI headquarters do to help?

The answers are always interesting and often surprising. Sometimes I have a suggestion or an idea to contribute; sometimes I am able to make a connection that will move a project forward. Often, I go back to Evanston with ideas and insights that help guide us in our decisions. But what I value most about these conversations are the stories I hear — the stories that, taken together, tell the story of Rotary.

In Atlanta, I attended a Rotary event honouring teachers and heard story after story about the gift of literacy and how it transforms lives.

In Istanbul, I attended a wheelchair race and learned how Turkish

What I value most about these conversations are

“

“

Rotarians are working to improve the lives of people with disabilities. In

the stories I hear — the

stories that tell the story of Rotary.

Lima, Peru, I talked to a former Group Study Exchange team member who waited nearly 20 years to be invited to join a Rotary club, and heard about how returning to Rotary has transformed her life.

I’ve heard stories that have made me laugh, and stories that have moved me to tears. I’ve heard stories of how our service changes the lives of others, and how it changes us as Rotarians. When I hear these stories, I can’t help but wonder: How many other lives could we change for the better by bringing more people into Rotary? And how many more people could we bring into Rotary simply by sharing our own Rotary stories?

In this Rotary year, I ask all of you to do just that: Share your Rotary stories. Tell them to your friends, on social media, and through Rotary.org.

Our Rotary stories are what inspire us, and what encourage others to join us; they help light up our service, as we work to Light Up Rotary.

Gary C K Huang President, Rotary International FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 9

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Attend the São Paulo peace symposium Every three years, The Rotary Foundation sponsors a peace symposium as a preconvention activity. The next peace symposium will be held in São Paulo, 4–5 June.

The triennial peace symposium is the vehicle to showcase our Rotary Peace Fellows, who earn master’s degrees and certificates through our Rotary Peace Centres; to educate Rotarians about this peace-related education and scholarship programme; to introduce our donors and potential donors to the programme; and to explore ways that Rotarians and peace fellows can collaborate in peacebuilding. Highlights of each symposium have included international speakers in the peace field, such as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu; breakout sessions featuring peace fellows working on the front lines to build peace; and Rotarians active in the peace field.

This year, the first plenary session will feature 1987 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oscar Arias Sánchez of Costa Rica.

He is a two-time President of Costa Rica, 1986–90 and 2006–10. During his first presidential term, he engaged the nations of Central America in peace discussions that led to the signing of the Esquipulas II Accords, and ultimately to the end of the various armed conflicts in the region.

The plans of the São Paulo peace symposium committee are creative and exciting, with elements not offered at past symposia. They will involve the 80 Rotary Peace Centres alumni in attendance.

If you have never attended a peace symposium, this is a special opportunity that will inform and educate you on Rotary’s service to promote peace. If you have attended any of the symposia in Salt Lake City, Birmingham, or Bangkok, you will especially appreciate this innovative programme.

I look forward to seeing you there!

John Kenny Foundation Trustee Chair

Membership in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives As on January 1, 2015

RI RI Rotary No. of Women Rotaract Interact Zone District Clubs Rotarians Rotarians

5 5 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 6 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

2980 3000 3010 3020 3030 3040 3051 3052 3053 3060 3070 3080 3090 3100 3110 3120 3131 3132 3140 3150 3160 3170 3180 3190 3201 3202 3211 3212 3220 3230 3240 3250 3261 3262 3271 3272 3281 3282 3291 3292 Total

159 100 133 67 91 103 66 71 50 85 118 82 75 88 108 68 124 76 144 93 61 124 136 92 125 105 131 84 73 132 76 96 76 77 83 96 152 101 150 88 3,959

6,958 4,457 5,435 3,270 4,898 2,160 2,563 3,565 1,862 3,678 3,323 3,306 2,016 2,040 3,420 2,648 4,863 3,321 7,392 3,381 2,283 4,942 5,659 3,895 4,782 4,176 4,177 3,425 2,061 5,926 2,712 3,509 2,482 2,690 1,424 1,969 4,582 2,730 4,016 2,880 1,44,876

253 328 567 170 562 256 186 531 163 329 284 169 66 96 155 225 717 258 996 276 103 244 220 294 242 194 244 159 249 421 268 505 281 260 164 368 531 193 609 332 12,468

73 140 58 30 44 29 37 26 13 34 47 41 20 9 43 28 50 57 100 67 8 25 38 49 64 54 9 16 64 111 41 37 14 25 35 18 185 111 44 92 1,986

287 283 189 194 184 87 119 127 30 96 129 151 33 84 48 31 181 87 338 161 37 248 362 116 86 344 64 142 182 362 114 145 97 60 15 35 68 20 97 89 5,522

RCC

191 68 80 258 123 133 329 123 89 105 58 98 122 146 60 48 65 39 139 109 80 155 141 41 43 38 114 117 93 272 110 165 41 66 13 32 171 38 525 88 4,726

Source: RI South Asia Office 10 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

)LUVW 7KRXJKWV Dear Partners in Service, February has been designated as ‘World Understanding Month’ as it includes the birthday of Rotary International, February 23. Let us use this month to promote peace, goodwill and understanding among the people of the world. Rotary clubs can plan and execute projects and programmes with this in mind. Let me quote the words of Sri S Radhakrishnan, former President of India.

“Our generation should not go down in the history of mankind as the one which split the atom or the one which invented the nuclear weapons. We should rather go down in the history of mankind as the generation which brought the international communities together.”

This is the season for district conferences. I have been fortunate to be part of many glittering conferences all around India, with record registrations, excellent programmes, wonderful family participation, all of which demonstrated the extraordinary devotion of Rotarians to Light up Rotary!

It is with immense pleasure that I share with you my HAPPINESS at the excellent feedback I am getting from the participants of Vanakkam Chennai, who found the programmes to be of the highest quality!

DELIGHT that immediately after the Chennai Declaration, we got down to work on Swachh Bharat. Our PRIPs Raja Sabooji , Kalyanda and Trustee Sushil Guptaji have already had two rounds of discussions with the officials of the Ministry of HRD, Government of India, to take our WinS ( Water And Sanitation in Schools) programme forward. The Government has allotted 489 schools where we will be constructing toilets before end December 2016.

Also, 10,000 schools, have been allotted to Rotary, where, we will effect behavioral modification and ensure proper maintenance of water and sanitation, facilities.

This was followed by a meeting with UNICEF with whom we will shortly sign an MOU and work together on the above projects!

GRATITUDE to the press and social media for giving wide coverage to our Institute, Vanakkam Chennai and the mega ‘My Flag My India’ event, which resulted in a Guinness World record!

SATISFACTION that the second Rotary South Asia Literacy Summit is slated to take place on February 13-15, 2015, at Pune with RIPE K R Ravindran as the Chief Guest.

Rotary today is the most universal of the free institutions and a leading force in making this world a better place to live.

World understanding generated by its large network of clubs is like a P T Prabhakar dome of many-coloured Director, Rotary International glass which enhances the radiance of Rotary.

Rotary shall remain while Rotarians shall pass, offering living proof of the unity of all humanity.

It seems, once, the foot ball went to God and said, “Dear God, while both me and the musical instrument flute work on the principle of air, people kick me all the time while they kiss the flute. Both of us are your creations; then why this great disparity?”

“It is true,” said God. “You both work on the principle of air. But while you hold on to all the air that you get from the atmosphere, the flute converts the air it receives, into melodious music and immediately gives it back to the great joy and happiness of the listeners. That is why they kiss the flute but kick you!”

Rotarians are like the flute. They receive the best of things from the community and immediately give it back through their social service. That is why there is so much demand for Rotary and respect for Rotarians.

Rotary is essentially synergistic — the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Rotarians working together can achieve objectives which will be unreachable if attempted alone. Rotarians are privileged to be part of an organisation whose strength flows from the recognition that mankind is one, that a smile is the same in every language and that peace is indispensable for raising the level of life, material as well as moral.

We are formed as notes of music are For one another, though dissimilar Let us live and act and serve the future hour Through love, through hope and through Rotary’s transcendent power!

Yours in Rotary,

P T Prabhakar Director Rotary International (2013–15) FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 11

Rotary won’t allow ‘lowly’ Taliban to succeed in Pakistan

by Rasheeda Bhagat

A polio-free world was Rotary’s promise and will become its gift for sure, says incoming RI President K R Ravindran

R

otary International President-elect K R Ravindran pledged at the International Assembly in San Diego, California, that Rotary will continue its fight against polio, particularly in Pakistan, where the Taliban are shooting polio immunisers.

In his opening remarks to the 538 Governors-elect, he urged the incoming Governors to treat each day of their one year as a gift and an opportunity given to them to serve people of the world. “Our first and greatest challenge is of course the eradication of polio. When we made the promise to eradicate polio, a quarter of a century ago, we had 125 endemic countries. More than 1,000 children were being paralysed every single day.”

Thanks to the relentless work done by Rotarians, today there are only three polio endemic countries and the whole of last year only 350-odd cases of polio were reported, “almost all of them in Pakistan where our fight is not only against the polio-virus, but also against the forces of ignorance, brutality and oppression,” said Ravindran.

12 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

The government and people of Pakistan were striving along with Rotary to create a polio-free Pakistan but, “the Taliban on motorcycles shoot the women who administer vaccines, and have now even resorted to killing children in their classrooms.” No one could have envisioned 25 years ago that things could come to such a state. “But the work of 25 years and the faith, dedication and trust of millions will not be brought low by so lowly an opponent. We will battle on and prevail because a future without polio is a gift we have promised to the children of the world. And indeed it is a gift that we will give,” he said.

In a speech which turned emotional at moments and was heard with rapt attention by the incoming Governors and their spouses, Ravindran said that, when along with him, they take on “the leadership of our great organisation,” the Governors should consider this a pivotal and transformative moment in their lives. This would prove to be a milestone by which their subsequent experiences would be measured.

Quoting Rabindranath Tagore that even though we know our time is finite, Ravindran said, “yet we spend our days, as the poet wrote, in stringing and unstringing our guitars while the song we came to sing remains unsung.”

The other three people Ravindran invoked in his speech were Abraham Lincoln, who gave the gift of “human dignity to man, Mother Teresa who gave the gift of compassion to the forgotten and Mahatma Gandhi who gave the gift of peaceful change to the oppressed.”

He said from the time we are born, we are blessed with gifts; “the first is of life itself, and then we receive gifts of love, and the nurture of our families, education, health and every talent and skill, wealth … are all gifts.” Sometimes these gifts are so precious that they overwhelm you, as he felt a few months ago, “when we were blessed with our first grandchild.”

He said that as the incoming Governors were wondering how many gifts they had to be grateful for, they should realise that as all human beings had a limited period to live, so did they have only one year — 2015–16 — and so much to do.

Bring back the fundamentals Expressing concern that even though Rotary has a great history and potential, Ravindran said, “We also know that in so many blocks and districts the reality of Rotary is not what it ought to be. We have to find a way to bring back the fundamentals that built this organisation: the emphasis on high ethical standards in all aspects of our lives, and the encouragement of diversity of expertise. But these days, too often, these ideas are viewed as

Complexity of Rotary

“

Use your year to take the work of Rotary forward to make its mark on the world.

“

“Outside, the world carries on, our homes, businesses, families, clubs will go on. But right now here in San Diego our vision is sharpening … expanding. During this week you and I will begin to understand the breadth and width of this organisation. And the complexities and complications that surround it.”

He said all of them in the “past, might have spoken about things that we thought are wrong with Rotary. We have both the privilege and the awesome responsibility to make these things right.” But, he warned them, “As our horizons stretch out before us we know that they are not without limits. For, we have, but one year to lead.”

When one knows that one’s time is limited, it becomes so much more precious. “The drive to achieve, to create, and leave behind something which says that I was here, mattered. And that is why so many see their year in Rotary as a chance of a lifetime to make their mark. But if you really want to make a difference, then use your year to take the work of Rotary forward to make its mark on the world.”

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 13

Rasheeda Bhagat

“

Rasheeda Bhagat

We have to find a way to bring back the fundamentals that built this organisation.

At the opening dinner, where RIPE K R Ravindran unveiled his theme.

“

inconvenient obstacles in increasing our membership goals. But they have been essential to Rotary’s success.

We ignore them at our own peril.”

But, he added, the Rotary dialogue needs to be cast in the “reality” of today. “The focus on branding is indeed necessary. We need to reposition our image which we recognise has failed in many parts of the world.” Often there is a disconnect between how the leaders and the club members saw certain issues. Money had to be raised for The Rotary Foundation “but if we ask for too much we will drive away members. We want to attract young members but not alienate the older members who now form our backbone. Or lose sight of the recently retired, who still have so much to give us.”

Another challenge was that though the leaders wanted the clubs to participate in activities beyond their districts, too much of demand would make membership a “burden” demanding too much time and resources.

There were no easy answers to these questions but answers would have to be found, “and we are the ones who must find them. You know what your clubs need and have to offer, you can help us chart a course together.

I will ask you to give your faith, I will ask you to give your dedication, commitment and compassion. I will ask you for all these gifts and even more than that … to be a gift yourself, a gift to the world.”

Invoking his “Hindu faith,” Ravindran then related the story of Krishna and Sudama: Sudama took his gift — beaten rice in a piece of cloth — to Krishna, who consumed it with joy. “It is not the material value of the gift we give but how much of ourselves we give with it that will matter to the receiver. And we all have a choice, whether

“

“

to keep our gifts to ourselves or use them to be a gift to the world,” he added, expanding on his theme for next year.

Addressing the Governors-elect, RI General Secretary John Hewko said that they would have to ensure that “our membership stays strong; our projects have greater impact and are more sustainable. We need to work with various partners to bring more partnership resources on the table for more sustainable projects.” Also their priorities were to ensure that, “we remain a trusted and unique old friend, our clubs continue to thrive and grow and provide service to communities around the world.”

TRF Trustee Chair-elect Ray Klinginsmith said he had been attending these meetings since 1975 and was

Be a gift yourself, a gift to the world.

amazed at how “impressive and productive these sessions were.” He, Ravindran and Hewko were “committed to an outstanding year for Rotary and to you as governors.

During this week you will realise that when you serve as the district governor you will be part of a team capable of thinking bigger and both locally and globally.” To do that, they would need the help of friends. “The effectiveness of our large scale service projects depends on our connection with our friends. During this week you will be motivated, empowered and energised to maintain the momentum and energy to eradicate polio. Above all, you will learn that we are an organisation of outstanding service with incredible potential. The sky is the limit if all of us do our jobs well,” Klinginsmith concluded.

Earlier RI President Gary C K Huang declared the Assembly open and in a vibrant and colourful ceremony, the flags of the Rotary World were presented. Three national anthems — that of USA, Taiwan and Sri Lanka were sung.

Designed by Krishnapratheesh FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 15

Colours of India at the

RID Mary Beth Berge flanked by RIDE Manoj Desai and spouse Sharmishta.

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee with PRIP William B Boyd.

Vanathy Ravindran and Binota Banerjee on the dance floor at the Festival Night.

16 ROTARY NEWS JANUARY 2015

DGE David Hilton with his wife Patricia.

International Assembly

Indian contingent at the Grand March.

Usha Saboo had the audience spell-bound with her narration of service projects she had participated in India and Africa along with spouse PRIP Rajendra K Saboo.

RIP Gary Huang stressing the need for getting more women into Rotary while addressing the Assembly.

DGE Deepak Pophale and spouse Dr Sucheta (D3132) at the Grand March.

JANUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 17

PRIP Rajendra K Saboo and TRF Trustee Sushil Gupta with PDG F Ronald Denham, Chair Emeritus, WASRAG. RID P T Prabhakar and RIDE Manoj Desai with PRID John T Blount.

RIPE K R Ravindran with DGE C R Raju and spouse Shanthi (D3230).

18 ROTARY NEWS JANUARY 2015

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee addressing a session on the importance of membership.

RIPE K R Ravindran and Vanathy with the Brazil contingent.

Indian contingent at the Grand March.

Stephen Sobhani, International VP, Sesame Workshop, unveiling Muppet Raya, who is educating children on hygiene in toilet use.

PRIP Bhichai Rattakul flanked by PDG Sam Movva (right) and TRF Trustee Antonio Hallage (left).

JANUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 19

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat

Of villages and beauty business

by Rasheeda Bhagat

The Lupin Foundation in Bharatpur helps farmers, artisans and also trains young women to meet the demand for beauty care in Indian villages.

T

he beautiful young girl operating her computer startles me totally when she answers my query with an expressionless: “Mere husband khatam ho chuke. He committed suicide by hanging himself.”

Rekha Sharma is only 24, got married five years ago and lost her husband 18 months after marriage.

“He wasn’t doing any work. He didn’t like it when we asked him to find a job and killed himself.”

I am at the computer training centre run by the Lupin Human Welfare & Research Foundation (LHWRF) at Kumher town, about 40 km from Bharatpur in Rajasthan. Even before it became mandatory for the bigger profit-making corporates to use two per cent of their profits to help the needy, the pharma major Lupin has been working earnestly in small Indian towns and villages from 1988, changing lives and livelihoods. Its annual budget is a whopping Rs 32 crore, more than mandated by government.

Returning to Rekha, part of a 20-girls batch, after her husband’s suicide, she completed Class 12, and “decided to stand on my own feet.” The training is free and the girls bright and eager to learn. Though, on the Net, their first searches are related to films, songs and Bollywood celebrities.

LHWRF Chief Programmes Manager, Dr Swati Samvatsar is amazed that most of Bharatpur’s young girls want to learn all about the beauty business.

20 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

Farmer Mohan.

All about beauty A few months ago when a Class 11 girl requested training in beauty care, the flood gates opened. “I had no clue that this beauty thing has become such a big hit in even small villages of Rajasthan. I doubted we’d get 50 girls; I had to close the registration at 560, and hire three classrooms to train them in batches!” With no dearth of beauty parlours in this region, Swati could get enough trainers to teach skin care, facials, waxing, threading, hair-cutting/styling in the 40-day training course.

Rekha Sharma.

A tailoring class.

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“

I had no clue that

this beauty business has become such a big hit in villages.

Swati Samvatsar

With Karva Chauth becoming “a national festival” in Rajasthan’s towns and villages, and marriages a big business, the trained girls are suitably engaged. But she got “stumped again, when the girls wanted to learn four kinds of Mehndi ... I didn’t know about the Bombay, Arabian styles. Next when they asked about nail art, I realised how outdated I am!”

She adds that mehndi and bridal make-up can get these girls mega bucks — of a few thousand rupees — during a wedding. The courses were completed in June and five girls have already started their parlours, employing four other students! They now earn Rs 3,000, but as they get experience, the bigger parlours will give them better income.

IT partners sewing!

We also visit the tailoring class in a nearby room, and it is good to note that many young women here are attending computer classes too. Mamata Devi (22), is FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 21

“

With computer skills I will find a job; tailoring I’ll do at home.

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wearing an expensive saree and is well groomed. Her husband is becoming a graduate. “After a computer course, I hope to find a job; the tailoring skills will be useful at home.”

Swathi regales me describing the party — complete with a DJ and dancing — that the earlier batch of girls had held. “I was invited too, and had a great time,” she smiles.

With demand coming in for security guards — a placement agency wants 1,000 — it has now started a 90-day training course, complete with use of light weapons, for batches of 30. Increasingly companies, banks and even toll-booths require security personnel.

Training is expensive — Rs 60,000 or more with private agencies — as it requires hiring firearms. But the Foundation offers it free to the disadvantaged, spending about Rs 13,000 for each student, as certified weapon trainers have to be hired.

Mamata Devi

28 types of training The LHWRF offers 28 different types of training, and this includes courses for plumbers, electricians, gem cutters, dairy and livestock rearing, tulasi mala making, food processing and mobile phone repairs. “The last is in great demand in villages, and simple glitches are fixed for Rs 20 to 50.” The trainers are ITI alumni.

The Foundation also has linkages with SIDBI, some banks and the National Skill Development Agency.

Most courses last for 30 days and the beneficiaries are mostly from Bharatpur district.

Swathi, a PhD in Botany and tribal management, has been with the Foundation for 30 months, has reached 85,000 homes and wants to reach at least a million. She is sure that soon they will have a course for women security guards as there is demand for that too. They’ve already trained 32 female bus conductors.

Changing farmer’s lives

Babita and her family, at their farm near Bharatpur.

22 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

As always, it is a delight to see how intervention and handholding works wonders for Indian farmers. At Abhaya village near Bharatpur, Ranvir Singh, who owns 8 bigha land and earns a profit of Rs 25,000 from a bigha if he grows vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, peas, is now planning to shift more towards vegetables from wheat and bajra.

Like others, he too has been trained and encouraged by Lupin to keep buffaloes; he has four, each giving 10–14 litres of milk every day, most of which he sells at Rs 40 a litre. Of his two sons, one works with the Punjab

Har kadam saath-saath From daily labourer and stone-cutter, Chander Dev’s lanterns to these artisans at Rs 205, half the cost price. journey to owning a shop near Bharatpur and a factory “There is demand for 500 more.” in Agra, employing over 50 people, and having “unlimited He adds that at Roopnagar Sikri, 65 km from work,” is a notable one. Dev’s impressive shop in Chak Bharatpur, the Foundation has trained over 100 artisans; Vehnera, 7 km from Bharatpur on NH11, is filled with of these 60 now own their own units. “We’ve also exquisite, colourful marble carvings, candlesticks, helped them get Rajasthan Government artisan cards. jewellery boxes, pen Now the State Government plans holders, lamp shades, an artisans’ village across 26 magnets, coasters and bigha of land.” washroom accessories. It Over 200 artists have is a shopper’s delight. been trained in new designs, Ten years ago, while colouring etc, and given financial working in Kishangarh, linkage. Many have started 350 km from Bharatpur, their own shops and generated he came in contact with employment, thus checking the Lupin Foundation, migration to cities. which trained him and The same is true for gem organised finance to cutting. At Nagla Dhakad, 50 km buy a machine costing from Bharatpur, at Maheshchand Rs 35,000. They also Dhakad’s unit, eight workers helped remove middlemen are transforming dull looking, and now his products go unpolished semi precious stones A gem polishing unit in Rajasthan. directly to exporters in such as Brazilian Amethyst and Muradabad and Delhi and are exported to the US, Europe, citrine into glittering gems. He had 20 years experience Russia and Dubai. Dev’s monthly sales exceed Rs 5 lakh, but his venture really took off after special training and with a profit margin of 10-12 per cent. a loan of Rs 50,000 through SIDBI. “Har kadam par, har museebat me Lupinwalo ne saath He makes a profit of Rs 35,000 a month from this diya. (At every step, every difficulty, Lupin supported me),” unit, but can make more if a few glitches are sorted he says. Entrepreneurs like him are also sent to national out. Assured power supply, direct link to exporters and exhibitions and trade shows. more loans — workers demand advance — and there Milin Pandit, Chief Projects Coordinator says, “We is shortage of skilled manpower as there are plenty of pay for their stalls and have developed their website. We orders. Sharma says Lupin is trying to organise finance are trying to get such entrepreneurs export license but to these artisans to buy solar panels costing Rs 2.5 lakh, too many clearances and paper work come in the way.” for which there is government subsidy.

Dev has an order for 20,000 coaster sets, each costing There are 45 units in the two adjoining villages, Rs 800, for a Dubai client, but only through an agent. “If each employing 8 workers. The gems go to Johari they can get me a direct export linkage, my profits will go Bazaar in Jaipur for silver, gold and even diamond up substantially.” About 110 artisans like him have been jewellery. Some are exported. trained in this, and the next village, in marble cutting and Kamala and Lalchand Dhakad, a couple, employ statue making.

8 workers in their unit and along with them cut and But lack of power in this village, as well as other towns polish Amethyst and white topaz, which glitter like nearby, is hampering the work of these artisans. At Dev’s diamonds. “These go to the London market,” beams unit that I visit after sunset, two workers are chipping away Lalchand. under a light powered by a generator. Here and in the Again most of the entrepreneurs have milch animals gem-cutting units I visit the next day, artisans say they and make good money selling the milk at Rs 30–35 a get electricity for barely four hours a day, and diesel cost litre. Rajesh Mohan started his own unit after being cuts into their savings. trained by experts from Jaipur, and earns upto Rs 50,000 Hemant Sharma, LHRWF’s Senior Programmes a month. His son, after completing his engineering Coordinator, says the Foundation has supplied 1,000 solar course in Kota, will join him and “expand our business.”

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 23

National Bank; the second son is in high school, and will handle the dairy operations after his education!

One of his two daughters is married. The good news is that he did not have to borrow even a part of the Rs 10 lakh he spent on the wedding; the bad news is that he had to buy a car worth Rs 6.5 lakh for the bridegroom.

“Gaadi toh deney hi padti hei (Of course one has to give a car),” he says.

From Lupin, farmers like him get free seeds, timely advice, training on the best practices and how to keep their livestock healthy. And innovation; Swathi explains how he grows maize in only water, without soil.

Babita, a female farmer, has just harvested a bountiful crop of brinjals, radish and green chillies. Initially the brinjals fetched her Rs 12–13, but with more supply

Ranvir Singh at his farm.

24 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

Kamala and Lalchand Dhakad at their gem cutting unit.

“

Gaadi toh

“

Chander Dev in his shop.

beti ki shaadi mei deney hi padti hei.

Ranvir Singh

hitting the market, the prices have now crashed to Rs 5 a kg. She has three boys and a girl, and is sending all of them to school.

Babita chases Lupin’s “Madam” for dawai (pesticide), and gets an evasive reply. Later Swathi explains how everybody wants pesticides “but we want them to grow organic food to preserve the eco-system.”

Barely a few feet away, another farmer, Mohan, is puffing away on his sheesha ... he is sitting in front of a huge expanse of piled capsicums and green chillies.

A man of few words, he is happy cultivating vegetables.

At good times a kg of capsicum fetches Rs 30.

It is interesting to see the entire region filled with enchanting yellow mustard fields. This is because this region has saline water and mustard is a salt-resistant crop.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat Designed by Krishnapratheesh

Skilling India’s youth S Ramadorai Under the national skill development policy over 1.4 million youth have been trained in 300 roles in 19 different streams.

W

hile the population of several of the world’s leading economies is ageing, India remains young and poised for growth. Our youth will propel growth not only in India but also in the world for the next three decades. This is truly India’s golden sunrise, powered by skills, leading to economic growth and global leadership.

But to realise our demographic destiny, we have to equip and continuously upgrade the skills of our working-age population. To get a sense of the magnitude of this challenge, consider the following: 50 per cent Indians younger than 21! A huge challenge, as well as opportunity, is to create jobs, means of livelihood for at least 10 million of our youth, many of whom might opt to work abroad and hence need world-class skills for a global economy.

The journey of skilling India commenced in 2009 when the National Policy on Skill Development was formulated. The last five years have witnessed a period of intense planning and preparation towards achieving this mission. Skills missions have been set up at both the national and state levels, and in different sectors, to facilitate implementation on the ground. The Sector Skills Councils (SSC) have formally identified and listed various job roles, occupation standards, qualification packs and clearly delineated the skills required for these roles, defined assessment criteria. Training partners to scale up in multiple sectors have been chosen and funded. We have upgraded our ITIs and also helped our training partners to set up training centres in rural and remote areas hitherto unserved.

Having thus put a clear action plan in place, we are now well and truly in the midst of the implementation phase. All stakeholders including training partners, content providers, certification agencies and

employers are working together to ensure an outcome-driven approach.

Last year we launched the STAR (The National Skill Certification and Monetary Reward) scheme to incentivise youth to voluntarily enroll for skill development. Till date, over 1.4 million youth have been trained for nearly 300 job roles in 19 different sectors under this scheme.

One strategy that we have consciously adopted in this skilling drive has been a willingness to tap all the capabilities and resources available in the country in a synergistic fashion. Rationalisation of government schemes for a common set of outcomes and a scale deployment through the State Skill Missions have progressed well. The Railways and Post Offices have widespread presence in the nation and their infrastructure must be sourced for skill development initiatives. The Rural Broadband initiative, when implemented, will provide network connectivity to 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats and this infrastructure can be sourced to offer skill development opportunities. NGOs and social entrepreneurs are playing a crucial role in skill development. About 93 per cent of our workers are in the unorganised sector, most being in the least developed regions in India.

So we need a deeply penetrative effort that addresses local needs and FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 25

sensitivities. It is heartening to see a new generation of social entrepreneurs and NGOs already tackling this challenge, but we need more of it.

As Gandhiji famously said, India lives in its villages; 73 per cent Indians live in rural areas, so we need more focus there. Social entrepreneurs and NGOs are being encouraged to set up skilling infrastructure and training programmes in villages. For those who prefer local work, we are looking at products and services required by the rural economy so that young people can be employed within their own environment. Repair and maintenance of technology products and equipment that rural people own, agro advisory services, entrepreneurship in agriallied sectors, such as horticulture, are some options we are pushing.

But the challenge ahead is daunting. A large section of potential beneficiaries of this programme hail from some of the most economically and socially backward sections. At best, they have only a few years of schooling and have little awareness of the manifold opportunities that await them. Also, the scale of the challenge is so massive that traditional approaches, in spite of one’s best intentions, can only scale that much. Innovation on a disruptive scale is required to overturn this status quo.

Importance of technology Technology plays a very significant role in this. From mobilising youth and creating awareness to deliver at-scale training, revolutionising assessment, meeting the skilled labour-demand gap, and providing a digital MIS backbone for capturing, analysing and managing outcomes, technology is a crucial key to achieve our mission.

It is well established that mobilisation is one of the big challenges in the skilling mission. Missed call ecosystems, SMS alerts, IVR systems, rural BPOs and digital campaigns 26 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

can greatly help in reaching out to the millions who need to benefit from the skilling initiatives.

Technology can play a big role in tackling the scale challenge. India has a mobile phone subscriber-base exceeding 900 million. Internet penetration is quite impressive and is expected to grow quickly. The Rural Broadband initiative is poised to provide 100Mbps connectivity to 2,50,000 panchayats. The Railways too has enabled high-speed broadband access in its network of 8,000 stations. We are examining if we can use this reach to deliver online educational services to the masses.

Technology today allows creation

behind the wheel. The initial stage of this learning process is spent in familiarising oneself with various controls, developing the necessary motor skills and internalising the right safety practices. Practical constraints including cost of consumables and restricted time on shared resources limit the total practice time possible. This translates to inadequate training, poor outcomes and high dropout rates. Simulators, that closely mimic the real experience from both an operational and lookand-feel point, can help overcome this constraint. They use exciting technologies to provide an immersive, game-like feel to the learning

To realise our demographic dividend, we have to continuously upgrade the skills of our youth.

of multimedia-rich learning content replete with images, animations, audios and videos that are sure to be much more appealing to the target audience intrinsically allergic to traditional learning ways. Gamification of skilling is a must. We want to setup high-tech, high-touch learning centres at the broadband access endpoints to allow learners to experience vocational skills learning in hitherto unknown ways. Besides training potential, such centres have visual appeal to attract and motivate learners.

Vocational skills acquisition involves many hours of hands-on practice. Welding with a torch is necessary to acquire welding skills, and driving can be learnt only by going

process and get better results. We have successfully deployed welding simulators and are piloting more for car driving, forklift and tractor operations.

High-yield cultivation India has a number of marginal farmers who make a living through rearing a few cows on fodder grown in about an acre of agricultural land. Poor fodder yield leads to poor milk yield constraining their livelihood. A novel technology we’re promoting brings together electronics, agricultural science, cloud computing and mobility to enable high-yield cultivation in indoor environment. We have deployed DIY (Do It Yourself) resources to help farmers set up and operate these indoor

fodder units themselves. A pilot initiative is on in the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh where man-animal conflict limits farmers’ ability to grow fodder in traditional ways.

Amidst this focus on vocational skills, we have not lost sight of the aspirational nature of the Indian workforce. Towards this, we have rolled out an online IT employability skills training programme for science students, which touches nearly 3,00,000 science students and helps them to capitalise on the increasing demand for science talent in the IT industry.

Cyber security is an area receiving a lot of attention as IT takes on an increasingly pervasive role in our lives. There is a large and increasing unmet demand for cyber security professionals capable of assessing vulnerabilities, securing systems,

responding to attacks and so on.

With an eye on this opportunity, we must focus on cyber security courses both at the school and college levels.

Governing a mission of this scale requires a high degree of information accuracy and transparency. We are in the process of developing a digital platform in PPP (Public Private Participation) mode for multistakeholder participation. This system will contain a National Skills Registry and be linked to a Labour Management Information System and UID. By helping address the management of scale and capturing real-time information, this platform will offer a high degree of information accuracy and transparency thus enabling social audit.

To track and ensure outcomes, we have made it imperative for all skill development initiatives to adopt

a data and metrics-driven approach.

Impact assessment studies are being conducted to assess the consequences of various initiatives and outcomes in the most critical regions.

In summary, a wholehearted effort is on to skill India on an unprecedented scale. With the concerted efforts of government bodies, industrial institutions, training partners and corporate houses, one hopes to continue to scale to meet the aspirations of the youth of our nation and be the skill capital of the world.

Technology will be a key enabler in all stages from mobilisation to governance. The success of this mission will, in no small measure, be a result of the innovative ways in which we can use technology for common good.

The writer is Chairman, National Skills Development Agency (NSDA)

Limited Edition se ca d r Ha ding Bin

Look Beyond Yourself A collection of speeches by

Rajendra K Saboo President, Rotary International, 1991–1992 Vol.1 Price: ` 450 Vol.2 Price: ` 650 (Price includes courier charges anywhere in India) Proceeds from the sale of the books will go to The Rotary Foundation.

Contact: Rotary News Trust, 3rd Floor, Dugar Towers 34, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai, Ph: 044 42145666 Email: rotarynews@rosaonline.org FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 27

Rotary partners

SANKARA NETHRALAYA

by Rasheeda Bhagat

A

high school girl whose studies were suddenly disturbed because her vision was affected, a boy who was sent to buy a packet of chuna by his father, and the badly packaged deadly substance burnt his eye when he carelessly tossed it in the air, as children are wont to do, a woman who lost her vision when acid was thrown on her face. Such accidents are endless.

Add to this the chronic dry eye disorder suffered by IT and other professionals who have to stare at their computer screens for long hours.

All of them are victims of a serious eye disorder called the ocular surface disorder (OSD). The first three victims all came from poor or lower middle class families and underwent a number of procedures and operations at the Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai to get their vision restored. And all this without spending any money. The woman who was so cruelly treated by

her own husband said: “I was given not only free treatment but also food and accommodation during the several trips I had to make to Chennai from my village.”

To provide equipment necessary for research and treatment of OSD at the Netralaya, three Rotary clubs in India and Malaysia — RC Guindy from District 3230 and, RCs Penang and Alor Star from District 3300 — came together to raise funds and get a matching Global Grant.

Explaining the disorder, Dr Geetha Iyer, Senior Consultant at the Cornea Department, and also a Rotary Ann, said treating OSD was much more complicated than a simple corneal transplant as the diseases that affect the ocular surface also affects the lids, conjunctiva as well as the cornea.

Apart from the dry eyes resulting from constant exposure to the computer screen, domestic and industrial

accidents and acid attacks or chemical injuries can cause damage to the ocular surface triggering loss to the normal clarity in the cornea. Tumours too can affect this region.

At a meeting held in Chennai, where RI President Gary C K Huang dedicated the Global Grant-assisted Equipment at the Nethralaya, Dr Geetha said, “Conventional corneal transplant usually fails in these cases as there are related and other complicated problems. These conditions require a comprehensive management (a bunch of different treatments) to address each of the components of the ocular surface that has been made abnormal by the accident. The treatment includes both medical and surgical intervention.”

Tooth in the eye!

The spectrum of modern treatment her department uses to help the affected patients includes taking

RIP Gary Huang dedicates the equipment to Sankara Nethralaya. Also seen RID P T Prabhakar, Dr S S Badrinath, DG Nazar and RC Guindy President Sathish Kumar.

28 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

“

In the 1980s and ‘90s Rotarians helped us spread awareness on eye donations.

“

stem cells from the other eye in cases where only one eye is affected.

Another marvel of modern medical care is that another procedure involves implanting the patient’s own tooth in the eye and fixing the lens on it!

Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Sankara Nethralaya Dr S S Badrinath talked about his institution’s long association with Rotary, and recalled how Rotarians had helped spread awareness on eye donation in the 1980s and 90s, resulting in the eye donations received by their eye bank shooting up from a mere 8 in 1980 to 1,322 in 2013.

Capturing the spirit and extent of collaboration between RC Guindy and the two Malaysian clubs, Rtn Aloysius from RC Penang recalled that as he stumbled through the procedures of getting the global grant, notwithstanding the time difference between India, Malaysia and the RI

Dr S S Badrinath headquarters in the US, “so many members from RC Guindy kept awake late into the night to ensure that all the glitches were sorted out, and the Global Grant came through.”

Apart from PRIP Gary Huang and First Lady Corinna, RI Director P T Prabhakar, D3230 DG ISAK Nazar and RC Guindy President Sathish Kumar participated in the meeting.

Earlier, speaking to Rotary News, Dr Badrinath said Sankara Nethrayala’s association with Rotary went back a few decades, “and I have been an honorary Rotarian for 15 years.”

He says that while earlier in some parts of India such as Kolkata, healthcare facilities were inadequate, it has now “improved substantially which is good because when local facilities are available, that keeps us on our toes, or else we’ll slip into complacency.”

On the importance to maintain the quality of standards and innovate all the time, Dr Badrinath says that “quality is something you have to insist on, both in training, equipment and medical standards.” Rotary had always partnered with them in getting such equipment and facilities.

He is also very proud that his organisation has given youngsters “a free hand in every field to bring in the latest techniques in the world.”

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL THEME 2015–16

K R RAVINDRAN

President, Rotary International, 2015–2016 FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 29

AT THE CORE

Indo-Pak peace in the Peshawar aftermath

by Shakti Sinha

With the Peshawar attack, a new opportunity opens up in the troubled quest for conflict resolution and peace between India and Pakistan.

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s the shock of the horrific massacre of innocent school children in Peshawar sinks in, the world and in particular Pakistan’s neighbours may well need to revise their assessment on where Pakistan will be a year from now. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif referred to the murderous assault by the Taliban as ‘blow-back’ reaction to the army’s continuing operations in North Waziristan, which has lead to substantial civilian collateral damage and mass displacement. This reaction, while correct, is incomplete. But there is only so much a Pakistani politician can say about the army, which is rightly referred to as the establishment.

The Peshawar attack is only a continuation of the increased violence targeted at innocent civilians that the AfPak region has seen in the recent past. In December 2014 a Taliban suicide attack killed around 80 spectators at a volleyball match in the Afghan province of Paktika, just across the North Waziristan border.

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Since the re-emergence of the Taliban in 2005, there used to be a winter lull in the fighting. This year, for the first time, the security situation all over Afghanistan, particularly in Kabul, continues to deteriorate. Suicide and other attacks have actually gone up, focused on soft targets. This might have caught the new Afghan government and its international supporters unawares, but not dispassionate observers.

Afghanistan blues For most of the year, the Afghan people were involved with the presidential election that relegated the insurgency, insecurity and public corruption to the backseat. It did seem that the country had turned the corner. The election exercise, in which Dr Abdullah, former foreign minister who contested against Ahmed Karzai in 2009, was pitted against Ashraf Ghani, a former finance minister and ex-World Bank employee, was tumultuous. US Secretary of State John Kerry had to fly into Kabul twice and persuade both contestants to come to a power-sharing agreement.

beyond 2014, to support the Afghanistan national security forces to tackle the raging insurgency.

Yet three months down the line, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated beyond most expectations.

The major reason is the Pakistan army’s need for instability in Afghanistan to ensure its continued dominance over Pakistan’s strategic sphere, including a disproportionate share of national resources.

Unfortunately, this dominance comes at a price, paid primarily by the people of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. A short historical detour explains this dynamic.

Jinnah and Pakistan

A 16-year-old boy, shot in both legs, being carried to the hospital after the Peshawar attack.

Dr Ghani became the president and appointed Dr Abdullah as the chief executive.

Critical to future of Afghanistan, the new president signed the bilateral security agreement with the US for continued presence of US troops in the country

Army Chief Raheel Sharif speaks to students at the Peshawar Army Public School, after it reopened in January.

The noted Pakistani-American historian Ayesha Jalal has argued that for Jinnah, the demand for Pakistan was a bargaining chip and that neither he nor the Muslim League leadership had actually prepared for it. The campaign for Pakistan was long on imagery but short on detail. The rapid and mass transfer of population led to Pakistan facing a paucity of professional and commercial talent. Further, the general upheaval and anarchy prompted fears of a collapse of the new State, which faced a strong internal challenge on the language issue.

The Pakistani leadership resorted to the classic stratagem of diversion. The result was a State-sponsored ‘tribal’ invasion of Kashmir. The concept of proxy war was born, and continues to guide the actions of the Pakistan army till the present.

Weak State, strong Army The weakness of the Pakistani political establishment that lacked a mass base, unlike the Congress party in India, meant that it had to co-opt the bureaucracy and the armed forces into the ruling arrangement. With its ability to remove governments, the army became the establis establishment that ruled either directly, through political proxies or by severely constraining the civilian government’s space for autonomous action; the exception being Bhutto Bh Bhutto’s 5 years when the army, smarting from its defeat inn Bangladesh, Ban was forced on the back foot. But not for long lo nngg. Eventually E long. the army struck and took control, which B hut u Bhutto’s megalomania, incompetence and growing au uth authoritarianism enabled.

Coming to Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, P a Pakistan’s discomfort with Afghanistan goes back t 1947 when the latter voted against the former’s to aadmission to the United Nations on the grounds that the lands ceded by it ‘temporarily’ to British India in 1893 should revert to Afghanistan once the Raj ceased to exist. The entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the federally administered tribal areas and north Baluchistan FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 31

including Quetta, was Afghan territory ceded to British India for a hundred years in terms of the Treaty of Gandamak. This has been a sore point between the two countries, made acute by the presence of Pashtun tribes of the AfPak region who have never seen the ‘border’ as an impediment to continued close social, economic and political relations.

The collapse of the Najibullah regime due to withdrawal of Russian supplies in 1992, the failure of Afghan jihadis to form a stable government and their strong independent streak, reflected in their refusal to toe the Pakistani line, meant that the latter had to invent a role for themselves in a country whose fate they thought they controlled by virtue of hosting and channeling support for the Afghan jihadis for a decade. But the jihadi government formed in Kabul opened lines of engagement with India, reflecting Afghan unease with Pakistan. Pakistan Army Chief Aslam Beg consequently devised the theory of Afghanistan providing Pakistan with strategic depth in a potential war with India. Subsequently, the Pakistani army seemed to achieve its strategic pinnacle when its murderous proxies became the defacto rulers of most of Afghanistan. Their subsequent toppling following 9/11 and the installation of a plural, democratic regime in Afghanistan saw the reputation of the Pakistani army at its lowest ebb.

A market place in Kabul.

would leave the Pakistani army with a bloodied nose.

Hence the concept of proxy war was refined to an asymmetrical war; first the Sikh militants were given support but when the Khalistan movement failed, insurgency India emerges reliable partner in Jammu & Kashmir was encouraged. When the local In this period India emerged as a reliable partner, politjihadis dried up, supply from Pakistan and the territories ically and in terms of development assistance. All surunder its control kept insurgency and terrorism alive in veys of Afghan public opinion for the past decade show Kashmir at great cost to the locals.

India as the most admired country, and Pakistan as the But while spawning India-focused jihadi outfits like least trusted. Despite this, Pakistan emerged Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, as the key arbiter since the reand reviving the Taliban, and the emergence of Taliban as a formiHaqqani network, to take on the dable insurgency. While Pakistani democratic regime in Afghanistan Even three months after the army’s exact role in this can be and its supporting international debated, the presence of Osama coalition, the Pakistan Army’s elections, the situation in bin Laden on Pakistani soil, and policy seems to have run out Afghanistan has deteriorated the safe havens available to the of control with many jihadis Taliban in Pakistan, allowing evolving their own agendas. beyond most expectations. them to regroup, train and launch The failure of the Pakistani state cross-border attacks, the detento deliver on inclusiveness, on tion and sometimes liquidation by participation has triggered huge the Pakistani army of any Taliban leader fault lines in the Pakistani society. So attempting direct approaches to Kabul, is incontrovertible while secular Pashtun nationalism does not challenge evidence that the road to peace runs through Rawalpindi. the State any more, the persecution of Ahmadiyas, Shias And suggests that Afghanistan is the site of a supposand minorities as well as the presence of a large, illedly proxy war between India and Pakistan. But this is educated and unemployable youth portends ill for the to ignore empirical evidence and fall for myths spread to future. Added to these is the demonisation of the US justify Pakistani involvement in internal Afghan matters. and India. The result is the creation of an atmosphere The real reason lies elsewhere. Realising India’s of helplessness and victimhood that is an impediment to social cohesion and economic growth. size and strength, it was obvious that a conventional war 32 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

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After the success of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq, Peshawar and now Paris, the world seems poised on a razor’s edge. Can the jihadis who now seem empowered to strike at will be contained? Or are we in for worse times? Closer home and relevant to this article, do both India and Afghanistan, along with the increasingly vocal civil society of Pakistan, have a similar stake in peace and good neighbourly relations? Is there a link between peace in the subcontinent and in larger world?

the nation. The distinction between a ‘good’ terrorist who targets India, Afghanistan and the US army, and the ‘bad’ terrorists who targets the Pakistani army was becoming increasingly hollow. Despite this, till the Peshawar killings, all Pakistani army operations including in North Waziristan had targeted the ‘bad’ terrorists and allowed the ‘good’ terrorists safe passage and sanctuary. However most of the ‘bad’ terrorists were also the creation of the Pakistan army. So this issue had to be addressed.

China’s moderating influence cannot be ruled Bhutto and Vajpayee fail out. China faces a minor jihadi threat from extremists It must be understood that the road ahead is uncertain in Xinjiang but which can be scaled up. Worse, a and dangerous. The creation of Bangladesh and the collapsing Pakistani State would be a dilemma for humiliating defeat of the Pakistani army exposed the China. Furthermore, China would like to see a peaceful hollowness of the two-nation theory. Yet, even in Afghanistan, irrespective of the composition of its such propitious circumstances, sustainable peace was government, so as to access its huge mineral deposits. elusive. Bhutto sought time at Shimla And it fears contagion into Central to ‘ready’ his country into accepting Asia, and Xinjiang, from a failed the Line of Control in Kashmir as Afghanistan.

Will the committed Islamists the border. This never happened as The Pakistan army’s resoBhutto too adopted an anti-India lute anti-terrorist actions since within the Pakistani army line increasingly. The next big Peshawar, if sustained, can be opportunity was Lahore in 1999 a game changer. However there allow its anti-terrorism when both Vajpayee and Nawaz are committed Islamists within Sharif were determined to put the army for whom the jihadi drive to succeed? the past behind them, and create agenda trumps all else. They a constituency for peace based on would not be happy with this deep economic relations. They banked change in army policy and would on the presence of nuclear arms on both sides acting go to any lengths to sabotage it. Earlier there have been as a deterrent to military options. The Pakistan army assassination attempts on Musharraf, attacks on army sabotaged this by its Kargil misadventure. headquarters, on naval and air stations and targeted killSo should one be pessimistic about the chances for ings of senior army officers. They would try to create peace given past record and the corporate interests of tensions with India that would divert the army away from the Pakistan army? The answer, surprisingly, is not an its anti-terrorists campaigns. It is these forces that have unequivocal ‘no.’ upped the ante in Afghanistan to frighten local playThe question then is what has changed? For one, for ers into accepting the former’s superior position. They some time now, the Pakistan army has been trying to realise that if jihadism fails in Pakistan, it would fail change its internal doctrine to say that it is not India but in Afghanistan, and lead to a reappraisal of the Indian internal jihadi Islam that poses the biggest challenge to ‘threat’ in Pakistan. The Pakistani civil society is already pushing this agenda but cannot succeed on its own.

Globally, till the rise of the IS, Pakistan figured in almost all terror attacks in the world by being the place where the terrorists had been indoctrinated and trained.

The Afghan jihad provided the crucible that tested the terrorist mode of ‘inflicting a thousand cuts’ on its enemies. Its defeat in Pakistan could be the body blow that would reduce terrorism into becoming local nuisance.

Clearly a lot is at stake and the world in general, and the subcontinent in particular, must help bring about this transformation.

(The author, a retired IAS officer is Director, South Asian Institute for Strategic Affairs and an expert on Pakistan People in Afghanistan protesting against “rigging” in the recent elections. and Afghanistan.)

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FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 33

ANNOUNCEMENT

ROTARY AWARDS FOR SERVICE TO HUMANITY (INDIA) TRUST Rotary India Award 2014-15 on “Educating and Empowering Children of Sex Workers through Self Help Groups”

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uman trafficking, especially of women and children for prostitution has been the bane of our society. It is estimated that over 5,00,000 commercial sex workers are in India, spread over various metros and towns. Several individuals and organisations are engaged in the activity to educate and rehabilitate children of these sex workers.

Rotary Awards for Service to Humanity (India) Trust has decided to recognise and award institutions, NGOs, Rotary clubs and/individuals who have done exemplary work in the rehabilitation of children or commercial sex workers in India. The awardees will be chosen by a panel of eminent judges who are committed to change the way our society treats the children of commercial sex workers.

Rotary India Award 2014–15 on “Educating and Empowering Children of Sex Workers” is intended to locate, identify and recognise the initiatives of the corporate sector, voluntary/non-profit organisations and individual social activists who are addressing the plight of these children. The Award carries a cash prize of Rs 5,00,000/- and a Citation. Last date for nominations is March 31, 2015.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 1. Rotary India Award 2014-2015 is open to all Indian citizens and corporate/voluntary organisations, Self Help Group/Co-operatives in urban as well as rural areas in India, and community-based institutions involved in activities and programmes inter alia aimed at ‘Educating and Empowering Children of Sex Workers’ 2. The Award shall be given in recognition of excellence, result-oriented performance and commendable achievements.

• Measurable impact on Educating and Empowering Children of Sex Workers.

• Consistent pursuit of promoting the activities of Educating and Empowering Children of Sex Workers.

• The nominee should have been active for minimum 5 years or more on issues relating to Educating and Empowering Children of Sex Workers.

• The extent and range of the nominee’s activities should stimulate similar action by other individuals/ institutions in India, including official agencies.

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•

The impact of the programme should lead to mobilisation of new resources for improving overall status of the children of the sex workers.

NOTE: Ministries and Departments of the Central/State Governments, local bodies and their officers charged with responsibilities of looking after the above mentioned activities and programmes as part of their normal official duties are not eligible to apply. They are, however, encouraged to report their performance/contribution on the subject which the Trustees will appropriately highlight and recognise at the Award ceremony.

NOMINATION FORMAT FOR ORGANISATIONS Contact details • • • •

Organisation’s Name Contact Person(s); Position(s) held in the Organisation Complete Contact Address with postal code.

Telephone and fax numbers; E-mail and Website, if any.

Organisation Details

• • • •

• • • • •

Year of Registration and number of years in existence on the date of application Number of beneficiaries reached in a year Area of operation; Principal activities Number of people involved in running the organisation/ programme Full Time – Male ( ) Female ( ) Part Time – Male ( ) Female ( ) Board of Directors/Management Committee Members/ Trustees (as the case may be) Total Budget for the year 2014–15 and audited accounts for 2013–14 Sources of Income and Expenditure (specify usable income) Has the organisation ever won appreciation from the State/Central Government? If yes, the details.

Has the organisation been awarded by any other recognised national or international body? If yes, the details.

• • •

Extent of convergence and networking with other organisations.

Any special case study or initiative relating to the subject that you would like to share.

Why do you think the initiative which you are nominating should be awarded or recognised?

NOMINATION FORMAT FOR INDIVIDUALS

• • •

Nominee’s Name Bio-Profile Organisation or Institution, if any, that you have formed or are currently associated with • Position held • Complete Contact Address with Postal Code • Telephone Numbers, Fax No., E-mail/Website, if any • Duration of work • Area of operation; Principal activities • Number of beneficiaries reached out in a year • Financial resources and Management, Government and private funding, donations etc.

• State the expenditure incurred during the last three years • Any appreciation or Award won from the State/Centre?

If yes, the details thereof.

• Any Award/s won from any other recognised national or international body? If yes, the details thereof.

• Any special case study or initiative relating to the subject that you would like to share • Why do you think you should be awarded or your initiative should be recognised?

Kindly enclose two passport size photographs and add other relevant information, if any.

1.

2.

3.

4.

GENERAL RULES Nomination for the Rotary India Award 2014–15 shall be received latest by Tuesday, 31st March 2015.

Nominations should be sent on plain paper, in the prescribed format, neatly typed either in English or in Hindi, containing bio-profiles and two passport size photographs in case of individual applicant, besides all other relevant details. Voluntary organisations and corporate institutions should also send their complete profiles in the prescribed format with aims and objectives for which established.

A brief synoptic note, in not more than 3 or 4 pages, containing highlights of the activities undertaken by institutions/individuals, must accompany each nomination.

Nominations from individuals working in an organisation or institution should be certified and forwarded by the Head of the concerned organisation/institutions clearly stating that the latter would have no objection to their being considered for the Award in their individual capacity.

5. Nominations must be supported by copies of complete documentary evidence, including copies of publications, article, and photographs if any. These will be returnable only if a specific request to that effect, is made.

6. Please specify whether the services are rendered free or the beneficiaries are charged.

7. All nominations should be sponsored/recommended by any one of the following: • Editor of leading newspapers or journals, present or past District Governors of Rotary International.

• Present or past Inner Wheel District Chairman.

• President of a Rotary Club in the area of activity of the applicant.

Hon. Chair Rajendra K Saboo

Chairman Ashok Mahajan

Vice Chair Yash Pal Das

All completed Nominations should be mailed to the below address: PRID YASH PAL DAS 122 Railway Road, Ambala Cantt. 133 001, Haryana Tel: +91-98-120-38999, Fax: +91-171-2643983, E-mail: yashpaldas@yahoo.com, Deadline to receive Nominations is Tuesday March 31 2015 FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 35

In quest of a

by Rasheeda Bhagat After medical missions, more than the immunisation and surgeries, deeply moving human experiences stay etched in the mind.

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s Rotarians in Pakistan grapple with the shooting of their polio workers, it is interesting to trace the work done by Indian Rotarians in the quest of not only a polio-free India, but also world.

At the December Chennai Institute, PRIP Rajendra K Saboo, who has organised medical missions to Africa, recalled his experiences in Nigeria where Rotary India has conducted polio corrective surgical camps. In the disturbed northern region of Nigeria, polio immunisation has been difficult for long years. “The challenge was to get children from the north, as we couldn’t go there. The parents we talked to at the polio corrective surgery camp

admitted that their children could have been spared the ordeal of corrective surgery had they been given two drops of polio vaccine a few times. Some of them cried and said ‘we’ll go back and see not only our but our neighbours’children are immunised too’.”

Genesis

The genesis for the Rotary India medical missions to Nigeria, which now has six polio cases, is linked to the work Indian Rotarians have done at home.

Saboo recalls that in their continuing quest to make India polio-free, near the turn of the century, when he and other Rotarians were near a polio immunisation camp in Hapur, near Delhi, they

got a phone call that 5 or 6 minority community families were resisting the administration of polio drops to their children. “So we rushed there and were able to, with help from some people from the community, convince them.”

But then, as they were chatting with the village head and others, “we saw one child, maybe 2 or 3 years old, crawling up to us. Suddenly there was another child crawling from another direction and we realised that the polio-virus transmission should be maximum here.”

When the villagers described these children as “dirt” and said they “were finished and nothing can be done with them, I told my Rotarian friends that here is our opportunity.” With Rotarians who had accompanied him to Africa for polio corrective surgery, within a month a similar surgical camp was organised here and 150 polio corrective operations done. While some children were able to stand and walk with callipers, others, who were slightly affected were able to walk like normal children after the surgery. “One thing our team assured was that all of them will be able to have a better quality of life … a dignified life,” says Saboo.

After this surgical exercise, in the next round of immunisation, the level and percentage of immunisation

A polio corrective surgery camp conducted by Indian Rotarians in Africa.

36 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

“suddenly shot up by 50 per cent. The people thought here are Rotarians who are coming to us as friends who want to help our children; so we should listen to them.”

Camps in Bihar, UP

This became a trigger for more such camps in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and 4,000–5,000 children were reached.

“This was a strong signal to their parents that they shouldn’t put their younger children through such an ordeal,” says Saboo.

This was the background and inspiration to take a medical mission to Nigeria with orthopaedic surgeons who had done polio corrective surgeries. The team had 25 surgeons and “there was no question of going to the north as they were shooting people there.” So the camp was held in Abuja, Central Nigeria in 2012 and conducted in collaboration with the Rotarians of India and Nigeria

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After the surgeries, the parents cried and said we won’t allow this to happen to our younger children.

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and the Nigerian government. The 25 surgeons did 780 surgical procedures on 352 polio-afflicted patients — some required more than one operation — at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.

“The children from affected areas in the north and from a distance of 300 to 400 miles were brought to our camp. In nine days we were able to

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee (left) along with PRIP Rajendra K Saboo at a polio surgical camp in Nigeria. help 352 children who were operable.

Some were such terrible cases that we couldn’t do anything. PRIP Kalyan Banerjee also came and stayed there for a few days and we met the children and their parents who were crying and said ‘god bless you for what you are doing. You come from a place which has no connection with us, and are working for the benefit of our children,’ ” recalls Saboo.

He adds that the parents, many of them Muslims, said there were rumours that polio immunisation was a conspiracy by the west to reduce the Muslim population. They said, “But you have nothing to do with the West, and all you want is help our children.”

So we told them, “Return to your homes. Your children are now better but take care of their siblings, and the larger community.”

What he remembers best from such medical missions are deeply touching human experiences.

A special connect

One such incident he recalls relates to a little girl — “I have a way with children

and can keep them happy. Earlier I was mortally afraid of blood, but have now got used to it.” At the camp, he heard a little girl, barely 2 or 3 years old, howling as the nurse placed her on the stretcher. “I rushed there and lifted the child in my arms and patting her, walked around the corridor.”

She quietened down, perhaps went to sleep and when the surgeon had a vacant bed, he placed her on it, but she started crying again. He picked her up again, “she clung to me and quietened down.” This went on for a while, till he was too tired to continue the exercise. “But I felt a kind of relationship; perhaps that little girl saw in me the face of her father or I saw in her the face of my granddaughter.”

Such “relationships remain etched in the memory, and inspire us to do more work,” adds Saboo.

His engagement to Nigeria continues; the latest is organising three vans to serve as medical clinics.

(Details in the January 2015 issue of Rotary News).

Designed by L Gunasekaran FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 37

Are achche din around the corner?

by TCA Srinivasa Raghavan

There are many expectations from the Finance Minister; the small sector wants more support; business and industry expect easy clearances; all tax payers want exemption limit raised.

A Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

3388 RROTARY OT TARY ARY NE N NEWS WS FEBRUARY WS FEB EBRUA RUA UARY UA RY 2015 201 20 201 015

fter two years of less than 5 percent growth the Indian economy is finally picking up pace. Various agencies are projecting a GDP growth of 5.5– 5.6 percent in this fiscal year. This is a much-needed improvement as investor confidence has been subdued and few new projects have been announced.

One sign of this revival is the fact that new investments in the December 2014 quarter were at an 18-quarter high, showing that the business community is gradually regaining confidence in the economy and believes that the Modi government will do more to boost the economy.

The other worry area — inflation — is also on a downward trajectory, with both wholesale and retail prices falling. To see this in context, inflation first started at the end of 2007.

We have thus seen seven straight years of rising prices. Foreign investment in India is also recovering. The period April – August 2014 saw total inflows of $33.7 billion, up drastically from the $3.1 billion seen in the same period the previous year. Overall, the stage is set for the Budget to build on these improvements and take India’s growth-path back to the pre-crisis levels. But, to do that, the

Budget must include several key points.

Budget’s key role On the tax front, there are several things the upcoming Budget can do to make life easier for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The first is a tweaking of the capital gains tax formulation.

At present, when MSMEs settle their loans with banks or other financial institutions in a single settlement, a significant amount is waived for interest as well as principal in a particular financial year. However, due to this, these borrowers have to pay capital gains tax. Often, this amount works out to be quite debilitating for small businesses. The upcoming Budget should have a provision so that such a reduction in liability is not treated as capital gains and be kept out of the purview of any tax.

Simply, from the point of view of ease in doing business, an area where India lags behind most of its peers, making the taxation system easy, consistent and predictable is the key.

Boost manufacturing Apart from tax, another area the Budget can provide a fillip in, is manufacturing.

The manufacturing sector needs to be boosted as it is lagging behind every sector. India’s growth story needs a composite contribution by all the sectors of the economy. Further, the Budget should incentivise research and development to give the current government’s Make in India initiative a solid push.

Another area that will help small businesses is dispute resolution. The authority on advance ruling and the advance pricing authority must be strengthened. The purview of the Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) must be expanded to include indirect tax litigation since a large number of such cases are still pending. Expediting the

clearance of such cases will greatly benefit MSMEs as funds locked in tax disputes will be freed.

One major area of improvement that the Budget can tackle head-on is that of clearances for projects. There is much the Budget can do to ease the process of obtaining land, labour and environmental clearances. Since many of these clearances come from the states, it is essential for there to be a coordinated approach between the centre and states to expedite these clearances.

The announcements of fresh capacity-building investments by cash-rich public sector enterprises will also go a long way in building the

gold, the Budget should introduce gold-backed schemes and investments to make use of this hidden wealth.

Increasing tax exemptions will boost household savings and expenditure, a much needed aspect of economic revival. This is specially so in regard to interest income on fixed deposits. The salaried middle class is taxed when it earns and then again when it saves, which is not just unfair but also economically counter-productive.

Jaitley’s big chance The upcoming Budget has a lot of expectations, especially given the

The salaried middle class is taxed when it earns and then again when it saves, which is not just unfair, but also economically counter-productive. private sector’s confidence. Several Public Sector Units (PSUs) are sitting on huge piles of cash that can easily be invested in capacity-building or expansion.

One option is for PSUs to provide the initial investment for infrastructure projects. Once these are up and running, they can be transferred to private companies on a revenue-sharing basis. PSUs also need to leverage their borrowing power better.

Gold schemes needed On an individual level, the Budget must make use of the existing advantages present in India. Given the Indian public’s affinity for hoarding

promises of the current government.

The signs are all pointing towards an economic recovery, but only decisive budgetary steps will convert these signs into reality.

This is especially important for the Prime Minister who is being accused of mere talk, no action.

People are also saying that he has been lucky because the declining oil prices have helped keep inflation and the fiscal deficit down.

But he needs to show in this Budget that he knows what he is doing and that he is in full control of the economy. Opportunities such as this do not come knocking twice in a prime minister’s tenure.

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 39

Mouth Matters

by Jaishree

White toothpaste over coloured paste and timely screening were the mantras at this Rotary dental camp.

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okul (8) wore a forlorn look hanging on to his mother’s pallu and cupping a palm to his cheek. “My tooth is aching,” he cried.

Vaishnavi looked agitated because her daughter had a fall the previous night and had a chipped tooth. Both were present at the MGR Janaki Engineering

College campus in Chennai, where the Dental Expo and Education Fair was held by Rotary District 3230 in association with Indian Dental Association (IDA), Chennai Chapter. Thirty Rotary clubs of the District sponsored this mega fair.

RI President Gary Huang and his wife, Corinna Yao, were the chief guests. RI staff Kristin Brown and Michelle Berg also attended the fair along with District Governor I S A K Nazar and other Rotarians.

RIP Gary Huang and Corinna visiting the stalls at the Expo.

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While dentists screened and treated minor ailments of visitors, students from 17 dental colleges across the city had put up stalls to explain the various options available for school students in the field of dentistry. Going by the crowd at one particular stall, the post graduate course on ‘Forensic Odentology’ seemed to interest several youngsters. Teeth can tell if a person is male or a female; teeth are also studied in investigations during bomb blasts… such gyan was unveiled at these stalls.

School and college students, accompanied by their teachers, were educated by dentists and senior students of the dental colleges on the importance of oral hygiene. “Oral health is intimately connected to overall health.

Our mouth is teeming with bacteria — most of them harmless. Unhygienic oral practices may lead to oral infections such as tooth decay and gum disease.

Oral healthcare such as regular brushing and flossing can keep these bacteria under control,” explained a dentist.

“White coloured toothpastes are better than coloured pastes. The chemicals that go to add colour in the coloured toothpastes cause abrasion to the teeth and the gums, wearing them off. Some people develop reactions like mouth ulcers because of these

RI President interacts with the differently-abled children at the Expo.

chemicals. The colour is only to make the paste attractive. Regular brushing is more important than the toothpaste,” said IDA President Dr Rangarajan.

The now-familiar advice from all quarters: ‘Brush your teeth twice a day,’ was again reiterated by the dentists, who demonstrated the right method of brushing: The Bass Brushing Technique. It works like this: Direct the brush towards the roots of the teeth at a 45 degree angle. Press lightly but not enough to bend the bristles and brush back and forth in a vibratory manner, with short movements.

This method of brushing effectively removes plaque from around the gum line. The visitors understood this better through an electronic model set up in one of the stalls.

Senior citizens, who have lost their teeth but find the dentures cumbersome, take heart! Dr Rangarajan described the new age implants — surgical components that interface with the bone of the jaw or the skull to support a dental prosthesis such as a crown, bridge or a denture. Implants are permanent fixtures and unlike dentures, need not be removed at the end

RIP Gary Huang and First Lady Corinna honour the drawing competition winners.

of the day. A decent set of implants costs around Rs 50,000, he said.

What are the common dental problems in children? Is there any connection between chocolates and tooth caries? The IDA President explained: More than 85 per cent of oral problems suffered by children account for tooth caries, apart from genetic issues like mal-alignment of teeth. And chocolates are harmless, provided you brush your teeth after eating them. The sugar in the chocolates produces an acid which reacts with the good bacteria in your mouth, causing tooth decay. So the secret is not to let the sugar remain in the mouth for long enough to produce the acid.

On wisdom teeth, he said that in the West dentists remove them as they are believed to cause cysts and tumours. “Here we remove them only when we face problems.”

All dentists at the Expo warned the people to promptly treat oral ailments or they will lead to other complications affecting the liver, heart, lungs and kidney. Use of tobacco spoils the teeth.

There was a tobacco de-addiction stall at the Expo. Oral cancer screening was also carried out for the visitors.

A painting competition on ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’ was organised by the District for school students. RI President Gary Huang judged and distributed prizes for the best three paintings He complimented the Rotarians and dedicated his trademark ‘Happy Clap’ and now-familiar ‘Zan’ to the District Governor for this remarkable Fair, which came close on the heels of the Guinness World Record for the largest Human Flag formation.

By day end, the Expo had around 10,000 footfalls and had screened 1,000 special children, said Dr Nandakumar, the District’s Director, Community Health Service. Powered tooth brushes for use by mentally-challenged children were handed over to IDA President Dr Rangarajan by First Lady Corinna.

Designed by K Vishwanathan FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 41

Grand old hero of Rotary Visakhapatnam

by Jaishree At 91, Kolluru Jagannadha Rao, KJ Rao to many, is probably the oldest Rotarian in Visakhapatnam; neither his enthusiasm nor active involvement in club activities has decreased over long years.

A

fter reading ‘The saga of a World War II Veteran,’ I called its author, Jagannadha Rao. The book was more the jottings of a war scenario than a novel. It interested me because it reflected the author’s remarkable memory and his way of meticulously preserving some of the rarest photographs and even the daily menu during his Air Force days! He is probably the only surviving member of the British Royal Air Force squadron posted in Akyab Islands (Burma) during World War II. “Salutes to you, Sir!” I said, and pat came the reply, “To you, too!” He was referring to an earlier article I had written on the James Wheeler Davidson Award conferred on him by RC Madras. He was the first recipient of this prestigious award given in honour of Rtn James Davidson, referred to as a ‘World Citizen’ by Paul Harris himself. The award honours Rotarians who exemplified Rotary’s motto, Service above Self, through long years of commitment to Rotary, furthering its cause in action and spirit. His instant reply to my greeting had me smiling no end!

“Father breathes Rotary. It keeps him alive,” says his son, K V Ratnam (Rao’s father is also known by this name and he too was a Rotarian!)

The Grand old Hero of Vizag, as he is fondly referred to, Rao is a moving encyclopaedia on Rotary. He joined RC Visakhapatnam in 1960 when he was 37; served as president during 1965-66. He proudly recalls having received the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vizag airport in 1965. He still attends every club meeting without fail and enthusiastically participates in all the discussions related to service projects and other club activities. He is credited with a phenomenal Rotary extension work that includes inducting about 20 members into Rotary and was GSR (Governor’s Special Representative in charge of forming new clubs) for 7 Rotary clubs in the District.

Down memory lane Rao’s memory is amazing; each incident is etched in his mind. “I saw the first ship, SS Jala Durga sail into Visakhapatnam Port and I was there when Pandit Nehru launched India’s first indigenously built ship, SS Jala

422 ROT ROTARY R RO OTARY OT OTARY AR RY NE RY N NEWS EW WSS FEBRUARY FEB FEB EBR RU RUA UARY UA RY 2015 20 20 0115

“

“

He still attends every club meeting without fail.

“

“

I have known this city since the time it was a town without electricity.

Usha, at Hindustan Shipyard in 1948,” says Rao delving into the past. “I have known this city since the time it was a town without electricity. Thanks to the Visakhapatnam Port Trust, the town received power in 1934 from the port’s substation. During those days, power would be available from 6 pm. to 6 am., when the port was closed.”

He is among the very few to have witnessed the Japanese bombing of the city in 1942. “It was around 8 am when we first heard the drone of an aircraft. We ran to the terrace to find two small aircrafts flying very low. The Second World War was on. We were trained by the civil guards to handle air raids; hearing the siren, we ran below and scampered beneath the cots. But then they were only Japanese reconnaissance planes. The actual raid happened around 1 pm. and again at 5 pm.

Five planes in an arrow formation flew over and dropped bombs in the port area. There was an exodus of people to

neighbouring towns and by nightfall, Vizag was deserted, except for the defence personnel,” he recalls.

Radar Specialist Though Rao pursued his higher studies as a science graduate, he was advised by his father, K V Ratnam, an advocate and Chief Warden of Air Raids Precaution, to join the Air Force for flying. He humourously recalls that he was rejected as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force because his ear drums were reported to be weak and they might burst while diving. “Today I am 91 and my ears are just perfect!” he proudly declares. But he got selected to the British Royal Air Force to work in the Radar branch.

After his release from the defence services in 1946, he joined his uncles in hardware and paint business and established his own in 1952. Though his son takes care of the business now, Rao makes it a point to visit the office daily and meet old clients, and inspire the youngsters too.

He has authored two books — Vintage Vizag Days, which he sent to Dr Abdul Kalam who acknowledged it promptly, and The saga of a World War II Veteran (Rao has sent two copies of this book to Prime Minister Modi requesting him to hand over one copy to US President Obama!) “I expect a reply from Modi by January 26 and I shall inform you when I hear from him,” he says confidently.

United by Sports Team Rotary News

S

ports builds team spirit and fellowship among Rotarians of various Districts; this was further strengthened through the Multi District Sports and Fellowship Meet held in November at Goa. The two-day meet was hosted by District 3170 under the leadership of

DG Ganesh Bhat. It saw a participation of about 180 Rotarians from five Districts — 3020, 3030, 3202, 3190 and the host 3170.

The programme was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister of Goa, Francis D’Souza. Local MLA Rohan Kaunte, former national football team captain Bhrmanand Shankwalkar and Arjuna awardee Savio Maderio graced the event. Sports events such as cricket, carom, chess, badminton, walkathon, athletics and tug-of-war brought out the competitive spirit of the Rotarians.

PRID Shekhar Mehta, who distributed the prizes and trophies, said, “Such events bond Rotarians for life and help in bringing together a huge army PRID Shekhar Mehta presenting Overall Champion Trophy to D 3170. to build a better world.”

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 43

PRID Shekhar Mehta addressing the new members.

Driving membership growth Team Rotary News

R

tn Mrunalini, the Charter President of Rotary Club of Mayur, D3131, was excited to be a part of Rotary and was further enthused after attending the New Member Orientation Meet at Pune on January 17, co-hosted by Rotary Club of Pune Gandhi Bhavan and its newly sponsored club, RC Pune Sahyadri. The seminar aimed to provide new members from various Rotary clubs of the District, the ABCs of Rotary and its service projects across the world. Such knowledge is essential to retain membership and motivate Rotarians to work for the welfare of society.

The Meet, aptly titled Maitri, encouraged strong ties of friendship not only among the attendees, but also with Rotary itself, which is vital for membership retention.

An excited Mrunalini said, “The seminar touched upon all aspects of Rotary. It made me realise the magnitude of the organisation that has members all over the world. We learnt lessons on how to conduct weekly 44 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

meetings; how to make them interesting and interactive so that members look forward to attend them. It gave us the overall big picture and made us feel proud to be part of something so wonderful. We got a fair idea about what projects to take up.”

Similar feedback was echoed by several other green Rotarians. About 350 new members attended the Meet and this drew appreciative response from the Past District Governors and the chief guest, PRID Shekhar Mehta.

“This is probably a milestone in Rotary,” he said. His address urged the delegates to “adopt meaningful projects that can bring significant changes to the society, for which you will be remembered forever.” He stressed on the need to reach out to the generous donors to assist the neediest in the society.

Earlier, District Governor Vivek Aranha welcomed the delegates.

The first session was about Club Service, conducted by ARC Deepak Shikarpur along with Rotarians

Ujjwala Barve,Vasunt Malunjkar and Madhavi Mehendale. Significant stress was given to new member induction, fellowship, club bulletin and weekly programmes.

The next session, ‘Community Service,’ conducted by PDG Mohan Palesha along with other panellists Manoj Ghoake,Shekhar Malvad and Vaishali Bhagvat threw light on community projects such as mammography and affordable dialysis, Happy Villages and literacy.

PDG Prashanth Deshmukh, Shailesh Palekar and Dilip Kumbhokar emphasised the significance of Vocational Service and International Service under Youth Exchange programme, while PDG Mahesh Kotbagi gave details of the upcoming South Asia Literacy Summit to be held during February at Pune and encouraged the freshers to register for the event.

Thanks to such initiatives, D3131 has shown substantial membership growth and is lauded by Rotary senior leaders.

Operation Swachh Mumbai Team Rotary News

U

nder the initiative of Honorary Rotarian Rajashree Birla, a Swachh Bharat Abhiyan programme was organised at Mumbai. The Governor of Maharashtra, Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao and Rotary Foundation India Chair Ashok Mahajan took part in this campaign, which also saw participation of the local MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Corporation Dr Pallavi Darade, Advisor to Prime Minister Dr Nirupam Vajpayee and several industrialists and social workers from the metropolis. The campaigners performed a cleanliness drive in the area around Banganga Crematorium (South Mumbai), supposed to be one of the dirtiest areas of Mumbai.

Mrs Birla, Ambassador of the Clean India initiative, inspired everyone by committing to build gender-specific toilet blocks at the crematorium grounds. These blocks,

she said, would be jointly maintained by her Trust and the local Trust of the crematorium. Mahajan said that

he would take the mission forward in his region, Mulund, and involve the seven Rotary clubs there. „

Reaching out to Students Team Rotary News

A

Scholarship programme initiated

by Rotary Club of Karad, RI District 3132, along with Durgadevi Charitable Trust, would provide financial assistance of Rs 2,000 each annually for 500 students hailing from poor families to help them pursue education for the next three years. One thousand five hundred students of classes 8 to 10, from 75 schools, appeared for the Rotary Scholarship exam conducted at Karad.

The programme served as a motivator for all the school children, inspiring them to concentrate and perform well in their academics, said club President Ranjeet Shewale. „

Mumbai’s romance with butterflies

by Jaishree Butterflies seem to be flitting across the Dombivli air presently, much to the delight of the residents — thanks to the ‘PRIP Kalyan Banerjee Butterfly Garden’ of RC Dombivli East, District 3140!

W

ho doesn’t feel joyous at the sight of a fluttering butterfly, so colorful, vibrant and carefree? Apart from being nature’s balancers enabling flora to flourish, they are a source of inspiration too. “Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly,” observed a nature poet. For those of us who crib that we don’t have time, “the butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough,” says Rabindranath Tagore.

Imagine a butterfly garden in congested Mumbai… the very 466 RO ROTARY ROT OTARY N NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

thought is bliss! Rotarians of Rotary Club of Dombivli East have brought to life this novel concept of a Butterfly Garden at Dombivli.

What’s more, this club has an ambitious plan to now start an International Butterfly Fellowship, organise a Butterfly Festival in April, and set up a Green Library with books on environment.

“The club is renowned for its child-centric activities since its inception in 1985,” says the Project Coordinator PDG Ulhas Kolhatkar. Rotary

Children’s Park, Rotary Dombivli Mini-Olympics for kids, Rotary Amphitheatre and the International Dolls Museum are some of the club’s endeavours to please children. The butterfly garden is the new addition to this unique list. “Besides nature lovers and butterfly researchers from across the country, it will also attract children,” says Kolhatkar.

Established at the Rotary Children’s Park, the butterfly garden spreads across 4,000 sq ft, in the 2 ½ acre park, says club president Dr Vijay Aage.

But why butterfly garden?

Kolhatkar is ready with a whole bunch of facts and figures about the butterfly world to answer this question. They fall under the ‘endangered’ list and not much is being done on their research too. He points out that though there are around 18,000 species, only some 1,500 varieties are found in India and just 600 butterfly species have been studied! Surprisingly, of the 23 butterfly gardens pan India, three are in Mumbai.

A chance meeting with butterfly expert Divakar Thombre got him “hooked” to these beautiful creatures.

And the result … this butterfly garden!

But why name it after PRIP Kalyan Banerjee?

“This is our way of honouring him for his tremendous service to the people of Vapi and surrounding tribal regions. And now his passionate engagement in transforming lives through literacy.”

The garden is a heaven for nature-lovers. How did he think that a metro like Mumbai, which is more a concrete jungle, would attract butterflies? “Initially we too were quite skeptical about the idea. But we conducted studies and found that

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee and RI Director P T Prabhakar inaugurate the Butterfly Garden.

Dombivli is an ideal habitat for these fascinating creatures and has been attracting them for long.”

The park has around 70 kinds of butterfly host plants such as Lantana, Jamaican Blue Spike and citrus and their brightly coloured flowers are a sure attraction for them. Presently, about 30 varieties of butterflies visit the park. To make the garden more

Butterfly Dance performed by children at the inaugural ceremony.

interesting, poems, photographs and facts about butterflies are displayed at prominent spots across the place. This venture has become such a huge hit that Rotarians from other States now want their guidance in duplicating such butterfly gardens in their region.

The garden was formally dedicated to the public by PRIP Kalyan Banerjee and RID P T Prabhakar, and created enough media buzz to attract huge numbers. Local MLA Ravindra Chavan and Deputy Mayor Rahul Damle attended the event.

Commending the initiative, Banerjee said, “Butterfly habitats have been lost due to human activities such as building homes, roads and industries. Such an endeavour will sensitise people to be nature-friendly, and help create a Green Earth, which is the need of the hour. It’s time Rotary places environment concerns as one of its focus areas.”

Prabhakar, in his address, said: “This is an awesome project that would inspire Rotarians and others to direct our services towards preserving our environment.”

Designed by N Krishnamurthy FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 47

WORLD ROUNDUP Rotary Clubs of Newlands and Table Bay, Africa The annual Cape Rotary Wine Auction hosted by Rotary Clubs of Newlands and Table Bay raised 344,000 Rands to aid the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), a charity that saves lives on South African waters. The funds from this event will be used for the construction of a new boathouse to house the boats along with their crew and rescue equipment.

Wine auction, Africa.

Horse riding, UK.

Rotary Club of Kingham and Wychwoods, UK The clubs raised ÂŁ2,700 for the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) to improve the lives of children and adults with physical or learning disabilities through horse riding, carriage driving, vaulting and snow jumping activities. Each year over 26,000 differently-able people participate in the activities conducted by RDA. Medical professionals recognised that horse riding helps in strengthening mental and physical stability.

Grape Escape at Naples.

Rotary Club of Bairnsdale, Australia The club raised $250,000 for research into Sudden and Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), a rare condition that occurs mainly in toddlers aged one to five. The club raffled a memorial chair for a garden and raised $23,000.

Following the club’s fundraising efforts $125,000 has been contributed towards the SUDC International Research Initiative, motivated by a desire to save families from the tragedy of losing a child to SUDC. Raising funds for SUDC.

Rotary Club of Munich International, Germany RC Munich organised a tribute concert for the Orlandus Lassu Foundation that provides financial assistance for travel expenses, master classes and purchasing musical instruments for extraordinarily gifted students in the field of music. Scholarship applicants are assessed by an advisory body and eligible students are enrolled in Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, one of the most respected traditional vocational universities in Germany specialising in music and performing arts. The Foundation grants scholarships to these needy students for upto three years.

Remodelling and rehabilitation.

Tribute concert, Germany.

Rotary Club Naples, Italy

Rotary District 3650, Korea

The Naples Grape Escape, a fundraiser event was conducted by the club. Wine, craft beer, food and stellar entertainment were the highlights of this event that raised money for various humanitarian causes like Learn2Earn, Meals of Hope, Shelter Box, End Polio Now, Gift of life, Wheelchair Foundation and Alzheimer research.

RI District 3650 in partnership with Districts 5280 and 3292 donated $12,000 towards remodelling a rehabilitation facility for differently-abled children in Nepal. A team of volunteers from D3650 delivered KRW 1 million worth aid material to patients at a rehab located in interior Kathmandu. D3650 has also built a children’s hospital, remodelled a cancer treatment centre and conducted nurse-training programme in the region.

Tirupur’s Tryst with AKS

by Selvi He became a Rotarian 20 years back, but his conviction in Rotary’s goals to uplift the lives of the downtrodden and bring peace and harmony in the world, has only increased as also his contributions to TRF.

R

tn Nandhagopal is the first Arch Klumph Society member in District 3202, and 35th in India. His faith in Rotary has made him contribute a whopping Rs 1.5 crore (USD 250,000) to TRF. He was felicitated by PRIP Kalyan Banerjee at a meeting organised in his honour by the District Governor K Sridharan Nambiar at Tirupur. Receiving the cheque from the AKS member, Banerjee expressed his appreciation for the generous contribution and encouraged other Rotarians to donate to TRF. RRFC Raja Seenivasan, ARFC Babu Joseph and Major Gifts Chair Ravi Vadlamani also attended the event and lauded the District’s first AKS member.

Born in an affluent business family that had varied business interests, philanthropy was innate for Rtn Nandhagopal. He is the Managing Director of The Chennai Silks, one

50 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

of the biggest textile chains in Tamil Nadu and Teemage Precast In, manufacturers of precast and pre-stressed concrete products; Building Committee Chair of Valam Trust, (which was instrumental in the completion of two fly-overs in Tirupur) and NIFT-TEA Knitwear Fashion Institute, Tirupur.

Several welfare activities are being carried out for the good of the community through their family Trust, Natchammal Kulanthaivelu Charitable Trust. “We provide quality healthcare and medicines free of cost to all the patients at the Natchammal Kulanthaivelu Charity Hospital run by our family Trust. Next year we plan to expand our hospital by adding 200 beds,” said Nandhagopal. He donates around Rs 3 crore annually through his various Trusts.

Nandhagopal, who joined Rotary in 1995, believes that the money he

contributes to the Foundation will come back for the welfare of his people, and in that order, he feels that his earlier contribution of Rs 1.5 lakh to TRF had come back as Matching Grant from the Foundation for his club’s maxillofacial and plastic surgery camp organised in association with Interplast-Germany. He has been a major sponsor for projects of his home club — RC Tirupur South. When the Club planned to build the Rotary Tirupur South Crematorium, Nandhagopal donated a sum of Rs 25 lakh to start the construction work. His family Trust funds the cremation of unidentified bodies, orphans and the deprived in this crematorium.

When asked about his views on Rotary’s literacy mission, he said, “Bringing total literacy in our country is a great thought; and I promise to give more for literacy projects.”

A ROTARY PRIMER

GLOBALOUTLOOK A ROTARIAN’S GUIDE TO THE ROTARY FOUNDATION FUNDING MODEL

Copyright © 2015 by Rotary International. All rights reserved.

OUR FOUNDATION’S FUNDING MODEL he Rotary Foundation has traditionally paid most of its operating expenses with investment earnings. Because we rely on the financial markets, a down year can mean we are unable to cover our expenses through investment earnings alone. When this has happened in the past, the Foundation borrowed money from its World Fund, which was repaid when market conditions improved.

To ensure that our Foundation has sufficient and reliable resources in the future, the Trustees have approved a funding model, effective July 1, 2015.

The changes are small but will have a big impact on the Foundation’s ability to support large-scale, sustainable projects for years to come.

Read on to learn more.

52 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

ILLUSTRATIONS BY OTTO STEININGER

T

HOW THE MODEL WORKS T

he Foundation’s basic funding model will remain the same. All Annual Fund-SHARE contributions will be invested for three years, at which time 50 percent will be available for the District Designated Fund (DDF) and 50 percent will go into the World Fund. (The World Fund supports grants and programs available to all districts.) Earnings from the invested funds will continue to pay many of our operating expenses, which include fundraising and general administration. A portion of investment earnings from the Endowment Fund also pays operating expenses. The change to our existing model will diversify our income so we are not reliant solely on the financial markets to cover expenses.

WHAT’S CHANGING 5 PERCENT OF ANNUAL FUND CONTRIBUTIONS In years when investment earnings are not enough to pay operating expenses and fully fund the operating reserve, the Foundation will use 5 percent of Annual Fund contributions to cover the shortfall. The money will come out of the portion designated for the World Fund; the District Designated Fund (DDF) will not be affected.

Here is an example: If you contribute $100 to the Annual Fund-SHARE, $50 ends up as District Designated Funds and $50 goes into the World Fund. Five percent of the original contribution, or $5, will be used only when needed to pay operating expenses and fund the operating reserve. In years when that $5 is used, all $50 would stay in DDF, $45 would go to the World Fund, and $5 would be used to pay expenses and be paid back over time. When investment earnings are sufficient to cover operating expenses and fund the operating reserve, the full $50 would stay in the World Fund.

5 PERCENT OF GLOBAL GRANT CASH CONTRIBUTIONS Cash contributions to support global grants require more processing than Annual Fund contributions.

A global grant usually has multiple sponsors who support it with cash, and because the participating clubs are in different countries, currency conversion is often needed. Some clubs send one payment as a contribution, while other clubs remit multiple payments from club members. As a result, the recording, tracking and donor recognition process is complex. Meanwhile, because contributions are not held for long, minimal investment income is earned to cover the cost of processing the cash. Under the updated funding model, clubs and districts will need to add 5 percent to their global grant cash contributions to pay the expenses associated with processing those donations.

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 53

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WHAT’S CHANGING IN JULY? Five percent of contributions to the Annual Fund will be earmarked for operating expenses or for building the

Is this a big change to the way the Foundation has funded its operations in the past?

No. Much of the model presents no significant change from previous practices. Perhaps most important, there is no change to District Designated Funds.

What does it mean to fully fund the operating reserve?

The Foundation should have a reserve equal to three years of operating expenses. Due to strong investment returns in 2014–15, the reserve is currently fully funded.

Foundation’s operating reserve. These

How will this affect global grant funding?

funds will be used only when net

The change means an extra 5 percent is necessary to cover the processing costs of cash contributions funding a global grant. A system change will be made to the global grant funding page in the online application that shows the 5 percent added, and the required total for the project to be fully funded.

investment returns are not sufficient to cover operating expenses. In past years, the Trustees have relied on the World Fund when investment returns did not cover operating expenses. The 5 percent limits the amount that can be used from the World Fund in any individual year.

Sponsors will need to add 5 percent to global grant cash contributions, which will be used to help cover the costs associated with processing them.

WHY? By implementing these changes, the Foundation will diversify its sources of funding, making it less reliant on net investment returns.

54 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

If cash is contributed toward a global grant, do the sponsors need to remit an additional 5 percent to the Foundation?

Yes. The grant will not be fully funded until all cash, including the 5 percent, is received. However, when cash is sent directly to the project bank account rather than to the Foundation, there is no 5 percent added, because the Foundation is not processing it.

In addition, using District Designated Funds eliminates the need to pay the additional 5 percent. Grant sponsors can use the calculation tool in the online application to determine the best fit for their project.

How will Foundation recognition points be determined for cash contributions to global grants? Will they be calculated on the full amount, or on the full amount minus the 5 percent?

Points for Paul Harris Fellow recognition will be awarded on the full cash contribution. Tax receipts, where applicable, will also be provided for the total amount of the cash contribution.

Will this affect our reputation as a leading charity?

Our stewardship of contributions has made The Rotary Foundation one of the most highly rated nonprofits reviewed by several independent charity rating agencies. In October, we again earned a fourstar rating, the highest possible, from Charity Navigator. In fact, the three leading agencies that provide information about nonprofits — the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator and GuideStar — have changed their model of reviewing nonprofits to emphasise impact. While it is still important to keep overhead costs reasonable, the agencies say that investments in training, planning, evaluation, internal systems and operations are also critical. You can read the joint letter at www. overheadmyth.com. We will continue to be a distinguished and trustworthy charity through continued transparency, good stewardship and the impact and sustainability of our programmes.

WHAT WILL THE SOURCES BE FOR FUNDING OPERATING EXPENSES AFTER JULY 1, 2015?

FUNDING OUR OPERATING EXPENSES = Fund Development & General Administration Annual Fund Investment Earnings

Endowment Fund Spendable Earnings

5% of Cash Contributions for Global Grants

5% of Annual Fund Contributions* * Only when net investment returns are not sufficient to cover operating expenses

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 55

HOW TO USE THE UPDATED FUNDING MODEL FOR A GLOBAL GRANT

Let’s say your district wants to use a $45,000

$45,000 global grant, if your district provides

global grant to implement a water project serving

$30,000 in cash contributions and receives a

rural villages in Uganda. If only District Designated

$15,000 World Fund match, the additional

Funds (DDF) will be used, your district can plan

amount of cash required is $1,500 (5 percent

the grant the same way it has in the past.

of $30,000), for a total of $46,500.

If your project will be funded with cash contribu-

The online grant system will calculate and display

tions flowing through the Foundation, you will

the total amount of cash required when you enter

need to contribute another 5 percent. So, for a

cash contributions.

56 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

A CONVERSATION with TRUSTEE IAN RISELEY What is the most important thing for Rotarians to know about the Foundation’s funding model?

The model will diversify the Foundation’s sources of income to provide greater financial stability for years to come.

What concerns have you heard from members about the modified funding model?

Some members fear this is a big change from current practices, but in fact the changes are quite minor. Others have asked about the impact on District Designated Funds (DDF). It is important to note that there will be no change to District Designated Funds.

The changes to our funding model simply provide a set of procedures for processes that are already happening, and also address the need to pay for processing contributions that flow through the Foundation for global grants.

How have you addressed those concerns?

I encourage all members to read the official communications about the funding model.

The Trustees recognise that open, clear communication fosters Rotarians’ continued support of, and active involvement in, Foundation programmes. There is an announcement on Rotary.org with a link to a document that details the changes, called “Our Foundation’s Funding Model.” Training manuals for officers and committees at the district and club levels are also being updated. We have set up an email address to answer questions that Rotarians still have, so please send any questions to fundingmodel@rotary.org.

GOOD TO KNOW Global grants funded with District Designated Funds (DDF) are matched 100 percent by the World Fund, but cash contributions are matched at 50 percent. Also, the processing time for grants funded with DDF is shorter than for grants involving cash. So, your project will be able to install more water wells more quickly if it’s funded entirely with DDF.

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 57

OUR FUNDS WHAT IS THE ANNUAL FUND-SHARE?

WHAT IS DDF?

The Annual Fund-SHARE is the primary source

The District Designated Fund (DDF) pays for

of funding for a broad range of local and interna-

Foundation, club and district projects that your

tional Rotary Foundation activities. Every Rotari-

club and others in the district choose. Districts

an, Every Year (EREY) is the initiative to encour-

may use up to half of their DDF to fund

age support for the Foundation’s Annual Fund.

district grants. The remaining DDF may be

EREY encourages every Rotarian to contribute to

used for global grants or donated to PolioPlus,

the Annual Fund every year. Contributions to the

the Rotary Peace Centres, or another district.

Annual Fund-SHARE from all Rotary clubs in a district are directed into two sub-funds: the World Fund and the District Designated Fund. Through

WHAT IS THE ENDOWMENT FUND?

the SHARE system, contributions to The Rotary Foundation are transformed into grants.

The Endowment Fund ensures the long-term viability of the Foundation and its grants and programmes. Spendable earnings from this endowed

WHAT IS THE WORLD FUND?

fund enable the Foundation to expand existing

The World Fund provides funding for our highest-

are invested in perpetuity — a percentage of the

priority activities around the globe. Fifty percent

total value of the fund is directed annually to

of SHARE-designated contributions are applied to

Foundation grants and programmes.

activities and underwrite new ones. Contributions

the World Fund. The Foundation uses the World Fund to pay for grant and programme opportunities available to all Rotary districts.

QUESTIONS? We encourage you to share this information with others who have questions about The Rotary Foundation’s funding model. You can also direct funding model questions to fundingmodel@rotary.org.

58 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

Mauritian gastronomy

entices Chennai

by Kiran Zehra

R

ecently Chennai had a treat to offer to the 100 special invitees from the tourism fraternity and the media in the form of the unique gastronomical offerings of Mauritius.

Hosted by the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) at the Le Royal Meridien, different types of Mauritian delicacies were served to the guests such as chicken soup, Mauritian style chicken cken Biryani (spelt briani the Mauritian ritian way), roasted potato, prawn wn curry, Poudine Du Pain, etc..

The Food Festival showcased Creole cuisine, depicting the special identity ty and cultural importance of the country. MTPA spokesmen kesmen explained how Mauritian auritian gastronomy has emerged ged from transforming traditional onal techniques from Europe, India, China, Arab and neighbouring g African shores.

Special island ingredients were added to recipes brought by immigrants. “The result is a cuisine that is highly creative and varied,” said Vivek Anand, Country Manager, MTPA India.

As he added that “one of the best ways to experience the pleasure and flavours of this unique cuisine is to visit a typical ‘table d’hôte’ or a local, specialised restaurants

and enjoy the dholl purri (wheat pancakes stuffed with dholl) and served with curry and tomato sauce, faratas (paranthas), gateaux piments (chilli bites), samosas or have pain maison (a typical local bread) stuffed with pickles, it was hardly possible to wait to taste the food.

A promotional video showcased the various breathtaking tourism features of the island. “Your visiting card is going to take you to Mauritius,” said Anuj Singhal, MTPA Manager. There was a lucky winner.

And finally the food was served. The welcome drink I chose — a watermelon Mojito — a pulpy extract of watermelon, mint, lime juice and sugar — lacked the necessary punch as the famous Mauritian rum was missing. To a tippler’s query on the missing ingredient, Singhal replied, “Unfortunately, we could not import it.”

A prawn cocktail w was served for a starter; roasted to perfection, covered in a rich perfect cheese sauce with herbs for topping and olive oil o for a dip, this enticing appetiser appetise outdid the tuna salad.

The M Mauritian briani looked tanned tanne and less tempting, as I was wa comparing it to the dum biryani I’m used to...

But the t briani was delectable with the flavour of pepper comp complementing the garam masa masala.

Between lamb rougaill and prawn cari (curry), rougaille coo both cooked in tomato sauce, se rougaille seemed more palatable.

Executive Chef Swapan Kumar Baidya said that for this annual event they “were trained by a Mauritian chef who in turn learnt Indian recipes from us.”

The sautéed shredded beef, bell peppers and bamboo shoot looked appetising enough. But the overcooked meat overshadowed the bell peppers and bamboo flavour.

While the perfectly browned roasted potatoes, tossed with fresh coriander and other spices, got a ten on ten, the okra with grain mustard and vinegar sauce was a surprise package. Ladies finger in a unique avatar in this piquant dish exhibited its versatility. Sautéed turnips flavoured with cinnamon, clove and lime were divine.

For a dessert lover the Mauritian Food Festival was a veritable treat. Napolitaine (Mauritian biscuits), tarts and caramel custard were on offer but the vanilla tart, strawberry mousse and some chocolate truffle cake appeared more enticing. The tart had a soft crust, and along with the vanilla cream, melted in the mouth.

Pictures by Kiran Zehra FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 59

RC Kumbakonam Newtown

RC Delhi

RI District 2980 An RO water plant along with accessories was erected at Venkatramana Aided School, Karuppur to provide the students clean and hygienic drinking water.

RI District 3010 Students of the Interact Club of Maharaja Agarsain Public School were taken to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. He encouraged the students to actively participate in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.

RI District 3000 A cardiology camp at Pudukottai Rotary Hall, organised by the Rotary clubs of the District in association with Apollo Speciality Hospital, Trichy benefitted about 100 people.

60 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

RC Vijayawada RI District 3020 The club in association with Vasavya Mahila Mandali conducted

a medical camp. Around 500 people were tested for cataract and gynaecological issues.

RC Nasik East RI District 3030 Cleanliness drive to promote Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan was conducted. Students of Aarambh Mahila Maha Vidya Mandir actively participated in creating awareness.

RC Indore RI District 3040 National Association for the Blind

along with the club inaugurated a musical band Rotary Aatma Anubhuti Nab Band and also distributed books to underprivileged children.

RC Mandvi RI District 3051 In a move to avoid accidents caused by the high beam reflection of vehicles, the club in association with the local traffic police department pasted headlight stickers on vehicles passing by.

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 61

RC Jaipur Capital RI District 3052 The annually conducted homeopathy medical camp tested and treated young girls and senior citizens for various health issues.

RC Kashipur Clubs promote cleaner environment by promoting Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the communities.

RC Sardarshehar RI District 3053 To encourage village children continue their education, Rotarians distributed education kits at a government school in the region.

RC Navsari RI District 3060 Special screening of the movie ‘I am Kalam’ was organised for underprivileged students to motivate them to aspire for a better future.

RC Kapurthala RI District 3070 The club along with Bharat Vikas Parishad organised an artificial limb fitment and measurement camp. Over 400 needy physically-challenged people benefitted.

RC Gorakhpur Midtown RI District 3120 Supporting Rotary India Literacy Mission, Rotarians conducted a photography exhibition under the topic, Literacy.

RC Kharghar MidTown RI District 3131 Second-hand bicycles were collected and donated to students in different parts of the region. This has made coming to school for them an easy task.

RC Ahmednagar Central RI District 3132 The club conducted a ‘Stop Child Labour’ rally to spread awareness about child labour.

Around 100 girls participated in this rally.

RC Narwana RI District 3080 To beat the cold and attend school comfortably Rotarians distributed woollen sweaters to needy students of the Cluster Model School, Dablain.

RC Samana RI District 3090 The club conducted an eye camp at Aggarsain International School. Over 200 students were tested and treated for eye disorders.

RC Dombivli Uptown RI District 3140 The club adopted 48 students from Adiwasi School, Karjat. Educational kits for the entire academic year were distributed to them.

RC Hanamkonda RI District 3150

RC Srinagar Garhwal RI District 3100 Ceiling fans were donated to Bhagvati Memorial School, Children’s Academy and the Government Ayurvedic Clinic in the region.

62 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

RI District 3110 Cardiologists from Teerthankar Mahaveer Hospital and Research Centre Moradabad and IMA Kashipur executed a cardiac check-up camp organised by the club. About 250 poor patients benefitted from this camp.

Books collected and donated to promote literacy.

Rotarians conducted entertainment programmes for HIV affected children. Over 250 children received gifts.

RC Hiriyur RI District 3160 Co-sponsored by the club, Department of Public Instruction

RC Dhalavaipuram

and INFOSYS, Bangalore, 170 computers were donated to primary and high schools in the region.

RI District 3212 An eye camp for poor and needy people was conducted by the club. Around 21 cataract surgeries were performed.

RC Kurundwad RI District 3170 An ambulance and a hearse van were donated to Kurundwad town to assist poor and needy people.

RC Parkala RI District 3180 Pillows and bed sheets were donated to the inmates of Sri Krishna Old-age Home, Kodavooru to provide better sleeping facility for the senior citizens.

RI District 3230 Twenty one Rotary clubs participated in a traffic awareness programme. The initiative was executed with the help of a group of transgenders stationed at various traffic signals, creating awareness on road safety.

RC Gauhati South RI District 3240 The club in association with Inner Wheel Club of Gauhati East conducted a cancer awareness camp.

RC Bangalore Lakeside RI District 3190 The Rotarians have adopted a park in the locality and installed various important facilities for the benefit of the people there.

Sports events for the differently-abled provides them a pep-up.

RC Cochin International Airport RI District 3201 Rotary Olympics, a sports event for differently-abled students was jointly conducted by the club and Rotary Clubs of Cochin West and Kaloor.

RC Dharapuram RI District 3202 RYLA programme at Bishop Thorp College was conducted to enhance the leadership qualities in young boys and girls.

RC Kottayam Southern RI District 3211 The club conducted a medical camp at Pongamthanam Upper Primery School. Students were educated about healthy habits.

RC Pataliputra RI District 3250 To support Rotary’s literacy programme, Rotarians distributed school bags to underprivileged students.

RC Rourkela Central RI District 3261 A painting competition which had a participation of 400 students served as a public image enhancer for Rotary in the region.

RC Purulia RI District 3291 More than 13,000 poor and needy people benefitted from a comprehensive medical camp conducted by the club.

RC Tulsipur City RI District 3292 The club undertook a major cleanliness drive to help enhance sanitisation and hygiene in the city.

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 63

Making Strides in

Sri Lanka

by Selvi Artificial limbs camp, a significant endeavour of Rotary clubs of India and Sri Lanka, have been providing immense relief to the orthopedically-challenged population of Sri Lanka.

Distribution of limbs. D 3220 Governor Gowri Rajan (fourth from right) is also seen in the picture.

T

he civil war in Sri Lanka has left several people wounded and maimed. It takes a lot of effort to get these people back on their feet to help them lead a productive life. While various rehabilitation activities are being undertaken across the country, Rotarians are also reaching out to help them become mobile and independent, with the help of artificial limbs and other mobility aids.

The International Jaipur Foot Prosthetic Limb project, a joint effort of Mumbai and Sri Lankan Rotary clubs have benefitted several people since 2012. The clubs collaborate with the Colombo Friend-in-Need Society (CFINS), a 183-year organisation that develops and fits artificial limbs and other appliances for 64 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

Artificial limbs for distribution.

Unwinding after a long fruitful day.

The light weight, low cost and quick to produce “Bombay Limb,” as they are fondly called, made all the beneficiaries comfortable. the physically-challenged. This year too, in November, six Rotary clubs of RI District 3140 — Bombay Airport, Bombay Seacoast, Mumbai Versova, Mumbai Nariman Point, Bombay Bandra and Mumbai Juhu — along with RC Capital City, District 3220, Sri Lanka collaborated with CFINS to provide 1,000 such limbs (up-scaled

from 300 until the last two years) for the afflicted people in Sri Lanka.

Rtn Kevin Colaco, President of RC Bombay Airport (RCBA) said, “Initially the prosthetics made in Colombo were crude, so we took technicians from India to train CFINS volunteers. Now with upgraded technology and training, they produce

fine quality limbs. The necessary material is shipped from India and the manufacturing is done in Colombo.”

The total cost of the project Rs 12 lakh, was contributed by Rotarians from the six participating Mumbai clubs. “We are planning to include many more clubs from our district as this will increase the contributions and also volunteer support,” he added.

CFINS volunteers travelled to remote areas of Sri Lanka and got the measurements of needy people.

Initially, manufacturing of plastic sockets was more tedious and impractical, but the availability of Bombay components has now made it easy.

Colaco says that the light weight, low cost and quick to produce “Bombay Limb,” as they are fondly called, made all the beneficiaries comfortable. They thanked Rotary for returning to them their sense of hope, self-esteem and a dignified life.

The Rotarians of RCBA and RC Capital City also visited the government school, Pagnagula Maha Vidyalaya School, on a hill top at Thummodera. This school has 68 students in classes 1 to 10, and serves the underprivileged children in that area.

The RCBA Rotarians contributed Rs 75,000 for repairing the water tank here and arrangements were made to pump water from a nearby well; E-learning kits in English were also donated to the school. Literacy programmes were planned for the future.

The artificial limb project was attended by the High Commissioner of India Y K Sinha. District Governor Gowri Rajan, RI District 3220 thanked Rotarians from India and partner club President Rtn Shirani Ekanayake distributed the Bombay limbs to the beneficiaries. Colaco presented a solar cooker to Rtn Shirani Ekanayake for experimental purpose. He said that plans are on to donate around 300 solar cookers for the needy in Jaffna under a matching grant project.

Designed by N Krishnamurthy FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 65

Beware of child abuse

by Kiran Zehra

66 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

for child safety. As part of this venture, regular group discussions, individual counselling, parent counselling are organised.

“They are the future and we must protect them. It is painful to see how anybody could hurt these tiny beings,

“

It is difficult to abuse or trick a child who has been educated about sex-abuse.

“

“P

eople don’t want to talk about it, they think it’s bad and their child should never know,” says Vinaita Sivakumar, a playback singer from the Tamil film industry. “They think child abuse is not for them,” she adds.

“When a child is raped or molested it is treated as mere news. No one realises that this could happen to their child too, not just outside, but within their own homes that they believe are safe,” says Reni Auxilla, a Coimbatore-based entrepreneur and educationalist. Both are members of the Chennai-based NGO, ‘We Seed,’ and victims of child abuse as well.

To sensitise mothers and anganwadi helpers on child abuse, the Rotary Club of Tiruchirapalli Elite, RI District 3000, partnered with We Seed to organise a workshop titled Young Seed to address issues related to child abuse and psychological trauma, preventive measures, medical awareness and basic rights ensured by Indian laws

Reni Auxilla and Vinaita Sivakumar addressing a session.

“

We will talk about this at home, at school and to every mother we meet.

“

who thought we were celebrating a birthday when we were lighting candles to mourn the brutal killing of children in a school in Pakistan,” said Rtn Zameer Pasha, the chief guest.

Addressing 200 mothers and anganwadi helpers on preventive measures, Auxilla said, “Abusers are people the child knows and trusts, 30 percent are close family members, 60 percent are extended family or people known to the family and only 10 percent are strangers.”

So who should you trust your children with? “Nobody,” came her answer. Confessions recorded by abusers revealed either a careless attitude of the parents or their refusal to believe the child. “It is difficult to abuse or trick a child who has been educated about sex-abuse,” says Vinaita, who regretted that “my mother never spoke to me about it.”

The discussion session that followed the workshop proved the discomfiture of parents to grapple the issue.

Not a single mother seated in the room was willing to engage in a conversation about the difference between the good touch and the bad touch. “How do I say it, it’s shameful,” said a parent. “Until and unless you talk to your child about it, these powerpoint presentations and videos are of no use,” the pplayback singer. , explained p y g The

anganwadi helpers, though, showed more spirit. “We will talk about this at home, at school and to every mother we meet,” said one of them.

“Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) is something every parent should know. You may not be the victim but if you have the knowledge you can help somebody in need,” said Reni Auxilla. “Child abuse is not confined to the sex of the child or sexual assault. It’s a wider region that needs repair. I remember calling my child an erumamadu (a lazy buffalo in Tamil) for being slow with her work. When she realised at a later point I was calling her names, she was upset that I compared her to an ugly animal.

That was also abuse,” she recalled.

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 67

Bowling out Polio

by Jaishree In a cricket-crazy country like Pakistan, where polio workers are constantly being shot dead, Pakistani Rotarians are making use of cricket and other sports to spread awareness of preventing polio.

Winners of the tournament hold aloft the trophy.

B

y December 4, 2014, Pakistan had reported a total of 291 polio cases of the total 342 polio victims globally.

With the extent of misinformation that surrounds polio vaccines, the eradication of polio is crucial to Pakistan’s wellbeing. The country is rife with rumours about the vaccine — it will make children sterile; it contains AIDS virus and the vaccinators are essentially CIA agents. But despite such odds, Rotary in Pakistan, along with the GPEI partners, are ramping up efforts to provide children under five their basic right to health and dignity.

Rotary Club of Rawalpindi, D3272, chartered in 1953, is perhaps one of the oldest in Pakistan. The members, currently numbering 38, are also constantly coming up with new ideas to create awareness among the 68 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

people and motivate them to immunise their children against the deadly virus. The recently organised End Polio Now Cricket Tournament is an effort in that direction. The game was played between RC Rawalpindi XI and the mechanical tool manufacturing company, SMT Olympia XI at ARL Grounds, Morgah. Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Syed Asad Mashadi was the chief guest. The match was a big draw with thousands of cricket enthusiasts coming to cheer the players. Members of the Executive Committee of RCCI and civil society representatives were also present.

Street plays, competitions for school/college students, cricket/football/rugby matches, swimming competitions and workshops for religious

leaders are few other endeavours of the club in its battle against polio, says Nosherwan Khalil Khan, Pakistan National PolioPlus Committee member and Chair of the club’s PolioPlus Committee. Polio Awareness Workshop organised in collaboration with Commnet UNICEF spread the message to bus drivers, technicians, ticketing staff and bus cleaners, about the vital role of the two drops of polio vaccine that protects children from the crippling disease. Furthermore, polio vaccine coolers and the yellow vests, advocacy materials and banners are donated regularly by the Rotarians to the District Health Administration, Rawalpindi, for use during the NIDs. Rawalpindi, being a gateway to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), is a high-risk district due to heavy influx

Painting competition to create awareness about polio eradication.

of unvaccinated children from KPK where resistance to polio drops is high.

Hence, Rotarians make sure that the polio surveillance is strong in this region and PNPPC has set up a Permanent Transitory Point in Rawalpindi.

The district has not reported a single case of polio since 2011. Around 7,60,000 children from a total 192 Union Councils are targeted every

year with participation from the District Government.

Besides these efforts, the Rotarians organise health camps in rural areas periodically and also facilitate cataract surgeries for the poor and needy. The club runs a school in Tarnol area that provides education and vocational courses for the underprivileged. To provide safe drinking water,

water purification systems have been installed in government schools by the club in association with Rotary Club of Quilon WestEnd, RI District 3211, India. The club along with Inner Wheel Club of Rawalpindi and Association for Special Children provide various services for the smooth functioning of Darakshan, a resource and training centre for women with disability. „

SOLUTION FOR THE LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD

Rotary at a glance Rotarians

:

12,15,459*

Clubs

:

34,875*

Districts

:

536*

Rotaractors

:

1,74,984

Clubs

:

7,608

Interactors

:

4,06,249

Clubs

:

17,663

RCC members :

1,88,301

RCC

8,187

:

* As of January 1, 2015 As of December 31, 2014

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 69

XXXXXXXXX XXXX XX XXXX XX XXXX XX XXX XX X

Conducting operations Building toilets

Rotary Tirupur South Electric Crematorium.

by Selvi The Rotary South Community Hall has been a Rotary brand ambassador for 25 years.

G

rown significantly in membership (207 now) since its inception in 1980 (20 members then), Rotary Club of Tirupur South has extended its community projects in all avenues of service. Starting from adopting Government schools and gifting uniforms and stationery items; building a fully equipped mortuary, visitor’s hall, parking lot, supplying cots and beds in wards and installing ACs in operation theatres in the Tirupur Government General Hospital; building a hostel for orphans in Poondi; conducting health camps in schools and constructing a compound wall for the Nanjappa Government Boys Higher Secondary School, the Club has played a meaningful role in the community’s welfare.

The Club, in partnership with the company Interplast-Germany, and the Tirupur General Hospital, conducted maxillofacial and plastic surgeries for three years at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore.

“I remember a burns’ victim being 70 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

operated at all the three camps. Her limbs had melted into her body and she waited for three years to embrace her child,” recalls RC Tirupur South President B Elangkumaran.

Able Leadership D3202 Governor K Sridharan Nambiar is a result-oriented man, driving his team A sight-seeing trip for students.

to achieve more in terms of membership development, new clubs formation, contributing to TRF and taking up global grants projects. “I am planning to add 20 new clubs and have already chartered 10, with one e-club in Ajman (UAE), formed by RC Nilambur,” he says.

His plan to build 100 toilets for girls in both government and

Vocational Training Centre.

government-aided schools across his district comes with a condition. “All the 101 clubs in D3202 should contribute Rs 75,000 each to TRF for getting sanction from the district. This project will definitely stop girl students from dropping out of schools, and thus aid in Rotary’s literacy mission.”

Ongoing projects Highlighting the major projects, Elangkumaran and club secretary Manoharan passionately explained that the Rotary South Community Hall is one of their significant projects, and being an important landmark in Tirupur, has enhanced Rotary’s image for 25 long years.

People in Tirupur now have the option of cremating their dead relatives in a eco-friendly and costeffective manner, thanks to the

Rotary Tirupur South Electric Crematorium.“A regular cremation would cost Rs 8,000–10,000 which includes fire-wood, ambulance, other expenses and bribe. But here there is no bribe, the charges are very nominal and as no firewood is used, there is no pollution. A provision for maintaining the ashes of cremated bodies for 6 months, as per individual beliefs, is also undertaken here,” says Ravi, the crematorium manager.

In 2000, Tirupur Corporation and RC Tirupur South signed an MoU to build this crematorium. The Corporation provided land while Rotary Tirupur South Electric Crematorium Trust took care of the construction and maintenance. Rtn N K Nandhagopal, a member of the Club and Managing Director of Chennai Silks, contributed Rs 25 lakh towards construction.

Rotary International funded Rs 30 lakh for the purchase of a second burner and two ambulances.

With an ISO certification (first in Tamil Nadu) for compliance of environmental and quality management systems, the crematorium has state-ofthe-art equipment (two burners that can cremate 24 bodies per day, four vans for transporting the bodies and a prayer hall). “It acts as a model crematorium visited by many government bodies and NGOs. The bodies of unidentified people, orphans and the deprived are cremated here. The Kulanthaivelu Nachiammal Trust, a Chennai Silks Trust initiative, funds these cremations,” says the President. So far 38,000 bodies have been cremated.

Smart class being inaugurated by DG Sridharan Nambiar.

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee, who recently inaugurated two visitors’ halls, lauded the efforts of the Club.

Within the premises of the Perumanallur Panchayat is an exclusive women’s Vocational Training Centre, which imparts tailoring and computer skills for the underprivileged women.

“A course completion certificate is issued to all the participants. These job-oriented courses have brought livelihood and confidence in their lives,” said Manoharan.

Rotary South Nursery and Primary School was started in 2003 with one staff and seven students, through the Rotary South Educational Trust. Now there are 384 students and 14 staff members, and classes range from Pre KG to class 5, with plans to expand further. “With no donation and very nominal fees and students selected on merit, there is a big demand for admissions, ” says the President.

In association with the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority the Club conducts Yoga Competition for students.

Project SIVA (Save India Volunteers Amalgamation), a joint venture of Rotary Tirupur South and Tirupur North, conducted an elocution and essay writing competition for 93 government and government-aided schools, and 30 winners (mostly girls) were taken to Delhi where they attended a Parliament session. “This power-packed tour was a distant dream that came true for these young people from poor families,” added Project Chairman Rtn V Muthusamy.

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 71

From ambush to amity

by Kiran Zehra

I

n 2012 IPS Officer Anup Sahoo was posted at Gambhari village, Puri. “The whole village was literally burning down. Arson, bombing and killing had disrupted regular life,” and to top it all, “750 warrants against the male population of the village,” he said. He had to station police force in the village for “six to seven months due to conflict between two political parties,” which had made Gambhari their battlefield.

Sahoo held “meetings in the village school campus, counselling young school children to adopt a crime-free life style. It was important for the future of the village and these children,” he said. Rotary Club of Puri, RI District 3262, stepped in and initiated the ‘From Pieces to Peace’ project in 2013, headed by Rtn Yugabrata Kar along with the District Police Department. “Things changed after Rotary stepped in,” he added.

72 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

The village is situated by the shores of the Chilka Lake known for its fishery resources. “The villagers, mostly fishermen, made decent I money by exporting the prawn they cultivated, until the political ambush forced them to sell their boats to the political party leaders and work for them,” said Kar. The club organised a bike rally with the message, “Don’t sell your boats,” to empower the villagers with the courage to stand up against the politicians. This helped assure the villagers that they need not get bullied by anybody.

A few days later Sahoo received information that the villagers possessed 50 stolen motorbikes. “Instead of conducting a raid I decided to talk to the village committee and involved the Rotary Peace Volunteers. The villagers were unaware that their bikes were stolen from Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and

then resold to them.” Talks yielded fruit and the Village Chief returned the bikes to the District police. As a token of appreciation Rs 50,000 was rewarded to the village committee at a grand reception organised at the village.

For Kar, the biggest surprise was that “the villagers banned the political parties from screaming on microphones, pasting banners and posters during election campaign.” Sahoo said “80 per cent polling in 2014 elections without bloodshed or a quarrel! Now that’s a success story.”

Rotary has earned a special place in Ghambari. “O Acha hai. Rotary ne sari godbad ko rok diya (Rotary has stopped all the mayhem),” said Banamali, a teacher at the village school. “Ladki school nahi jati thi.

Rotarywalon ne school bheja (Girls never went to school, Rotarians sent them to school),” he added.

Making Rotary Clubs app savvy

by Kiran Zehra

R

oster on Wheels (ROW) might be just a mobile app for Rotarians but for the Rotaract Club of Thane Hills, “it is our passion.”

Founded in the year 2011, the club is a band of like-minded youngsters who believe that ROW is the future

and they are going the extra mile to prove it.

Over a cup of coffee with a friend, Rotarian Narendra Rao conceptualised a digital roster “for a Rotarian, by a Rotarian.” Rao who was into hardware and software business

Rotaractors of Thane Hills.

sought help from a friend, Khushi Dugha, a young entrepreneur and member of the Rotaract Club of Thane Hills. ROW was created and was up for sale; Rotaractors of Thane Hills began to actively market the app.

“You cannot carry a hard copy of your roster and contacts everywhere you go. Printed material containing members’ details, both personal and business information, is a waste of paper. Imagine the environmental damage,” said Sumit Gupta, Senior Development Executive, ROW. With the support of DG Ajay Gupta, RI District 3140, these Rotaractors set out to “explain the importance of this smart and eco-friendly app,” and at the end of two years they registered 1,500 Rotary clubs from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Malaysia for this app.

“We are working hard. From livedemonstrations given to e-administrators of various clubs to sitting down with Rotarians and convincing them about the benefits of this app, we do it all,” says Khushi (current Vice President of ROW) who has met 50 DGs in India and abroad. “It’s like convincing people to use Whatsapp when they just prefer using sms and calling. It’s not easy to market a new concept,” she added.

Many of them still want to use the printed roster. “Very few Rotarians understand the concept that technology is simplifying life. But I am sure that with our perseverance we will be able to formulate a way for a better tomorrow and help connect Rotarians globally... the digital way,” says the Vice President of ROW. FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 73

LITERACY FOCUS PRID Shekhar Mehta Chairman Rotary India Literacy Mission

Quality Education through E-learning Centres

T

he E-learning project, one of the most popular projects of the T-E-A-C-H programme, aims to improve the quality of primary education through expanded availability and extensive use of high quality local language and curriculumbased e-learning modules and thus enhance knowledge absorption and critical thinking abilities of children in selected Government and Government-aided primary and elementary schools. In the month of February, Rotary India Literacy Mission focuses on setting up e-learning centres.

A. Selecting a school for setting up E-Learning Centre 1. Select a Government or Govt. Aided primary/elementary school. Secondary schools with elementary classes may also be considered 2. Selected school should have at least two teachers 3. The school needs to have electricity or solar power connection 4. The selected school should ideally have at least one all-weather class room with pucca construction with a white painted/lime-washed wall 5. Ideally the school should agree to contribute one-third of the cost (approximately Rs 10,000) of e-learning installation (projector and e-learning modules)

D. Financing the E-Learning Centre 1. The expected cost of e-learning installation (as payment to the vendors) is Rs 30,000–40,000 per centre. Your Club, the School and RILM will share the cost equally.

2. In case the School is unable to share one-third of the cost, the Club will have to bear this share of the cost or find an organisation or individual to finance the deficit.

3. To recover RILM’s share, Rotary Club has to fill in and submit the E-Learning Grant Application Form No. E1 available at Resources Download Forms at www.rotaryteach.org 4. Upon successful establishment of the E-learning Centre and uploading of the project details through Part E: Upload upon Completion of the E-Learning Grant Application Form No. E1, RILM will disburse the Grant to the applicant Club in the form of a re-imbursement.

B. Obtaining E-learning Modules 1. A Club may choose a vendor from the panel drawn up by the National E-Learning Committee of RILM after due diligence check of each vendor 2. The Club will have to pay the full cost of the e-learning facility directly to the vendor chosen by it after satisfactory installation and training of teachers/operators at the selected school

C. Training Teachers in use of E-learning 1. The vendor will directly train the teachers in proper use of e-learning software and hardware in school 2. The Club may also mobilise a small group of volunteers that would undergo training in running and preliminary troubleshooting of the e-learning software and hardware 3. This volunteer group may be deployed to train the teachers in the selected schools as and when E-learning installation is completed in those schools.

74 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

E. Uploading completed E-Learning Project Details on www.rotaryteach.org 1. For Clubs not seeking Grant, use the Project Upload Form available at the Project Upload tab on the website.

2. For Clubs seeking Grant: i. Use the Project Upload Form in Part E of the Grant Application Form to upload details of an established E-Learning Project. Upload at least 2 pictures (dated) of each E-Learning supported class in progress. ii. Besides the Part D of the form, upload the scanned copy of a letter of satisfaction with the e-learning experience by the Chair Person of the School Management Committee (SMC) or Head Teacher.

3. Only after such upload, the Club will be entitled to receive the RILM grant.

RILM Grant Application on www.rotaryteach.org RILM has introduced Grant Application process for claiming reimbursement for projects under the T-E-A-C-H programme. Given below are some points to note regarding the RILM Grant Application process: 1. The RILM Grant Application forms are largely based on The Rotary Foundation Grant Application Forms.

2. The Grant Application Forms are printable to help applicant Rotary Clubs to familiarise themselves with them. This will also enable clubs to plan better in gathering and supplying of information required while filling up the forms.

3. The concept of a Primary Contact has been introduced in the Grant Application Forms. Primary Contact (PC) is a member of the applicant Rotary Club so designated by the Club President for the purpose of filling in the grant application and who can be contacted for clarification by DG, DLCC, National Programme Committees (Chairs and Members) and RILM Office.

4. For each Grant Application a unique number is generated.

5. The Grant Application Form can be filled in online, edited any number of times before final submission.

6. For Projects such as Happy Schools, E-Learning and Teacher Support, there is a section in the Grant Application Forms which is the School Information Form used for basic details pertaining to the condition of each school.

These details will help RILM maintain database of the schools being engaged with and allow for sharing information on the T-E-A-C-H Programme subsequently.

7. The Planned Activities Section in Grant Application Forms asks pointed questions on the activities that the applicant Rotary Clubs are planning to undertake. These questions can also act as a guideline for the Rotary Clubs when preparing for Project Execution.

8. Automatic dropdown menus, single click options have been included at various sections to make filling out the forms easier for the Clubs. The sections requiring descriptive portions have been kept at a minimum and restricted to only essential information for which detailing would be required.

9. The applicant Clubs can easily upload pictures in the relevant sections of the Grant Application Forms

as provisions for the same have been created as and where required.

10. There is automatic generation of reminders in the Grant Application Forms so that essential fields are not missed out when Clubs are filling up the forms.

11. The Conflict of Interest clause has been included in the Grant Application Form to outline essential terms and conditions and to serve as a guide for Rotary Clubs about the appropriate ways to undertake the various projects for which Grant Applications are made.

12. The section on Sustainability has been included in the Grant Application Forms in order to include the concept of sustainability when planning projects under the T-E-A-C-H programme. Notes, to help Rotary Clubs plan for sustainability in their projects, have been incorporated in this section as well.

13. The Grant Application Form needs to go through a few levels of authorisation before it comes to the RILM Office for in-principle grant application approval. At the Club Level the Primary Contact (PC) and Club President (CP) do the first level of authorisations.

At the District level, the DLCC and the DG do the second level of authorisations. At the National level, the Respective National Committee Chairs do the final authorisation after which the Grant Application Forms become available to the RILM office for approval.

14. Project Upload Forms have been combined with the Grant Application Forms in order to make the task of uploading completed projects easier for the Clubs. This section of the Grant Application Form also helps in claiming the grant that had been requested for earlier. „ FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 75

Why oil-gargling works

by Bharat and Shalan Savur

O

ral equals overall. At 90, Phyllis Krystal, psychologist, healer, author of Cutting The Ties That Bind, was looking out for a good dentist. She knew that oral health is important for overall good health. She needed to be in terrific health to travel constantly from Switzerland to India and other countries where she was invited to give talks. Happily, she found an excellent dentist. Phyllis is 100 today, writes her own newsletter and has just relocated to the UK. To most of us, oral health is not having a toothache.

But it’s a lot more than that. Remember food enters the body from the mouth. The first taste on the tongue triggers saliva and digestive juices in the mouth and the stomach.

When the food is chewed thoroughly, the stomach finds it easier to mix food and fluids and push them into the small intestine. And the digestive chain continues….

But, if not chewed properly, the undigested food produces toxins that are transported to all parts of the body.

The immune system struggles and toils under this toxic load. And health suffers.

The facts - We need our teeth to be in good condition.

Toothaches are hell. We need our gums to be healthy.

Ulcers make eating impossible. And here’s something few people are aware of — the mouth drying up need not be from fright, but a symptom of Sjogren’s syndrome, an immune system disorder. Further, a dry mouth encourages the growth of unfriendly bacteria like Streptococcus Mutans that build plaque and contribute to tooth decay.

So Phyllis is spot-on about oral health being of prime importance.

In this context, there’s a wonderful home remedy worth trying — oil-gargling. It’s as old as Ayurveda. And it has worked for many people.

No dentures, please. An amazing anecdote is narrated by a close family member: Some 10 summers ago, Vijay bumped into an old friend on the streets of

76 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

Frankfurt. The friend seemed devastated. Turned out his dentist had just told him that his teeth were in a rotten state and extraction of all was the only solution. Vijay comforted him and they parted.

A month later, Vijay bumped into the same friend again. And what a transformation! The friend’s face was wreathed in smiles. And no, the ivories shining out were not dentures, they were his natural teeth restored to their original splendour! He said he’d tried this oral therapy — oil-gargling — and here he was! Snatched from the jaws of extraction and swished back into the joys of wholeness!

The Why. The question arises why does oil-gargling work? Basically, it lubricates the mouth and prevents unfriendly bacteria from flourishing and forming plaque on the teeth. Then, the to-and-fro swishing effect massages the nerve pathways, promotes blood circulation and nourishes the gums. We don’t realise the micro damages we incur over the years due to the side effects of some medication — diuretics, painkillers, decongestants and antihistamines can reduce saliva flow. Oil-gargling increases saliva secretion. Overall, oils contain fatty acids that destroy unfriendly bacteria, viruses, even fungi.

The What. You can use sesame oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, tea tree oil, olive oil. Just ensure you’re not allergic to the oil you choose. You can’t miss the signs of allergy — a serrated tongue and/or swellings on the inside of your cheeks.

The How. It’s an easy-to-do procedure. It’s best done on an empty stomach in the morning before brushing your teeth. Sit comfortably. Pop a tablespoon of oil in your mouth. Swish it around for 20 minutes. Spit out a little in a trash can when it becomes a mouthful as the oil mixes with the saliva. After 20 minutes, spit it all out in the trash bin. Rinse with water. And brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste.

Four FAQs At what speed should I gargle with oil?

At your natural pace. Speed is not the criterion, the 20-minute span is.

Do I need to warm the oil?

No. Even those living in cold climes with freezing temperatures, place the thickened oil in their mouth and wait for it to melt.

Can I start off with a teaspoon of oil?

Yes, you can.

Three don’ts • Don’t swallow the oil.

• Be careful about inhaling — if the inhaling action goes off rhythm, it can spurt oil into the throat and make you gag as it happens when food goes down the wrong way.

• Don’t spit into the sink as it could clog the drain pipe.

Finally, please take care of your teeth in simple ways Avoid eating hard foods — they cause a lot of wear and tear on the teeth. Avoid excessively hot and chilled beverages. Brush

How does oil compare with the regular mouthwash?

A mouthwash works faster in reducing bacteria.

Oil takes about two weeks. The advantage is: oil is a relatively natural substance and is chemical-free.

regularly. Use toothbrushes with medium-textured bristles, not hard ones. As Confucius says — be sensitive to your teeth before they go sensitive on you.

The writers are authors of the book Fitness for Life.

The ABCs of Rotary Rotary International’s publication

The ABCs of Rotary is now available in Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi and Telugu languages

Price: ` 30 Postage Extra Contact: Rotary News Trust, 3rd Floor, Dugar Towers 34, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai, Ph: 044 42145666 Email: rotarynews@rosaonline.org

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 77

POLITICS POWER and

by TCA Srinivasa Raghavan

If you are a student or observer of the Indian political scene, these books will interest you.

The Dramatic Decade: The Indira Gandhi years Pranab Mukherjee Rupa Rs 595

I

t is probably only people over 60 who remember thee seventies clearly. That is a pity because it was, as President Pranab Mukherjee calls it in this first volumee of his three-part autobiography, a very dramatic decadee indeed. It remodelled India politically, economically andd socially.

As a junior politician and minister at the time, Mukherjeee was not quite at the centre of the decision-making. But farr from being a disadvantage, it works in his favour in this book because he is able to narrate some of the key incidents more like an onlooker than a participant.

The author flits over his early life. He says he was not a good student to start with but has improved over the years.

He ended up getting an MA degree as well as one in law.

Then he drifted into West Bengal politics. His account of the events there are fascinating as they reveal how personality-driven everything was. In that sense, what’s happening in Bengal now is only a continuation.

Coming to New Delhi, Mukherjee belongs to the generation of Congress politicians who accepted Indira Gandhi’s leadership as an article of faith. He admires her leadership skills, her political understanding, her connect with the people, her nationalism and her ability to bounce back.

This book reminds us of India’s glorious moments like the decisive victory over Pakistan in 1971 when Bangladesh was created. It also reminds us of its lowest point, the Emergency of 1975–77.

This book needs to be read by everyone who is interested in finding out how politics is actually played. As Mukherjee tells it, winning in politics is not very different from winning in business. You win by taking advantage of opportunities.

Indira was a champion at winning and Mukherjee ably shows how and why in this book.

78 ROTARY NEWS FEBRUARY 2015

people in power. And a lot of arish Khare was the Delhi it is the opinion of a seasoned bureau chief of The Hindu observer of power in Delhi. from 2002 to 2009, when he was Overall, in spite of its appointed as the media advisor to somewhat heavy style, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. volume provides a lot of Thus, like Sanjaya Baru before insight into national and state him, he got a ringside view of both level politics. But there is no media and politics in Delhi. He has news as such in it. a formidable reputation as a political Should you buy this book commentator. and read it? If you are interIn this book he (it is actually not a ested in what was happening book but the notes he made between in the run-up to and during a March and May 2014 about the momentous General Election, forthcoming General Election) writes yes, you must read it. about the processes and events that How Modi won it: Even if a lot of it is subbrought Narendra Modi to power as Notes from jective opinion, it is still worth prime minister. He leaves the reader the 2014 election reading because Khare is no in no doubt that he is not a Modi Harish Khare lightweight commentator. admirer.

Hatchette He knows what he is talking How valuable these notes will turn Rs 600 about. out to be will depend on future historiHis assessment of Modi may not ans who refer to them. For the moment, it would seem that they are jottings that he had made for writing a proper book, be palatable to a lot of people. But that is the refreshing thing about these which he never wrote. notes: they provide a departure from Some of it is gossip, which in Delhi usually ends up being true. Some of it relies on informal conversations with the current atmosphere of Modi bhakti.

H

Editor Unplugged: Media, Magnates, Netas and Me Vinod Mehta Penguin/Viking Rs 599

V

inod Mehta is a very successful journalist. Until he retired recently, he had been ‘the’ Editor for 40 years, which is a record. During his long career he started several successful publications and newspapers. His last was the Outlook magazine, of which he remained Editor for 17 years.

His most recent claim to fame was his decision to publish the Radia tapes, a decision that led to a huge furore and a near-political crisis. The result was that even a man like Ratan Tata’s reputation was called into question.

This is the second volume of his autobiography. The first, A Lucknow Boy, was published three years ago. In this volume, as the title suggests, he talks about his own experiences with owners of media platforms and politicians.

The two books are also very educative about the ways in which Delhi functions.

As he himself says, Mehta has often been called a chamcha (camp-follower) of the Gandhi family, to whom he has devoted an entire chapter. He has also been criticised for being a Modi-hater. He has written a whole chapter about

Modi, and says in the last chapter that he is changing his mind. He has begun to see them both in a more realistic light.

Mehta’s views on the media are honest. He says even though it is too early to write off ink-on-paper newspapers, the media generally is full of “rascals,” and journalists are not very high on the respect list of Indians.

The book is full of anecdotes and jokes. It throws light on how politicians think and behave in and out of power, and how in Delhi the only thing that matters is power. Even money doesn’t count for much.

Given how chattily he writes and his slightly self-deprecating style, the two volumes are an excellent read if you happen to be on a short journey.

FEBRUARY 2015

ROTARY NEWS 79

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n 1987, Oscar Arias Sánchez won the Nobel Peace Prize. This year, he’ll be the keynote speaker at the Rotary Peace Symposium in São Paulo, Brazil. The event, 4–5 June, will bring together Rotary Peace Fellows and alumni, and Rotarians interested in peace and conflict prevention and resolution — one of Rotary’s six areas of focus.

Arias, who served as President of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2010, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in talks that helped bring peace to Central America during a time of crisis and turmoil.

At the symposium, you’ll also hear from Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair John Kenny and Past Foundation Trustee Carolyn E. Jones. During breakout sessions, you’ll learn about topics such as human trafficking, the impact of water on peace, indigenous peoples and land rights, and economics and peace.

The Rotary Peace Symposium (registration $150) will be held at the Anhembi convention centre, also the site of the Rotary International Convention, 6–9 June. The symposium will kick off on 3 June with an unofficial “unconference”; other optional events include a dinner on 4 June ($100) and a reception on 5 June ($40). Learn more and register at www.riconvention.org/peace.

Register for the 2015 RI Convention in São Paulo at www.riconvention.org.

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Verb of the month Across 1 Passing lines?

6 Certain NCO 10 Adobe files, briefly 14 Nostalgic style 15 Fire fancier, for short 16 It’s spent in Istanbul 17 Eye for a few seconds, say 19 Opposed to, slangily 20 Egyptian Christian 21 Orange kin 23 ___ Gatos, Calif.

26 Lamblike 28 Infra’s opposite 29 Mount Hood locale 31 ___, Lord Tennyson 34 Mariners’ milieu 35 Baby’s woe 36 Mensans’ are high 39 Chimes in 40 Madalyn Murray ___ 41 Choice on a test 42 That, in Tijuana 43 Bermuda or Vidalia 44 Desert rarity 45 Open with a key 47 Skip, as a dance 48 Finished a shoe 50 Small newts 52 Grant-awarding grp.

53 “Don’t worry about it” 56 Tells falsehoods 58 “Round and Round” rock group 59 Synonym for the first word in 17-Across and 11- and 25-Down ... and a hint to this puzzle’s theme 64 1988 World Series MVP Hershiser 65 Justice’s attire 66 Stomach malady 67 Hounds’ quarry 68 Go after, as flies 69 __-mouth (curser) Down 1 Net alternative 2 Busy one 3 Addams Family cousin 4 ___ II (razor brand) 5 Biblical king 6 Sudden inundation 7 Former Pink Floyd guitarist Barrett 8 Synonym of 59-Across 9 Vegan fare 10 Honour suitable for hanging 11 Do negative research about 12 Cloister denizen

13 18 22 23 24 25 27 30 32 33 35 37 38 40 41 43 44 46 47 48 49 51 54 55 57 60 61 62 63

Rooftop visitor “___ sesame” Car ad abbr.

Unpackaged Predatory whales “Bye, now” Sing-along, of sorts Civic need?

Steak cut Lab’s coat High-style Line of waiters Perfect Sleeper seller “Starpeace” musician Yoko Make lace Pioneer automaker Catches on, slangily Tiny sting Use a spoon, in a way Big name in brewing Tara resident Bunch of battleships Sharers’ word Synonym of 59-Across French WWII town Corp. alias letters Get off the fence Fishbowl accessory Like some humour

Solution in the March issue

Reproduced from The Rotarian

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Editor: Rasheeda Bhagat.

Rtn M Radhakrishnan (second from left)of RC Chinchwad, by contributing USD 250,000 to TRF, becomes the 3rd Arch Klumph Society member from District 3131 for this year. He wishes to establish low cost dialysis centres in Pune. He had also contributed USD 30,000 for Polio Fund in August 2013.

RC Madurai West, RI District 3000, presented ‘For the Sake of Honour Award’ to Prof Dr Paul Linder Love, Director of Study Centre for Indian Literature in English and Translation (SCILET), American College, Madurai, in recognition of his services in English literature and empowering youth through education.

PDG Dr A Muruganathan, RI District 3202, was decorated with ‘IMA Dr M G Garg All Time Achievement Award’ by the Indian Medical Association for his services in the field of medicine.

Union Health Minister, Jagat Prakash Nadda presented the award at National IMA Conference held at Ahmedabad.

The award carries a citation and cash prize of Rs 10,000.

Indian DGEs and their spouses at the International Assembly in San Diego just before the Grand March.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat

REGN. NO. TN/CCN/360/2015-2017 LICENSED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT NO.TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-431/2015-2017 REGISTERED WITH REGISTRAR OF NEWS PAPERS FOR INDIA 3880/57 ROTARY NEWS PUBLISHED ON 1ST OF EVERY MONTH