Rotary News June Edition

Vol.65, Issue 12 Annual Subscription Rs.420

@NewsRotary RotaryNews India

June 2015

Cultural moments at MDPETS, Colombo.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat

46

12 CONTENTS

07

From the Editor’s Desk

08

President Speaks

32

12 A combo of strength, success & elegance 22

No ego trips for him

30

Economic Growth: Concerns & Challenges

32

Colombo PETS Moments

34

Presidents and vibrant clubs make Rotary, not RI leaders

52

22

34

56

40 Imperial Delhi A Bouquet of Styles 46

From a disaster zone

50

OP’s life in ink

52

Rotary India reaches out to help Nepal

54

Amazing Annettes

40 30

56 Indian cricket 66

Great Summer Salads

68

Look Good, Feel Better

71

Down but not out

72

$ WUXIÁH MRXUQH\

76

Oh! That burning inside!

Cover photo by Pervez Bhagat

68

LETTERS

information to NGOs who are engaged in educating poor children.

Rtn T D Bhatia RC Delhi Mayur Vihar-D 3010

ALISON’s great work Congratulations for the excellent and noteworthy material in the May issue. The article, Making Magic with free online learning is an excellent initiative from ALISON. It matches with the literacy programme of Rotary International. It certainly gives focused direction to District leadership and the team to achieve the objects of Rotary India Literacy Mission “Each one, Reach one and Teach one,” the Rotary India Global Dream. Moreover, it is very cost-effective and will reach more people more effectively.

Rtn Major D K Zarekar (Rtd) RC Nashik-Ambad-D 3030 It is a great task undertaken

by Mike Feerick, the founder of ALISON to teach online for free. The job done by him will be of great help to those who cannot afford to pay fees for getting desired education. Rotarians should spread this information, particularly to government schools where GoI is providing free internet services, especially in small towns. Also pass this

Great May issue The May issue is really fascinating and impressive from all angles; starting from the emotional and heart touching story of Dil ki baat …

Indo-Pak style to Project Moradabad slums, Spreading light of learning in Prison, A Dream School for Poor 4 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Your discovery of two icons is undoubtedly an extraordinary endeavour. If ALISON is one, many others are waiting to enter the fray to show the ideal paths to Rotary India to realise the success of one of the aspects of TEACH (E-Learning). It proves that quality education is possible through digital literacy. Your concern for women’s emancipation is the crying need of the hour and your eternal quest for upholding the dignity of women is of paramount importance. Your constant effort to bring persons of such magnitude to limelight is in keeping with the true Rotary spirit.

Rtn Arun Kumar Dash RC Baripada-D 3262 Bringing total literacy by 2017 may seem difficult, but I’m sure if Rotarians have taken up this issue, then very soon we will find remarkable change in the literacy rate of South Asia. We just need few more people like Mike Feerick and Dr Sunita Gandhi to bring this change. As always, other topics covered in the May issue are very informative and interesting. Please carry on.

Rtn Dr Rajendra Singhania RC Raipur West-D 3261 Children, The Kattanchimalai story and the wonderful editorial A tale of two visionaries — all have splendid messages to convey to society.

The story of Gulalai brings tears to my eyes and shows the humanitarian service of the Rotarians of RC Calcutta South City for unprecedented support

to the girl in distress and suffering from a serious heart disorder.

The tales of two great personalities — Mike Feerick and Muhammad Yunus inspires everybody to take up noble ventures for the downtrodden and under-privileged sections of the society.

Rtn Subhendu Mohanty RC Nabarangpur-D 3262 First Thoughts by RID Prabhakar stresses the importance of completing projects undertaken by the present presidents and teams and comparing them with world class cricket match.

There is also a brief description of an ‘involved’ Rotarian which should be read by all present and future Rotarians.

Rtn MT Philip RC Trivandrum Suburban-D 3211 The Editor always gives a precise picture of all the important contents appearing in Rotary News. It is another matter that everybody goes through the magazine to further Rotary knowledge as it focuses on different humanitarian services and projects. The girl child should be given the gift of education, nutrition, healthcare and other benefits on par with boys. So the Editor’s request, “Let’s give them wings to fly” is the right advice for us all.

Rtn Raj Kumar Kapoor RC Roopnagar-D 3080

Eye matters Thank you very much for publishing a brief report on the visit of the Ophthalmology Vocational Training Team to Ethiopia under the title From Mumbai to Ethiopia in the May issue.

I appreciate your kind gesture.

Rtn Suhas B Naik-Satam RC Bombay Chembur West-D 3140 Congrats for the article on Karunashraya; we see so much of the negative side of life in the media

LETTERS that it is refreshing to have a positive, upbeat report on the good things that are happening. This report was a great motivator for many Rotarians, who need a little extra push for doing service projects. I always want to do a mega project and now feel motivated to start a similar project in our district.

Thanks again for such uplifting coverage, and special thanks to Jaishree.

Rtn Hardik Shah RC Ahmedabad West-D 3051

Dil ki baat I was very impressed and happy to see an article Dil Ki Baat about Gulalai in Rotary News. I appreciate all the efforts, hospitality and services provided by RC Calcutta South City; its members took intensive care of Gulalai and her family and thank them. We will also try and see if we can connect Gulalai to any hospital in the US/UK for her surgery. I also thank RC Mingora Swat President Fazal Maula for taking up this case with commitment and passion. Thank you once again for publishing this exclusive report. Keep it up.

Rtn Anwar Hayat RC Mingora Swat-D 3272 Pakistan

Fascinating Tales The fascinating tales of two visionaries narrated by you were very interesting.

The article, Making magic with free online learning that appeared in the May Issue, is highly appreciated.

Our Rotary News has now become a household magazine. Nobody at home misses any of the articles. How fast this transformation

has taken place, is amazing.

I wish you and your team all success in the days to come.

Rtn Col Gopinathan RC Wadakanchery-D 3201

Prison lessons I enjoyed reading the article Spreading light of learning in prison by Kiran Zehra in the May issue and I strongly support the statement: “Rotary believes that everybody deserves a second chance.” This is a noble venture of RC Patiala Midtown. Education in prison is seen as an effective rehabilitative method linking inmates with outside society and helping them reassess their values, goals and priorities in a positive way, while acquiring personal, social and technical skills.

Such learning model will combat

deficiencies in skills and competence of prisoners and facilitate their personal development and re-entry into society.

But emphasis should be given to e-learning methodology to acquire key skills of literacy, mathematical and digital competence (ICT-skills), so necessary for post-imprisonment life.

Second chance is a wonderful thing everyone should have.

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending,” Carl Bard’s quote is what I feel on this subject.

Rtn Dr Ravindra Shukla RC Bhusawal-D 3030

Thank you for the coverage for our club project in the May issue. The article Bringing sunny days to society will motivate our club members to do more service.

Rtn Jagdish J Malu RCGulbarga Suncity-D 3160 The pictures on the inner covers are attractive and captivating. The note

by Swaminathan is interesting.

The Tale of Two Visionaries is inspiring and the coverage of both ALISON and Grameen Bank is worth following by club leaders. The designing is excellent. Continue your onward and upward journey, Rotary News!

Rtn Nan Narayenen RC Madurai West-D 3000 Rotary News is very informative, well done! My only suggestion is please include one page for light humour. In today’s stressful life it is a must.

Rtn Gyan Ahuja RC Jabalpur-D 3261

We welcome your feedback. Write to the Editor: rotarynews@rosaonline.org; rushbhagat@gmail.com

JUNE 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

RI Dist.3030

DG

Dattatraya Shantaram Deshmukh

RIDE Dr. Manoj D. Desai

RI Dist. 3060

RI Dist.3040

DG

Narendra Kumar Jain

DG

Ramesh Agrawal

RI Dist.3052

RI Dist. 3051

DG

Jagdish B. Patel

DG

Vyankatesh Metan

RI Dist. 3132

RI Dist. 3053

DG

Anil Maheshwari

DG

Sanjay Khemka

RI Dist. 3250

RI Dist. 3060

DG

Ashish Ramesh Ajmera

DG

I.S.A.K. Nazar

RI Dist. 3230

RI Dist. 3070

DG

Gurjeet Singh Sekhon

PDG Rabi Narayan Nanda

RI Dist. 3262

RI Dist. 3080

DG

Dilip Patnaik

PDG Radhe Shyam Rathi

RI Dist. 3053

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 e-mail : rotarynews@rosaonline.org Website : www.rotarynewsonline.org

From th e E d i t or ’s Desk

From a city of temples to a city of tents

W

hen I read this comment on the killer Nepal earthquake from Prof Madhab Gautam from the Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, which said: “Kathmandu was a city of temples. Now it is a city of tents,” my stomach churned. It was akin to the horror I felt in 2005 looking at the grotesque hollow spaces in Bamiyan in Afghanistan where the Taliban had so savagely and brutally destroyed two Buddha statues dating back to the 4th and 5th centuries; 55 metres & 35 metres tall. Once resplendent in red and blue attire, with gilded face and hands and glittering ornaments, the barbarians who go by the title of Taliban had used dynamite to blow this priceless heritage to bits. Similarly, I can’t imagine Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal without their beautiful temples with not only religious but also cultural significance. But the killer quake of April 25, measuring 7.8 on the Richter’s scale, has cruelly destroyed and damaged many of Nepal’s temples, along with lakhs of homes.

The people of Nepal had little to begin with, except the breath-taking beauty of their mountains, the warmth of their smiles, and the simple, uncomplicated nature of the people. But these terrible seismic blows have devastated this tiny Himalayan nation. Already, recent accidents among mountaineers seeking to scale its beautiful peaks had dampened the enthusiasm of adventure seekers. The earthquake triggered a series of large avalanches on and around Mount Everest; the 19 bodies of climbers recovered has scared away mountaineers. May is the peak season when Nepal’s signature tourism activity attracts hordes of trekkers and climbers. But the usually bustling lodges and teahouses around the mountains are now desolate.

The economic impact of the two quakes and hundreds of aftershocks, which have petrified the people, most of whom now sleep in the open outside their homes, has been tremendous. CNN Money puts the cost of rebuilding Nepal at $6 billion; 30 per cent of Nepal’s annual economic output. The disappearing tourists make matters worse. But economic issues apart, imagine the plight of those people who virtually saw not only their historic, religious and cultural wealth and heritage, but also their own humble dwellings crumble to dust right in

front of their eyes. According to DGE Keshav Kunwar, nearly 500,000 homes have been destroyed and 267,000 homes badly damaged. While the rest of the world owes it to Nepal to recreate some of its priceless heritage such as Bhaktapur’s Durbar Square and palace, a medieval township that is centuries old but now ruined, and many of its beautiful temples and other icons, the first priority is to provide homeless people basic shelter as the monsoon will soon hit the country, rendering useless the tarpaulin covers they now use. In this issue, Past RI President Kalyan Banerjee, who was caught bang in the midst of the second seismic horror on May 12 while on a reconnaissance tour of Nepal, tells us how he spent that night in Kathmandu, shifting to a ground floor room in his hotel, prepared “to jump out of the window” if fresh shocks came. He says their immediate need is for galvanised iron sheets to provide temporary shelters to tide over the monsoon, and has urged Rotarians to either pay for the GI sheets available there or despatch them from India, paying for the transport too. Senior Rotary India leaders will, in the coming days, formulate plans to help the affected people of Nepal by building pucca, low cost shelters. But the quantum of help will depend on how generous and extensive your contributions are.

Let’s remember that our neighbours have suffered a huge catastrophe, losing not only personal belongings but also a huge part of their religious, social, cultural and historical identity. Those of you who’ve visited Nepal surely remember the people’s earnestness, simplicity, smiles. Rotary India will strive in the coming days to wipe away tears, mitigate pain and misery and bring back smiles … for as many of our neighbours as it can.

Talking of smiles, the portraits of two incoming RI leaders will make you smile. Read on to know about RIPE K R Ravindran’s awkward moments at the lingerie section of Marks & Spencer in England. And find out how RIDE Manoj Desai, who you find smiling most of the time, used to be so angry, like Durvasa Muni … till Rotary changed him!

Rasheeda Bhagat

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 7

*DU\ & . +XDQJ

3UHVLGHQW 6SHDNV Dear Fellow Rotarians,

W

“

You have outdone yourselves in your contributions to our Rotary Foundation; and you have moved

“

all of Rotary forward with new members and new clubs.

hen I began this Rotary year as your president, I wanted us, above all, to Light Up Rotary. I wanted us to share with the world how many wonderful friendships and experiences we have found in Rotary, and how Rotary has transformed and enriched our lives. I knew that by telling others about Rotary, we would increase membership, build stronger clubs and improve our ability to help people in need.

As we end this 2014–15 Rotary year, I am honoured by your response and will always be grateful for how you have risen to this challenge. You have answered my call to Light Up Rotary by holding many successful Rotary Day celebrations in your communities; you have outdone yourselves in your contributions to our Rotary Foundation; and you have moved all of Rotary forward with new members and new clubs.

When I chose my theme for my year as president, I was inspired by the words of Confucius, who said, “It is better to light a single candle than to sit and curse the darkness.�

This year, more than 1.2 million Rotarians, along with Interactors, Rotaractors, Rotary Youth Exchange participants and Rotary Peace Fellows, have lit their own candles in tens of thousands of communities. Together, the lights we have kindled have created a great light that shines for all the world to see.

I thank all of you for the opportunity to serve as your president this year, and for the hard work and dedication of our volunteer leadership and our staff members. I came to them with high expectations — and they delivered.

I also am grateful for the many friends I have made during this Rotary year, and for the wonderful visits I’ve had to so many places. I will always TGOGODGT YKVJ ITGCV HQPFPGUU TKFKPI QP VJG 4QVCT[ ƀQCV KP VJG 4QUG 2CTCFG watching children enjoy the Japanese drummers at the Rotary Day open house at RI headquarters in Evanston, and bicycling through the night in Colombo during the Ride to Light Up Rotary event, celebrating a polio-free Sri Lanka.

I have seen a new energy in Rotary this year, and felt a new excitement. We’ve seen more and more women and young people join Rotary as well — including my wife, Corinna and our three children.

I hope that in the year to come, you will continue your wonderful work to Light Up Rotary — and to help it Be a Gift to the World.

Gary C K Huang President, Rotary International 8 ROTARY NEWS JUNE APRIL2015 2015

)LUVW 7KRXJKWV

Dear Partners in Service, Similar to what Charles Dickens wrote in A Tale of two cities, for us too: It was the best of times; it was the busiest of times, It was the age of vision; it was the age of action, It was epoch of building; it was the epoch of belief, It was the season of friendship; it was the season of fellowship, It was the spring of hope; it was the spring of joy, We had everything before us; we had everyone with us, Yes, that’s how it was, the year that was!

We had set goals at the beginning of the year. By the grace of God and goodwill of all of you, we have managed to achieve most of them. It is with mixed emotions that I look back at the Rotary year 2014–15.

I feel: Grateful to God that Rotary is vibrant all over the zones 4, 5 and 6A. I am also grateful to RI President Gary Huang who gave me the unique opportunity to be the Liaison Director for TRF Trustee Meetings and RI Membership Development Committee and Chair of RI Board’s Programme Committee.

Delighted that the Rotary Institute, Vanakkam Chennai, was a super hit, with excellent participation, great venue, outstanding speakers, top class entertainment and delicious food. The icing on the cake was music maestro A R Rahman receiving the Polio Ambassador Award. At the Institute, we signed an agreement with Government of India, represented

by Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, for Swachh Bharat. In appreciation I received an e-mail from our Prime Minster Narendra Modi.

Overjoyed that RI President Gary Huang stayed with us for an entire week in December 2014, and was part of the

world’s greatest ever Rotary PR event, Rotary My Flag My India. This went into the Guinness World Record with a participation of around 60,000 people.

Elated that President Gary Huang, in his inaugural address at the January 2015 RI Assembly at San Diego complimented us generously for the success of My Flag My India.

Thrilled that from July 1, 2014 to April 30, 2015 (10 months), while the global membership of RI grew by 45,297, we added 14,626 new members (net) in Zones 4, 5 and 6A — a 33 per cent increase on the global increase of 45,297. This is great! It means 1 out of 202 Rotary countries contributed to one-third of Rotary’s total growth!

We are just 2,000 short of our Regional membership goal of 1,40,000, which we’re sure to achieve before end of June 2015.

My heartiest congratulations to each and every one of our current DGs, who have done a fantastic job in membership development!

Happy that we have vastly improved the Rotary News magazine with the help of our highly experienced professional editor.

Amazed that with 36 Arch Klumph Society members, India is No. 4 in the world, behind US (331) Taiwan (51) and Korea (40).

Glad that the Polio Flame, a project of RC Madras, inaugurated at Vanakkam Chennai, has made a dream run to several countries and was received by President Gary Huang and all TRF Trustees at RI Headquarters in Evanston, on April 14, 2015. The Flame will be formally received by President Gary at the Sao Paulo Convention.

Pleased that TEACH, a part of Rotary India Literacy Mission, headed by PRIP Kalyan Banerjee and WinS (Wash in Schools) headed by TRF Trustee Sushil Gupta are making excellent progress.

Jubilant … it is a matter of great satisfaction that we have only 23 cases of polio in 2015, that too only in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nigeria is polio-free for 11 months and it will be taken off the list of polio endemic countries shortly.

Hopeful that we will eradicate polio before the 100th year of The Rotary Foundation.

Proud that in May 2015, Nalini and I could represent RI President Gary Huang and Corinna at the conference of D 7360, USA. Blessed to be at the receiving end of the love and affection of Rotarians from all over the South East Asian region.

At this juncture, I am reminded of the poem by the great poet Grantland Rice: JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 9

For when the great score comes To write against your name He marks not that you won or lost But how you played the game!

I salute each and every Rotarian of India, for helping fashion Rotary’s glory, out of our country’s success story. So much time has been contributed with joy, so much service has been done with a smile, so much money has been given with compassion, so much of the future has been built with action and vision and so many have joined together to Light up Rotary!

T S Elliot wrote, “To make an end is to make a beginning.” The end is where we start from. So, as one Rotary year ends, a new year begins. I take this opportunity to wish all incoming district and club leaders a glorious Rotary year in 2015–16.

An incident during the Barcelona Olympic Games comes to my mind.

For the women’s 100 metre relay, the Trinidad team was the runaway favourite with four well known champion runners, who immediately took the lead, their victory assured. But something unexpected happened. During the relay, the baton fell from one of the competitor’s hand and with it, the team’s hope for victory.

Those who knew how to pass the baton were the winners. The moment to pass the baton of leadership to our successors has arrived. Let us do it with humility and grace.

It’s now time for the book to close The story has charted its course But the saga of Rotary is far from over And so, it’s not goodbye but Au Revoir!

Yours in Rotary

P T Prabhakar Director Rotary International (2013–15) 10 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

District Wise Contributions to The Rotary Foundation as on April 30, 2015 (in US Dollars)

District Number

APF

PolioPlus*

Other Restricted

Total Endowment Contributions Fund

India 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

1,24,175 35,366 64,811 54,000 21,340 5,168 46,621 (62,000) 54,680 1,29,237 72,609 85,937 43,993 40,437 80,871 54,737 1,62,726 31,947 4,72,642 56,886 13,424 64,262 1,90,319 3,17,759 27,575 1,21,112 89,080 85606 1,91,577 1,40,608 2,31,597 21,917 64,680 18,081 31,53,780

3220

3,58,651

3271 3272

17,395 39,156

3281 3282

4,95,197 2,02,108

3292 S Asia Total World Total

95,269 43,61,556 9,10,53,294

59,347 0 1,100 0 4,187 32,542 7,600 20,373 407 2,53,164 714 10,814 50 0 0 23,527 0 4,000 100 22,890 1,450 15,329 29,818 42,048 0 0 0 15,378 2,114 0 0 205 7,814 4,32,599 1,838 3,000 4,586 2,94,642 3,598 1,09,430 17 0 3,599 31,000 0 6,247 100 76,480 24,113 0 20,035 1,06,500 1,000 11,336 20,883 0 2,878 59,982 1,597 95,387 5,525 2,565 0 0 0 100 0 99,980 2,04,468 17,69,517 Sri Lanka 4,192 15,969 Pakistan 28,969 0 44,735 (816) Bangladesh 18,203 15,113 1,00,525 1,000 Nepal 50 15,300 4,01,142 18,16,084 2,16,46,832 1,23,41,042

* Excludes Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

7,834 7,115 21,968 25,036 6,415 593 0 83,136 0 11,543 0 12,398 0 0 0 0 33,921 7,000 41,005 33,639 0 0 0 1,198 0 51,017 6,000 1,000 56,837 30,050 22,245 0 30,000 0 4,89,949

1,91,356 43,581 1,23,508 1,07,009 2,81,327 17,289 46,671 44,663 58,680 1,63,769 89,388 1,70,201 43,993 55,815 82,984 54,942 6,37,060 43,785 8,12,875 2,03,553 13,440 98,862 1,96,566 3,95,537 51,688 2,98,664 1,07,416 1,07,489 3,11,273 2,67,641 2,61,931 21,917 94,780 1,18,061 56,17,715

16,000

3,94,812

0 1,000

46,363 84,076

28,113 0

5,56,626 3,03,633

1,10,619 0 71,13,843 5,35,062 1,61,50,947 14,11,92,115 Source: RI South Asia Office

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11

A combo of

strength, success & elegance

12 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Picture: Pervez

The incoming RI President believes in straight talk, but wears his power and authority lightly, and promises to ensure optimum use of the $55 fee every Rotarian pays.

Bhagat

by Rasheeda Bhagat

No Rotary moment Both his grandfather and father were Rotarians, and he first joined the Rotary Club of Bandarawela and shortly after, the Rotary Club of Colombo. He was 21. Candidly he says he has no single “defining or Rotary moment” to relate. Though involved with some very significant projects such as leading the polio eradication drive in his country or rebuilding schools destroyed in the tsunami, his best moments are those “that I spend with my friends in their homes in many countries, chatting away till the early hours,” he smiles.

He pays a tribute to his uncle — R Krishnamoorthy, a highly respected former Advocate General of TN — and his aunt Kanagam, for their guidance and support during his formative years in Loyola.

I ask him about the moments that led to his acceptance of his nomination for President. He explains that when the committee met in August 2013, he had gone to sleep by 10.30 p.m. because he was not expecting to be nominated. “I was only

expecting a call the next day to be told who won the nomination.” But his phone rang at 3 a.m.; PRID M K Panduranga Setty, a member of the committee and someone he respects a lot, was on the line. “I said: ‘Pandu, go to sleep, we’ll talk tomorrow.’ Pandu quickly interjected: ‘Wait, wait, Chairman Eric Adamson wants to talk to you.’ ” The procedure is that before announcing the RI Presidentnominee, his consent is sought and because the committee met well past 5 p.m. the switch board operator at RI was not available. So Setty volunteered to get him on the phone. When his consent was sought, he responded: “I’ll ask my wife! By then Vanathy was also up and when I posed the question to her she nodded with a smile! The rest is history. And by morning my phone was so hot it stopped functioning.”

Early years Born into a well-to-do Sri Lankan Tamil family, Ravindran graduated in commerce from the Loyola College in Chennai, where he met Vanathy, an Economics graduate from Stella Maris College. With his college mates he would “hang around” the sylvan surroundings of the ubiquitous Woodlands restaurant near Stella. “But we never met alone,” he smiles. He was very much into sports in his school and college days, playing Rugby (for South India), cricket, tennis, water polo and even boxing.

After graduating at 21, he returned home to work at the family tea plantation in Haputale near Nuwara Eliya in 1973. The idea was that he would learn the job and return to Colombo after a few years where he could run the head office. But it did not quite work out that way for it was a socialist era and soon the family’s plantations

“

Don’t evaluate success by money alone; look at the values and the excellence you practise. We run a highly ethical company.

“

I

n an era gone by RI’s incoming President K R Ravindran, known to the entire Rotary world as ‘Ravi,’ would have been compared to a cowboy who shoots straight from the hip. He has the height for sure, to begin with….

After great persuasion and one failed attempt at the Chennai Institute, Ravindran agrees to an interview.

Extremely shy of “publicity,” he makes several attempts to fob me off, but finally agrees, tying it up with the multidistrict PETS, ‘Sangamitra,’ on his home turf — Colombo. Ushering me into his study, which is strictly his personal space, at his elegant and tastefully done up home in Colombo, the Founder-CEO of the publicly listed Printcare PLC, “arguably the largest producer of tea bag packaging in the world,” talks about his childhood, college days in Chennai where he met his beautiful and graceful wife Vanathy, admired across the Rotary world as much for her sarees as her poise and elegance, the setting up of his business, and his long years in Rotary.

For his term beginning next month, Ravindran has several aces up his sleeve for his year, one being to run Rotary like a business. When people ask him why, “I tell them I know Rotary is not a business, but I see no reason why it shouldn’t be run as a business, with accountability and transparency.”

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 13

“

Cars are a weakness!

Used to participate in rallies and races in my younger days and owned a sports car.

I guess I am too old for these things now.

“

were nationalised; “leaving us without our assets and me without a job,” he recalls.

An enterprise begins So he returned to Colombo and joined the family’s printing business and he is grateful to his uncle A Ramanathan, who readily welcomed him in. It was

In Germany with a Jaguar.

a period when tea was being exported in bulk out of Sri Lanka. The youngster had a smart business idea — to introduce high quality packaging for tea bags, for which Sri Lanka had neither the technology nor the quality. When he met Merrill Fernando, a tea industry heavyweight, there was a meeting of minds and after just one conversation Fernando agreed to invest with him and thus was born Printcare.

A strong friendship which began then has endured and Ravindran looks up to him even now for advice and counsel.

Ravindran started Printcare in a garage-sized space, printing tea bag labels. The first four years were tough; “for three years I was struggling financially, worked the machines myself sometimes, carried the finished products to customers in the boot of my car and had only two workers to begin with. It wasn’t that I was struggling to make a living. Vanathy and I were happy with our modest lives and we had a great family to support us.”

His father, the son of a district court judge in India, settled in Ceylon after marriage and was the MD of a newspaper, “and my mother was a lady of remarkable fortitude.” She was paralysed early in life, but made a partial recovery. “She was a wonderful supporter of mine and very proud of me.”

Printcare has evolved into one of Asia’s most respected printing, packaging and digital media solutions provider with cutting edge technology and multiple factories, including one in India. Ravindran is of the view that labour laws are so stifling in Sri Lanka that companies like his are automating more and more. That, he says, is a pity.

Classy company You have to coax out all this information from Ravindran as he admittedly has a “phobia about publicity,” and faced a dilemma while taking his company public “because you’re supposed to be in the eyes of the media to support your company’s share prices and I was a very reticent MD who preferred to keep a low profile.”

The company’s (SL) Rs 2 share is now trading at Rs 42.

But slowly he opens up to say, “we are a unique and pretty classy company, excelling in what we do. Our packaging is quite stunning and absolutely world class. Just walk into the Harrods tea department in London and you will see the array of our packaging.” Apart from Dilmah, Printcare’s packaging is also used by renowned companies like Unilever, Twinnings, Tetley, Typhoo, Hallmark,

“

By then Vanathy was also up and when I posed the question to her she nodded with a smile! The rest is history. And by morning my phone was so hot it stopped functioning.

“

Business philosophy K R Ravindran and Vanathy in Philippines.

Victoria’s Secret and others. Companies like Target, Best Buy, Decathlon use their digital services and buy their RFID labels. They are also the biggest suppliers to the telecom industry in Sri Lanka.

An astute businessman, he visits stores overseas and deliberately buys products containing his packaging.

Sometimes he will search for defects that only his trained eye can note, carry it back to Sri Lanka to his factory “and throw it at them saying: ‘What is this junk that you are producing!’ ”

But doesn’t so much time devoted to Rotary affect his bottom line? “Who knows? If I had devoted cent per cent of my time only to business, I may or may not have done better in numerical numbers but I would not have been richer in mind and body,” he says, adding, “I would never have built a professionally managed company as I have now because everything would have revolved around me.

Don’t make the mistake of evaluating success by money alone, but look at the values you cherish, and the excellence you practise and create. We run a highly ethical company shunning business which requires any element of unethical practices. We are good role models by any standards, following the highest levels of transparency and honesty. We neither make contributions to politicians nor

Once, at the lingerie section of M & S in Sheffield, England, where he was checking out the packaging, a matronly lady supervisor stood behind him, and stared hard at him with folded arms.

“I looked at the bra box in my hand, looked at her and thought there was no point in telling this lady that I’m only interested in the box and nothing else. So I dropped it and walked off, quite embarrassed. I do go through some situations like that!” Last year he was declared one of the country’s top 10 ‘business personalities of the year’ and his company listed among the “top 15 best places to work in Sri Lanka.”

Alyce Henson, Rotary International

A lingerie moment!

From left: Son Krishna, daughter-in-law Neesha, Vanathy, K R Ravindran, daughter Prashanthi and son-in-law Nicolas Mathier.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 15

“

A polio-free world is around the corner. We need to prepare for that success, and handle it correctly. Or it will come and go and we’ll miss the bus and the best opportunities that await us.

“

are we prepared to give kickbacks to buyers and government officials at any level. A lot of these values came from my association with Rotary including the joint community projects we do with workers. The community around us has benefitted hugely because of us.”

So is it possible to be ethical and do business? “It’s tough at the beginning but then it becomes a habit and everyone in the company begins to speak the same language. It becomes the company culture. I have to admit though that we succeed largely because we are so heavily export oriented with very little dealings with Government.”

And now, “nobody solicits anything from us, for our reputation is strong. But it does mean that you must have the courage to turn down seemingly lucrative business deals,” he adds.

To a question on his decision to list his company in the stock exchange, he responds, “I went public not because I needed the money but because I have this philosophy that

With granddaughter Raika.

16 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Rasheeda Bhagat

Standing up when it matters K

R Ravindran enjoys “a great relationship” with his workforce. During the ethnic war years, once when a group of army and police personnel came to his facility to “interrogate” the Tamil workers, he refused them access saying all the workers were the same for him and that he was not prepared to selectively hand over or even differentiate between them in terms of community, and that to his very educated knowledge none of them was involved in any terrorist or illegal activities, “or else our HR department would have known. So question them all if you so wish, I have no objections,” he said.

But he bowled a googly: “But I and my senior managers must be questioned first; I am also a Tamil. And then you figure out who is Tamil and who is not, for I’m not going to tell you.”

As the stumped officers went back and forth to headquarters on the phone for suitable directions, a group of workers collected at the entrance and told the group positioned there, “If you mess with our boss, you will have to contend with our entire workforce.” Eventually the visitors, who Ravindran admits were only doing their job during those difficult days, left, indicating that they may choose to visit the workers in their homes to interrogate them if necessary, and recording their unhappiness at the lack of cooperation from the company boss!

you must live as though you will die tonight. But plan as though you’ll live 100 years. When you think you might die tonight ... my table is always clear, my emails answered the same day or next, my calls returned and my bills paid.

I don’t have outstanding to anyone. Your perspective to life changes.”

Also he “thought if I die tonight, my wife and children (who were then young) can never run this business, and should be able to sell the company. But of course our Board saw other benefits too.”

Family But that has changed now; his son Krishna, armed with a management degree from Georgetown University, JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 17

Rasheeda Bhagat

$W D JODQFH

Exercise: Important. I work out for about 40 minutes regularly except when I have early morning flights. Unfortunately I broke my neck in a car accident in my early 20s, which put an end to all my sports.

Food: I eat everything in small measures. Strictly keep away from desserts. Allergic to mushrooms.

Reading: You can see books all around (in his study).

I’ve stopped reading fiction, have no time. I constantly look for philosophical books and follow speeches made by great and important people.

Technology: Enough to get by; my company runs on technology, so I need to know some technology.

Gadgets: I have three phones which are synchronised through icloud with my secretaries here and my assistant in Evanston.

Cooking: I can make tea, good tea!

More women in Rotary: Critical; we’re now at 20 per cent, if that hadn’t happened, we would have crashed by now. Women brought numbers, more vibrancy.

Female RI President: Not too long before we have one; not because we want to make a statement but because they will win it on merit.

Youth and Rotary: We need them, but have to change the ambience. We can’t keep talking about the Paul Harris days and ways. We have to embrace technology. But we should also concentrate on the 50–60 age group — those who are retiring. They’ve got experience, finance, everything and not forget the old people; they form the backbone of our whole movement.

Vanathy’s role: Very crucial, if Vanathy does not cooperate, then I’m dead and can’t perform. She has to play a supportive role, but be careful her role doesn’t supersede mine. She is the key to my happiness and she has been a massive support all these years.

Religion: I am not ritualistic, Vanathy is. But I’m a very god-fearing person and believe that I am accountable for every aspect of my life to Him above. The work I do with Rotary is my service to Him. Music: Classical Western.

Relaxation: Rotary is relaxation for me. Watch Tamil, English and Hindi (with sub titles) movies when I have time.

Cars: That’s a weakness! Used to participate in rallies and races in my younger days and owned a sports car.

I guess I am too old for these things now.

Membership in Rotary: Very critical for more reasons than one; need more members to keep us financially viable and expand our service network and reach.

Future of Rotary: If PolioPlus is done, Rotary will be on top of the world; every major organisation with money will want to work with us. They all understand that our services come free; you can’t hire me. When you work with Rotary, you have a bigger return on investment.

Polio-free world: It’s around the corner. And we need to prepare for that success, as it must be handled correctly.

If we aren’t prepared, it will come and go and we’ll miss the bus and the best opportunities that await us. A lot hinges on polio; so much of money and time of a whole generation has been invested, so we have no choice but to see it through.

Criticism: Don’t fear it; welcome constructive criticism but know that there will always be critics to everything you do.

Importance of PETS: Very important; by mid-May I’d have spoken to 14,000 Presidents-elect; I’ve been maintaining a horrendous travel schedule because these are the real leaders who make Rotary, not the directors or governors or President of RI. Rotary happens at the clubs and its success hinges on the performance of their President.

Hectic work, travel schedules: It’s a job I’ve undertaken.

I travel on Rotary account — the $55 members pay.

I must give them value for every cent they pay and every second of my time. I have discouraged large receptions at airports and gifts of any nature. I only insist that they try to book me into a hotel with a proper gym!

Rasheeda Bhagat

Washington DC, and having worked for J P Morgan for a while in New York, joined his father 7 years ago. But Ravindran believes that while inheritance is by birth, management positions have to be earned by proficiency and skills for the job. “Because if you hand over a good business to an incompetent and incapable child, he will ruin himself, the business and the family as well.

You and I know many such cases.”

But Krishna, with his “analytK R Ravindran and Vanathy in 1991 with Sri Lankan Prime Minister ical skills and experience at J P D B Wijetunge, introducing his guest Maneka Gandhi.

Morgan,” has added great value leaps out of the chair to cuddle her and introduce her. “The to the management team and has rapidly moved up the biggest thing I’ll miss being RI President is being close ladder by his own ability, winning the confidence of his to her,” he rues. colleagues. He is married to Neesha, a software engineer Ravindran’s daughter Prashanthi, educated at the from Carnegie Melon, and they have a daughter Raika London School of Economics, is married to Nicolas who is the apple of the grandpa’s eye. As we chat, the Mathier, a person of Swiss origin, and lives in Singapore. child is back from her immunisation shots and Ravindran Prashanthi, an advertising professional, is a clone of her father, able to mix and work a room with ease, is affectionate and full of fun.

Natural grace Her father has the rare ability to wear his power lightly and not strut around like the salt of the earth. He has a natural grace … when Rotarians mob him and seek pictures with him at the few events I’ve seen him, his smile is warm and genuine.

So how does he manage this? He smiles: “The other day at San Diego somebody senior told me you are now RIPE, you can’t go around between tables talking to everybody like this. I told him, ‘Why don’t you walk out of this building with the President or anyone you consider senior, hail a cab and then tell me if the cabbie cares two hoots who you are!’ All these bundas, as we say in our language, are only within these four walls. To me this is just another job and a temporary one at that. It is best I keep my feet firmly on the ground and not lose my head in the clouds.”

But it’s more than just that … it has to do with pedigree, upbringing, childhood values. I come away from the interview musing on this, and seek a final comment on his impeccable sense of dressing and the well-groomed look. Clearly embarrassed, he shrugs it off, saying “I dress like this,” pointing to the simple cotton shirt in floral design he is wearing for the dinner he is hosting for senior leaders of the multidistrict PETS meet that begins the next day.

Designed by Krishnapratheesh JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 19

Ravindran’s challenges

by Rasheeda Bhagat

“

RI dues are only around Rs 3,500 for a year. If you can’t pay that, you belong to the category which requires Rotary’s help.

He is happy that President Nominee John Germ, his successor and someone he admires much, is carrying on in the same vein. “We are planning to advertise committee vacancies in The Rotarian magazine, so that anyone can apply,” he says.

Cutting costs begins with him; “I’ve made substantial cuts to my own President’s budget; my wife doesn’t travel with me all over the place. I’ve eliminated spouses from Board meetings; set KPIs for the Directors insisting they visit every district physically; removed a lot of the frills associated with President’s Reps; “in fact I will not send President’s Reps to conferences having 200 people or less.”

Talking about President’s Reps, Ravindran has already announced that he will mostly send President’s Reps who have not done the job before, on the basis of recommendations he will seek from senior leaders from around the world. However he will reserve 15–20 per cent of the With eminent Heart Surgeon Christiaan Barnard and his wife Karin Setzkorn.

20 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

“

W

ith the clock ticking away before K R Ravindran takes over the top leadership at RI as its President, he shared with Rotary News the challenges ahead and what he plans to do to uphold his promise to the Nominating Committee to bring “meritocracy into Rotary appointments, drive down costs, focus on governance and add value to Rotary membership in different ways.”

“I’ve given up the biggest power I had — the power of making appointments — and have groups of people acting as selection committee in a widely expanded basket of proposed names. I’m not saying this is the best system but it at least removes subjectivity and is a step in the right direction. I did that with training leaders even with the (TRF) Trustees, the biggest appointment a president makes. And I have surrounded myself with the best brains in the business from around the world. You then not only look good but get the best results too. It’s a win-win situation; they do the work and you get the credit! So why wouldn’t you pick the best,” he asks.

as RI President total appointments for his own friends, colleagues, senior leaders on the Board, PRIPs etc..

“They represent me; so you won’t grudge me that,” he quips.

An online tool is being developed which will enable club Presidents or their representatives to evaluate the President’s Rep at a district conference so that the President does not have to rely on the submissions of the DG alone in ascertaining the performance of the person who represented him.

Thus he will be able to ensure that those who recommend names Receiving an award from Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga. to him take responsibility for the performance of those they suggest.

Similarly he is expecting cost And his office at Evanston will remain open to all reductions from the Evanston staff. He is encouraging Rotarians. “Many people visit me, take pictures with outsourcing of jobs to low-cost countries and me and then ask to see my room. So I tell them of renegotiation of every contract to Rotary’s advantage. course; this room belongs to you. I am only occupying it for a year.”

“I’m telling DGs to create vibrant clubs. Once you do that, other things fall into place. If people enjoy Rotary, what keeps them together are the projects.

Friendship is fine but if you want only friendship, then you join the Gymkhana!”

He is also keen that governors reduce cost. Rotary becomes expensive because of the actions of governors and club presidents, not RI. He is short with those who want the RI dues changed for countries like ours. “RI dues are only around Rs 3,500 for a year. If you can’t pay that, you belong to the category which requires Rotary’s help,” he thunders!

He wants district governors to be transparent in their selection process, accounting and most importantly, reporting financials to the District.

He has indicated that he will expect the Board to take a tough stand on all election-related and ‘financial indiscipline’ matters at District level. Going by the reputation he had as RI Director, he might just do it!

“

“

He is encouraging outsourcing of jobs to low-cost countries and renegotiation of every contract to Rotary’s advantage.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 21

No

for him

by Rasheeda Bhagat An unusual doctor with good handwriting, a Rotary leader ader with great articulation skills, a man who has learned to look and live beyond materialistic pleasures, incoming g RI Director Manoj Desai is all this … and more.

Get close and personal with your incoming RI Director Dr Manoj Desai, a spine surgeon par excellence, and the first medical doctor in India to become RI Director.

For starters, his handwrit-ing “is very good, unusuall for wes a doctor.” But that he owes nt to his father, an eminent es educationist whose articles and books were in greatt

A patient told me: 10 years ago you were like Durvasa Muni, so angry; today you are smiling. Did you do yoga? I said I joined Rotary!

22 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Rasheeda Bhagat

H

e used to be an angry young man, “both personally and professionally and people were scared of me.” Two months ago a man came with his mother “to my clinic and said I came here 10 years ago, but you were like Durvasa Muni, so angry and we dared not ask you a question.

Today you are smiling. What did you do … meditation, yoga? I said I joined Rotary; that gave me a different perspective to life.”

I joke that Ma, you must have stirred in a watch in the first spoon of milk you gave me.

demand. “My ffather was a prolific writer and or orator and would write very fast. T There were no computers then th and in the press they wanted wa somebody who wrote vvery well but clearly and in good handwriting.

So I w would rewrite all the scri scripts for my father’s boo books and he used to giv give me 25 paise per pa page,” he recalls.

Thus Desai got nnot only his pocket money “but also tremendous knowledge and this inculcated in me the habit of reading and writing, which helped me tremendously when I joined Rotary,” he adds.

The incoming RI Director has an impressive gene pool; both his mother and father were Ph Ds. His father, Dean of the faculty of Education in Baroda University, trained about 70 Ph Ds.

While from his father he inherited his oratory and knowledge, “from my mother I learnt time management.

I often joke that ‘Ma, you must have stirred in a watch in the first spoon of milk you gave me.’ ” Thanks to that legacy, every morning, sharp at 8 a.m., Desai leaves for his hospital. “Sharmishtha occasionally loses her temper saying, ‘eat your breakfast and go,’ and I say, ‘No; its 8 already.’ It is only time management which has brought me to this level in Rotary, where I’ve had fascinating experiences.”

Childhood sweetheart But before looking at that journey, let’s see how Sharmishtha and Desai, known across the entire Rotary world for their infectious smiles and warmth, got married. They’ve been together since kindergarten and she was a “fierce competitor. We sat on the same bench. Her mom would say: ‘When Manoj comes home and says I am No 2, we know Shammi must be No 1’,” he grins.

Later, even though she was in Baroda and he in Surat in their MBBS days, as they were family friends they often met, “exchanged notes, books and were best friends ...

I looked upon her as the best friend you want to confide in. But we never thought of marriage. Our parents suggested it and we took two days to decide,” he says.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 23

RIDE Manoj Desai as special aide to the then RI President Kalyan Banerjee at Bangkok with Sharmishta and Binota.

Both are gold meda medallists; she is a radiologist. “Many people p asked my father: ‘Are they rea really studying seriously? Keep a check on them!’ ” They got married in 1979; she worked as an assistant professor in the Radiology Department Departmen at the SSG Hospital in Baroda, and helped him start his own clinic, and la later joined it.

They have two sons, the elder, e Sapan, is a software engineer in Florida and Neil, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlan Atlanta.

A journey begins Desai’s Rotary Ro journey began in 1985 “more out of curiosity” when he joined RC Baroda Metro as a charter member. chart While travelling Whi daily with two dail friends on the frie way to Padra from Baroda, he

At a glance Joint family: Devoting time to family is very important. For four generations, we have lived under one roof as a joint family and we have family dinner together every evening. Unfortunately we lost father, but my mother stays with us. We spend a lot of time together and the bonding is strong.

RIDE Manoj Desai and Sharmishta vacationing in South Africa with their two sons Sapan and Neil.

Music: Love tranquillity; so enjoy instrumental music, Indian more than western. But in last 7 years, love to sit alone with Sufi music, where one word is recited in 10 different ways till the word exhausts all its meanings.

I just love that. This helps me in my speeches — the modulation of voice, same sentence told in three different ways to create different impact.

Cooking: My fundamentals are clear.

In Indian it is horizontal stripes, vertical for Chinese and diagonal for Thai cuisine. If I can cut a human being, why not a vegetable! In my hostel days in Surat, we’d often survive on paav-bhaji. I started making it at home and then got into Chinese and next Thai! My speciality is Palak na bhajia … thin crispy ones.

Technology: I believe that you should play around with what is the latest and not be daunted by it; both my boys are into the latest technology and that helps.

Why doctor: My first love as a child was to become a joker; the role has great philosophy and makes people laugh. Next I wanted to be a pilot; but in Class 8 decided on medicine.

Photography: I am a decent photographer; mostly use a Nikon, I have a collection of some 600 sunsets!

Articulation: Probably genetic; from my father and then there is Ma Saraswati ka aashirwad. But I work hard on my speeches.

Urdu couplets: I love literature and Urdu poetry and sufi music. I find it very relaxing.

Role Model in Rotary: Past RI President and TRF Trustee Kalyan Banerjee. He gave me immense encouragement and

paid a rich tribute for our work in building the two villages Aastha and Nishtha after the Gujarat earthquake. I regard Kalyanda and Binotaben as mentors who have taught both Sharmishtha and me how to walk on the path of Rotary.

Need for youngsters: To attract them into Rotary, give them specific projects. They are doers, not talkers. If they’re touched and get satisfaction out of Rotary, they’ll come.

But if we continue with the old orthodox Rotary where only lectures are given, youngsters won’t be attracted.”

Changing Rotary: Of course; my own club (Baroda Metro) is innovative, flexible, doing different things; we’re adopting a village, spending Rs 70 lakhs and will change its whole face.

Missing women leaders: Because they came later, but the DGEs are slowly coming in. I say it as a joke, but it is a reality that when Rotary was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006 by the Wall Street Journal, do you know why Rotary didn’t get it? Because (Grameen Bank founder) Muhammed Yunus took the award and said from the dais that I give this to the ladies of Grameen!

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 25

Plans as RI Director

As District Governor and First Lady (1997–98).

R

IDE Manoj Desai will lay great importance to district visits and says there isn’t a single RI Director who has visited all the districts in India during his term. He has decided to do it, dividing the district visits in meeting the DG for an hour, and DGE and DGN for 30 minutes each, “after which I’ll meet all three. I call it the troika meeting, during which I’ll draw a strategy plan for the district.”

In the afternoon, after lunch and rest for an hour, he’d visit projects and “then from 4–6 p.m. I will allow any Rotarian to meet me for 10 minutes with prior appointment; ‘come, talk, go. The RI Director is listening to you.’ ” The next day will be a discussion on ‘Vision 2020 — where do we want to go.’

26 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

heard them discuss Rotary frequently and asked if he could join too. They said no, as they already had an orthopaedic surgeon as a member.

“That was a kick on my ego, so I joined a new club which was starting and became its president in the third year.” In the first year itself he volunteered to give a free bed in his clinic for polio corrective surgery.

But it was when he became Governor of District 3060 in 1997–98 that he really got involved in Rotary work. “As we travelled together, attended club meetings, Sharmishtha got hooked too and joined Rotary in 2005.” She became a GSE (group study exchange) team leader to Japan and also assistant governor. “She was sent to Japan and loved it so much that I had to go there and bring her back,” he quips.

Desai is grateful for the encouragement and the 10 minutes that the late PRID O P Vaish (Chairman, INPPC) gave him every year from 1995–98 at the INPPC meet at Delhi.

“He thought this boy is doing something good and gave me 10 minutes to make my PolioPlus presentation.”

For the next five years he was invited to make presentations, “which were always appreciated, that too when I was a nobody.”

After his stint as DG in 1997–98, there was a “lull and nothing exciting” till he was made RRFC in 2002 and that introduced his oratorical skills across a wider Rotary region.

Family-Work-Rotary balance On how he balances his hectic schedule as incoming Director with the demands of his profession as a busy surgeon, and spending time with his family, Desai smiles: “My sincerity and commitment to my patients come to my rescue; I work only with appointments and they know that the guy is crazy but nothing will happen to us and we are safe in his hands!

I have operated in the morning, left

for US in the evening after visiting the hospital to ensure the patient is fine, and returned from the US to send him home! It is my sincerity that has brought me to this level.”

But less time for work obviously reduces his income. So how does his family take that? Desai grins: “Yes, my sons say that dad had you been in the US you would have owned a helicopter! So I say it is okay, as my CA still takes his fee saying your balance sheet is not yet affected!”

Sharmishtha is very proud and supportive of her husband’s devotion to Rotary. “Right at the beginning, she had told me, ‘I’m fine with whatever you do. But if you join politics, I’ll divorce you!”

In Gujarat earthquake I saw that in the fraction of a second everything goes, and wondered at this great love we have for materialistic pleasures.

Time management Another huge advantage is his expertise and discipline in managing time.

In Egypt.

How Rotary transformed him T

he two high points in his Rotary days that left a huge impact and really engaged incoming RI Director Manoj Desai in Rotary work were: first the polio corrective surgeries he did and the Gujarat earthquake relief work.

He recalls the time when his team was geared up to do 300 surgeries near Bahraich close to Nepalganj in Nepal, “but we found 1,300 patients waiting there for us. In seven days, with 16 generators and no electricity we did 316 operations of those who were fit and operable.” The four orthopaedic surgeons from Baroda would go to the hotel at 9 p.m., get electricity at 10 p.m., which allowed them to sleep till 4 a.m. before it was cut.

“So we’d get up at 5 a.m. and start working again. This experience gave me a different perspective to life … its reality is so harsh and everybody doesn’t enjoy what God has given me.” He began questioning himself — if God had given him so much “should

In China.

28 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

I not share and help others. If instead of doing such work, I stayed in Baroda for the three days, I’d earn Rs 3–4 lakh more, but the children said: ‘Dad, do what you want and spend your money, we don’t want your money.’ So I thought if they don’t need or want it, who am I hoarding it for, so why not be a change maker?”

Building villages in Gujarat But what really rattled him and changed his “philosophy of life” was the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat.

“I saw that in the fraction of a second everything goes ... the misery and pain I saw ... people with limbs or heads missing, and wondered at this great love we have for materialistic pleasures.” He started pondering on how he could change the lives of people, and “asked myself do I need a Mercedes, and my heart said no. Even now I have an SUV (Mahindra) and I am happy with it, and have never yearned for fancy cars.”

And then, one night while returning from the Bhuj relief work at 2 a.m. with four friends, he told them: “Let’s build a whole village. They were sleeping and said: ‘Are you crazy?’ ” But Desai headed the initiative and “would travel 500 km to and fro from the earthquake affected villages while work was on. “We did one village in one year flat and second one the next year, spending about Rs 5.5 crore and with no Foundation money at all. We raised the funds.”

He himself went to Dallas, Texas, talked to the Patidar Samaj community and “they gave us $50,000. For the second village, when I showed the results of what we had done, they gave us another $70,000. A single community donated $120,000 for building two villages.”

It was the ability to plan mega projects such as this one, and his oratorical skills, which ultimately brought Desai this coveted role of RID.

Every day from 8 a.m. to 5.15 p.m., he is with his patients. After consultations, he enters the operation theatre at 11.45 a.m. Since there are only 24 hours in a day, he has worked out how to get the best from them.

“I have changed my techniques and methodology of surgery after watching videos of my own operations, removing unnecessary steps that can be done better by gadgets in which I’ve invested.” Also, he uses spinal anaesthesia, which is quicker.

After 5.15 p.m., it is his personal time, and “I either go to my farmhouse or it’s my Rotary or family time.” All his famous presentations Aadat se Ibadat, Muskaan, Agnipath, etc, have come from his idyllic farmhouse on a river bed, 9 km from his

Desai, the Gold medalist MBBS student.

To attract youngsters, we have to give them specific projects. They are doers, not talkers. house. “If I’m in Baroda, I’m there every evening, working on my presentations, relaxing, listening to music … if I feel like cooking, I cook here.”

This is strictly his time, as Sharmishtha goes for dance classes which include Bollywood dancing.

“There are 20 of them in her group.

She finds this a good form of exercise as well as a stress buster.”

Role of a Director That brings the discussion to a crucial aspect of RI leadership positions and the responsibilities they bring. Desai says that in the second half of 2014, 18 districts had felicitated him on his

nomination as RIDE. “For me this was strange — 18 gajamalas to celebrate my appointment. I felt very strange and asked myself: Is this my goal; is this what I want as RI Director? Not at all. For me, my spine surgery patient walking and going home, with tears in her eyes, is more than enough reward.

So does this ego trip help me? No.” Over the last one year he has been asking himself what his real role was as an RID. “Just to accept gifts, give a motivational speech and depart? Not at all; a direction has to be given. What is the motto of a spine surgeon? Sacrifice the bones but protect the nerves and stability of the structure. So as RI Director my role will be to make Rotary stronger.”

His time table and plans for his district visits are ready; 20 districts in the first year and 18 in the second.

“Dhandha is a book on how Gujaratis do business. I’ve told my DGEs that I’ll come to your district only once in a year lekin dhandha karke jaoonga (I’ll do business). You guys don’t have to flatter me by giving me a grand dinner.

You do the job, and I’ll be there.”

With PRID Shekhar Mehta concentrating on literacy, Desai wants to deliver the goods on WinS (WASH in Schools); 20,000 toilet blocks in two years. “I am asking Clubs and Districts: Tell me how many toilet blocks you’ll make and maintain.

I need people who are doers not talkers. Everybody wants to come to GETS to give lectures. I tell them first you prove that you are good as a doer, and then I’ll invite you,” says the no-nonsense RIDE. So what is Rotary’s gift to him?

“It has given me a lot — friends, insight and made me much more spiritual than I used to be. When I do a polio surgery without taking money, Nida Fazli’s poem comes to my lips: “Ghar se masjid hei bahut door, Chalo yu kar lei/ Kisi rote huye bachhey ko hasaya jaye.”

Designed by N Krishnamurthy JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 29

AT THE CORE

Economic Growth: Concerns & Challenges

by C Rangarajan An 8–9 per cent annual growth rate can push up our per capita GDP from the current US $1,600 to US $8,000–10,000 by 2025.

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he Indian economy is currently passing through a phase of relatively low growth. We need to examine the reasons for this slowdown so that we can correct the errors and move forward to a higher growth path. This however should not cloud the fact that over the decade beginning 2004–05, the average annual rate of growth of the economy has been 7.7 per cent. We should not also underestimate the structural changes that have occurred in the Indian economy over the last two decades. These have imparted greater resilience to the system and the economy is more competitive.

Trends in Growth The year 1991 is an important watershed in the postindependent economic history of India. The country faced a severe economic crisis triggered in part by a serious balance of payment situation. The crisis was converted

into an opportunity to bring about some fundamental changes in the content and approach of economic policy. That our economic reforms have been in the right direction is vindicated by the improved performance of the economy since the launch of reforms. Further, between 2005–06 and 2007–08, the Indian economy grew at an average rate exceeding 9.5 per cent. However, under the severe impact of global crisis, our economy declined sharply in 2008–09.

But, the recovery was swift and sharp.

In the next two years, the economy grew close to 9 per cent. In 2011–12, it

came down to 6.7 per cent and declined further to 4.5 per cent in 2012–13. In 2013–14, according to earlier estimates, the growth rate was 4.7 per cent but according to the revised methodology, it is estimated at 6.8 per cent.

There are a number of factors both economic and non-economic which have contributed to the recent decline in growth rate. These include supply side bottlenecks, price shocks and weak investment demand. The investment sentiment was affected by various factors, political and economic, and this created an element of uncertainty in the minds of investors.

Stalled projects Available data show that the gross investment rate of the Indian economy declined from the peak of 38.1 per cent of the GDP in 2007–08 to 32.3 per cent in 2013–14. Even with this decline in investment rate, with a normal incremental capital-output ratio of 4:1, we should have got a growth rate of around 8 per cent. But the actual growth rate was much lower, declining much more steeply than warranted by the decline in investment.

This may be because projects have not been completed in time or complementary investments have not been forthcoming. In some cases, this can also be due to non-availability of critical inputs such as power.

Stability For sustained high growth, stability is a prerequisite. And stability in this context has three dimensions — first, price stability, next, low current account deficit and third, modest fiscal deficit. After some years of disturbing trends, we have now achieved a measure of stability in prices. Inflation remains below five per cent. We must continue to maintain it at this level. The current account balance will benefit as a consequence of the decline in crude oil prices. Price stability will help to maintain the competitiveness of Indian exports. While financing

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The easiest way to achieve higher growth in the short run is to ensure that ongoing projects are completed in time.

the current account deficit may not be a problem, it is best to contain the current account deficit over the medium term below 2 per cent. As regards fiscal deficit, the central government needs to move as quickly as possible towards the level mandated by FRBM Act which is 3 per cent of GDP.

Medium Term Challenges Over the medium term, many issues need to be tackled. A reference was made earlier to the need to raise the savings and investment rate and improve the productivity of capital. Sectorally, the two key areas that would need focused attention are agriculture and infrastructure. Even though agriculture contributes only 15 per cent to GDP, it still plays a crucial role. Any shortfall in agricultural production fuels inflation and the human distress is high as more than 50 per cent of the people depend on agriculture. The size of the average landholding is getting smaller and smaller and how to make such marginal holdings efficient and more productive is a critical issue that needs to be addressed.

There has been considerable discussion on improving the infrastructure in the country. Infrastructure growth will facilitate growth of other sectors. Transport and power sectors need focused attention. Policy framework should be such as to encourage the flow of investment into these sectors and this should be accompanied by efficient project level management.

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The Economic Survey has examined in detail the causes behind ‘stalled’ projects. The reasons include not only delay in clearances and permits but also decline in demand and lack of finance.

The analysis also shows that clearing the top 100 projects by value will address 83 per cent of the problem of ‘stalled’ projects. Thus the easiest way to achieve higher growth in the short run is to ensure that ongoing projects are completed in time so that output will flow out of it. However, a return to the high growth regime of 9 per cent plus will require the investment rate to rise, along with an improvement in the productivity of capital.

When private investment sentiment is weak, public investment has to play the catalytic role. Some of the key infrastructure segments such as coal, roads, railways and power lie largely in the public domain. Achieving the production and capacity creation targets in these public sector enterprises could act not only as a driver of growth but also crowd in the private sector. What can inspire confidence is a clear statement from the government regarding the quantum of investment that will be made by the various public sector entities. This should be monitored every quarter and the capital investments made should be made public. Besides making the government accountable, this will inspire confidence in the minds of investors.

Our total infrastructure needs are large.

Domestic investment will have to be supplemented by foreign investment.

Conclusion In many ways the coming decade will be crucial for India. If India grows at 8 to 9 per cent per annum, it is estimated that per capita GDP will increase from the current level of US $1,600 to US $8,000–10,000 by 2025. Then India will transit from being a low income to a middle income country. We need to overcome the low growth phase as quickly as possible, as growth is the answer to many of our socio-economic problems. In the recent period, we have launched a number of schemes aimed at broadening the base of growth. These include the employment guarantee scheme, universalisation of education, expansion of rural health, and providing food security. All these programmes have made a substantial demand on public expenditure. It has been possible to fund these programmes only because of the strong growth that we had seen earlier. Growth had facilitated raising more resources by the Government.

Development has many dimensions.

It has to be inclusive, it must be poverty reducing, and it must be environmentfriendly. We need to incorporate all these elements in the growth process.

A strong and balanced growth will enable the economy to achieve multiple goals including reduction in poverty.

(The writer is a distinguished economist and former RBI Governor.)

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 31

Colombo PETS Moments

RIPE Ravindran and Vanathy with Satya B Mitra, Chair, District Membership and TRF Annual Fund Committee and spouse Sheema.

Fellowship at dinner.

Celebration time: Celebrating 30 years of RC Vijayawada Midtown - PDGs Sam Movva, Rajyalakshmi Vadlamani and Ravi Vadlamani.

Spouses get-together.

Catching up: RIDE Manoj Desai with PDGs S Krishnaswami, J B Kamdar and Krishnan V Chari.

Past & Future: PRIP Ray Klinginsmith and RIPE Ravi.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat

RIPE Ravindran and Vanathy with RRFC Raja Seenivasan and spouse Jayanthi.

RIPE K R Ravindran, PRIP Ray Klinginsmith and RIDE Manoj Desai at the inaugural ceremony.

Presidents and vibrant clubs make Rotary, not RI leaders

by Rasheeda Bhagat

“If you want success it depends on the strength of your desires, the size of your dreams and your ability to handle disappointments. All these things will matter a lot when you become presidents and guide the destiny of your clubs.”

— RIPE K R Ravindran

“Planning is methodical but dreaming is necessary before you plan; so on your way home, do some big dreaming ... of what your club could be if they follow your ideas. As presidents- elect you have many challenges but also opportunities. Think about your year as an unusual challenge to be a leader among leaders, and that requires special skills, more work.”

— TRF Trustee Chair-elect Ray Klinginsmith “ During my two-year tenure, I will visit each district and a new series of seminars called Vision 20:20 will begin and focus on strategy. If you are found playing politics, severe and drastic measures will be taken, and if you have complaints against governors, I will be listening.”

— RIDE Manoj Desai 34 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

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ith these inspirational and clear-cut messages 121 Presidents-elect from four districts were greeted at the beautiful beach resort at Wadduwa near Colombo, at Sangamitra, the MDPETS for Districts 3190 (Karnataka), 3020 (Andhra Pradesh), 3230 (Tamil Nadu) and 3220 (Sri Lanka). The meet had the right mix of learning, camaraderie, cultural bonanza, fun, food and dancing.

But the fun sessions were packed with hard punches and no-nonsense messages, beginning with RIPE Ravindran himself. He reminded them that they had been given a priceless gift, an opportunity to do some good “so don’t let it go. It won’t be easy, there are challenges, responsibilities. You may get grey hair, go a little bald too. But it’s an incredible, incomparable and life-changing opportunity, so don’t let it go waste.”

He said that when he sees someone opting for expensive management education at the IIMs, Harvard and similar institutions, “I often wonder, why is he wasting so much money? He should become the President of a Rotary club; he’ll get the same education for free.” As RC presidents they will learn how to manage people who are their equals or peers, “you can’t boss around with them. You’ll learn how to identify a good project and raise money, write accounts and be transparent. And

From left: Satya B Mitra and spouse Sheema from RC Worcester, D7910, RIPE K R Ravindran, spouse Vanathy, DG (3230) ISAK Nazar, Incoming TRF Chair Ray Klinginsmith and RIDE Manoj Desai.

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Use your gifts wisely so that girls who now sit at home will go to school next year; fields that are barren will bloom because you’ll reach water to them.

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on June 30, whether you like it or not, you have to hand over. You can’t be like politicians and hang on. If there are clubs where some men or women are becoming presidents for the second time, they will be in trouble and you’d better watch out. These are things you can’t buy for money,” Ravindran thundered.

He warned them there would be disappointments, and recalled how as club president when the World Cup

was being played in Sri Lanka, he had enthusiastically organised a match between his club and eminent cricketers from England, West Indies, Australia and India.

He’d not even informed his Board that the club would be sponsoring the tournament. But then a suicide bomb attack was carried outside the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo where the New Zealand team was staying and a naval commander was killed. “Thus went all hope of staging the tournament. I couldn’t even go to our Board and claim the money because they didn’t even know about it in the first place. Imagine my disappointment; I thought this was one hell of a way to start my year as a president.”

In life there would be many such disappointments, but they had to be overcome. But if they had the right projects, success was inevitable. It was club presidents who made a vibrant Rotary, not RI leaders, he said.

The incoming RI President also urged the participants to dream big and raise the bar in seeking funds for humanitarian work. Giving an example, he said that while building the schools destroyed by the tsunami, when the money required was $12 million, he approached his banker — Standard Chartered Bank — and sold the idea of being involved in a project where 15,000 children would pass out and then graduate JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 35

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Your performance will be watched, and if you are found playing politics, severe and drastic measures will be taken.

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RIDE Manoj Desai.

knowing only one bank — the SCB. As he sold the idea, the local manager was very excited and asked what SCB needed to do to partner Rotary in this work.

“I realised if I ask for $100,000 he’ll give only $50,000. Don’t worry about asking for money. He can only say no, and you have a cup of coffee and go home.”

So when Ravindran said he was looking for $1 million,

the manager almost fell off his chair, but promised to check with his head office. “Three days later he said you can have your $ 1 million, and also our office, computers, etc. So as club presidents, don’t be afraid to think big.”

Similarly, as club president he had to raise money towards the “$120 million target we had for polio eradication.” When he called the Swiss Ambassador for

Politics has to stop

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he incoming RI President K R Ravindran advised incoming presidents to balance “idealism with realism; you have to raise money for Foundation, if you don’t, who else will, but you can’t ask too much.” They would be also under pressure on their votes in elections; “whether it is present or past governors, you should tell them I know how to vote, who to vote, so just get off. You don’t say so, but must. From July 1 things are going to be different. We are going to be completely ruthless with anyone who gets involved with elections and that is something you can go and tell your friends now. We mean business. I have a great partner in RIDE Manoj (Desai) who will help ensure that when we are on the RI Board we don’t have people messing around with elections in our part of the world. Politics must stop, because it is preventing best people from becoming governors. It is stopping people from joining Rotary and destroying the way Rotary should be working. I suggest you ask politicians in your district to shut shop.”

an appointment, “he first thought I wanted visa!” Ravindran met him and explained the fundraiser and how one Swiss company was flying in cheese, another giving some wine bottles, and “he said I’ll give you some bottles.

I said no, I want a little more.

I want your house; you host the party.” Even though a little shocked at “my guts,” the Ambassador agreed and “in those days we raised about $5,000 for polio.”

Limited time Ravindran also reminded the assembled Rotary leaders: “We are all mortal, our time on earth is limited. When I see siblings fighting over money, neighbours fighting for 50 ft of space … I wonder that these people can’t even guarantee they’ll be alive tomorrow and they are fighting over these things. Time is short and there’s so much to be done. My Director’s and my challenge is to help you run these vibrant clubs ... imagine if by the end of your term we reach our target on polio eradication!”

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Our income last year was almost $250 million. An idea introduced in 1917 became so successful because Rotarians believe in doing good in the world.

“Use your gifts wisely so that girls who now sit at home will go to school next year; fields that are barren without irrigation will bloom because you’ll reach water to them, use them to wreck the cycle of poverty and lift up the destitute and give the gift of hope to those who are living in the margins of society,” he concluded.

In his address, incoming TRF Trustee Chair Ray Klinginsmith said he was present at the event for several reasons; his great respect for Ravindran; because in South Asian countries Rotarians did great projects, and because his District was the second one in the US to do multi-district PETS; the first being in Southern California in 1978. “So from 35 years I have been promoting MDPETS and it’s a delight for me to see that you have adopted the model which has worked so well in the US, where 95 per cent of all presidents are trained this way.”

Urging the incoming Presidents to remember that their club members had many expectations from them and they’d be judged by what they do during their year in office, he also asked them to note that 2016–17 would be TRF’s centenary year. In 1917, Arch C Klumph, as the RI President, had mooted the idea during his Presidential Address in Atlanta, when there were only 300 Rotary clubs and four countries allowed Rotary.

“And our income last year was almost $250 million. An idea introduced in 1917 became so successful because Rotarians believe in doing good in the world. It struck a chord for helping those less fortunate than ourselves.”

For TRF’s centenary the convention will be back in Atlanta in 2017, “but what happens at that convention will be secondary to what happens in your clubs.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 37

Rotary’s ability to help people requires strong Rotary clubs and you as presidents will be responsible for building and maintaining those strong Rotary clubs,” he said and urged them to make plans on how their clubs would celebrate the event.

Performance counts RIDE Manoj Desai urged the assembled incoming presidents to remain focused all the time on the two major goals for Rotary in India — total literacy and WinS (Wash in Schools).

Celebrating success: (L to R) PDGs Bharat Pandya, “Key performance indicators are S Krishnaswami, J B Kamdar and Kamal Sanghvi. being brought in by the RIPE and even directors are scared, so know that your performance will be watched and assessed. three calls in the last three days to check how I was and And if you are found playing politics, severe and drastic was more worried about my health than my presence measures will be taken.” here. That is the kind of friend that he is.”

They should also reflect that while individually all Meticulous planning and persistent hard work for of them were “really good, the Rotary graph is going nine months had ensured that the participants get a full zigzag in membership — new members are coming in and rich experience at Sangamitra (Ashoka’s daughbut old members are leaving, and for TRF, while one ter who came to Sri Lanka to preach Buddhism), the year it’s the peak, the next year it’s the ditch. The DG, fourth multi-district and second mutinational PETS. DGE and DGN do not see eye to eye, as also presidents They would not only enjoy excellent entertainment and and presidents-elect. We have to address these issues.” fellowship, but also the benefit of being addressed by Chairman of Sangamitra, PDG J B Kamdar, made two of the finest senior RI leaders — Ravindran and it to Colombo despite running high temperature and Ray Klinginsmith. “Ray during his term as RI President admitted, “It is more my affection for Ravi than my introduced some bold cost-cutting measures and with commitment to Rotary which brings me here. He made the help of his Treasurer Ravindran managed to register a surplus of $10 million in Rotary’s budget that year,” Kamdar added.

PDG Bharat Pandya made an exhaustive presentation on vital issues relating to membership and PDG Kamal Sanghvi talked about the vital importance of public image. Satya B Mitra, who has been appointed Adviser to RI Membership Committee from July 2015, spoke about areas crucial to membership, and Jatinder Singh, Manager, Club and District Support, RI South Asia Office, spoke on Rotary Central and effective use of online tools.

PDGs K S Nagendra (3190), Damodar Reddy (3020), Krishnan V Chari (3230) and Rtn Varsha Mangala served as District trainers, PDGs Sam Movva and BDR Rajan as Co-chairs and PDG Raja Seenivasan as Secretary of Sangamitra. The four DGEs K P Nagesh, M Jagadeeshwara Rao, C R Raju and George Jesuthasan participated.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat Designed by Krishnapratheesh

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Key performance indicators are being brought in by the RIPE and even directors are scared.

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38 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Imperial Delhi

A Bouquet of Styles

Picture: Pervez Bhagat

by Robin Gupta

Jama Masjid.

There is no other city in the world with such a wealth of ancient architectural marvels.

40 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

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elhi, the ancient imperial capital of India, has been the seat of power and pomp for centuries. There are very few cities like Delhi; the greenest, most historic capital in the world. Delhi, despite repeated attempts to destroy or neglect it, has continued to grow and reinvent itself from age to age.

Founded in the lee of an old range of hills by the side of the holy river Jamuna, alongside which it developed, this extraordinary city has unique monuments and parks, which generate the heady aroma of flowering trees with the chirping of birds.

Rome apart, there is no other city in the world with so many hidden architectural gems as Delhi. Unlike Mumbai,

Tughlak dynasty

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Then came the Tughlak dynasty. In 1320, Ghiasuddin started building the Tughlakabad Fort which he handed over to his son Muhammad bin Tughlak, often described as a ‘wise fool,’ primarily for his decision to shift the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in the Deccan. He failed miserably in this venture and had to return to the eternal capital. His successor Firoz Shah built the fifth capital — Ferozabad — in the area of the ridge; now only the Malcha Mahal remains, which till recently was inhabited by the descendants of the Mughal Emperor, who lived in the ruined mahal, protected from intrusions by ferocious hounds.

Shahjahanabad is the last Mughal capital of India. It remains the soul of the city. The Red Fort commanding the Chandni Chowk through the Lahori Darwaza; the Jama Masjid presiding over the city with the Jamuna river as a protecting moat; and within the walls, the Moti Masjid, private mosque for Emperor Shah Jahan, the Diwan-eKhas, private royal audience hall, the Nahar-e-Bahisht and the gardens, are testimony to the scale and architecture of the edifice.

There never was and there never will be another age quite like the Mughal.

Everything about it was big, larger than life, extravagant.

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Mughal era Delhi was the capital of the Mughal Empire about which Dhananjaya Singh, in his book, The House of Marwar said: “There never was and there never will be another age quite like the Mughal. Everything about it was big, larger than life, extravagant. From the majesty of the Emperor Three-domed mosque at Lodhi Gardens.

Picture: Pervez Bhagat

Kolkata or Chennai, Delhi boasts of broad avenues and wide open spaces punctuated with weathered monuments.

This was always a city of rulers. From the Purana Quila to the Red Fort and on to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the imposing walled-in palaces of the emperors of yore as well as the leaders of today, where the halls of private audience continue to be protected ivory towers that are secluded from the people at large.

The beauty and magnificent scale of different periods of Delhi’s history spread over thousands of years. Delhi’s first fort that we know of was built during the eighth century by the Tomar Rajput kings at Lalkot, in the vicinity of the Qutub Minar. Later Prithviraj Chauhan extended the Lalkot and built Quila Rai Pithoria which is described as the first Hindu capital of Delhi.

Ongoing excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India reveal that Indraprastha, the capital of the legendary Kauravas and Pandavas earlier than 2,500 years ago, was located in the Purana Quila area of Delhi.

Muhammad Ghori captured the Chauhan citadel in the th 8 century and through Qutbuddin Aibak, his slave lieutenant, established Muslim dominance over the Hindu Rajput kingdom of Delhi. Aibak started building the marvelous Qutub Minar in Mehrauli, which was completed by his successor Iltutmish. The spectacular tower is exquisitely carved and superbly built; a wonder of the world, it still dominates the skyline of Delhi.

In 1290, the supremacy of the Khilji Sultans was established in Delhi through a series of successful military campaigns which witnessed the beginning of an ‘Empire.’

Alauddin Khilji built the Siri Fort that encased his palace.

Sadly, there is nothing left of that dazzling period, but for the Siri Fort wall.

to the pomp of the Imperial court; from the splendour of its architecture to the sublimity of its art and music; from debauchery and cruelty on an unprecedented scale to wisdom and tolerance rarely exhibited before; from the prosperity it engendered to the anarchy it left behind: in the history of the world the Mughal Empire is rivalled only by that of the Roman.”

And once upon a time Shahjahanabad scintillated with the verses of Mir, Mir Hasan, Zauq, Momin, Sauda, Dagh and Ghalib; verses that flowed through the streets of the old capital along the Nahar-e-Bahisht, through the Chandni Chowk; verses that incisively reasoned the emotional and intellectual content, the wherewithal of the living process.

Then there were the kalaams of Bahadur Shah Zafar, poet and 17th Mughal Emperor, who, on conclusion of 324 years of imperial rule, was arrested by a British captain, even as he sought shelter in the tomb of Emperor Humayun, his ancestor. And as the Emperor of Hindustan, now a prisoner of the British was marched through the streets of Delhi, a cry from his subjects rent the air: ‘Bujh Gaya Hai Chiragh-i-Dilli….’ (The light of Delhi has been extinguished). And the Empire of Hindustan reduced itself to a prison cell in Rangoon.

Siri Fort.

Humayun’s Tomb The tomb of Humayun is built on palatial proportions.

Deriving from magnificent Persian architectural styles, for the first time we witness the concept of the double dome in India. This truly imperial structure, prototype of the Taj Mahal, stands in the midst of a char-bagh and is a powerful reminder of Imperial rule.

There are several historic tombs and dargahs standing tall amidst the ruined cities of Delhi. The sacred dargah of Hazrat Bakhtiyar Kaki located in Mehrauli is a place of worship visited by millions of pilgrims from across the world. And to the North, the dargah of the great master Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya reverberates to sufiana kalaam throughout the year. To the South of the Qutub Minar stands the tomb of two great Sufi saints — Jamali and Kamali, which was built in 1568. The ceiling of the Jamali Kamali tomb is so finely conceived with delicate vines and traditional floral designs from Iran and Turkey that only the Urdu word baariki can describe such perfection of beauty. Inside the tomb and behind its blue tiled plaster are inscribed the names of Allah the Almighty and also some verses from the poet himself. The poet says: ‘Oh Jamali, resort for protection to the door of the friend, for our refuge is the door of the beloved.’

Lodhi Gardens The present New Delhi zone houses the tombs of the prime minister of the later Mughals: Safdarjung, Emperor Humayun as well as the marvellous Lodhi Gardens where flocks of

birds are witnessed every evening returning to their nests at sunset.

Old Delhi can be best described in three compartments — its monuments, its food and its music. Qutub Minar and the Jamali Kamali area of Mehrauli apart, it is the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid across from the royal palaces in the fort, that fascinate the visitors. At the entrance of the vast fort was the Naqqar Khana where drummers and the Imperial band played at marked times of the day. The Diwan-e-Khas was where the famed Peacock Throne sat till Nadir Shah plundered Dilli and took the throne with him as booty. In 1911 King George held a durbar here.

In the private area there were hamaams, a mosque, the Rang Mahal and the royal harem.

The Nahar-e-Bahisht flowed through the Charbagh — the royal gardens called the Hayat Baksh. There was an evening garden as well, the Mehtab Bagh (moonlight garden), where only flowers that blossomed at night spread their heady fragrance till dawn. The Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India was built by Shah Jahan in the late 17th century, and is known as the Shahi Masjid or the imperial mosque.

When the British began to layer their buildings on the remains of the Imperial city the great Sis Ganj Sahib Gurudwara, the Sunehri Masjid and the St James Church

“

“

The ceiling of the Jamali Kamali tomb is so finely conceived with delicate vines and traditional floral designs from Iran and Turkey that only the Urdu word baariki can describe such perfection of beauty.

Humayun’s Tomb.

stood in harmony along the ‘moonlit’ street. Close by is the Sis Ganj Gurdwara where Emperor Aurangazeb beheaded Guru Tegh Bahadur in November 1675 for refusing to convert to Islam.

Karim’s delicacies A century ago the royal cooks from the Red Fort established the renowned ‘Karim’s’ restaurant in a galli off the Jama Masjid and at the time of Partition, the Moti Mahal restaurant was set up and became famous in Delhi for its North West Frontier tandoori food.

The Dilli gharana of classical music with its legendary exponents Ustad Chand Khan, Nasir Ahmed Khan, Nathu Khan and Krishna Bisht, set standards of excellence in the country. And in later years the Mallika-e-Ghazal, Begum Akhtar, and Siddeshwari Devi enriched Delhi with their inimitably resonant music.

New Delhi, the British Capital, was founded in 1911 as the jewel in the crown of the Empire. In architectural terms, the Viceregal House, now the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the GoI Secretariat of red sandstone and marble incorporate, the Buddhist stupa, the Rajasthani jharokas, Afghan and Persian designs as well as the finest Arabic calligraphy.

Intricate fenestrations and friezes, as indeed the bell and lotus pattern with the elephant insignia of earlier civilisations, are a tremendous achievement; indeed a bouquet to man’s ability to assemble the different perfumes of this world into a single garden.

And hence the lament of Bahadur Shah Zafar, who perished in Rangoon recalling his love and longing for Delhi: Lagta nahin hai Ji mera ujde dayar mein, Kiski bani hai aalam-e-napaidar mein. (I am incarcerated in a desolate wasteland; Who can survive in such an illusory world.)

(The writer is a retired IAS officer and author of the book: And What Remains in the End: The Memoirs of an Unrepentant Civil Servant).

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 43

School quality matters

by Jaishree

“H

Independence Day celebration with the school children.

ow would a school in dilapidated state interest children?” asked Rtn Amit Chauhan when interviewed about the transformation his club, RC Bhuj Wall City, D 3060, brought to Ganesh Nagar Panchayat School at Bhuj.

The town saw major destruction after the earthquake that shook it in 2001 and this school was also not spared. Cracked walls, broken doors, windows and blackboards were few of the evidences of the calamity. Basic amenities such as water and toilets were also absent here, and make-shift classrooms accommodated students

44 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

(whatever few who attended the school).

“For total literacy to happen children should feel enthusiastic to go to school and schools should be equipped sufficiently to attract children. Without child-centric and child-friendly learning environment, there is no use lamenting about the drop-out rates,” says Chauhan emphatically.

And today the pride in his team’s work in transforming the school to this extent is evident in his talk. “But lot more needs to be done and our club would certainly make it happen,” he says with confidence.

Rotary Club of Bhuj Wall City, D 3060, installed a library and equipped it with 650 books and cupboards at the

school this year. The Rotarians gifted uniforms, sweaters, school bags and stationery kits to the students. They set up a games department and equipped it with carom boards, chess boards, badminton, cricket and volley ball kits which would go a long way in promoting love for sports among the young children. It has been the most frequented area of the school now.

The school has been adopted by the club since the past three years and minor renovations and infrastructure additions are being carried out in phases by the Rotarians. They have provided furniture, blackboards and toilet blocks earlier and have also renovated class rooms that had suffered the earthquake.

DG Jagdish Patel distributed shoes and socks sets to the children during his recent visit, and assured further assistance from the District Grant.

The school is situated in Ganesh Nagar, a cash-strapped community of 1,200 people earning their livelihood as hawkers, daily wage labourers and the women as housemaids. But they are particular about providing proper education for their children. The improved facilities have increased the school strength by 20 students this academic year from 189.

“My child insisted that he wanted to go to Ganesh Nagar school this year on hearing his friends talk about the sports facilities and the stories that they narrate from the books that they have read in the school library,” said a parent of one of the new admissions.

Taking into consideration the healthy well-being of the children, the club organises eye check-up camps and general medical camps annually, and provide spectacles and medicines for the needy children. Menstrual hygiene

education and other relevant seminars are organised for adolescent students.

The recent medical camp revealed a cardiac disorder (septal defect) in a child which had not been noticed by the parents. Rtn Dr Monil, a paediatrician, referred her to Gadani Hospital, Ahmedabad, for further treatment. The Rotarians are helping the family with

the paper work to avail the government policy scheme for her treatment.

The Rotarians also visit the school periodically and supervise the activities of the school such as the mid-day meals etc. They also spend their special occasions with the school children.

“They are like part of our family,” says Chauhan.

Enhancing school experience

A

Team Rotary News

ccess to clean drinking water and clean toilets in schools inspire optimism in children to attend classes regularly and help them achieve their educational goals. And these basic amenities are central to ensuring the rights of children.

Amrutha Dhara, the District project of D 3211 launched in the Rotary year 2013-14, aimed to provide clean and safe water facilities to students in educational institutions by installing water purifiers. The District team had installed water purifiers in schools in Sri Lanka and Gambia in West Africa too. The scheme has provided drinking water facilities to more than 1.5 lakh children in approximately 525 schools across the District at a cost estimate of Rs 1 crore and still continues.

The water facilities and toilet blocks constructed in schools in Mundancavu, a village near Chengannur, Kerala is an extension of Amrutha Dhara being continued by RC Chengannur.

The Rotarians had provided water filters in five schools, covering over 2,700 children and one of the schools were provided with a toilet block — separate ones for boys and girls. Three Rotarians — Jacob Philip, Renjith Verghese and Thomas Alexander made this happen through their generous monetary contributions.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 45

)URP D DISASTER ZONE

by Rasheeda Bhagat On a reconnaissance trip to Nepal, PRIP Kalyan Banerjee gets yet another taste of seismic waves and heaving earth.

jolted by another quake. This time the intensity was less at 7.3 on the Richter’s scale. “It was probably around 1.30 pm and I was in my hotel having lunch with PDG Basu Dev Golyan and DG Rabindra Kumar Piya (D 3292), when the tremors came and all of a sudden everybody started shouting and running. PDG Basu caught hold of my arm and made me run to the nearby open space. For a moment I didn’t realise what was happening, but then soon felt the tremors myself, and we ran to the adjoining open lawn.”

Surprisingly, he adds, there was bright sunshine and blue sky. “Everyone had rushed out by then, including the workers and guests in the hotel. We waited there for almost three hours as the tremors kept coming on and off till they finally subsided.”

So was he really scared?

Been there…

“Frankly … for me … the answer is no.

I have seen too many earthquakes in my life. In Latur and then in Kutch which I reached within 24 hours. So personally no … I wasn’t worried that anything would happen to me.” Except that night, since his room was on the third floor of his hotel — Yak and Yeti — “I asked for From left: DGE Keshav Kunwar, Mr Krishna Lama, a room on the ground floor so that in case DG Rabindra Kumar Piya, PRIP Kalyan Banerjee. there were fresh tremors again that night, I could jump out of the window into the t would be terrifying for anyone to be caught in a scenario garden, if worse came to worse,” says Banerjee. where the earth around you is heaving through a series of In the morning, accompanied by DG Rabindra Kumar tremors and shocks that measure up to a dangerous 7.3 on Piya, he went to the Earthquake office Nepal Rotarians the Richter’s scale. Past RI President Kalyan Banerjee was have opened and had a discussion with DGN Jaya Rajya in the midst of such a situation when he went to Kathmandu on May 12 to take stock of the havoc caused by the deadly earthquake that devastated Nepal on April 25, and see how Rotary India could help.

The first quake, the worst in Nepal’s history after the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake, killed 8,000 and injured around 19,000 people. That earthquake would also be remembered for the avalanche it triggered on Mount Everest, killing 19 mountaineers. As after any major natural disaster, Rotary swung into action, organising immediate relief, appealing to Rotarians to open their hearts and purses and putting in place systems and channels to collect funds for long-term rehabilitation.

Even as Banerjee was on a trip to Nepal, planning to visit the areas near the epicentre in the Gorkha district, Nepal was

I

46 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

“

“

Everybody started shouting and running.

PDG Basu caught hold of my arm and made me run to the nearby open space.

Laxmi Shah and DGND Sanjay Giri, who is receiving relief material — blankets, shelter kits, sent by army truck from Kolkata through PRID Shekhar Mehta and PDG Kamal Sanghvi. This was delivered to South Nepal, from where the Nepal Rotarians had to transport the material at their own cost.

“As this is proving costly, they wanted the transport cost to be borne by the donors.

They don’t want any more blankets and shelter kits — some are lying unused — nor medicines and food packets,” said Banerjee.

Once the tremors of the new earthquake had stopped, in the evening he went around Kathmandu for 90 minutes. “I saw that all shops were closed, some old homes had collapsed totally, some new RCC multi-storey buildings had developed huge cracks and some were not livable. Men, women and children were sleeping in open places covering themselves with a tarpaulin on top as a roof.” He found people living in tents in parks with temporary toilets and no lights. These tents had

“

“

Our job is rehabilitation and reconstruction. We’re neither good nor equipped to carry out rescue work.

Disaster management is not our job.

Shyampati, Kavre.

Thanapati village, Nuwakot.

come from China, Canada, Australia and other countries.

Very few people liked to stay indoors. “The DG, DGE and others were all sleeping at nights not in their homes but cars.

The people are totally shaken, uncertain and wondering if they should continue to stay in Kathmandu at all,” he added.

Banerjee said the homes of many Rotarians had been affected and while one Rotarian was killed in this catastrophe, two others had lost their wives.

Meet with Government officials While his original plans had to be cancelled due to the fresh earthquake, in the evening Prof Govind Raj Pokharel, Vice Chair, National Planning Commission, met Banerjee at the hotel “as his own office had been damaged by the afternoon tremors and his people had run home.” He has been put in charge of relief and rehabilitation by Prime Minister Koirala.

His prime need was to prepare for the rains, expected by end of May. “We agreed to send them galvanised iron sheets they need to build temporary shelters. Around August, when the rains stop, we can make permanent low cost homes.”

Explaining to him Rotary’s experience, Banerjee showed a design for low cost shelters which Rotary could build for which Government land would be required. “He was appreciative of Rotary but told us that others were on the job too.”

As for the immediate need for GI sheets, these can be sent from India but the transport costs are very high. There are three makers of these sheets in Nepal. “Indian Rotarians should note that they can pay for these sheets made in Nepal and needing low transport costs with INR or through their credit cards. They can also send corrugated tin sheets from India, paying for the transport themselves,” said Banerjee.

It was also decided to build around 10 low cost shelters at a neutral ground (like a University) for demonstration purpose.

A helicopter survey The next morning the district hired a helicopter and along with PDG Basu, DG Rabindra and DGE Keshav he first JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 47

visited a village where shelter boxes had reached and formally handed them over to the village Chief. The Police Chief there is a Rotarian. “We then went round different villages in a 75-mile radius in the copter to witness the severe devastation and existing miserable conditions. Maximum help will be required to rebuild Nepal. I offered to share the cost of the helicopter travel and they were happy with the offer.”

Drawings, reconstruction of Bhuj homes and photos of work done after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake were shown. “They came up with a design to build bamboo-based homes, using bamboo matting for walls, PRIP Kalyan Banerjee with DGE Keshav Kunwar in the helicopter. covered with cement, mud plaster, with slate or corrugated sheet roofs. I suggested they consider building cement block based, RCC structured homes on Government donated land, built in be able to deal with it, go out into the garden or some open clusters and including a school. They’ve promised to think space if there were fresh tremors.” But the hotel has develabout it,” Banerjee added. oped several cracks as many other modern multi-storied buildings that were spared earlier. Those already with cracks Future course of action have been further damaged by the May 12 tremors.

The future course of action will revolve around low cost shelters, with the numbers being determined by the money Lessons, old and new available. Those who want to repair their old homes should So what lessons learnt by Rotary India from Latur and Kutch do so on their own, with perhaps Rotary supplying raw matecan be applied in helping the people of Nepal? rials. Banerjee has also suggested building 3-storey apartment “What we’ve learnt is that our job is rehabilitation and structures on RCC base with the occupants having ownership. reconstruction. We can’t really carry out rescue operations That night as he slept in the hotel, there were several because we are neither very good nor equipped for it. Actutremors but smaller ones. ally disaster management is not our job. After a natural disasWas he able to sleep at all? ter we can send relief which many Rotarians from India have “Yes, in between the shocks, I could. For some reason done. But here too we are not very good or well organised to do this well.”

I was not feeling very worried or frightened, perhaps because But when it comes to long term measures such as rehaI have experienced earthquakes before. And I felt I would bilitation and finally reconstruction of houses, Rotary excels, Banerjee added.

But the need of the moment in Nepal, he added, is to Nepal Rotarians have help them make corrugated shelters to tide over the monsoon rains. opened an account for This is managed by DGE Keshav. “I’ve told them that they need to hire accountant, accounts clerk, and a reputed auditor, which is being done. Some clubs have also opened accounts. Money can be received in the accounts in dollars and other currencies but not Indian rupees,” said PRIP Name of the Bank : NMB Bank Ltd, Nepal Kalyan Banerjee.

Account Holder : RI District 3292 Disaster He has contacted TRF GM John Osterlund at Evanston explaining the situation and asked for guidance on how TRF Relief Fund can help Nepal. “Ahmed, the finance man at the RI HeadSwift Code : NMBBNPKA quarters has informed me that State Bank of India can accept INR donations and send it to the State Bank in Nepal if it is Account Number : 00100005455A for Earthquake Relief. I am getting further details and clarity on this and will inform the clubs,” he added.

Earthquake Relief

48 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Reflecting on this year’s goals and beyond Each month, I have tried to highlight various priorities of our organisation’s largest charity, The Rotary Foundation. They were my own thoughts, but I hope you found them helpful.

Our principal goal is the eradication of polio. Some of you may ask why we are still pursuing this when many of your countries haven’t had a new case of polio for years. It is important to remember that we gave our word to eradicate polio, but we have not yet done so. We must continue until we finish the job — until all the children of the world are free from this dreaded disease.

It is surely the wish in all our hearts that there is peace in our world. Our Foundation is endeavouring to advance this wish with the establishment of Rotary Peace Centres in various parts of the world — a pertinent programme in these troubled times.

Our Annual Fund goal of US $123 million is still achievable if our giving continues at the same generous level.

Every Rotarian should give to the Foundation, each according to his or her means.

In my final message, I would like to express my thanks to those dedicated Rotarians who have supported our Foundation during the year simply by doing good in the world. I am always conscious that Rotary is a volunteer organisation.

The important work of our organisation is undertaken by the Rotarians who are helping those less fortunate in their own communities, and in communities throughout the world that they may never even see.

I have always deemed it an honour to have been president and trustee chair.

Thank you for giving me that privilege.

Remember, the future of Rotary is in your hands.

John Kenny Foundation Trustee Chair

Membership in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives As on May 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

166 101 134 69 91 95 65 68 52 85 115 78 75 87 106 67 137 75 144 91 65 125 138 96 129 115 130 85 74 136 77 94 75 78 75 95 162 113 149 88 4,000

7,179 4,618 5,628 3,384 4,994 2,176 2,527 3,610 2,016 3,783 3,260 3,240 2,018 2,064 3,487 2,707 5,437 3,378 7,543 3,396 2,382 5,115 5,811 4,045 4,932 4,519 4,264 3,465 2,130 6,237 2,792 3,570 2,481 2,817 1,190 1,859 4,953 3,164 3,962 2,969 1,49,102

319 349 624 176 566 280 192 557 180 347 273 167 67 104 201 239 879 271 1,018 267 106 270 250 322 263 213 261 159 262 616 293 533 249 297 152 356 626 253 608 350 13,515

74 148 64 38 49 29 38 28 13 36 49 41 23 10 43 30 54 43 105 70 8 28 39 53 69 67 9 16 68 134 43 38 14 32 35 18 187 110 45 93 2,091

298 303 190 225 186 87 121 129 30 96 129 154 33 84 46 48 182 103 343 162 37 259 363 117 91 360 64 144 185 378 122 157 97 61 14 35 70 20 98 91 5,712

RCC

201 75 81 262 127 133 330 123 89 105 58 98 122 146 60 48 68 74 140 109 80 155 144 41 45 39 116 118 93 294 122 165 41 68 13 33 176 38 530 89 4,849

Source: RI South Asia Office

OP’s life in ink Team Rotary News

L to R: Ramesh Menon, Manju Vaish, Justice Leila Seth, PRID Sudarshan Agarwal, PRIP Rajendra K Saboo and Sudhir Malhotra.

T

he Journey of OP Vaish — Celebrating Life with Gratitude, a biography of the late PRID OP Vaish was released on April 29 at Teen Murti House (erstwhile residence of first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru), New Delhi. The book was launched by Justice Leila Seth, the first woman Chief Justice of a High Court in India.

The biography, written by Ramesh Menon, a renowned journalist, has been published by Orient Publishing, New Delhi, under the supervision of its Director Sudhir Malhotra, who hails from a family of Rotarians.

‘OP’ to friends, clients and admirers, PRID Vaish, an advocate by profession, was a member of RC Delhi Midtown. He served as TRF Trustee (1991–94) and RI Director (1999–2001), and had chaired the INPPC, Rotary Awards for Service to 50 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Humanity (India) Trust and the Rotary Blood Bank in Delhi. He was recognised with ‘Lawyer of Conscience’ award by the Soka University, Japan.

In her welcome address, Mrs Manju Vaish revealed how OP had been struggling to pen down his memoirs since long, but sadly, the autobiography couldn’t see light of the day during his lifetime. She was overwhelmed with the presence of a large number of OP’s friends at the launch of his biography.

PRIP Rajendra K Saboo, emotionally recalled his long association with OP, stretching over four decades. To him OP was not a mere Rotarian colleague or a friend or a business mentor — he was far beyond any possible description in human relationship.

While introducing the Chief Guest Justice Seth, PRID Sudarshan Agarwal, recalled his closeness and affection for OP. He added that he was an inspiration

for all, and excelled in every field in terms of professionalism, culture, social or any humanitarian cause!

Ramesh Menon, the author, vividly remembered his first tête-à-tête with OP, which unfortunately turned to be the last one too! His deliberations with OP left an indelible mark on his mind.

Alongside, his interactions with the Vaish family, spanning over a year or so, has been fruitful and memorable — a never-before experience! Sudhir Malhotra fondly recalled OP for whom he had a lot of admiration. Vinay Vaish, OP’s son, eloquently and efficiently conducted the proceedings of the event.

The auditorium was overflowing with guests drawn from various segments — social and professional, Rotary, bureaucracy and politics.

Priced at Rs 295, the biography’s sale proceeds will go to The Rotary Foundation.

Big club in a small town

by Kiran Zehra

R

ecently there was a swine flu outbreak in Mandvi. Dr Alpa Gandhi and Dr Deepali, two young Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Mandvi approached the Club President Hasan Bhai Rayma to allow them to conduct a swine flu vaccination drive for the whole town. “We weren’t sure if they would agree, because this was a huge task,” says Deepali. “But the idea was welcomed by all and everybody came forward to help us,” adds Alpa. That was the time they decided to “stay in Rotary, because senior Rotarians

without electricity. Later it operated from Bhatia Hospital,” says Rayma.

The 2001 earthquake brought it down to rubble. “Then we acquired the land from the local society at Vivekananda Nagar. The Gujarat Earthquake Rebuild Trust allocated Rs 15 lakh towards the construction and the remaining contribution came from Rotarians and fund raising programmes.” he adds.

“We decided to build a community centre that would help the people in various ways,” says Rtn Vinay Toprani.

decided to give us a chance and treated us with respect and importance.” Close to 5,000 people were given the oral dosage.

This was done at Dharamsinh Nenshi Rotary Community Centre at Swami Vivekananda Nagar at this sea-side town in Kutch. At first it looks like a park, children playing on the see-saw and swings, while their mothers patiently stand in line to get them vaccinated.

Thirty years ago this community centre “was just a small room,

Venue for the weekly Rotary meeting, this centre also houses the C J Mehta Vaccination Centre. Lakshmiben Hansaraj Latwala Rotary Udhyan, a garden and play area has been set up outside the centre. “Apart from being a recreation and vaccination centre it is now used as a marriage hall by many poor families,” he adds.

Haresh Bhai Trivedi is distracting the attention of a child as he injects the vaccine. “Jhumki bahadur bachchi hai, royi nahi,” he compliments the child and hands her a candy. Trivedi

has been vaccinating children at the Government Hospital for 15 years and he does not want to retire. “I get satisfaction from this work; no child should ever suffer from polio,” says the 64 year old man.

Jhumki’s mother says, “Bahar bohot mehenga hai; yahan sirf 10 rupya hai (outside it is very expensive, here it’s only Rs 10).” What started as a polio immunisation centre today has almost all the vaccinations available at Rs 10. “Close to 200 children are vaccinated here every month,” adds Ganatra. Shanthi, a Government polio worker is happy. She is one among the 150 polio workers to have been felicitated by the club for her work.

Post the earthquake the local municipality handed over 1,000 sq ft land at the entrance of the town to Rotary Mandvi which the club transformed into a recreation park.

The Rotary Udyan overlooks “the London Bridge of Mandvi,” smiles a visitor referring to the Rukmavati River Bridge that connects Mandvi to Mundra. “And when there is a high tide the scenic view is marvellous from here,” she adds.

“This is a small town and keeping Rotary alive is very important. People have to see and feel to believe. So whether it is the vaccination centre or a garden or a toilet, we maintain them properly,” says Rtn Jyanti Bhai Shah, a charter member.

Rtn Dharshana Deerajlal Shah says, “Rotary in Mandvi is a family; we work together and respect each other. That is how things grow and flourish.” PDG Harshad Udeshi has been constantly encouraging the club to increase the number of young Rotarians and woman Rotarians “to strike a balance. We want it to become a big club in a small town.

We don’t want the ‘chhota’ club tag.”

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 51

Rotary India reaches out

to help Nepal Team Rotary News

“It

was one of the most soul-searching and heartrending moments in my life. It was during this visit that I learnt what it is not to have anything. The land of the Gods and the Nepalis also taught me how to smile in adversity.”

This is how PDG Kamal Sanghvi, Founder Trustee, Rotary India Humanity Foundation (RIHF), summed up his three-day visit to the earthquake-devastated Himalayan nation of Nepal in the last week of May. Sanghvi, who surveyed the relief work being done by the Nepal Rotarians, patted them for their “perfect coordination with the Nepal armed police; the shelter kits went to beneficiaries who needed them the most.”

In his expression of thanks for the generous contributions and help, including the physical presence first of PRIP Kalyan Banerjee and Sanghvi. DGE Keshav Kunwar,

52 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

D 3292, Nepal and Bhutan, was overwhelmed with the kind of support and help coming their way from India.

Banerjee had visited Nepal for two days, held discussions with government officials, and did a helicopter survey of the extent of devastation caused by the earthquake to get an idea of the kind of help Rotary India could extend in rebuilding efforts.

Thanking the two leaders, Kunwar said their visits had added “a lot of energy and enthusiasm” in the local Rotarians’ engagement in the relief and rehabilitation efforts.

“I am confident that we’ll now have better defined directions on how to move forward.”

Advising them to concentrate their relief activities in the “hills, where no one is going including the government officials,” he came directly to the brass tacks. “Let’s now embark on a new journey of building 250 temporary

“

Nepal taught me how to smile in adversity.

“

PDG Kamal Sanghvi

PDG Kamal Sanghvi (right) with DGE Keshav Kunwar.

shelters in the first phase. As pledged to you, we will send 70 per cent of the cost from India as soon as your design, location and contractor are finalised.”

Sanghvi urged Nepal’s Rotarians engaged in the relief work to remember that “time is short and need is immense, so speed and coordination are the name of the game. Remember monsoon is a stone’s throw away and then the hills will become inaccessible.” He asked them to form three committees; to finalise the design, identify the contractor and procurement, and the third to liaison with the government.

Responding to the expression of gratitude he said: “I will be there whenever you need me. And I would love to be there when construction of the temporary shelters begin.”

Indian Rotarians have extended their arms and hearts to help the earthquake victims of Nepal. Almost every District had allocated a bank account into which contributions are pouring in to help in rebuilding and rehabilitation.

PRID Sudarshan Agarwal has contributed Rs 1 lakh, and announced the adoption of two orphan girls from Nepal for free education at the top notch Him Jyoti School he has established in Dehradun. “I plan to raise Rs 40 lakh to construct two school buildings and a dispensary in some remote areas of Nepal,” he said.

D 3190 has transferred Rs10 lakh to the Rotary India Humanity Foundation (RIHF) with a request to send 100 Shelter Kits to Nepal, and along with Menda Foundation, a charity organisation, contributed Rs 14.4 lakh for the purchase of 1,200 solar lamps for Nepal. These were shipped to Rotary clubs in Kathmandu through RIHF. DG Manjunath Shetty has expressed his District’s interest to partner in the rehabilitation activities such as building schools in the country.

Huge consignments of groceries, medicines and new clothes and blankets worth Rs 12 lakh were donated by members of RC Bhartiagram, D 3100, and Inner Wheel Club of Bhartiagram. Rotarians from District 3240 sent medicines costing Rs 50,000 to help the wounded and transported 100 Shelter Kits to RIHF to be shipped to Nepal.

RC Madras Next Gen, D 3230, and Inner Wheel Club of Madras Next Gen, have raised funds through a novel Charity Bake Sale with support from several home bakers, bakeries and star hotels supplying freshly baked cakes, cookies and other delectable items. The amount collected went to aid the earthquake victims.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 53

Amazing ANNETTES

by Jaishree The distinctive Annettes Council of D 3230 ensures an enriching Rotary experience for the children of Rotarians.

Launching rockets at Euro Space Centre.

T

rue to the words, ‘sowing the seeds for a brighter tomorrow,’ District 3230 under the leadership of DG ISAK Nazar, has formed a unique Annettes Council for the children of Rotarians. Annettes Clubs have been installed by majority of the District’s Rotary clubs and the young members, guided by the Club Chair Mythili Muralidharan, have come out with various innovative activities.

The core group comprising the District Annettes Council with 36 members took office on July 1, 2014 with Bharathi Muthuraman, daughter of Rtn S Muthuraman of RC Madras North, as the District Annettes’ Representative (DAR). The other office bearers include Ahilan Tamilselvan as Charter Secretary and Srivatchala Muthusamy as Charter Treasurer. “We have even introduced a special RI approved Annettes Council logo.

Our Annettes Club presidents get to wear 54 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Volunteering at a Rotary Club project.

collars just like Rotary Club presidents and we also have special Annette pins for the members,” said Mythili.

“Rotary leaders give importance to injecting fresh blood into Rotary and bring in the Gen X youngsters. It is high time we involve our Annettes in Rotary, so that Rotary and the family are never in competition for a Rotarian’s time,” she said.

Commenting on this endeavour, Nazar said, “When you welcome your children to Rotary they will grow up seeing you involved in community service, and will also be motivated to serve humanity. This involvement will instill in them love for Rotary and encourage them to be effective Rotarians when they grow up.”

“Annettes Council in the District … truly brought in lot of vibration and will stay as one of the best initiatives for years to come,” he commented on Facebook.

A visit to the Atomium at Brugges.

Projects The Annettes team has been zealously participating in various programmes such as RYLA, rallies to create public awareness on social issues, helping Rotarians in conducting health camps and NIDs, and environment preservation efforts such as sapling plantation and beach cleaning. The clubs have a structured ‘Monthly Report Form’ to keep track of their activities and follow-up action to meet long-term goals. They will meet every month to discuss the plan of action. ‘Rotary young star awards’ are given to outstanding Annettes every month for their achievements in various fields like sports, arts, academics etc.

Selfie time.

Spreading the word Taking this forward, the club members visited Sri Lanka and helped form Annettes Clubs of Anuradhapura and Kiliapitiya in D 3220. The team sponsored hearing aids for the hearing impaired children and also provided monetary support for other welfare projects in the island country.

When you welcome your children to Rotary they will grow up seeing you involved in community service, and will also be motivated to serve humanity.

Annettes Council office bearers being installed in the presence of RIPE K R Ravindran, RID P T Prabhakar and DG ISAK Nazar.

The District Annettes also had refreshing learning experiences as they attended a training programme at the Euro Space Centre in Belgium, visited a local newspaper office, fire station and the US Embassy where they learnt about various options for further studies.

Splash, the Annettes District Conference held at Chennai in December 2014, was a huge hit, “with a splash of colours, vibrancy and enthusiasm, and inspired by the joie de vivre of our Annettes clubs, other Districts have also expressed interest to emulate it among their clubs,” said Mythili.

The enthusiasm is infectious and DAR Bharathi and her team thanks “Nazar uncle and Mythili aunty” for providing such an opportunity for them.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 55

An advertising monstrosity called

Indian cricket

by TCA Srinivasa-Raghavan

Today, lovers of the game are being bombarded with non-stop cricket of mostly substandard quality, and ads interspersed with the odd bit of bowling and batting.

I

used to love cricket. Still do, in fact. But now it is like a relationship with a divorced wife of long standing.

A certain formality has crept in, a combination of regret, nostalgia and genuine thankfulness that you are no longer obsessed.

Cricket used to be a game of grace, patience and intense sporting competitiveness. And then they took all that was good and beat it to death with a bludgeon of cold, hard cash. As with any business looking to make a profit, what used to be fun soon devolved into a mind-numbing barrage of mediocrity and advertisements.

Is it any wonder that I no longer live and breathe cricket?

It started with Test cricket, that holy grail of the sport. It took genuine love of the game to follow the swinging dynamics of targets chased down, and then set again over a period of five days.

But even the most ardent fan now finds it hard to muster up the will to go through even one day of ads interspersed with the odd bit of bowling and batting. In the face of

56 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

the growing commercialisation of the sport, it is no surprise that the long version has been comprehensively sidelined.

One-day cricket, for long the more exciting and fast-paced version of the sport, took this concept and ran

with it. Every over completed and wicket taken is celebrated, not with players rejoicing, but advertisers blaring their messages at you with greedy glee. After all, audiences will obviously prefer to hear about the newest smartphone or cold drink flavour rather than be privy to the interover discussions between the captain and his bowler. It is maybe only a matter of time before the cricketing powers decided to do away with the sport entirely and just play advertisements for the entire duration.

Towards that worthy endeavour, T20 cricket and its devilish baby, the IPL, was born. The plan to shorten the game was perhaps a good one — nobody really has the time to even watch an entire one-day match any more. But, chagrined by the truncated window in which to brainwash viewers, advertisers resorted to every cheap trick in the book. And boy, can they get cheap!

A day will soon arrive when people will genuinely term a worthy achievement in their lives a ‘Citi moment of success,’ or associate a

“

Why a sport with packed

stadiums and screaming fans needs scantily clad women

“

stellar performance with a ‘Yes Bank maximum.’ And there are only so many times one can hear a Samsung advertisement screaming ‘I’m alive!’ before actually wishing one wasn’t.

But that’s just the advertising monstrosity cricket has become.

We are yet to come to the absolute dilution of the quality of the game.

Gone are the days when a batsman lasting out a day’s worth of bowling and scoring only 22 runs was lauded.

No, now we want such a batsman to score 22 in four balls and still be disappointed he didn’t score 24. Why not just get Pavarotti to sing Britney Spears songs while we’re at it?

But sexiness sells, and that’s all cricket is about any more. So now we are graced by that single-most important American contribution to cricket — cheerleading. Why a sport with packed stadiums and screaming fans needs scantily clad women to encourage applause is anyone’s guess, but there you have it. Young European and American girls make the long trip to India just to dance every time a four or a six is hit, or

to encourage applause is anyone’s guess. every time a wicket is taken. As it turns out, they dance a lot, the poor things.

That’s not because the quality of the cricket is stellar — just the opposite, in fact. Cricket has become a batsman’s sport with pitch curators, rule-makers and umpires conspiring to squeeze as many boundary shots as they can from each delivery. It is little better than slogging at a bowling machine in the nets. And wickets are rarely a product of good bowling or crafty field placement.

More often than not, they are a result of a poor shot because the batsman was hell-bent on slogging at every delivery.

It is ironic that the one area India has near-absolute global control is the one area even Indians wish we didn’t.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) makes full use of the billion-strong fan base it caters to, working the Indian cricket team for every ounce they can muster, bombarding the viewers with non-stop cricket of mostly substandard quality, while at the same time strong-arming the other national cricket boards into acquiescence.

This is not the sport I once loved.

This is not even sport. This is a travesty disguised as evolution.

Designed by L Gunasekaran JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 57

Serving the people of Agra Team Rotary News

I

t is known as the Taj of the district; D 3110. The oldest Club of the district, RC Agra now 76, is one among the 20 oldest clubs in India; it was sponsored by RC Lucknow. It has sponsored 12 other Rotary clubs in the region.

The club, which started with 16 members today, has a membership of 93. Senior most member PDG P N Agarwal, who will be completing 60 years of Rotary service this September, says, “86 years old and 60 years of service, there aren’t many Rotarians like me ... are they?” The Club has 32 Paul Harris Fellows, says Rtn Jagjit Singh.

Projects Distribution of education kits, uniform, lunch kits, blankets, sewing machines, providing furniture to schools are few regular service activities of the club.

“We have also constructed classrooms, installed hand pumps, built toilets and conducted polio corrective surgeries, blood donation and cataract

surgery camps, ” said Club President Digamber Singh. But the project close to their heart is Apna Ghar — home for destitute women and children in Bharatpur. “Under ‘Rotary ki chatra chaya,’ three rooms with 20 beds in each were constructed. Sometimes it’s a birthday celebration or an anniversary, Rotarians keep coming and so does the food,” said Dr Bharadwaj, supervisor at Apna Ghar. Motilal, an inmate, “feels at home. They gave us blankets and food; above all they treat

Water for all

by Selvi

58 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

R

me well.” The club has contributed Rs 38 lakhs so far and “will continue to do so,” adds the President.

The club runs a leprosy home and provides inmates with musical instruments, conduct games and a literacy programme. A Leprosy Research Centre at Agra — JALMA — is also set up by the club. The Educational Trust of Rotary Club of Agra has been providing scholarships, awards and other educational material for underprivileged students.

otary Club of Tirupur East, RI District 3202, a 100 per cent PHF club since its charter, recently installed an RO plant at the railway station in Tirupur.

Tirupur is a textile hub providing employment to nearly eight lakh people; many of them commute by train from neighbouring towns and cities for work. Though there is a water facility in the railway station, there is no provision for clean drinking water. The plant installed by the club, at a cost of Rs 6,50,000, would provide clean drinking water to the passengers.

The manufacturer of the RO plant, Rtn F S Rajkumar, also a member of the club will maintain the RO plant.

Club President Rtn R Periasamy thanked DG K Sridharan Nambiar, D 3202, for sanctioning Rs 1,00,000 from District Grants for this project. The plant was dedicated to the public on March 25 by DG Nambiar and the Divisional Railway Manager Subramsu.

Team Rotary News

“

project to provide mobility for the physically challenged in the island.

A fund raiser cultural programme that also served as a Rotary Day event was organised. Club President V Sivakumar said that the ticketed event fetched Rs 9 lakh which was used to fund the project.

A specially formed organising committee with support from Rotary and Lions Clubs of Jaffna interacted with various voluntary organisations in Sri Lanka for short-listing the

These limbs were much lighter than the ones used currently.

We wanted to provide

“

T

he civil war which devastated Sri Lanka for nearly 25 years has killed thousands and disrupted the lives of others, causing grievous physical injury resulting in the loss of limbs due to land mines and bombs. Rotarians from India and Sri Lanka came forward with many welfare projects to help these people lead a near normal life.

RC Salem North, District 2980, conducted a mega artificial limbs

the latest and the best quality limbs.

beneficiaries and getting their requirements. A team of Rotarians from the club met the beneficiaries at Sri Lanka and took their measurements.

The artificial limbs were custom-made using a special fibre that would last for at least 15 years and a German steel rod. These limbs were much lighter than the ones used currently. “We wanted to provide the latest and the best quality limbs,” said Sivakumar.

The fitment camp was conducted at the Rehabilitation Centre in Vishwa Medu, near Kilinochi in April. Initially 60 people were given the mobility aid but noting the huge demand — 700 needy people — this was turned into a 5-year project.

“I will continue this project in the coming year. We also plan to adopt Vadakatchi, a village in Sri Lanka to provide vocational training centre and a library,” said DGE Vasu.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 59

Literacy Focus Rotary India Global Dream Each one, Reach one, Teach one Campaign PRID Shekhar Mehta Chairman, Rotary India Literacy Mission

A

dult Literacy continues to be the focus of Rotarians in the month of June. The project slowly gained momentum and reached out to students across the nation, to enroll themselves as volunteer-teacher, in their summer vacations with the Rotary India Global Dream campaign, where RILM has partnered with Devi Sansthan of Lucknow.

The Rotary India Global Dream campaign enables the student volunteer-teacher with a Toolkit, in their chosen language which will prepare their adult learner to be literate within 45–60 days, ready to take the government-aided NIOS examination, which certifies the non-literates as literates or a similar evaluation.

The Toolkit currently available in Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Marathi and Telugu languages has been modified and made compatible under the guidance of RILM specifically for this project, with inputs taken from the primer available with Devi Sansthan, the National and State Literacy Council, to maximise the effectiveness. The Toolkit shall be available in Kannada, Tamil, Punjabi, Urdu, Assamese and Gujarati shortly, as fine tuning of translations are almost in completion.

The campaign has made a strong foothold by reaching out to schools nationwide prior to the summer break to take up the cause of eradicating Adult Non Literacy

by educating one adult non-literate in the next two months.

The increasing number of student volunteer registration in progress would not have been possible without the Programme Coordinators appointed by DLCCs for this project. They are the catalyst and motivator for all Rotarians and Rotary clubs to take up the challenge of eradicating adult illiteracy through the Rotary India Global Dream campaign.

The appointed Programme Coordinator of this project visit schools, seek appointments with Principals, explain the cause with a presentation of the mechanism of teaching and motivate students to register as volunteers. The registered student volunteers and teacher coordinators were trained with the manual and structure of taking adult literacy classes and Toolkits were distributed.

As the Rotary India Global Dream campaign takes off, we look forward to more associations and partnerships to eradicate illiteracy from India. So, Rotarians and clubs, let’s move towards making every adult in India literate.

With nearly 60,000 student volunteers already registered from Districts 3012, 3291, 3262, 3120, 3150, 3132, 3110, 3140 and 3250 the mission of educating one lakh adults does not seem impossible anymore.

RILM has also associated with the All India Private Schools and Children Welfare Association of Patna, whose President Syed Shamael Ahmad has made a commitment of educating 1,00,000 adult non literates in Bihar and 25,000 in Jharkhand.

60 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Training of student volunteer-teachers

D 3012

D 3291

D 3120

D 3262

D 3150

PRID Shekhar Mehta’s Message “Thank you Rotarians for achieving what looked nearly impossible. In just two months we have taken this mammoth task: fine tuning the curriculum; creating the Writing & Arithmetic module; getting them translated in various languages of India; printing 60,000 books of 55 pages each and dispatching them at lightning speed to different parts of India, ensuring that they reach the students on time; training and guiding school coordinators and student volunteers.”

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 61

Clean Marina Team Rotary News

C

hennai boasts of the country’s longest natural urban beach, also the eleventh longest in the world, the Marina. Stretching 13 km along the Coromandel Coast on the Bay of Bengal, it is a major tourist attraction and the hotspot to beat the summer heat and on all festive occasions; for the fitness freaks, the promenade is just perfect, for a brisk walk or a jog. A stretch of the beach is also a major nesting ground for the endangered olive ridley sea turtles, whose eggs were unscrupulously sold in the local market by the fishermen. However, several voluntary organisations are actively involved in the conservation of the species along the coast.

Until mid-20th century, the Marina was famous for its pristine beauty and rich ecosystem. Today, with an average of 20,000 footfalls a day, the beach has become untidy with the proliferation of polythene bags, human waste and other pollutants. Eateries dot the entire stretch aggravating the issue.

Voluntary organisations are doing their bit to transform our beach to its original ambience.

Recently, Rotary Club of Nanganallur joined hands with the Korean Association in Chennai to clean the Marina beach. Under its banner, ‘We love Marina’, 200 Korean families along with the Rotarians under the leadership of District 3230 Additional Chair V S Ravindran, Club 62 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

President E Selvamurugan and the fishermen community undertook the cleanliness drive.

“Close to 20,000 people visit the beach daily, this makes cleanliness even more important,” said Ravindran.

Plastics and glass bottles were removed and the garbage was collected in biodegradable bags. “Whether it is signage, creating awareness or helping with cleanliness, Rotary believes in giving the best,” he added.

“In Korea, we clean our mind and body on our New Year and since Tamil New Year is approaching, we wanted to give something to this city. Everybody loves the Marina, so we zeroed in on this project,” said In Kook Kim, Consul at Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, Chennai.

“We’ve always wondered why nobody approached us to participate in a clean-up drive. We are happy to be included in this initiative. We hope that this will be the first of many,” said K Veeramani, President of the Gandhi Statue Beachside Hawkers Welfare Association. "We want to do something meaningful and sustainable and bring people together for a common cause, irrespective of nationality,” added Rathi Jafer, Director, InKo Centre, Chennai. Volunteers also expressed their concern over lack of awareness and insufficient facilities to dispose waste.

District Community Service Chair Ravichandran, Annets Council Chair Mythili Muralidharan and District officials of D 3230 also took part in the drive.

RI Special Representative

N

ayan Patel, a Risk Management specialist from UK with over 35 years of experience as a banker, has been appointed as RI Special Representative for Indo-British initiatives for a period of two years beginning July 1, 2015.

Currently President of Rotary Rtn Nayan Patel Club of Ruislip-Northwood from where he volunteers his time to raise funds for local, national and international humanitarian and educational projects, Patel also serves as a Special Representative for The Rotary Foundation and Rotary International. He is actively engaged on Advocacy for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) where Rotary is a spearheading Rtn. Rt n. N n.

Nayan ayaann P ay Patel aattel e

SOLUTION FOR THE LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD

partner along with WHO, UNICEF, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, all working together to help achieve a polio-free world.

In this role, Patel is expected to identify high net worth individuals and corporations engaged in CSR initiatives and with connections to both India and UK, and introduce them to RI staff as possible donors and partners for Rotary’s humanitarian work.

Born and brought up in Kenya, Patel completed his higher education in the UK at the Trinity College in London and Manchester Business School, specialising in International Banking. He has travelled extensively and has a good grasp of the Middle East and African economies.

A keen sports enthusiast, he plays golf regularly.

Sharing joy with the less fortunate Team Rotary News

C Rotary at a glance Rotarians

:

12,33,268*

Clubs

:

35,006*

Districts

:

536*

Rotaractors

:

1,80,964

Clubs

:

7,868

Interactors

:

4,14,115

Clubs

:

18,005

RCC members :

1,91,889

RCC

8,343

:

*As of May 1, 2015.

As of March 31, 2015.

hildren of Rotarians have also found a unique way of celebrating their birthdays.

Siddhi and Smruti, children of Assistant Governor, RI District 3262, have been celebrating their birthdays with the inmates of an orphanage, run by Rotarian Niranjan Mohanty in Bhubaneswar.

Siddhi, a Class 11 student at Sai International School in Bhubaneswar says, “It gives me immense pleasure when I see them smiling and that’s a birthday gift for me.” Smruti who studies in Class 5 says, “We are lucky to have parents; so on our birthdays we try to brighten their day.”

Rtn Kumar Mohanty, their father, is “happy that my children realise the spirit of bringing joy to those less fortunate.”

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 63

Appeal for Nepal Earthquake Victims

C

oming to the aid of the earthquake-hit people of Nepal, Rotary India Humanity Foundation (RIHF) has initiated to send 1,500 Shelter Kits.

Each Kit, costing Rs 5,000, consists of 52 items like tarpaulins, utensils, stove, blankets, new clothes, mosquito nets, water purifier, buckets and other necessities, all packed in a trunk, required for a distressed family. It will bring relief to our brethren of Nepal in their severe days of adversity.

Rotary Club of Calcutta Mahanagar and Eastern India Rotary Welfare Trust combined hands to support

“Thank you Rotarians for your heartfelt and prompt support.

Approximately 600 Shelter Kits have already been handed over to the affected in Nepal and the rest will be sent as and when a requisition is made.

The funds received for the same will be utilised in procuring and storing more Shelter Kits for future disasters.”

PRID Shekhar Mehta Chair – RIHF

64 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

“Funds started pouring in from the network of Rotary clubs of India for the procurement of relief materials.” this cause along with the Indian army who is providing logistics to carry these Shelter Kits to Nepal. From the network of Rotary clubs in India, funds started pouring immediately for the procurement of materials. Our aim was to reach the needy families at the earliest possible time.

Total aid sent

• • • • •

100 tents 600 Shelter Kits 1,000 tarpaulins 3,000 solar lamps 20,000 biscuit packets

In addition to Shelter Kits RIHF is also sending tents, solar lamps for the affected, along with a team of medical professionals who volunteered to help the victims.

RI District 3240 contributed generously and sponsored 100 Shelter Kits. Districts 3170, 3190, 3201 and 3291 are among the major donors supporting the victims in Nepal. Nevertheless, we thank all our donors for their assistance in standing by the homeless in Nepal.

You can also donate to :

Contribute now Foreign contributions can be sent to:

Eastern India Rotary Welfare Trust FCRA Account for International Fund Transfer : Account Name : Eastern India Rotary Welfare Trust Bank : HDFC Bank Ltd. Branch : Stephen House Branch 4, B B D Bag East, Kolkata – 700 001 Account Number : 00081000115280 MICR Code : 700240002 IFSC Code : HDFC0000008

Account Name : RI District 3292 Disaster Relief Fund Bank : NMB Bank Ltd., Nepal Account Number : 00100005455A Swift Code : NMBBNPKA Please make your contribution for Shelter Kits & Relief work to: Account Name Bank Branch

: Rotary India Humanity Foundation : State Bank of India : 145 A, Sarat Bose Road, Kolkata – 700 026 Account Number : 31317807754 IFSC Code : SBIN0006770 Cheque/DD can be sent to Rotary India Humanity Foundation, 145 A, Sarat Bose Road, Kolkata – 700 026.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 65

Great Summer Salads

by Sharmila Chand

T

ired of eating cucumber and tomato salad regularly? Here are some options for special salads to add zing to your meals.

Be sure to stock up on olive oil, lemons, cheese and pepper because that’s pretty much all you need to rustle up something fresh.

These salads are quick and easy, require minimal or no cooking, and are the perfect way to enjoy all the produce that’s in season now.

A word of caution. This summer salad collection will compete with your desire for grilled burgers and steaks. But these will keep you healthy.

Summer Fruit Quinoa Salad

By Executive Chef Gautam Chaudhry, The Grand - New Delhi.

Ingredients 100 gm quinoa 3 peaches or nectarines, or 6 apricots, diced 50 gm toasted hazelnuts, uts, roughly chopped Handful mint, roughlyy chopped Handful parsley, roughly hly chopped 2 tbsp olive oil Zest and juice of 1 lemon Method • Put the quinoa in a medium m saucepan and cover with 300 00 ml water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the quinoa is tender. Drain off any excess liquid and set aside to cool.

• Add the fruit, hazelnuts, herbs and seasoning to the cooled quinoa.

• Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice.

Pour over the salad and mix thoroughly.

66 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Macerated asparagus and ruby grapefruit salad

By Executive Chef Tanveer Kwatra, Le Meridien - Gurgaon.

Ingredients Asparagus 500 gm Smoked curd 250 gm Pommery mustard 25 ml Grapefruit segments 25 pcs Caramelised walnuts 50 gm Shaved golden banana shallots 50 gm Savarin (cow’s milk) or soft feta 50 gm Rocket leaves + baby basil 100 gm Extra Virgin olive oil 30 ml Grissini 10 pcs Smoked Curd Heavy cream 40–42% fat Yopol Lemon juice Smoking liquid Gelatin Salt

700 ml 60 gm 12 ml 2 ml 1 no

Method For smoked curd: • Soak the gelatin leaf.

• In a pan bring the cream to boil. Take it off the heat and stir in the yopol.

• Place it back on heat for 10 seconds and stir it once again.

• Now take it off the heat. Add lemon juice, salt to taste and emulsify soaked gelatin.

• Fold the mixture to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated well. w • Fill F it in a piping bag and leave it to rest for a couple of hours.

Foor asparagus: For Blanch Bl lan the asparagus in iced water to ensure they remain crunchy.

Cut the asparagus into 4 cm batons and marinate it with pommery Cu C mustard and extra virgin olive oil mu m To assemble • Pipe smoked curd on the plate and smear it with a spoon to form a circle.

• Place P the asparagus vertically on top of the curd.

• Arrange A grapefruit and shallot shavings between the asparagus aand grissini.

• Garnish with young rocket leaves and baby basil. Crumble savarin cheese and broken caramelised walnuts on top.

Points to be kept in mind • Asparagus should be blanched in ice water immediately to make it remain crunchy.

• Do not over-blend the smoked curd.

• Segments of grapefruits must not have any pits.

• Rocket leaves must be young and fresh.

Guppy House Salad

By Chef Vikram Khatri, Guppy By Ai – New Delhi.

Ingredients 2 carrots, peeled 2 radish, peeled 2 Lebanese cucumber 1 cup broccoli, cut into 1 inch florets 1 beetroot, peeled 50 gm bamboo shoots, sliced ½ cup palm heart, cut into roundels 6 asparagus, peeled and sliced into 2 inch pieces 1 tablespoon flax seeds Dressing White miso Japanese mustard Rice vinegar Salt Pepper powder Sugar Mirin Water Salad oil

3 tbsp 4 tsp 2 tbsp to taste to taste 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp ½ cup

Method For dressing Mix water and mustard. Add Mirin, sugar and rice vinegar. As the

mustard mix completely, add miso and blend well. While continuously whisking, slowly pour in the oil and let it blend in the mixture. Check and adjust the seasoning.

For salad • Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add broccoli, asparagus and bamboo shoot to it for 30 sec.

Take it out with a mesh strainer and immediately refresh it in ice water.

• Thinly slice half of the cucumber, beetroot, carrot and radish with a mandolin or peeler. Roll and shape the slices like flower petals. Slice the remaining half into juliennes.

Dip them in ice cold water to crisp them up and to hold the shape.

• Drain and pat dry all the vegetables. In a mixing bowl add all the vegetables except palm heart. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add dressing and toss well. Add palm heart and drizzle little more dressing on top.

• Arrange nicely on a salad bowl and garnish with flax seeds. Serve chilled.

Seared tuna with red radish and mixed green salad

By Chef Zhang Hao, High Ultra Lounge - Bangalore.

Piled on a bed of radish, this seared tuna salad with its juicy, chunky pieces of tuna around a medley of exotic salad is a must try this season to give your palate a taste of the simplistic yet extraordinary.

Pan seared spiced tuna with d’avignon radish and mixed lettuce leaves with lemon chilli dressing.

Preparation time: 20 min (1 portion) Ingredients Tuna 50 gm Red radish 20 gm Iceberg lettuce 100 gm Lollo rosso 20 gm Olive oil 10 gm Red chilli powder 5 gm Ginger Garlic dressing 5 gm Bonito flakes 5 gm Salt 3 gm Method Sear tuna with salt and chilli powder. Allow to keep room temperature. Mix all the greens along with the dressing. Thinly slice the seared tuna and radish.

Plating Place the radish on the plate and mix the greens in the centre. Place the tuna slices on the greens and garnish with Bonito flakes.

Lettuce, Olive and Parmesan Salad

By Shaleen Gambhir, Executive Sous Chef, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel - Noida.

This is one of my favourite summer salads recipe that retains the delectable flavours of tomato with olives and brings out the juicy deliciousness of fresh summer veggies like lettuce and capsicum, drizzled with olive oil and tangy lemon dressing.

Ingredients Iceberg lettuce 100 gm Lollo rosso lettuce 60 gm Green leafy lettuce 60 gm Red capsicum 60 gm Yellow capsicum 60 gm Olives (seedless) 50 gm Cherry tomato 50 gm Parmesan flakes 20 gm Canned artichokes 40 gm French beans 50 gm Zucchini (both) 60 gm Seasoning (salt & pepper) Dressing Extra Virgin olive oil Lemon juice Seasoning to taste

50 ml 10 ml

Preparation • Prepare capsicum by deseeding and roast with little oil and seasoning.

• Blanch Zucchini after removing excess seeds and cut into thick juliennes.

• Cut artichokes into wedges, wash with running water.

• Take out some parmesan flakes.

• Clean lettuce and toss with dressing.

• Mix in all the prepared vegetables, cherry tomato, olives and finish with parmesan flakes.

JUNE 2015 ROTARY NEWS 67

find it easier to cope with the ageing process. It is not just beauty care, but includes regular exercise, nutritious diet, adequate sleep and relaxation. Regular exercise helps to delay ageing parameters and has a beneficial effect on both body and mind. It keeps the muscles and joints flexible and prevents problems like osteoporosis and weight gain.

Along with exercise, adopt a healthy eating pattern, with an emphasis on fresh fruits, unrefined cereals, salads, sprouts, lightly cooked vegetables, yogurt and skimmed milk, clear soups, fresh fruit juices. Your diet should be low in fats, sugar and starch, but high in vitamins and minerals. This kind of diet will raise your level of fitness and also help your skin and hair.

Many women let themselves go once they are married, or have become mothers. The result is spreading outlines, dull skin and hair, and careless grooming. I think efficient time management is the answer. No matter how demanding housework is, you have to set apart some time for yourself everyday. Actually, daily skin and hair care take only a few minutes. So does daily exercise.

Look Good, Feel Better

by Shahnaz Husain Women need to take care of both their appearance and fitness; do this, and slow the ageing process.

L

ooking good makes you feel good too … and feeling good is so important. Looking one’s best certainly imparts confidence so necessary in today’s competitive world. Self-confidence, in its turn, brings respect and appreciation. In the career world too, there are so many jobs where appearance counts, such as front office jobs, careers in hotels 68 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

and tourism, public relations, television, fashion and so on. Actually, in any job, looking your best helps self-esteem and self-belief. Both are necessary ingredients for success.

Taking care of your appearance delays the visible signs of ageing, and preserves your youthful look. Women, who follow a healthy diet and lifestyle,

Take professional help Today we are fortunate to have the benefit of professional skin and hair treatments, apart from various kinds of cosmetics, which can help improve appearance and even deal with specific problems. It is never too late to start a regular skin care routine, selecting products according to the skin-type. The skin care routine should include cleansing, toning, moisturising and nourishing.

With age, the activity of the oil glands decreases and the skin becomes drier.

Daily moisturising and nourishing help to keep the skin soft, supple, moist and youthful. Pay special attention to the neck and the area around the eyes, which show age most of all. Nowadays specialised products are available for the care of particular areas such as the eyes. Avoid massaging the skin around the eyes, as it can get easily pulled and stretched. The application of outer-eye creams helps

to maintain the elasticity of the skin and prevent early wrinkles.

Take weekly facials at a good beauty salon. Professional massages, along with cleansing, toning and masks, really help to rejuvenate the skin. The skin’s ability to retain moisture improves and so does the process of cell renewal. To keep the skin looking young, efficient regeneration of new skin cells is very important.

If there is a build-up of dead cells on the outer layer, the process of cell renewal slows down. With the help of scrubs and masks, as well as professional care, the outer layer build-up can be removed, boosting the process of cell renewal.

This makes the skin clearer, finer and more translucent.

Skin-care clinics also offer treatments for problems associated with ageing skins. A common one is pigmentation, which is common during the menopausal years and can be due to hormonal imbalances. Dark spots or patches can develop on the skin.

Avoiding sun-exposure and the use of sunscreens are part of the treatment.

Intensive moisturising and revitalisation of the skin can help to improve its condition.

We are living in an age, when one can experiment with new looks without raising too many eyebrows. In fact, you will get appreciation and compliments as a result of these changes.

I have found that generally speaking working mothers are likely to be better groomed and look younger.

They may also be better advisers to their children and help them to cope with the competitive world we live in today. A woman who is successful in her career and diverse roles of wife and mother has actually learnt the art of time management.

Care for your hair Regular washing and proper hair care helps to a large extent. Check with a doctor if there is hair loss. Vitamin and mineral supplements may help. Along with this, clinical treatments can be taken to check problems of hair loss.

A change of hairstyle can also make you feel like a new person. In fact, with thinning hair, you can go in for a shorter haircut and style, to give your hair a fuller look and make you look younger.

Face mask A facial mask is easy to use. You can apply it and do your household chores while it dries. You can mix it at home with wheat bran (choker), almond meal (ground badaam) and one teaspoon each of honey, yogurt and egg white.

You should mix enough to last you for two or three days, keeping the excess in the refrigerator. This is one way of saving time.

I have found that generally speaking working mothers are likely to be better groomed and look younger.

Set aside one day a week to give yourself a manicure and pedicure and condition your hair with henna. Apply the henna and concentrate on your hand and foot care. This will help to keep your hands and feet in good condition and you can just touch up your nail varnish during the week. If you can manage to get away to a beauty salon, there is nothing like it.

A well-groomed look is actually a matter of paying attention to little details. Plan your day according to your needs and convenience. Keep your goals realistic and you will find your family fitting into them easily.

There are no awards to be won, but there are plenty of rewards in terms of being a slim and attractive woman, who is also a mother.

Your attitude also helps to feel good about yourself. Keep an open mind. Try out something new. You never know, it may suit you. Cultivate your interests and hobbies. Learn something new. This gives another dimension to your personality and make you feel more active and youthful.

Hollywood diva Sophia Loren once said: “There is a fountain of youth — it is your mind, your talents and creativity that you bring to life and to the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”

(The writer is CMD of Shahnaz Husain Group of Companies.)

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 69

CONVENTION

5 things to do

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

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f you’re heading to São Paulo, Brazil, for the 2015 Rotary convention, 6–9 June, here are five ways to get the most from your experience: 1. Enjoy samba, the Afro-Brazilian musical form that expresses the vitality of Brazil’s culture. On 6 June, the Rotary Carnival Parade, featuring professional samba schools, will have you on your feet from the first pulsing beats — even if you can’t dance a step.

2. Start your day by connecting with fellow Rotary members over a great cup of coffee, and later, let São Paulo’s renowned chefs dazzle your taste buds.

3. Take a walking tour of the city’s ethnic neighborhoods, where you can experience the Chinese, Japanese and Korean flair of Liberdade and get a taste of old Germany in Brooklin Novo.

4. Let experts on a variety of topics, from water to polio, inspire you during the convention’s general sessions at Anhembi Parque. While there, visit the House of Friendship to discover new ideas for service, find project partners, and sample local food and products.

5. Come early for preconvention events. At the Rotary Peace Symposium, 4–5 June, you can join Rotary Peace Fellows, alumni and Rotary members in celebrating our work in peace and conflict resolution. If you’re interested in water and sanitation, attend the World Water Summit on 4 June.

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33 Sock-fixers 35 Too 36 Novelty-store item that fascinates children 39 Taro-root dishes 40 Cause ___ (public controversy) 41 ___ bar 43 During mornings and afternoons, say

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Kind of lodge or bum Ctrl neighbour Morning Edition airer Like some cereal Indeterminately great length of time She lives a state or two north of Georgia Wile E. Coyote’s supply company Redding of song Big name at video arcades Ham or lamb ___ support (computer help) The Everly Brothers’ “___ Be Me” Equivalent wds.

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Discombobulate Jibes Louise’s film cohort Little Iodine creator Had memorised Numerical prefix Couple in a gossip column 8 Parent’s reminder 9 Johanna ___, author of Heidi

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Awe-inspiring 41-Across offering Judge’s docket item “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” rapper Old bread of Milano Like some cold drafts “Without further ___ ...”

Idle in entertainment Agnes Grey author ___-mouthed Bad way to run?

Potluck choice Asian noodles Perfectly suited partner Memorable Check for fit Largest book of the OT Like LAX or JFK Clueless actress Dash Integral part of a team Atlas features Medicine bottle Surname of two presidents Nibble Arbitrary order Mumbai wear Body of soldiers Fold-up bed

Solution in the July issue

Reproduced from The Rotarian

Down but not out

by B Sadananda Naik

Today Leena is a victim of steroid abuse and suffers from osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, cataract and abnormal obesity.

C

orticosteroids are one of the most misused drugs world over. This wonder drug is being abused indiscriminately by patients who consume them without proper prescriptions from doctors and also by some “steroid dependent doctors” who cannot treat a patient without using steroids. In Udupi, a coastal town of South India, Leena Anitha, a victim of steroid abuse, has taken a novel initiative to create awareness about the adverse effects of uncontrolled consumption of this danger drug, by citing her own condition. Leena, once a good looking school teacher, is now bed-ridden, abnormally overweight, with almost all the bones eroded by osteoporosis, cataract in both the eyes, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and grossly dependent on pain killers to control the agonising aches all over her body.

Leena suffered from bronchial asthma since 18 years of age. She was prescribed steroids as an anti-asthmatic drug which gave her dramatic relief from her symptoms. Unaware of the side effects of the steroidal therapy,

she began relying on the medication for several years, procuring it across the counter even without prescription.

Slowly and steadily she became steroid dependent and could not control her symptoms without them. Gradually,

the side effects of steroid overuse started showing up. She contacted the doctors but they could not provide much help. It was too late. The drugs took a toll on her body.

Today, undeterred by her plight, she is crusading against steroid abuse, creating due awareness among people. With the help of Human Rights Foundation at Udupi, she got herself portrayed in an article which got published in the local dailies and in various media, with detailed report of her illness along with her photographs. Through these news reports, she urges people not to take steroids without doctor’s advice and beware of becoming victims of self medication.

Leena has plans to promote social awareness about the menace of steroid abuse at various public places by way of video recording of her sufferings in association with the Human Right activist Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag.

(The writer is a senior physician at Alva Hospital and member of RC Moodabidri, District 3180.)

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 71

by Rasheeda Bhagat

R

ecently when the elegantly furnished and classy yet contemporary Italian diner, Prego, at the Taj Coromandel in Chennai, where the olive naan has been a particular weakness of mine, celebrated its relaunch with a few special promos and events, what caught the fancy was a special menu of Summer Black Truffles. In gourmet talk, the truffle is always discussed with awe and reverence and in the Catherine Zeta Jones starrer No Reservations there is quite a bit of fuss

7722 ROT ROTARY OTARY ARY A AR R RYY N NEWS EWS JUNE JU JJUN UN UNE 2015 2015

made over the purchase of the prohibitively expensive truffle for the chef’s signature quail dish.

So I set off on the truffle journey to discover the young Chef Luca D’Amora, all of 26 and exactly the same age as my younger son, and the delights he carved out from fish, lamb and chicken and an array of exotic vegetables, all of them served with sprinklings and shavings of the coveted truffle.

The young chef, who has already worked with Michelin two-star chef Moreno Cedroni, said at the outset that he believes in keeping his “kitchen simple and has respect for the food and the particular flavours that each ingredient contains, whether meat, sea food

or vegetables.” And of course, like all great chefs, Chef Amora too loves to serve the freshest of ingredients, wherever possible.

With the Bay of Bengal catch at his doorstep, he can do this for most of the seafood, except scallops. “As soon as the fish comes in, I remove the interior, put it in the fridge for an hour so the temperature comes down and then prepare the portion.” Again, like other chefs in the city, he too doesn’t care much for the local lamb and sources it from New Zealand as it has “much more flavour.” At home of course he would cook with Italian lamb which has “more flavour, but it is a strong flavour that we like but many other people don’t like. Comparatively the New Zealand lamb also has a lot of flavour but it is soft flavour,” says Chef Amora.

He says over the last 20 years Italian food has changed; earlier it didn’t include flour, which has today become an integral part, “so and so that today Italians have a lot of pasta ... several times a week for both lunch and dinner, with one fish, one meat and one vegetable dish to go with it.”

The young Chef has been at Prego for six months and his guests mostly prefer fish, chicken and some go for pork, with of course lots of pasta.

Prego’s new avatar In its new avatar and to make itself more reachable and affordable, Prego has revised its prices to become “more competitive.” It boasts of an exhaustive wine list, including 40 Italian wines and some of these red and white wines are now available by the glass and even half a glass at an affordable Rs 300. The idea is to attract partygoers for a quick bite and drink before heading out to late night dinner parties.

The Chef first sends two varieties of baguettes, one of which is made with nuts and raisins, another of rye, and Focaccia (Italian flat bread infused with herbs), and yes, the olive naan … such a lovely Indian twist to the Mediterranean olive.

For appetisers there is asparagus with parmesan cream and truffle and seared scallops with leek sauce. I am not a fan of either asparagus or scallops, but once these were out of the way, the dining experience got better and better. The soup made of leek and provolone (Italian cheese made from cow’s milk) is scented with truffle and the wafting aroma complements the taste.

The shrimp with carrot juliennes, leek and truffle sauce is both tender and tasty; the vegetarian pizza with truffle cepes, mascarpone (Italian cheese made from cream) and chives looks deceptively ordinary but has to be tasted to gauge the professional’s touch; the taste is subtle, there is no overpowering presence of either cheese or any other ingredient and is highly recommended.

Next the Chef serves me Spaghetti lamb ragout with truffled pecorino (cheese from sheep’s milk) which has a very rustic feel, with the lamb being both juicy and flavourful with the right seasoning; a delicious risotto made with vegetables, predominantly field mushrooms. It is sinfully rich, as all risottos are, but melted in the mouth.

Irresistible fish, chicken But the two irresistible dishes of the evening were Seared Chicken, served with parmesan, spinach and grated truffle with asparagus and caper sauce.

The chicken was done just perfect … tender yet crunchy and juicy and had to be savoured slowly. The slightly sweet Riesling-Sauvignon Blanc white wine was the perfect accompaniment. And then there was the Pistachio crust fish, absolutely fresh and juicy, served with a gin sauce and vinaigrette salad on the side. The taste matched the presentation.

Next Chef Amora, whose speciality is the dessert, brought out a tasting menu of his favourites. The oh-so-softand-perfect sponge caramel cake, with mixed fruit — orange and blueberry

with raspberry sauce; a white chocolate mousse and freshly made white chocolate gelato. Much to my regret, I could barely manage a spoonful of each of these heavenly desserts, with the young Chef smiling: “You have to come back for my Tiramisu!”

By the way, Prego, as well as all other restaurants at the Taj Coromandel, offer a sugar-free dessert menu, made with natural extracts and free of chemicals.

And guess what? Chef Amora is a huge fan of Indian food; “I have only South Indian food for both lunch and dinner day after day; Italian food is only for tasting,” he grins.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat Designed by N Krishnamurthy JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 73

3PREAD THE WORD

74 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Injectable Polio Vaccine

by Sheban

I

nactivated polio vaccine (IPV), developed by Dr Jonas Salk in 1955, consists of inactivated (killed) polio-virus strains of all three poliovirus types. IPV is given by intramuscular injection and needs to be administered by a trained health worker. It is recommended that all infants, unimmunised children and adolescents not previously immunised be vaccinated routinely against paralytic poliomyelitis.

Injectable polio vaccine should be administered in children at 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks of age and a booster dose at 15–18 months of age. (Ref: Journal of Indian Paediatric, volume 51, October 2014.)

It produces antibodies in the blood to all the three types of poliovirus. In the event of infection, these antibodies prevent the spread of the virus to the central nervous system and provides protection against paralysis.

Polio vaccine by injection becomes necessary when certain medical situations warrant it where oral polio vaccine is strictly contraindicated. Administering polio drops orally must be avoided if the child is suffering from acute infectious disease, high grade fever, diarrhoea, dysentery or other malignant conditions. The vaccine by oral route should not be given if the child is

receiving steroids for some special diseases too.

IPV - Advantages It is inactivated polio vaccine, and does not contain living virus.

Therefore it is safe to administer the vaccine to persons with immune deficiency diseases; those undergoing corticosteroid and radiation therapy; those over 50 years of age who are receiving vaccine for the first time and to women during pregnancy.

Improved IPV More recently, a modified and improved injectable polio vaccine containing 40-8-32-D antigen units has been made available. It has enhanced potency and better antigen stabilisation than the classical oral Sabin vaccine. The vaccine is effective immediately after the first administration in 90 per cent of the children, even if they are still protected by their mother’s immunity.

It is 100 per cent effective after the second dose. It may be stored in a simple refrigerator like the diphtheria and tetanus toxoids. Furthermore, it can be combined with DPT into a quadruple vaccine, which simplifies the immunisation schedule.

However, as IPV does not stop transmission of the virus, oral polio vaccine is used wherever a polio outbreak needs to be contained, even in countries which rely exclusively on IPV for their routine immunisation programme.

(The author is a paediatrician and member of RC Thuckalay, D 3212. He can be contacted at doctorsheban@gmail.com.)

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 75

Oh! That burning inside!

by Bharat & Shalan Savur

I

nflammation in the body is insidious. What symptoms can you tell the doctor? It hasn’t kept you in bed. It hasn’t stopped you from working. It’s just sending these continuous aching ripples through your body. It’s placed a small wrinkled frown on your forehead and a shadow in your eyes. With the body besieged with a fever, it has made your disposition a tad less sweet.

At most, you’ll be asked to pop a Crocin and relax. Or prescribed a gamut of tests that show nothing except a big fat medical bill.

The marvellous mushroom. Now, hope wafts in from Florida — a mushroom

766 ROT ROTARY ARY NE N NEWS WS JUNE 2015

a day keeps inflammation at bay, concludes a study. Fifty-two adults in the 21–50 age-range ate a cooked shiitake mushroom daily for a month. And researchers found, through blood tests before and after the course, a beautiful healing process quietly unfolding — the gamma delta T-cells, the immune system, were functioning more efficiently and there was a marked reduction of inflammatory proteins. When food becomes medicine, it’s time to celebrate!

Inner inflammation is a funny thing — more felt than seen. So you’ve got to go with what feels right — literally a gut feeling. As it is said: “Use your head and listen to your body.”

Cool it. The first inflammation antidote that naturally springs to mind is ‘cool.’ Anything cooling is great. Yes, according to Ayurveda, mushrooms are cooling. So are leafy greens like spinach, curd, rice, barley, moong, melons, coconut, apples, mint tea, sabja (used to garnish falooda), cucumber, sweet potatoes, okra, icecream, milk, chick peas. Ice-packs on the hot spots help too.

Reduce salt. Wisely avoid ‘fire foods.’

They are: tomatoes, garlic, capsicum, chillies, papaya, honey, grapefruit, corn, meat, alcohol, coffee, bread. Also, be discerning about how much salt your

body can ingest safely. Salt is one of the prime culprits of inflammation. Its contractive quality can literally rub our insides up the wrong way! Some medications are also inflammation-friendly — for example, they may lower your blood pressure yet cause your feet and gums to swell. Tip: At such times, ask your doctor to prescribe a topical cream for relief.

A fairly effective remedy for swollen feet is the dukh-dabao lape available with most chemists.

Watch your attitude. As written earlier, the doctor suggests relaxing. I’d go one step farther and ask: Is your attitude giving you stress? Some psychiatrists say: an inflammation in the body hints at a latent or apparent hotheaded impetuous aggressiveness.

Are you quick to anger? Impatient when things don’t go your way? Have a tendency to resist any suggested change, however innocuous, in your personal life? Always itching to do what others are doing and moving away from your own authenticity?

Take it from these ‘reformed’ (and still reforming!) souls: it’s worth ridding one’s body of toxins and mind of attitude to feel ease and tranquility seep into you. Every change that ushers in healing feels like a rebirth.

What isn’t known for sure is the deeper, underlying cause of inflammation. We may have to go beyond conventional medicine for some possible answers. It could be a growing disillusionment over the ups and downs of daily living, the steady dwindling of hope that starts working on our minds and is transmitted to the cells.

“Make in India.” It concerns me how easily we Indians set our minds on defects and weaken our self. I do think we need to look at situations from a robustly fresh and more productive angle. In this context, it’s timely that our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has contributed a simple, practical phrase: “Make in India.” I think every Indian could make and contribute a positive

Seasonally, a tree drops its leaves of sadness, cynicism, hopelessness.

And lets nature do its restorative work. So, let’s also drop our negativity and allow our innate positive nature to bloom. attitude to the atmosphere — some call it the ‘energy field’ — instead of habitually manufacturing the cynical, long-suffering ‘all-our governmentsare-the-same-and-I-feel-so-let-down’ whine.

We could each start by transforming our gripping tension into wholesome attention.

Try this: Observe a tree as would a child. Look at it with respect: its sturdiness, steadfastness. Seasonally, it drops its leaves of sadness, cynicism, hopelessness. And lets nature do its restorative work. Soon the tree blooms with fresh, green leaves and brilliantly coloured flowers.

Similarly, let’s drop our negativity and allow our own innate positive nature to bloom. Let’s experience an inner spring, a resurgence of freshness. I have discovered, as many have before me, that thought-affirmation is a wonderful inner gardening tool to turn dry, brittle tension into a rich loam of attention. Controlled trials in Germany have proved that prayerful thought-affirmations affect enzymes, cells, bacteria, yeast, plants, animals and human beings.

So, let’s make in India some powerful, positive, healing affirmations that leave us vibrant with energy: *

Everything I say is welcomed and loved by all. * Everything I do is appreciated by all. * Everyone is well-meaning and helpful.

* *

*

All of us are in this Great Infinite Circle of Awareness together.

When we create peace, harmony and balance in our minds, we see and feel their effects all around us.

The gateways to greatness are always open to all. We walk through them to be showered with knowledge and wisdom.

When we stop being ‘defectologists’ and start seeing positive, luminous possibilities, a whole new healthier world opens up.

Apart from changing our thought-patterns, there is a need for meditation. A session is like a lesson each time. You learn how to completely relax your body and mind.

To focus your attention mid-brows.

To observe your thoughts without getting involved in them. To invoke peace in your mind and let it flow as a golden liquid through your body by using your attention as a spatula to move it along. These are lessons we never really learn in our regular life. Gradually, we understand how to monitor our moods regardless of what the external world throws at us. When this transformation occurs, our inner hackles — inflammation — subside.

And we experience a beautiful breakthrough into blissful ease.

(The writers are authors of the book Fitness for Life and teachers of the Fitness for Life programme.)

Designed by N Krishnamurthy JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 77

RI District 2980 In association with clubs from RI District 1760, France, the district installed an RO water plant at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kumbakonam.

RC Madurai West RI District 3000 The club conducted a medical camp for the inmates of Madurai Corporation Shelter for the Homeless. New clothes and bed sheets were also donated to them.

78 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

RC Chalisgaon Milk City RI District 3030

RC Dadri RI District 3010 Sewing machines were handed over to needy women to help them earn a decent living by taking up the tailoring vocation.

RC Maruteru RI District 3020 Benches and desks were distributed to underprivileged schools in the region to encourage students to continue their education.

RC Gwalior Central RI District 3053 JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 79

RC Chalisgaon Milk City RI District 3030 Vocational training programme for 300 physically challenged people was jointly conducted by Apang Vikas Sanstha and Red Swastik Society to help them take up decent jobs.

RC Ahmedabad Midtown RI District 3051 Rotarians visited the Apang Manav Mandal and spent time with the inmates.

RC Kota RI District 3052 The club distributed anti-swine flu dosages to around 1,200 people in the city.

RC Gwalior Central

RC Amritsar Aastha RI District 3070 students of Abhimanyu Gurukul Sanstha.

RC Kharghar Midtown RI District 3080 Shoes were donated to inmates of Aashalaya orphanage.

RC Moradabad Civil Lines RI District 3100 An eye camp was conducted by the club for the students of Saraswati Vidya Mandir School.

RC Pilibhit

RI District 3053 Rotarians distributed nutritious food and conducted games for orphan girl children at Shanti Ashram at Gwalior.

RI District 3110 The club conducted a dental camp for school students in the region.

RC Ghazipur RC Surat RI District 3060 Sweaters, shoes and a 100-litre water tank were donated to the Government School in Ponsra village.

RC Amritsar Aastha RI District 3070 Books and stationary kits were handed over to 150 underprivileged

RC Rajpura Greater RI District 3090

RC Rajpura Greater RI District 3090 A seminar on ill effects of drug addiction was conducted at the Government Senior Secondary School, Rajpura.

RI District 3120 Clothes, blankets and food kits were distributed to physically challenged and needy people in the region.

RC Shikrapur RI District 3131 Rotarians organised a health camp for women. Over 200 women were examined for breast cancer.

RC Jalna Central RI District 3132 A workshop to enhance teaching skills of ninety teachers from various schools was organised by the club.

RC Bombay Airport RC Ghazipur RI District 3120 80 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

RI District 3140 An on-going eye camp project of the club has benefitted over 3,000

poor people from the Mumbai suburbs.

RC Hanamkonda RI District 3150 In its efforts to promote literacy, the club distributed notebooks to students of various schools in the region.

RC Greater Karnul RI District 3160 The club distributed sewing machines to poor and needy women to help them earn a living and be financially independent.

RC Mysore North RI District 3180 Educational kits and toys were distributed to 20 special children to enhance their learning ability.

RC Punganuru Central RI District 3190 Over 50 needy patients were tested and treated at an eye camp conducted by the club.

RC Coimbatore Aakruthi RI District 3201

RC Kazhakuttom

RC Gauhati South

RI District 3211 The club conducted an International RYLA at Trivandrum.

It had 40 Indian and overseas participants and trainers from abroad.

RI District 3240 To support a healthy environment, Rotarians undertook a plantation drive in the region and planted 150 tree saplings.

RC West Nagercoil RI District 3212 The club hosted the national level chess tournament for the visually challenged, jointly with Kanyakumari District Chess Association and Tamil Nadu Braille Chess Association.

RC Coimbatore Aakruthi RI District 3201 Under its banner FACE (Fight Against Child Exploitation) the club conducted an awareness programme to sensitise students and parents on child abuse.

RC Vellore Midtown RI District 3230 The club in association with Sri Lakshmi Loganathan Hospital, conducted a medical camp for the needy.

RC Jamshedpur Dalma RI District 3250 The club set up a Happy Library at Centre Point Public School, Gitilata village.

RC Rourkela Central RI District 3261 Around 100 villagers benefitted from a comprehensive health camp at Jhirpani village.

RC Sri Jagannath Dham RI District 3262 The club constructed a community hall at Aland village, Badagan.

RC Calcutta Midtown RI District 3291 Blankets were distributed to the needy villagers in Parkidi.

RC Butwal

RC Kazhakuttom RI District 3211

RI District 3292 School kits, educational kits and scholarships were given out to 198 students of the Nepal Rastriya Primary School.

JUNE 2015

ROTARY NEWS 81

Snippets from

PDG J B Kamdar

PETS Colombo

by Rasheeda Bhagat

Gujju version of MDP Addressing the impressive gathering of 221 Presidents-elect from four districts RIDE Manoj Desai said: “I envy you guys. I was president in 1988–89 and we were 15 of us in a small hall where the temperature was 43º C.” And compared to the “world class” trainers available to the present batch, “we had people sitting on the stage with yellow pages. Yellow pages because the same speech had been given over the years and the pages had become yellow.”

Desai added that RIPE K R Ravindran sets great score by MDP (Multi District Pets) and had put him in charge of these meets. Pointing to his bandaged fractured forearm he quipped, “So here I am giving you the Gujarati version of MDP (Manoj Desai in Plaster).”

Ababa with a group of Rotarians to immunise children. “It was the last day and a Voice of America team was there to film the immunisation. We got before the camera crew and looking around me I noticed there wasn’t a single car, motor bike or bicycle … not a single pair of wheels in that village.

To fetch water they had to walk five miles and even further to get food.”

From the village he could see several jet planes landing and taking off from the nearby Addis Ababa airport and it “occurred to me that tomorrow I’ll get back to the US on one of those large planes and these people will continue to live like this for long years. And this isn’t because I am smarter or better than them, but simply because they were born here and I was born in the US. It is simply the luck of the draw.”

Luck of the draw In his motivational address, incoming Trustee Chair of TRF Ray Klinginsmith said he always admired Rotarians in developing countries who did great humanitarian projects to help the less fortunate. Even though countries like his, the US, had hunger and poverty, they had safety nets which developing countries didn’t. He recalled a visit to an Ethiopian village close to Addis 82 ROTARY NEWS JUNE 2015

Reluctant President Urging the Presidents-elect to think big, RIPE K R Ravindran recalled that when he became his club president in 1987, he was a “reluctant president” and the first ever speech he had made was at his installation. But during his tenure he started the Sri Lankan Anti Narcotics Association, which made presentations in schools, work places,

etc., on how to prevent drug addiction, early symptoms that parents should watch out for, etc. It started a newsletter and its membership at a nominal sum was opened to non-Rotarians.

“Twenty years later, this Association set up by my Rotary Club is the largest in Sri Lanka with 34,000 members.”

He also urged presidents to watch out on how they conduct themselves and recalled a speech he had once delivered in a school as a Rotarian.

While waiting for his car he stood behind a pillar to escape the harsh sun and could hear a bunch of boys discussing him; “not my speech, but my tie, my shirt, how I looked.

Some good and some not good.”

As his car came, one of the boys said, “this isn’t such a good car, I’ll have a better one when I grow up.” What struck him was the kind of impression we leave on people. “Children will look at you and say I want to be like him when I grow up, sometimes for the right reason; sometimes for the wrong reason. That is why I get upset when cricketers behave badly on the field. I am a great fan of Sachin Tendulkar but not such a great fan of Virat Kohli because of the way he conducts himself.”

Picture by Rasheeda Bhagat

V V E E R R Y Y B B R R II E E F F L L Y Y

RI Director PT Prabhakar and spouse Nalini represented RI President Gary Huang and spouse Corinna at the District Conference of D 7360 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA. Also seen in the picture are DG Jason Piat, D 7360 and his mother.

(L to R) Aisha Salim Zamindar, spouse of Rtn Salim Zamindar, RC Karachi (D 3271) President Saifuddin Bandukwala, Rtn Salim Zamindar and PDG Aziz Memon, Chair, Fund Raising (PolioPlus) at the Gala Dinner organised to raise funds for the club’s various projects.

RI South Asia Office conducted the first webinar for incoming Presidents, Secretaries, Assistant Governors and District officials of D 3262.

Jatinder Singh, Manager, Club and District Support, RISAO, gave an online demonstration on various Rotary topics.

Annette S Senthamizh Yazhini, daughter of Rtn S Saravanan of RC Gudiyatham, RI District 3230, won a gold medal in the 60th National Chess Championship conducted by the School Games Federation of India at the SSRM Higher Secondary School, Salem.

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

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