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November 2016

Vol.67, Issue 5

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Hearing, Speech

& Smiles

Contents 34 Where college students

grow vegetables

These Rotarians have got students all excited about organic farming, while also educating tribal children.

Giving one more life

RI District 3012 is giving a new hope to children with hearing deficiency.

36 India is doing well in philanthropy Ajay Piramal, Chairman of the Piramal group, who has become an AKS member, is gung-ho about the Indian ethos of giving.

52 A special place At this school in Ooty, special children are showered with love and care as they learn.

60 How economics would solve the

Cauvery row

20 Leaving a legacy of clean India In partnership with UNICEF and some Indian corporates, Rotarians are creating more clean and hygienic Happy Schools and ushering in behaviour change.

Can economics solve the contentious interstate water rows raging on between various States?

64 What is brewing in Rotary This “brew” fellowship fosters frothy happiness among Rotarians.

70 Develop a good body image Don’t allow the wrong analysis and interpretation of your body image to depress you and ruin your happiness.

56 A Food Odyssey in Delhi On a food trail in Delhi’s Zakir Nagar for a pampering of the taste buds.

Making India Literate

This year, thanks to some meticulous and smart planning, Rotary’s work in the field of literacy caught media attention like never before, says RILM Chair Shekhar Mehta. On the cover: Abhi and his mother Soni Pandey. Picture by Rasheeda Bhagat.

LETTERS A ‘Dil se’ issue

ccept my congratulations for yet another Dil se issue of Rotary News. With such warm and happy faces of three lovely ladies, the feeling starts right at the cover itself. Maybe the fact that our daughter just returned from her one-year RYE programme in Denmark gave me a connection. She too loved the article and has shared it with her RYE friends across the globe. Thank you for sharing the cherished moment, your divine experience with ‘incarnation of love’ Mother Teresa. The photograph with her blessing you and her hand on your head, has magic in itself, one feels it as a live moment . . . maybe that’s her power. IPDG Nagesh deserves praise. It is so reassuring to be a Rotarian with people like him around. I loved the Weaving smiles, embellished with great photographs; the article on Japan was great too. With

very interesting write-up Bonding beyond borders by Rasheeda Bhagat which narrates the story of how Rotary youth exchange programme of 1991 has cemented bonds between the 377 young men and women from different nations. The organisers of the FB group deserve praise as its membership now stands 278. Such global youth exchange programmes are really useful but they should be encouraged to join Rotary clubs which was not done as regrettably mentioned. The editorial Girl power at Rio, is an eye-opener to all Indians, especially Rotarians. As you rightly said, to achieve eminence in Olympics, 4 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

international understanding, and promote world peace. The accounts of Emma Naas, Gunaar Braunn, David PS and Valerie Nys touched the heart. The article A Cherished Moment was really a blessed one. Ashim Bhattacharjee RC Greenland Silchar – D 3240

subjects ranging from service to science to economics, the magazine has crossed the boundaries of Rotary and can be of equal interest to a nonRotarian as well. In Brief has made the last page equally interesting. Thanks in particular for an article on our Club’s Literacy and Child development project ‘Signal School’. Atul Bhide RC Thane Hills – D 3140

raw talent has to be spotted early, encouraged and nurtured. I do hope the authorities will take corrective measures and rectify problems that our athletes faced in Rio. Only then can India excel. M T Philip RC Trivandrum Suburban – D 3211

congratulate your team for bringing out such a motivational October issue. I always find the magazine an inspirational treasure for Rotarians. The cover story was really innovative and inspirational. We have seen how a Rotary Youth Exchange programme can create a bond of togetherness and

ow! Is not Rotary all about making a bridge of kindness and compassion? The story of nostalgic memories and reunion of the 1991 YE group tour members; or your own meeting and seeking blessings from Mother Teresa; or our goal of complete eradication of Polio and Literacy projects… the central idea is the same. Rotaractors’ involvement in Rotary or bone marrow donor Capt Mohan’s gesture; artificial limbs for Sri Lankan war victims, or cancer treatment centre at Guwahati… are all the steps of such a bridge. Rajendra Singhania RC Raipur West – D 3261

hank you Jaishree. I hope the article I have more than I need will inspire more Rotarians to do more for the betterment of society and for the sustenance of Government-run schools. Kiran Poddar RC Jaipur Mid Town – D 3052

t is always interesting to read Club Matters, but may I place a request here to give more attention to the subject dealt with, and less to members so that the value of the service is brought into focus. Rakesh Bhatia RC Belur – D 3291

Helping Sri Lankans ongrats to the Indian Rotarians who helped the Sri Lankan war victims to rebuild their shattered lives. It is true that simple things done with a noble heart brings the greatest reward. I am proud

LETTERS of being a service-minded Rotarian and I want to support our community. Venkatesswary Gupta RC Sankagiri – D 2982

guideline to others. Wish to see more articles like this. LS Sidduram RC Mettupalayam – D 3202

as most of them are settled abroad or in other cities. KMK Murthy RC Secunderabad – D 3150

Senior folks may suffer n the article Demystifying interest rates, the author suggests a further reduction in interest rates on loans given by banks, which will reduce fixed deposit rates. Senior citizens accounting for about 35 per cent of the population draw monthly interest on their FDs to meet their daily needs. They may suffer if there are further cuts in interest rates. It is very difficult for children to look after their parents

Importance of training s a third generation Rotarian Past President, I have fond memories of reading The Rotarian earlier and now the Rotary News. The article by Jaishree Training the Trainers in the October issue was very interesting. As a professional soft skills trainer and a Rotary Leadership Institute faculty, I could relate to the tips mentioned. We often find in international gatherings that people speak very fast using a lot of ambiguous words and the listeners are unable to follow. Body language is very important and in many cultures people react differently to different body language gestures and symbols. As a trainer the idea is to elicit the answers from the participants rather than reel off figures and statistics or show a long power point presentation. We look forward to more such useful articles. Dr Anjana Maitra RC Rourkela Steel City – D 3261

any thanks for publishing the article What your family should know. I hope Rotarians read it and may be published in the Club Bulletin to spread the message. Krish Chitale RC Madras – D 3230

our article on PDG Nagesh of District 3190 was very inspiring. A phenomenal person and a true Rotarian, his achievements will be a

Girl Power at Rio

ndoubtedly, at Rio, girl power was on good display. But, it was few and far between. You have rightly called for gender equality. Arun Kumar Dash RC Baripada – D 3262

t was deeply annoying to go through the editorial on the prevailing discrimination in the treatment meted out to our athletes and officials accompanying them to sports meets. The Sports Authority of India and the Sports Minister should look into such discrimination and amend rules and regulations in such a way that our athletes get the facilities and treatment they deserve. This will definitely boost their morale and pave way to India winning more medals. Sayagavi G V, RC Davanagere Vidyanagara – D 3160

t was a pleasure to read your editorial Girl Power in Rio.

I salute your findings and your excellent presentation. You have rightly said that “Champions don’t emerge from nowhere; they have to be identified at a young age.” This reminds me of an incident during my visit to the American Sports Training Institute in Denver in USA, where I saw a 10-yearold girl swimming and training under the watchful eye of her coach. The coach was constantly comparing her timings with that of the then reigning Olympic champion. He told me he was preparing her for the Olympics scheduled eight years later. This is exactly what you have outlined in your editorial. Your articles When Kutch threw up a hero, Two new records & a model village, Where crafts weave magic and The cells that save lives are highly informative. My compliments for penning such wonderful articles. Om Prakash Sahgal RC Bombay Mid City – D 3141

Rotary News at a public library read the October issue of Rotary News at government library in Ooty and was overwhelmed to find that you are the Editor of Rotary News. I recollect with fond memories the articles you wrote in The Indian Express in the 1980s, which I read with keen interest. I find you to be honest, trustful and dedicated in your work. Your present job at Rotary, which is classified as one of the world’s leading humanitarian organisations, will bring Rotary’s selfless service to public attention. John D’Souza Ootacamund

We welcome your feedback. Write to the Editor: rotarynews@rosaonline.org; rushbhagat@gmail.com NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 5

Governors Council RI Dist 2981

A Mani

RI Dist 2982

T Shanmugasundaram

RI Dist 3000

M Muruganandam

RI Dist 3011

Dr N Subramanian

RI Dist 3012

Sharat Jain

RI Dist 3020

Dr S V S Rao

RI Dist 3030

Mahesh H Mokalkar

RI Dist 3040

Darshan Singh Gandhi

RI Dist 3051

Dinesh Kumar V Thacker

RI Dist 3052

Ramesh Choudhary

RI Dist 3053

Bhupendra Jain

RI Dist 3060

Hitesh Manharlal Jariwala

RI Dist 3070

Dr Sarbjeet Singh

RI Dist 3080

Raman Aneja

RI Dist 3090

Sanjay Gupta

RI Dist 3110

Dr Ravi Mehra

RI Dist 3120

Dr Pramod Kumar

RI Dist 3131

Prashant Deshmukh

RI Dist 3132

Pramod Shashikant Parikh

RI Dist 3141

Gopal Rai Mandhania

RI Dist 3142

Dr Chandrashekhar Kolvekar

RI Dist 3150

Ratna Prabhakar Anne

RI Dist 3160

Sreerama Murthy

RI Dist 3170

Dr Vinaykumar Pai Raikar

RI Dist 3181

Dr R S Nagarjuna

RI Dist 3182

Devarunda Subbegowda Ravi

RI Dist 3190

H R Ananth

RI Dist 3201

Dr Prakash Chandran Arackal

RI Dist 3202

Dr Jayaprakash P Upadhya

RI Dist 3211

Dr John Daniel

RI Dist 3212

Dr K Vijayakumar

RI Dist 3230

Natrajan Nagoji

RI Dist 3240

Dr Rintu Guha Niyogi

RI Dist 3250

Dr R Bharat

RI Dist 3261

Deepak Mehta

RI Dist 3262

Narayan Nayak

RI Dist 3291

Shyamashree Sen

Board of Permanent Trustees & Executive Committee PRIP PRIP PRID PRID PRID PRID PRID PRID PRID RID RIDE

Rajendra K Saboo Kalyan Banerjee Sudarshan Agarwal Panduranga Setty Sushil Gupta Ashok Mahajan Yash Pal Das Shekhar Mehta P T Prabhakhar Dr Manoj D Desai C Basker

RI Dist 3080 RI Dist 3060 RI Dist 3011 RI Dist 3190 RI Dist 3011 RI Dist 3140 RI Dist 3080 RI Dist 3291 RI Dist 3230 RI Dist 3060 RI Dist 3000

Executive Committee Members (2016â&#x20AC;&#x201C;17)

DG M Muruganandam

RI Dist 3000

Chair - Governors Council

DG Shyamashree Sen

RI Dist 3291

Secretary - Governors Council

DG Sarbjeet Singh

RI Dist 3070

Secretary - Executive Committee

DG Natarajan Nagoji

RI Dist 3230

Treasurer - Executive Committee

DG Gopal Rai Mandhania

RI Dist 3141

Member - Advisory Committee

ROTARY NEWS ROTARY SAMACHAR Editor Rasheeda Bhagat Senior Assistant Editor Jaishree Padmanabhan 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

Touching little lives

n the last two months, I’ve had the opportunity to look at two great medical projects that have quite a lot in common. Both are undertaken by the “richer” Rotary Districts located in the two most prosperous and powerful metros of India — Delhi and Mumbai — Districts 3012 and 3141. First of all, both want to change the lives of children; secondly, both have their District Governors as well as Rotarians fired up with the enthusiasm, energy, passion and almost a crusading spirit to push the boundaries as far as possible, in these two mega humanitarian projects. In Delhi, I found a very enthusiastic and excited DG of 3012, Sharat Jain, all fired up to embrace and enlarge the scope of the project started by the Rotary Club of Delhi Riverside to give the gift of hearing to children who were either born hearing deficient or had turned deaf due to some infection or disease. Running as it does the Rotary Institute for Special Children, it was a natural fit for the club to get involved in the passionate pursuit of ENT Surgeon Dr J M Hans, a Padmashri recipient, to fit such children with cochlear implants and help them to get back their hearing, and then speech. The cover story tells you all about how after witnessing the dramatic difference the implant made in these little lives — often, in villages, such hearing handicapped children, who can’t speak, are classified “mad” and locked up in houses — the DG has thrown his weight behind this project, naming it One More Life. Using Rotary’s “cascading effect”, he hopes to multiply the project’s reach and raise at least Rs 1 crore by the end of his term to help many more children. In Mumbai, I found matching passion and commitment in District 3141 DG Gopal Rai Mandhania, who has embraced the Touching Little

Hearts project, wherein several clubs raise money to help perform paediatric heart surgeries to save the lives of children from poor families, who can never afford such care under the best of medical facilities. At the swank Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Multispecialty Hospital, I met a bunch of Rotarians who devote their time, energy and help raise funds for operating children with heart disease. Some of the babies who are operated upon are barely a few days or weeks old, and the gratitude that you see in the parents’ eyes tells you stories that words cannot convey. In both these projects, much more than the funds raised, it is personal interest, relentless work and follow-up action, done by a band of Rotarians that is giving hope to the hopeless. One refrain I heard repeatedly in both Delhi and Mumbai was: Raising money is not a problem; money, however big the sum, comes if there is focus, commitment, passion and direction, and if the cause is the right one. If in the cochlear implant project Dr Hans, whose life’s passion has been to do these surgeries, is the rallying point, in the paediatric heart surgeries, it is the dedication of the smiling, soft-spoken Paediatric Heart Surgeon Dr Suresh Rao that inspires Mumbai’s Rotarians to raise funds and provide all other required support to ensure that this year 100 little hearts will be healed. While the cochlear implant story is covered in this issue, the article describing the D 3141 project will be covered in a subsequent issue of Rotary News.

Rasheeda Bhagat

NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 7

President Speaks

Arch Klumph’s Revolution Dear Fellow Rotarians,

ooking back at the momentous 1917 Rotary Convention in Atlanta, it is difficult to see what could have been contentious about the words of then-President Arch C. Klumph: “It seems eminently proper that we should accept endowments for the purpose of doing good in the world.” Yet, at the time, support for the idea was far from unanimous. Some thought an endowment fund would create more trouble than it was worth. But Klumph’s idea received the support it most needed in the form of an initial donation of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri. Nearly 100 years later, we recognise Klumph’s idea as not only visionary, but revolutionary: It set in place the mechanism that allowed Rotary to become the vast force for “doing good in the world” that it is today. In many ways, our Rotary Foundation is the foundation of Rotary as we know it. It has created a mechanism for cooperation and partnership among clubs and between Rotary and other organisations; it has enabled us to be ever more ambitious in our work and to reach for goals of historic proportions, such as the eradication of polio. It is impossible to quantify the good that has been done over the last century as a result of The Rotary Foundation. All we can know for sure is that Arch Klumph, if he could see it, would be proud. I am looking forward to seeing many of you at our international convention in Atlanta: the city where our Foundation was born. I hope a record number of Rotarians will be there to celebrate the centennial of our Foundation. In the meantime, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate! I encourage you to read more about the Foundation centennial at centennial.rotary.org. There, you’ll learn about the history of our Foundation and find ideas for events and projects in your clubs and your community. One of the most important ways we are celebrating the Foundation centennial is with a fundraising goal of $300 million. Your gift to your Foundation is the best way of ensuring a strong second century for Rotarians Doing Good in the World and for Rotary Serving Humanity.

John F Germ President, Rotary International

8 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Message from the RI

Director

The New Normals I'd like to draw your attention to the interesting words... New Normal. It is a term in business and economics that refers to the financial conditions following the financial crisis of 2007–08 and the aftermath of the 2008–12 global recessions. The term has since been used in a variety of other contexts to imply that something which was previously abnormal has become commonplace. Rotary in India is undergoing a great change. After visiting many Districts, let me highlight the New Normals in Rotary in India: • • • • • • • • • • •

Director’s visit to 34 of 36 Districts in 2015–16 and 18 Districts in 2016–17. Troika meetings to draw Strategic Plans for the Districts. Think Tank meeting of all Coordinators twice/thrice in a year. DGE Goal Setting with all Coordinators before the year begins. COG meet in many Districts. Vision 20:20 seminars in many Districts with the RID visit. My Voice-My Vote to understand the needs of Rotarians. Importance of Retreat Meet is highlighted to all Districts. Midyear Review Meet of DGs at Zone Institute. Short, crisp and punctual Newsletter, The Quest, every month. More professional approach with no flowers, no gifts, short introductions and 90 minutes inaugural sessions.

Friends, this is my way of looking at Rotary to increase accountability and short term/long term vision. These are the important New Normals for which you all have supported me. The results are obvious. We are Number One in Membership and Number Two in our contribution to the Foundation in the world. Kudos to you all. Hope you liked being the Change Maker, Trendsetter or the Difference Maker. I am so happy that RIDE C Basker wants to continue many of these changes, such as DGEs Goal Setting, Coordinators’ Meet, etc. Honestly I feel that Rotary's potential is enormous! If you agree with me then let us implement one more New Normal — The 4 Rs: Rotary's Rapid Relief Response. I salute all the senior leaders and Smiling Sheriffs for making it possible. PRIP Rajaji will steer it as Chair. I am confident our Public Image will improve manifold and Rotary will be the talk of the town, whenever a disaster strikes in future. Let us give our best in this centennial year of our Rotary Foundation so that it is remembered as a year of more New Normals for Rotary in India. I am reminded of the good words of our own Trustee Chair and PRIP Kalyanda: “The least a leader can do is to encourage others.” Let us continue our journey with this positivity for the simple reason that Rotary is a never-ending journey for a better tomorrow.

Manoj Desai Director, Rotary International MAY 2016

ROTARY NEWS 9

Message from the Foundation Chair

Celebrate Rotary Foundation Month

ack in 1956, the Rotary International Board of Directors designated a week in November urging all clubs “to devote a programme to The Rotary Foundation.” In 1982, the Board determined that the entire month of November should be dedicated to the Foundation. Since then our Foundation has grown and flourished in ways that few Rotarians could have imagined. In 1985, Rotary took on its first corporate project — a bold campaign to immunise the world’s children against polio and create a polio-free world. Our humanitarian programmes grew so rapidly that the Foundation could not process the volume of requests for grants efficiently. That led to the creation of a new grant model that supports global grants with greater and long-lasting impact and district grants which fund small-scale, short-term activities. And we fulfilled Rotarians’ long-held dream for a “peace university” with the launch of the Rotary Peace Centres. Rotarian financial support has skyrocketed as well. In 1982–83, contributions barely totaled $19 million. Compare that with 2015–16, when the figure jumped to $265.6 million. This November, we’ll celebrate not just Foundation Month, but also The Rotary Foundation’s centennial. The Rotary website offers many creative ideas for honouring this very special occasion, but there are three activities that I especially recommend. The first is to hold an event for the entire community that spotlights the Foundation’s 100 years of Doing Good in the World. Second, plan and sponsor a project that addresses a critical problem. It could be done from locally raised funds, or you might seek a global grant. There are so many options to choose from — from providing clean water, to ensuring basic education for girls in every part of the world, to tackling malaria or HIV/AIDS or any number of preventable diseases. The third activity I recommend is for every Rotarian to make a centennial donation. Let’s never forget that The Rotary Foundation belongs to all of us. You and I provide the funding for just about every bit of good that our Foundation is doing in the world — and has been doing for an entire century. Let’s make sure we continue that tradition for the next 100 years.

Kalyan Banerjee Foundation Trustee Chair 100 ROT ROTARY OTA TARY ARY NE NEWS W NOVEMBER NO OVEMB MBER ER R 2016 2016

Giving one more

life Rasheeda Bhagat

bhi Pandey is five years old and a bundle of energy and mischief. As I talk to his mother Soni Pandey, he keeps trying to grab my audio recorder. Till recently, the child could not hear. His mother explains that he was not born deaf; till he was 18 months old, he could hear but then he got a viral fever “aur uska kaan kharab ho gaya (lost his hearing). The doctor asked us to put a machine (hearing aid), which we did, but it did not help.” Next began a hectic round of doctors, including at the teaching hospital in Lucknow “but they said he will never hear or speak; even an operation will not help. So I brought him to Delhi without informing my sasural (in laws) or else they wouldn’t have allowed me to come,” says Soni. She next tried AIIMS; “I kept going there but never managed to get an estimate of the money required to make Abhi hear or speak again,” says Soni. Finally, after spending nearly Rs 2 lakh, she gave up and somehow landed up at the Rotary Institute for Special Children (RISC), run by the Rotary 12 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Little Sandesh is all ears, sitting on his father’s lap, post the cochlear implant.

I am 62, my whole life I begged people to help me, but now these Rotarians tell me that we’ll support you with funds till you get tired of operating. Dr J M Hans

Club of Delhi Riverside, D 3012. This is a vocational centre which takes care of about 62 poor children with speech, hearing and other handicaps. As providence would have it, a Past President of the Club, Satish Gupta was a patient of ENT surgeon Dr J M Hans, formerly Professor and Head of ENT at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in Delhi. Now he is the Chairman of the Venkateswara Hospital in Dwarka. A veteran of cochlear implants — he has done a whopping number of 1,800 cases, 300 of them at RML — he discussed with Gupta his passion on how stone deaf and dumb children below 8 years could be helped to hear and speak through cochlear implant surgery. But while the rich can afford the cost — these implants have to be imported from the US, France, Austria, etc, and cost between Rs 5.8 to Rs 13.5 lakh — they are prohibitive for the poor. The diagnostics, surgery and hospitalisation cost of a cochlear implant procedure is Rs 8 lakh. “But Dr Hans told us that he could get Rs 3 lakh from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, so if Rs 5 lakh could be raised, we can restore the hearing and speech of one child,” says Gupta.

Narendra Modi and “told him that Rs 50,000 is nothing for such a costly procedure. Without any hesitation, he increased the sum to Rs 3 lakh for every child.” Returning to PP Satish Gupta, when he related the story about the plight of these handicapped children to his club members, in no time Rs 20 lakh was raised and four children, including Abhi from the RISC, underwent the surgery and were fitted with a cochlear implant by Dr Hans. The doctor told the Rotarians that for a couple of weeks the children should be kept under their care as return to their slum homes might result in infections. So “we rented an AC apartment for these children and their mothers,” says Gupta. Dr Hans was a Rotarian earlier but had left Rotary, but now encouraged with the support he is getting from these Rotarians, has rejoined as a member of RC Delhi Riverside. Causes of deafness He explains that cochlear implants can help totally deaf children hear; some

When people call them ‘mad’, the parents start

The Modi generosity Dr Hans, who was former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s personal ENT surgeon for 10 years, requested his help for such children. “But he granted only Rs 50,000.” But now that he is in the PM’s Relief Committee for ENT, recently he met Prime Minister

locking up these children and don’t want to send them to school. Kavita Tripathi

NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 13

of these children are born deaf or prelingual — they haven’t ever spoken or heard — which means they have to be taught speech. The causes of a hearing handicap can be consanguineous marriage, which is rampant in our country, meningitis, measles, rubella, mumps, or the side effects of some drugs, head injury or noise pollution. If both parents have defective genes, then one child in four will be deaf. Dr Hans says the advantage of spending money on the implant is that if it fails, the company will give a replacement free as also the cost of surgery; “that’s a guarantee”. It was first made in Australia by an ENT surgeon for his father. Now it is being made also in Austria, the US and France; “even Japan and China don’t make it”. As for India, he says he was in the team under former President APJ Abdul Kalam when the latter was in DRDO, and they had made a device and conducted animal trials on cats. “And now it is ready for human trials.” Dr Hans recommends this procedure only for children below 12, “because above 12, they will be able to hear but won’t speak. But personally I feel that even hearing is a big asset.” So what next? Dr Hans is overwhelmed by Rotary’s response; “I am 62, my whole life I begged people to help me, but now these Rotarians tell me that we’ll support you with funds till you get tired of operating.” Adds

30 million children in India require a cochlear implant, and 25,000 children are added each year. Dr J M Hans

14 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Soni Pandey is such a brave woman. All alone, she has borne the brunt of getting her child treated. Her husband hasn’t even come from the village once to Delhi to find out how they are faring. Kavita Tripathi

Gupta confidently, “In Rotary, there is never a dearth of money, when you want to do something good.” But the problem across India is huge. Dr Hans says that at present there are 30 million children in India who require a cochlear implant, and to this number are added an additional 25,000 children each year. “Everyone can be helped but the age is crucial. We’ve put a cochlear implant on an 8-month-old child and you can’t even

make out the child was ever hearing handicapped!” Heart-rending Charu Hans, his wife, a microbiologist, has given up her vocation and is now devoted to working with such children. She recalls that in one place when she visited a deaf and dumb school, the “teacher told me that in the villages children who can’t hear and speak are called pagal. Just imagine doing this to

A scientist and a doctor/artist

hen Dr J M Hans started fitting cochlear implants through a minimal invasive technique, that needed only a 1.4 mm tunnel to reach inside, instead of a big cavity in the skull that was being done earlier, often causing complications, this was reported prominently in the media. “This little tunnel takes 10 seconds and then we screw the impact inside… so now total time taken is about 40 minutes instead of the 4 to 6 hours taken earlier.” His wife Charu Hans intervenes quietly to say: “He makes it sound so simple, but it really isn’t so!” After the media reported it, he got a call from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who by now was President of India. He was asked to bring all

the equipment to be inspected by Kalam; “he wanted to be convinced that I was not fooling the people,” smiles Dr Hans. The President had given him 15 minutes “but he grilled me for 90 minutes. And yet he was not satisfied! He sent two men from the DRDO to my hospital to watch the surgery. They watched me do the procedure, went back and told him ‘he is not a surgeon, he is an artist!’ ” That wasn’t all; “Government doctors rarely get national awards. But one day the police, Income Tax people, etc, visited my house, making inquiries.” He soon learnt that Kalam had recommended him for Padmashri from the President’s quota of two “jo cut nahi sakta,” he chuckles. And he got the Padmashri in 2005.

From right: Dr J M Hans and RC Delhi Riverside President G P Agarwal with children fitted with cochlear implants.

a child who is not mentally deficient in anyway. And when people say that, the parents themselves start believing it.” Kavita Tripathi, the Principal of RISC, explains how these children always have an additional skill or the sixth sense. “But when people call them ‘mad’, the parents start locking up these children and don’t want to send them to school. We don’t charge any fees at our institute, and yet have to plead with parents to send the children to school. The day we start charging a fee, they will stop these children from coming to school.” If this is happening in Delhi, the plight of hearing handicapped children in rural India can be imagined. Kavita adds that a few days earlier she had seen a couple working at a construction site in Delhi; they kept two of their children, but sent away the third one, who can’t hear, back to the village. “I’m sure he’ll be locked up inside the house there. And we’ve just celebrated the 70th anniversary of our Independence.” Pointing out to the parents who have come to meet me and whose children have been recently operated thanks to Rotary, she says earlier these parents were told by doctors that surgery could be done but with no guarantees. “So when we told them this procedure will make their children hear and speak, they refused to believe me. I too was initially scared to get their hopes up.” The doctor explains that this implant works best for children

This implant works best for children below 5; between 5 and 10, his speech will not be that good; 10–15 he will be able to hear and understand, but not speak. Dr J M Hans 16 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Young Nitin in conversation with his parents after his hearing has been restored, thanks to the cochlear implant.

Many ENT specialists prescribe hearing aids; they don’t recommend cochlear implants because they know that once that is fitted and the child can hear, their source of income is gone… it’s easy money. Dr J M Hans

below 5 as “he will be totally normal. Between 5 and 10, his speech will not be that good; between 10–15 he will be able to hear and understand, but not speak. You have to be honest with parents; for the younger children I tell them beg, borrow, steal; I’ll also help but get it done.” Interestingly, recently an 18-year-old man was brought to him; “I asked the parents do you have money to throw away. They said: ‘tons of it’, so I said get it done, he’ll be able to hear something.” The father, a rich farmer from Bhatinda, said his son could drive a tractor but not even hear the horn. He is now very happy — he went for the costliest implant at Rs 13.5 lakh — and has referred many other patients to me after that.” Another patient from Bahrain got the implants fixed in both the ears of the child, which is the perfect solution but an expensive one. Misinforming parents The saddest part is that parents of hearing handicapped children are given the merry-go-round by ENT specialists, often for dubious reasons. Sakshi is the daughter of Arun Bhardwaj, who

works in a private company in Noida, on a salary of Rs 6,500. Jaidevi, her mother, says that they didn’t realise that their daughter, who was born in July, couldn’t hear “till Deepavali day, when she didn’t react to the sound of crackers.” Doctors in Aligarh where they lived “gave us all kinds of medicines and drops to be put in the eyes, ears, nose, mouth… bacchi bhi pareshan, hum bhi pareshan.” After six months they said she can’t be cured. One doctor said surgery was an option but there was no guarantee she could hear after that. Easy money Dr Hans says many ENT specialists prescribe hearing aids, even though they know these will not help, and keep changing the hearing aids regularly. “They don’t recommend cochlear implants because they know that once that is fitted and the child can hear, their source of income is gone… it’s easy money.” Mohanlal Kuswah and his wife are vegetable sellers and are very happy that with Rotary help their 9-yearold son Sandesh has got an implant. Earlier a doctor had asked them to raise

Children found the hearing aid very uncomfortable. But the moment they got the cochlear implants, they’ve started feeling so good that every morning when they get up, they bring the device to their mothers!”

NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 17

Cascading effect in Rotary

From left: Past President of RC Delhi Riverside Satish Gupta, President G P Agarwal, Principal of RISC Kavitha Tripathi, Ruchika Jain, DG Sharat Jain and Dr Hans with the children.

harat Jain, DG of District 3012, was sharing a car ride with Satish Gupta, Past President of RC Delhi Riverside, who related the story of his club helping put cochlear implants on four children. He asked to meet the children who were still under the Rotarians’ care. It was just 15 days after the surgery; meeting the kids and their parents, “was a real experience. Every DG’s dream is to do something different and really good,” says Jain. Only a few weeks earlier, an event was organised for Gift of Life, under which cardiac bypass surgery is done for children. “A few Zambian children had undergone heart surgery and at that programme the Zambian High Commissioner said these children will return home, and you will forget them but they will never forget you. The mothers said they had no life till you gave them one.” On the spur of the moment Jain told Gupta this would become a much bigger project and “we’ll name it One More Life. Then I started talking about it in club installations and everywhere

I mentioned it, there was tremendous support and enthusiasm.” By the time Dr Hans was installed, there was already commitment of Rs 10 lakh for two more operations and Tripathi, Kavita’s husband, who is in the construction industry, said he would match it by another Rs 10 lakh! “On the podium was PDG J K Gaur, who got up and said I will give Rs 5 lakh and that made me sure this project will tick.” Jain says that everywhere “we keep talking about the multiplying

Every DG’s dream is to do something different and really good; everywhere I mentioned the One More Life project, there was tremendous support and enthusiasm. DG Sharat Jain

effect of our Foundation. Our District is rather rich and I thought for four children we’ve put 20 lakh from just one club, but had we routed it through the Foundation, maybe we could have got Rs 80 lakh and we could have helped 16 children. Anyhow, what is done has been done and now we will take it as a district project. But this club can continue to lead it because they initiated it.” Now he plans to file for a global grant and take this project to Rs 50–80 lakh; “we’ll do whatever we can… by now I have got 4 or 5 clubs to commit another Rs 20–30 lakh.” At a recent seminar in Delhi where RID Manoj Desai presided, the children who had been operated were present as also their parents, and “one parent said we hadn’t seen god, but we saw god in Dr Hans. And two more people came forward to support this project. So this is a cascade. With the power of TRF behind this project, I’ve committed to Dr Hans to raise a minimum Rs 1 crore for this project this year.”

Children at the hospital after the cochlear implant surgery sponsored by RC Delhi Riverside.

President APJ Abdul Kalam called me to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and grilled me to make sure I was not fooling the people! Dr J M Hans

How the implant works Dr Hans explains that the cochlear is a transducer which converts sound waves into electrical waves. “Till the sound waves are converted into electrical waves, the nerves will not take them to the brain. The implant does this and so the function of the cochlear is bypassed.”

Rs 7 lakh for such an operation, but “where would we go for money like that? We don’t even have any land to sell.” Kavita, the Principal, points out that both Nitin and Sandesh would come with hearing aids and had to wear them compulsorily in school “but they would quietly switch off the hearing aid, because it made an irritating noise and was very uncomfortable. But the moment they got the cochlear implants, they’ve started feeling so good that every morning when they get up, they bring the device to their mothers!”

She is all praise for Soni Pandey, Abhi’s mother. “She is such a brave woman. All alone, she has borne the brunt of getting her child treated. Her husband, who works as a teacher in a school, hasn’t even come once from the village to Delhi to find out how they are faring.” But Soni stoutly defends her husband, “No, no, that’s not true, he is very busy and his mother is paralysed. So he has to take care of her.” A postgraduate from Lucknow she now runs a coaching centre in Delhi to teach spoken English. Sohanlal owns a small cloth shop in Delhi and only when Nitin was one, did they discover he couldn’t hear. He and his wife Gita took him to several hospitals in Delhi and Jalandhar, but “it was of little use.” The children who have been given implants can hear but will have to be trained to speak. Some of them have already picked up words like Mummy, Papa, bua, aao, pani, etc. Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat Designed by Krishnapratheesh S NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 19

Leaving a legacy of

clean India Rasheeda Bhagat

n the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, and to commemorate the memory of Gandhiji who had dreamt of Swachh Bharat, a Wash in Schools RotaryUNICEF seminar on Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya — Partnering for Results was organised in Delhi for DGs, DGEs and DGNs. Describing it as a “stocktaking exercise”, WinS Global Chair Sushil Gupta said last year Rotary had completed WinS in over 8,000 schools. “What encourages me is that everybody has travelled for this seminar, and that includes PRIP Rajendra Saboo, RIDE C Basker and PRID and Vice Chair of WinS P T Prabhakar, and all the Governors, at their own cost. That shows your commitment to the cause of WinS as well as the future of Indian children.” He congratulated the Rotarians for committing over 14,000 schools this year. Apart from taking stock, the meet would discuss the road for the future,

Please don’t say we are building toilets for schools under WinS; we are doing happy schools, not just building toilet blocks. WinS Global Chair Sushil Gupta

20 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

he said, and assured the leadership in the room that even though WinS had been launched as a pilot project by RI, it will not end in 2018, “and do not worry about funding from the Foundation; if you move systematically, we will ask less questions”. The Genesis In April 2014, TRF decided to launch a WinS programme to meet its long term goals for a “sustainable, scalable, manageable and high impact push to increase attendance in government schools through better sanitation

practises and hygiene. The programme also had a fit with three of the six core areas of RI such as water and sanitation, basic education and literacy and disease prevention and treatment. All these parameters also fit in perfectly with the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, Gupta said. Gupta recalled how when he joined the Trustee Board in July 2014, “immediately the then Trustee Chair John Kenny said I know your interest in water — I am more known as a water activist — so I will give you something to do with water. But I had no idea what would

land in my lap!” By a sheer coincidence, around the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a clarion call from the Red Fort for Swachh Bharat and at the Chennai Rotary Institute in December 2014, Rotary signed an MoU with Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu to build 20,000 toilet blocks in schools in two years. “We promised, and once we promise, we have to deliver,” said Gupta. At the RI level, a dialogue began with UNICEF as a technical partner and in April 2015, WinS was rolled out as a pilot programme; while India was

(From Right): RIDE C Basker, TRF Trustee and WinS Global Chair Sushil Gupta, HRD Secretary Manish Garg, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma, PRIP Rajendra Saboo, Wins Vice Chair P T Prabhakar, UNICEF WASH expert Mamita Boara Thakker and PDG Ramesh Aggarwal.

TRF Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee

chosen for Asia, and Kenya for Africa, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize were chosen for Central America. “Even though an international programme it aligns beautifully with our Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya programme.” But, said the WinS Global Chair, “Please don’t say we are building toilets for schools under WinS; we are doing happy schools, not just building toilet blocks. And by providing clean drinking water, group hand washing stations with soap, and gender segregated toilets with assured water supply, assuring menstrual hygiene for girls, the programme was ushering in a huge change and a brighter future for our children.” Group handwashing Laying emphasis on group handwashing, which was bound to create a handwashing habit in children and usher in behavioural change, Gupta said: “We have a unique opportunity in the form of midday meals. No other country in the world has midday meals where so many millions of children have meal at one time.” Gupta complimented RID 3211 (Kerala) for having done 1,111 schools last year; “their target for this year is 2,222 and they are already thinking we’ll do more than that. I don’t know if any other organisation in India is doing that many schools. Polio eradication took us 25 years. These children will be agents of change for hygienic practices in the community and will bring the country out of the menace of open defecation.”

I am aware that many DGs and PDGs have a concern whether to pursue literacy or WinS. As far as I am concerned, you can do either, but I’d prefer it if you did both. TRF Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee

22 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Dr Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, asked that even after “70 years of independence, if we are still talking about toilets, have we missed the bus? Who will take the lead? Parents, teachers, corporates?” Coming from a place in Rajasthan which faced severe water scarcity, and attending a school that was 8 km from his house, where there was no tap water available and water for the next day’s use had to be fetched from a well 2 km away, he knew the importance of water and sanitation. Leaving behind a legacy He said Rotarians can be proud that “we’ve ourselves chosen this field of social work for giving back to society; nobody compelled us at gun point.” The most admirable outcome of this work would be the health benefits to future generation of girl children who were often compelled to hold back urination for lack of proper and separate toilet facilities in school. Mahatvapur yeh nahi ki vasiyat me kya mila. Mahatvapur yeh hei ki virasat me kya chhod kar jaaongey. (It is not important what you inherited; what’s important is what legacy you will leave behind), he added.

Mahatvapur yeh nahi ki vasiyat me kya mila, mahatvapur yeh hei ki virasat me kya chhod kar jaaongey. Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma

Addressing the meet, PRIP Rajendra K Saboo said it was appropriate that the GOI had adopted Gandhiji’s spectacles as a symbol of Swachh Bharat. Just as polio eradication from India had succeeded thanks to private-public partnerships, similarly for WinS, Rotary has partnered with UNICEF as also GoI. Complimenting Trustee Gupta’s leadership in WinS, he said “as he keeps saying, it is much more than making toilets or providing water. The effect of cleanliness on the country will determine its strength, image and character. Rotarains are known to walk the difficult path and I am confident we will do it.” Chairing a session, TRF Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee said that he was

“aware that many DGs and PDGs have a concern whether to pursue Literacy or WinS. As far as I am concerned, you can do either, but I’d prefer it if you did both.” But WinS, he elaborated, is a part of Happy Schools, which again, is a part of Literacy. “If you can focus on WinS, or e-learning, teacher training, child development or adult literacy, it all amounted to working for Literacy. So let it be your choice… your club’s choice, depending on your area of focus or interest, but remember that we can’t have Literacy without WinS.” States taking ownership HRD Joint Secretary Manish Garg said the good news was that various State governments were taking on the responsibility of maintaining school toilets. Some States have even linked it to social forestry. For example, in Andhra Pradesh, some schools have developed small nurseries on their campuses in collaboration with the Forests department, and the income from those nurseries will be used for maintenance of toilets. Some other States were providing funds for monthly maintenance and cleaning. The HRD, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation

(From Left): DG Narayan Nayak, WinS Global Chair Sushil Gupta, PDG Ashok Bihari, DG A Mani, PDG Jorson Fernandez and DG Vinay Raiker.

From local to global

n a speech laced with humour, and regaling Rotary leaders at the WinS meet in Delhi on the kind of toil the top leadership has to carry out while serving the community, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma had the audience in splits. He said that he had met Ramesh Aggarwal at a Rotary function when he was DG. “Madam Ramesh was also with him. It was 9.30 or 10.30 pm, and they were talking about

ministries had issued guidelines that the repair and maintenance of school toilets should be a priority programme of the panchayats, in view of the large allotments of funds given to local bodies and panchayats now. He said the recently launched Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar, in collaboration with UNICEF, has school sanitation ratings, under which every school rates itself on the basis of 39 parameters. “In less than

how he was going from this to that place; from shamshan ghat to toilet cleaning… and I thought that divorce tau pucca hei, aaj kal nahi tau do char saal me zuroor ho jayega. Lekin hua nahi. Ab Rameshji ki yeh halat thi, toh Sushilji (TRF Trustee Sushil Gupta), jo global ho gaye, unki kya halat hogi? (His divorce is certain, if not today, then after a few years. If this is Aggarwal’s plight, you can imagine the plight of Sushil Gupta, who is Global WinS Chair).

30 days, 3 lakh schools have participated in this rating, where schools are rated as green, blue, yellow, orange and red.” Slowly the awareness was coming in. Recently the Quality Council of India did a survey in 100 of the best districts in India and found that 90 per of toilets are being used. “That speaks a lot on how this campaign is working. They also visited the schools and said the community was involved in the maintenance of the school toilets.” With the

We will not stop after two years; we will continue our association with these schools through Interact clubs. WinS Vice Chair PT Prabhakar

community and the school management getting involved, behavioural change is taking place and children are motivating households to go for toilets. “In Rajasthan nearly 15 lakh children wrote on a single day to their parents from school that they need a good functional toilet in their homes. This is the impact the Swachh Bharat campaign is having. It is not just a government programme; society is getting involved along with various civil society organisations,” Garg added. Daunting task WinS Vice Chair and PRID P T Prabhakar gave an assurance that even after two years, Rotary would not abandon the schools where it built toilet blocks. “We will continue our association with these schools through Interact clubs.” He said a major weakness

A view of the audience.

24 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Children enact a short skit to explain WinS.

in Rotary was that as the District and club leadership changed every year, there was a time lag before the new leadership takes over, and some inertia can creep in while sustaining the previous year’s programmes. But Rotarians should guard against this. But when the vision was to equip all schools with toilets, with there being 1.4 million plus schools, and 400,000 schools needing attention, “the task is daunting. Also, only 51 per cent schools have designated handwashing stations, so we have to work on the remaining 49 per cent; only 12 per cent have soap and detergent.” But instead of looking at it as a challenge, we should consider it an opportunity. What would also help was that “WinS is a focused project of TRF with funding support, and you can also fund WinS projects with your DDFs,” Prabhakar added. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that as a Rotarian, and before that, an Interactor, “I feel like I am with my family”. It was great that Rotarians had undertaken the “responsibility to fulfil the vision of Gandhiji and the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” Giving separate toilets to girl students was imperative, as women in the slums, even in Delhi, get up at dawn for their toilet needs and “often during festivals, even skip their food so that they do not

need to use the toilet. Right from childhood, girls are trained: you just can’t go anywhere, learn to control.” This is not necessary for boys. The damage that toxins, not regularly expelled from the body, can cause to health is well known. Dysfunctional, vandalised toilets Ramesh Aggarwal, Member Secretary, Rotary India WinS , said India has 1.47 million schools with 130 million children, and the challenge is that a vast majority as confronted with “dysfunctional, child-unfriendly and vandalised toilets, and lack of water and sanitation facilities.” A grim reality is that today 600 million defecate in the open and six million children are out of schools. About 1.4 million children die before they turn 5. These are the consequences of not having proper water supply and sanitation facilities in our schools.

About 1.4 million children die before they turn 5. These are the consequences of not having proper water supply and sanitation facilities in our schools. PDG Ramesh Aggarwal

Aggarwal said not only do toilets have “poor designs which are not child friendly, hardly Rs 7,500–12,500 are allotted for operation and maintenance for a year and that includes repair of the school building! How are you going to maintain water and sanitation facilities with this meagre amount? Our role is not just building, our role is also advocacy, reaching out to governments, policy makers and influencing them to ensure that we have proper sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools.” Creating community ownership The crucial issue was to create a sense of ownership in the community and the teachers. The three core elements to make this programme “sustainable and successful are to engage and empower the students, professional management of the facilities and monitoring whether everything is functioning.” UNICEF WASH specialist Mamita Bora Thakker said providing gender segregated toilets in schools was very important as it ensured that girls did not drop out at puberty. “If the girl child stays in school, the problem of early child marriage is addressed and once that is taken care of, she delivers healthy children. So we are talking about a healthy generation.” Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat Designed by Krishnapratheesh S NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 25

Making India Literate Rasheeda Bhagat

Rasheeda Bhagat

This year, thanks to some meticulous and smart planning, Rotaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in the field of literacy caught media attention like never before, says RILM Chair Shekhar Mehta.

26 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

A Rotarian teaches children in a West Bengal village.

e’ve never seen corporates chase Rotary but for the first time they are doing that… to work with us on literacy through the TEACH programme. They can see the difference it will make to India and its future. They are particularly interested in supporting Happy Schools and E-learning.” Past RI Director and Rotary India Literacy Mission Chair Shekhar Mehta is all excitement as he shares details of the huge impact Rotary made on the media — both traditional as well as social — this year, while celebrating the World Literacy Day on September 8. Asked to comment on the record media coverage that Rotary’s celebration of the World Literacy Day got this year, Mehta says, “I don’t like to make such statements but very frankly in so many years I haven’t seen anything like this. Interestingly, this ‘newspaper challenge’ began at the last RILM Executive meet.” He was sharing with one of the RNT Trustees the Literacy core group’s plans to reach out to the media on Literacy Day. “He said we won’t get media coverage for Rotary. I said I promise you we’ll get at least 100 reports in newspapers.” Having taken on the challenge, he had to live up to it. “Of course I had no control because it would be the Rotary clubs who would have to do it.” But the

core RILM team rose to the occasion and the result is that till September end, he had already received over 150 clippings from newspapers from all over India. “And there may be so many that I may not even be aware of. Not everybody sends/reports the outcome of our activities or programmes,” he says. How the preparations began Mehta says about three years ago Rotary had decided that “we need to be one of the major players in India as far as literacy is concerned. Now UNESCO has declared September 8 as International Literacy Day, and this being the 50th year, we needed to make some noise. I always find individuals, politicians, etc trending on social media, so I said let Rotary trend on that day!” This objective was discussed at various levels; from the national committee to the zonal literacy coordinators. The

We Rotarians are very good at speaking to ourselves, but we need to speak to the outside world and it needs to know what we are doing.

NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 27

RILM Chair Shekhar Mehta explains details of TEACH to a visitor at the HoF booth at the Seoul Rotary Convention 2016.

team realised that to catch the media’s eye and to trend on social media that day, they would have to be creative and innovative in their approach. “Now if we conduct a walkathon everywhere, then it is hardly likely to have the desirable impact.” So it was decided to let everybody do what they wanted, but within the parameters of TEACH (Teachers Training, E-learning, Adult Literacy, Child Development, Happy Schools). “We said you may do, you may launch, you may commit any of these elements. You have the freedom to do what you want, but please report to us. We got the Inner Wheel also involved in the programme. Inner Wheel is very regimented, so if the order goes from the top, they follow it to a T, and they have done some amazing work this year,” says Mehta. Of course, he adds, Rotarians “have also done outstanding work”. One member of the RILM team, who is social media savvy, was put in charge of this mega event. The agency which does the RILM creatives, was also roped in to do some striking promos for the day. The main challenge was “to get 28 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

the public… the larger community… involved. We Rotarians are very good at speaking to ourselves, but we need to speak to the outside world and it needs to know what we are doing,” he says. To enlarge RILM’s presence on social media, he gave a target to the staff — the 6,000 ‘likes’ on its FB page would have to cross the 10,000 mark and they would get a treat. Mehta had to keep his word! Next, to engage a larger audience, they had a photography competition, and got senior leaders such as TRF Chair Kalyan Banerjee, PRIP Rajendra K Saboo, RID Manoj Desai

There is an understanding with the Kailash Satyarthi Foundation under which in the next 3 years Rotary will send 3 lakh children back to school.

and celebrities such as M S Dhoni, Sonakshi Sinha, Kabir Bedi etc, to give out messages on “What are YOU doing on September 8”. With senior leaders spelling out what they and their clubs were doing for the cause of literacy, a cascading effect was created, and the media picked up the frenetic activity. What also helped was the involvement of the Government. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar came and on that occasion the 5,000 libraries project of RILM was launched. Six other Education Ministers from different States were also involved. A Nobel Laureate’s endorsement The RILM chief is happy that fortunately, when it comes to literacy, “the outside world is hearing us”. It got a shot in the arm when earlier this year, at the Presidential Literacy Conference in Kolkata, Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s Foundation joined them. “We were only two years old then, and here was a Nobel laureate joining us. Why did he do it? Because he appreciated the process we had initiated to rid India of illiteracy.”

Jaishree

The other strength of this endeavour, explains Mehta, is the support staff that RILM has, “which is so essential for a sustained programme. Rotarians can do things in bits and pieces, but somebody has to be there to stitch things together, collate things, motivate them and provide a direction and support on launching and sustaining programmes.” The programme tries different approaches to ensure that each of the five elements of TEACH are taken care of. For instance, for Adult Literacy, a set of three books is given to children with the direction to go and find an illiterate in her locality and teach him/her to read and write. The task has to be completed in 45 days. “First we tested it in Kolkata and it worked. Then we went to 10 States in India and reached 65,000 people!” Similarly, Asha Kiran, where individuals and clubs pledge to send children back to school, was first launched

in Kolkata, and following its success, it was launched in 12 States and as a result 34,000 children are in the process of going back to school. “I keep telling Rotarians and their clubs that the next time you are in a car and a child knocks on your window, try and send that child back to school and you’ll understand how difficult it is to do so.” Today, there are over 800 teachers at 400 centres teaching children who are either dropouts, or have never ever gone to a school or are laggards, in that a student may be 12, but he is not able to read books even of Class 2. The last is a big challenge. Mehta says that according to the latest ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) statistics, 50 per cent of children at Class 5 level, could not read the text of Class 2. “These children will ultimately become dropouts as they cannot appear for exam,” and need to be brought on par.

Hum jaha jaha jaatey hei, waha waha E-learning schools mey admission ke liye bheed lagi hei. In the villages, they are really interested in E-learning. D 3250 PDG Bindu Singh

RILM’s structure A structure was required to stitch up the different TEACH components for which “I didn’t reinvent the wheel. Polio and TRF frameworks were already there; we just took those two and merged them together and got the RILM structure.” So just as there are national committees for polio, similar committees are there for the RILM; the members are called Zonal Literacy

RILM Vice Chair Kamal Sanghvi (extreme right) participating in a Literacy event.

Coordinators. Under each component of TEACH, there are different committees with five members for each, usually a PDG with seven districts under his charge. On the commitments made by Rotarians on the various aspects of TEACH, he says the national target this year for training teachers was 5,000, “but one district alone — 3131 has signed an MoU on September 8 to train 10,000 teachers.” Vaishali Bhagwat from Pune did this and they have already completed training 4,000 teachers. “Till the beginning of this year Teacher Training was our neglected child. Now it is absolutely at the front.” Apart from training them on subjects, Teacher Training also focuses on class management, setting curriculum, finishing it in the prescribed time, how to manage children of different ages 30 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

in their classroom and how not to give corporal punishment. A nation builder award has been launched for the best teachers and evaluation of teachers, both by the children and the Principal, has been put in place, with the Principal’s rating getting five times the weightage. All the data is being collated online, “our interest is not only to identify the top five per cent but also the bottom five per cent so that they can be given extra attention,” he

I didn’t reinvent the wheel. Polio and TRF frameworks were already there; we just took those two and merged them together and got the RILM structure.

says. Over 3,000 teachers have been already evaluated. Major partnerships RILM has been stitching up some crucial partnerships. “The jewel in the crown is of course the Satyarthi Foundation. For the Asha Kiran programme we have about 28 partners and soon 12 more will get added.” These are NGOs who are working on sending children back to school. “Rotarians cannot go every day to the field and teach children. These people do that at the field level on a daily basis; and we support them.” The best part, points out Mehta, is that under Asha Kiran, it costs Rs 2,100 to send a child back to school. “In my own club, I pay Rs 7,000–8,000 for a child for one year. Whereas this is a onetime fee of Rs 2,000. We’ve been able to do it because of the scales and

Combining literacy and cooking!

An adult literacy programme in progress.

The next time you are in a car and a child knocks on your window, try and send that child back to school and you’ll understand how difficult it is to do so.

while those are private schools, these are government ones,” adds Mehta. Their other partners are the British Council, Macmillan, the Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation, Wizdoms Libraries, etc. Next year the plan is to celebrate International Literacy Day in at least five countries — India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and probably Myanmar. He also wants to reach out to at least three African countries which had shown great interest in the

he impact of the work Shekhar Mehta and his team are doing can be gauged from this statement of District 3250 PDG Bindu Singh on the huge demand for E-learning: “Hum jaha jaha jaatey hei, waha waha E-learning schools mey admission ke liye bheed lagi hei. In the villages, they are really interested in E-learning.” In Patna, she gave E-learning kits to five different schools and all the teachers “hamarey peeche lag gaye, humko aur bhi do. The attendance has increased, the children are coming regularly to school. We’ve given one kit per school, and it is shared in rotation by different classes, so now they are asking for more kits.”

For adult literacy she tried an innovative approach to get the women interested. “Just like that, for literacy, women won’t come. We all know that all women can cook; I engaged some hotel management people to come and fine tune or improve their cooking and presentation.” Along with culinary training, literacy was also roped in. Now the women have not only become literate but have all got a livelihood route, and have started their own catering services. “For our sawan milap event, we gave one of them an order. It wasn’t too great, but they will improve if we encourage them,” she adds.

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ROTARY NEWS 31

Just like that, for literacy, women won’t come. So, along with culinary training by hotel management people, literacy was also roped in. PDG Bindu Singh

hopefully by the time this goes for print, our work with the SBI for 1,236 schools would have begun. That is a Rs 3 crore project.” Even bigger things are in the offing. Mehta shares that the Deutch Bank “is ready to give us Rs 15 crore but right now we don’t have the wherewithal to take it; as it has to be 15 per cent of our turnover, which last year was only Rs 4 crore.” Next year the RILM turnover will top Rs 15–20 crore and the matter has gone up to the RI level to work out a methodology to take these funds. That RILM’s profile and activities are poised for a huge take off can be seen from the fact that only on January 1, 2017, it will complete three years, the period stipulated for getting CSR funds from corporates. An adult literacy session conducted by RC Bokaro Steel City, D 3250.

RILM projects at its booth at the Seoul Convention. Government partnership Mehta is most excited about RILM’s partnerships with the Central Government. “In TEACH, we already have a partnership for adult literacy; there is an understanding with the Kailash Satyarthi Foundtion under which in the next three years Rotary will send three lakh children back to school. For the Happy Schools programme there is already a partnership for WinS.” And now that they are empanelled with the Government he and the RILM COO Aapga Singh are invited to every 32 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

programme done by the National Literacy Mission Authority. Asked to name the one big success of the TEACH programme in the coming years, the RILM Chair says, “It is going to be the E-learning programme, which will be the literacy engine driver. We already have an MoU with the Government of Gujarat for 23,000 schools and work has already started, with 10,000 plus being done already. Another amazing thing… we are signing an MoU with the Maharashtra Government for Rs 55 crore. They will put in Rs 33 crore and we will raise the rest. State Bank of India has already written to us and

RID 3131 a shining beacon District 3131 has plunged into TEACH with a lot of vigour. Vaishali Bhagwat, DLCC, points out that RID 3131 has completed training of 5,000 teachers in the first quarter (July-September), with the training conducted by expert trainers on classroom management; the 3M Concept — Teacher as a Mentor, Mediator, Motivator; Teaching Skills and Personality Development. According to the MoU with Rotary, the Zilla Parishad makes available the venue and about 100 teachers attend one training programme, and a day’s training programme costs Rs 10,000, with Rs 7,000 being paid to the expert trainer and the rest used for the logistics and snacks. Under a Global Grant, a Teachers Training Programme

Rotary’s literacy news trending on print and social media.

The E-learning programme is going to be one big success in the coming years… we have an MoU with the Gujarat Government for 23,000 schools and with the Maharashtra Government for Rs 55 crore.

is being conducted for 1,200 primary school teachers for mathematics using the Universal Active Maths — “Math Lab” concept. The total project outlay is Rs 44 lakh. The main objective of the programme is to prevent or reduce dropout and make learning more interesting and purposeful by arming “teachers with advanced teaching skills using Universal Active Mathematics method and Math Lab kits to improve their teaching abilities,” she says, adding, “Fear of mathematics in students’ mind is known and this phobia has to be removed at an early age.” RILM Vice Chair Kamal Sanghvi puts it succinctly when he says, “Understanding that literacy is the only constant in the world, Rotary has waged a war on illiteracy. Corporate India knows our strength and hence is joining hands with Rotary. First to do so is the Tata group, and together we will be setting up 1,000 E-learning centres.” Designed by Krishnapratheesh S

RILM Chair Shekhar Mehta at a Happy School. NOVEMBER 2016

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Where college students grow vegetables Jaishree These Rotarians have got students all excited about organic farming, while also educating tribal children.

ousya H, a student of the ITI for Women in Kazhakuttom in Kerala, is all excited as she shares the good news that her family has reaped a rich yield of tapioca, plantain, pepper and chilly this season and she is doubly happy because their vegetables are devoid of pesticides and chemical fertilisers. She has distributed her home-grown vegetables among her neighbours and also taught them to cultivate them in their homes.

For Ayana Vijayan, “cultivating such vegetables in our backyard is an effective confidence-building and family bonding exercise.” Fousya and Ayana are part of a team of students who were trained in organic farming by Rotary Club of Kazhakuttom, D 3202. “We launched this project — Mukulam — last year to get youngsters interested, in a small way, to plant vegetables in their backyards. We were certain that this will create a ripple down effect and we

want to promote organic agriculture for a healthy life,” says past president Meenakumaran Nair. Krishi Bhavan supports the project by sharing gardening practices and seeds. The farming project was inaugurated by the State Agriculture Minister K P Mohan at the Government ITI in Kazhakuttom, in Thiruvananthapuram. The Rotarians cleared a portion of the college ground for cultivation and conducted workshops for 700 students. They distributed seeds of

The ITI students display their basket of vegetables. 34 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Jaishree From left: IPDP Coordinator J Mary John, Club President S L Raj, Roynold J Gomez, IPP Meenakumaran Nair and Balan Baskaran with the Apollo Colony children.

spinach, beans, chilly, tomato, okra and brinjal. S S Jeeva was the man behind the project; “he is there at 6 am every morning and tends to the saplings lovingly,” says Nair. “It was totally organic; no chemicals were used. We prepared the soil with vegetable juices, cow dung and neem leaves as fertiliser and coconut fibre was spread as a bed to retain water. Red ants, found naturally on this soil, killed the insects,” says Jeeva. Last December, the harvest was celebrated like a festival with fanfare in the presence of the Mayor V K Prasanth and DG John Daniel. The huge yield was distributed among the college staff, students, club members and nearby orphanages. “We had baskets full of variety of vegetables and all of us were super excited,” recalls Seena S G, a student. “As soon as we come into the college, we would visit our little garden every day. It was like watching a baby grow

up, and in front of our eyes we saw the plants bloom and give us the gift of vegetables,” says Liji R, another student. The field is now ready for the next crop of vegetables. Some of these students have taken the project home, cultivating vegetables in their backyard.

Educating tribals Apollo Colony, on the other side of Thiruvananthapuram, is a tribal belt with 300 families living in dire poverty, yet it shares its borders with Techno City, the IT corridor of Trivandrum. The club has adopted this colony under its integrated development programme and educating the children was its first agenda. “It was disturbing when we found that many of them were aimless, unruly and committing petty crimes. So we decided to bring some discipline in them,” says the Programme Coordinator J Mary John.

Thirty students are being trained by Rotarians and their families. They assemble in an anganwadi on weekends and classes in English, Math, yoga, moral education and skill development are held. The project also included a four-week training in computers at the TechnoPark. The children are a refined lot and it was amazing to hear them introduce themselves in English with a lot of confidence. Five of them participated in the IRYLA conducted recently by RC Trivandrum. Sharing their dreams, Asha says she wants to be a nurse; Vidya a teacher; Abhil Krishnan and Anju aim to join the IPS. While Vidya teaches Malayalam for 20 villagers, few others are teaching their parents to read and write. “This programme will continue for another five years; we will target the adults next,” says Nair. The club members construct a house a year for the underprivileged. Ten houses have been constructed so far with TRF support, says this silver jubilee president. NOVEMBER 2016

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India is doing well in

philanthropy Rasheeda Bhagat

Ajay Piramal, Chairman of the Piramal Group, and an AKS member. 36 ROT 36 ROTARY TARY ARYY NE AR N NEWS EW WSS NOVEMBER NOV NO N OV O V VEMB EEMB EM MB M BER R 2016 20 2201 016 01

The Piramal family’s philanthropy dates back over 80 years when the grandfather of Ajay Piramal, Chairman of the Piramal group, started the first school for Dalits in his village Bagar in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan. Later, he took the bold step of setting up a school for girls in rural Rajasthan, breaking all taboos. This philanthropic seed sown in the early 1900s took firm root and the Piramal family continued with several charitable activities. In 2007–08, it decided to set up the Piramal Foundation, which now takes care of all the philanthropic activities of the Piramal group of companies in a much more structured fashion, having on board 3,500 full time staff. The Piramal Foundation works in the three major areas of education, health care and clean drinking water. In education it works

only in government schools and the philosophy of its work is that while the government has both the funding and programmes in place, efficiency and quality need to be brought in through a fresh and different approach and innovative ideas. As leadership can make all the difference, it focuses on improving the quality of headmasters and teachers. With an annual budget of Rs 60 crore, the Foundation works in 1,600 government schools, and wants to expand this number to 10,000 by 2020. It has its own trained teams on the ground executing projects in 15 States across the country. In an interview to Rotary News, Ajay Piramal explains why he decided to become an Arch Klumph Society member, and why he thinks a partnership with Rotary is desirable. Excerpts:

You have your own Piramal Foundation which is working in several social sectors and you are a leading philanthropist from India, so why the decision to become an Arch Klumph Society member? One is because Rotary is doing good work and its impact is out there for everyone to see, whether it is in the polio outreach programme and eradicating polio from India, or many other initiatives they have been taking consistently over the last several decades. So first of all it is the credibility of the organisation, and then there are the people who have been involved in it. I find that both the Rotarians and the staff of Rotary are committed; Rotarians are not professionals, they are volunteers and are doing all this because they want to serve society. They really believe that service is above self. So that’s a good reason. So you consider Rotary a trustworthy partner? Yes, I do. Their governance is good; they have so many levels of governance, and you can easily see its impact

PRID Ashok Mahajan and DG (D 3141) Gopal Rai Mandhania felicitate AKS member Ajay Piramal. NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 37

on the ground wherever you go. That is why I trust Rotary. In the Piramal Foundation, what areas are you most passionate about? And why? There are lots and lots of areas in India that you can work in, but the main areas that we work in are education, youth, leadership and health care. In education we mainly work in government schools and our core philosophy is developing good leadership. So we invest a lot of our time and effort with the headmasters as we feel it is

very important to have a good leader engaging with the staff, students, and community. The objective of course is improved learning in government schools. In health, we work in the entire space of health care. Health is of course connected to your pharma industry… Not really. There is much more than that we do; we work in the entire area of health care. And then we provide clean drinking water. These are the three big areas. But we support many other initiatives.

Rotary is doing good work and its impact is there for everyone to see, whether it is in the polio outreach programme or many other initiatives they’ve taken consistently over the last several decades.

Rotary is also involved in literacy and you are the Chairman of Pratham. What kind of work do you think Pratham is doing? Pratham is really doing large scale interventions in the primary education space... as we say, our mission is to see that every child is in school and is learning well. We started almost 20 years ago and now, as we all know, in India virtually 99 per cent of children go to school. Our next emphasis is to see how we can improve the level and quality of learning of these children. That is what Pratham does; it is a very large scale organisaton, actually it is the largest NGO in the education space in India. Rotary’s dream is to make India totally literate by 2017, or 2018 or however long it takes. How soon do you think India can realise this dream? I think in literacy we are fast getting there; nearly 99 per cent of children are enrolled in schools. For the older people, it will take some time. But the next generation is going to be fully literate. This streak of philanthropy and the habit of giving back to society... is it a family trait? Was it inculcated in you at a young age? It has been there right from the beginning. My grandfather was not that well off, but even at that time, he started 38 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Piramal Foundation partners with Harvard, NY University

he Piramal Foundation has interesting partnerships with both the Harvard Business School and the New York University. In Harvard “we are part of a global coalition of seven organisations working on what is called 21st century skills,” says Foundation head Paresh Parasnis. He says Indian schools’ focus is largely on literacy and numeracy. But increasingly it is believed that if any child has to succeed in the 21st century, “what is required is beyond academic knowledge. You will need abilities to collaborate, empathise, resilience, perseverance, etc, which are intrinsic abilities that are never taught in government schools. We are working with Harvard on how to integrate some of these skills in the curriculum of government schools.” On the work being done with the New York University, Parasnis says that in Indian schools, particularly government schools, assessment is mainly done around language and

giving. In his village called Bagar in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, he started a school for the Harijans and backward classes. This was the early 1900s and as you can imagine, it was not easy in that era to start a school for backward classes… it was quite a big thing. The first person who entered his school was a Harijan. That school is still running and most of the students are from the backward classes because the fees is very nominal. There are more than 1,000 students studying in this school today. And that was not all. He also started a girls’ school around the same time… the early 1900s, and to do that in a Rajasthan village… you have to appreciate what it meant. He also started for the community what at that time was a sort of a medical outlet in the same village.

Paresh Parasnis, Head of the Piramal Foundation.

math skills. “Students are tested only for these two. New York University is developing tests to figure out how the emotional development of a child happens, to internalise some of the 21st century skills. So how do you test a student on the non-cognitive skills

that we talk about, such as empathy, collaboration, and so on. And they’ve done a lot of work in this area in the US context of course. And we are seeing how we can adapt that to Indian conditions and use it for government schools that we work in.”

So while growing up, charity and giving were values that were inculcated in you… to give back to society? Yes, it was only natural.

give away their fortunes in charity. But we don’t see similar largesse coming from Indian billionaires. Why do you think that is so? Actually, if you look at overall data, India is not that bad! India is still doing rather well on the philanthropy front, and there are enough studies to show that. But probably what is happening is that a lot of people in India don’t really talk about it. I think it’s there, and the habit of giving is only increasing. I am very optimistic about it. Now of course the corporates anyway give two per cent for CSR.

Indian corporates and charity… it is beginning to happen, but if we look at the United States, at Microsoft’s Bill Gates, ace investor Warren Buffet and more recently Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, they find it so easy to

I am very optimistic of India’s future because India is one of the shining beacons of growth. Our strengths are spiritual heritage and depth of diversity.

Yes, I was coming to that. The government had to make that compulsory. But that’s alright in an emerging society. And anyway, many of us do what we can and without any compulsions! NOVEMBER 2016

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You are a big follower of the Bhagwad Gita, and you yourself have a strong spiritual streak in you. Where does that come from? That is the blessing of the Lord. I always say, and of course believe, that if you have the resources and you don’t share those resources with those who don’t have them, as the Lord says, you are a thief. And that is my philosophy. I have resources and I am fortunate to be born in the family that I was born in, and I had all the comforts, so it is my duty to share what I can with others.

Ajay Piramal flanked by his brother-in-law Rtn Nirav Shah of RC Bombay (left) and Rtn Virendra Widge.

A classic case… we all talk about Bill Gates, but look at the Tatas. They’ve been doing it for a long time and it is only increasing now. Coming to the Harvard Business School where you serve on the Board of Dean’s Advisors, what has that experience been like? It has been a very interesting experience. First of all, I think Harvard is the best school to build leaders of calibre. And being on that committee at Harvard, you get to meet and interact with people who are really outstanding and successful. Whether it is the advisors or the faculty, there is leading edge thinking and that is a major advantage and a great experience. Any special takeaways from that experience? Well, life teaches you many things. Harvard also does that and keeps you abreast of the latest thinking. What do you think about India’s future? I am very optimistic of India’s future because if you take all the countries of the world today, where is the growth coming from? Actually, India is one of 40 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

the shining beacons of growth. Look at the strengths that India has. One of our major strengths, which we normally underestimate, is the spiritual heritage we have, which no other country in the world has. This is the only country where you see such a depth of diversity. There are 150 million Muslims who live in India in harmony and peace with the other communities. Please tell me which other country in the world has this? So we have to celebrate our diversity and that is because of the spiritual foundation that this country has. And apart from this, India is a market that is growing. Which other country is growing like us today? And it is a democracy, there is freedom; so yes, these are the strengths that India has. I am very optimistic about India’s future because of all these factors.

Harvard is the best school to build leaders of calibre. And by being on the Dean’s committee, you get to meet people who are really outstanding and successful, and with leading edge thinking.

How did you get associated with Rotary? Both my brothers were Rotarians, actually Presidents of Rotary clubs, several years ago. My eldest brother Ashok Piramal, who is no more, was the President of the Rotary Club of Bombay North. My other brother is Dilip Piramal, who was the President of the Rotary Club of Midtown and now he has joined Rotary Club of Bombay, or is joining it. So that association is there. Then my brother-in-law Nirav Shah, (who is present at the interview) is a Rotarian too. I was in Rotary earlier, and my wife Jyoti Piramal was a Rotarian too. I am now an honorary member of Rotary Club of Bombay. But why did you leave? It was mainly due to preoccupation with my business duties, and in those days you didn’t have the liberal attendance policies that Rotary has today. And, I am already an honorary member so I don’t have to pay the fees (chuckles). But you have paid a much steeper and a very generous fee of $250,000! Are you planning or open to any other future partnerships with Rotary? I’m sure there will be some opportunities in the future. Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat Designed by N Krishnamurthy

District Wise TRF Contributions as on September 2016 (in US Dollars)

District Number

APF

PolioPlus*

Other Restricted

Total Endowment Contributions Fund

India 2981 2982 3000 3011 3012 3020 3030 3040 3051 3052 3053 3060 3070 3080 3090 3110 3120 3131 3132 3141 3142 3150 3160 3170 3181 3182 3190 3201 3202 3211 3212 3230 3240 3250 3261 3262 3291 India Total 3220 3271 3272 3281 3282 3292 South India Total World Total

50,311 4,202 40,353 23,294 76,305 6,984 9,055 30 4,408 (26,925) 200 21,306 29,150 9,321 7,237 15,599 1,417 49,468 23,640 1,56,231 23,880 23,826 8,806 15,926 28,008 2,511 (61,080) 13,285 2,134 10,063 4,167 56,018 46,990 5,947 6,003 55,410 16,658 7,61,953 29,350 114 45,936 21,045 1,590 25,552 8,85,540 2,13,04,891

976 872 0 124 100 72 0 0 0 0 0 0 300 3,327 0 3,101 0 4,175 (97) 9,603 0 3,490 455 200 0 522 (14,706) 149 0 0 0 50 464 0 0 3,373 0 16,551 0 5,437 4,847 400 0 0 27,235 38,94,027

0 0 0 1,493 1,000 0 0 (500) 0 26,925 0 10,500 0 29,587 0 0 0 47,875 0 49,185 5,250 26,241 0 1,960 0 0 31,218 1,015 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26,750 20,196 2,78,695 0 0 0 2,500 0 13,712 2,94,907 24,91,655

* Excludes Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. * Does not include contribution of Mrs Rajashree Birla ($1,000,000)

0 0 25,000 0 0 25,000 8,500 0 0 0 0 9,000 0 3,000 0 0 0 8,955 0 2,640 0 51,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,000 2,149 0 0 1,000 0 1,38,244 11,018 100 1,000 1,000 0 0 1,51,363 51,35,924

51,287 5,074 65,353 24,910 77,405 32,056 17,555 (470) 4,408 0 200 40,806 29,450 45,235 7,237 18,700 1,417 1,10,473 23,543 2,17,660 29,130 1,04,556 9,261 18,085 28,008 3,033 (44,567) 14,449 2,134 10,063 4,167 58,068 49,603 5,947 6,003 86,532 36,854 11,95,443 40,369 5,651 51,783 24,945 1,590 39,264 13,59,044 3,28,26,498

Source: RI South Asia Office

TRF Award Winners 2015â&#x20AC;&#x201C;16

he winners of The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award and Citation for Meritorious Service for 2015-16 have been announced. The Distinguished Service Award is the Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest recognition of active service, which must reach beyond the district and last for an extended period. Rotarians become eligible for the award four years after receiving the Citation for Meritorious Service, which recognises individuals who have provided significant active service to the Foundation for more than one year. The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award 2980 Poochi Valasubramania Purushothaman 3020 Manda Chiranjeevi Das 3030 Rambhau Shirode 3150 Tamanamu Vijendra Rao 3250 Sandeep Narang 3291 Ravindra Sehgal Citation for Meritorious Service 2981 2981 3011 3020 3030 3040 3051 3052 3060 3100 3110 3131 3140 3170 3190 3201 3230 3230 3250 3261 3262 3291

Ramaiya Palanivelu Joseph Suresh Kumar Navdeep Chawla Gude Venkat Mohan Prasad Prafull Mokadam Nitin Dafria Gyaneshwar Rao Chouth Mal Birla Deepak Agrawal Manoj Kumar Shrish Gupta Deepak Purohit Balkrishna Inamdar Prakash Saraswat Kurugoilu Nagendra P S Srinivasan Jayendra Babubhai Kamdar Shunmugam Muthu Palaniappan Deepak Dokania Satyanarayan Agrawal Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty Utpal Majumdar

WinS Commitment

TRF Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee with DG Shyamashree Sen (left) and DG Sharat Jain.

Past RI President Rajendra Saboo has a word with RIDE C Basker and DG R Bharath.

TRF Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee with BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra (right); Right: Past RI President Rajendra Saboo, RIDE C Basker and WinS Vice Chair P T Prabhakar with delegates at the WinS workshop.

IPDG Bindu Singh and PDG Sibabrata Dash.

DGs D S Ravi, N Subramanian and RS Nagarjuna and PDG S K Nagendran.

DG Shyamashree Sen with DGE Asha Prasanna Kumar.

WinS Global Chair Sushil Gupta, along with DGE Ruchir Anirudh Jani and DGN Subhash Jain, welcome Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma.

Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat; Designed by N Krishnamurthy

Meet your Governors Rasheeda Bhagat and Jaishree

Bigger projects is his mantra Sharat Jain E-Commerce RC Delhi Ashoka, D 3012

is focus during his year is to show all the clubs the magical effect of “how TRF can multiply your money. Even before the year started I’ve been telling my clubs that we should do more projects involving the Foundation. And I will also help you show your members how TRF can multiply your contributions and help you do large projects.” His pitch is clear… “Stop doing smaller projects; let us do signature projects. Because you have to show people the purpose of being in Rotary. By doing smaller projects you will never be able to show people this… and Rotary will seem to them more like a picnic activity!” Sharat Jain, a pioneer in setting up an e-commerce venture in India, has been emphasising to his club presidents that even if they can’t finish a mega project this year, it doesn’t matter, “but think big, plan and apply for a grant and I will support you.” Thanks to his persistence, in July “I helped one of the clubs which was planning to invest $14,000 on a project, to get partner from the US, and now they are getting $58,000.” He says quite often DGs delay decisions till the end of the year; “as a result, projects don’t happen, people don’t get motivated.”

His passionate plea that use the Foundation to do larger, and more sustainable, signature projects found a perfect fit with RC Delhi Riverside which has taken up fitting cochlear implants on hearing deficient children on its own, has now decided to go in for a TRF grant. “Only this way we can create a big impact on society,’ says Jain. Jain’s district has undertaken a “a very difficult target” of raising $1.5 million for TRF’s Centennial. “Last year it raised $560,000, so we are aiming at three times the figure. In August we’ve got two AKS members and 45 major donors from my district.” Jain’s second priority is membership growth. In July itself the annual membership target of 10 per cent was achieved. The focus will be on women and younger members — one club has been started with all members below 30. “We will focus on women and younger members, RI’s two focus areas. And last year we grew from 70 to 77 clubs, this year the plan is to add another five clubs,” he says. But TRF giving during this Centennial year will be his priority and he is making a headway. “I want clubs that were giving only $1,000 to give $50,000. My own club which was giving only $1,000 a month back, has committed $153,000 today (at the TRF dinner to recognise AKS members from D 3011 and 3012) and my target is $200,000. He is also promoting the Atlanta Convention aggressively; “we already have more than 50 registrations and my target is to send more than 100 couples from my District to Atlanta. There is no better place than a Rotary Convention to understand Rotary.” He says he has been to clubs where members have told him “we’ve been here for three years but really don’t know what is Rotary. So what better place than the Convention to get the real flavour of Rotary?”

Jaya Shah Social Scientist, RC Jawalakhel, D 3292

Women’s empowerment top priority

Rotarian since 2004, she is connected to Nepal’s royal family — the President’s house in Kathmandu was one owned by her uncle. She was the treasurer to the late Queen of Nepal for five years. But what Jaya Shah is most proud about is her 35 years “experience as a social scientist.” On why she joined Rotary, she says, “As a social scientist who had worked for long years in changing people’s lives, becoming a Rotarian was a natural fit for me.” Her entire country, Jaya points out, is still grappling with challenges following the devastating earthquake that Nepal suffered in 2015. “The challenges before us of rebuilding and rehabilitation are huge. There isn’t any stone that has not been turned in this earthquake. It was that bad, and the devastation was total both in terms of loss of our ancient, cultural heritage as also the homes of poor that were destroyed.” Now with the Nepal government’s permission coming in, Rotary has started working with the Government to rebuild homes. Her priorities during this year as DG will be women’s empowerment, which continues to be a big challenge. Nepal has a peculiar problem, she says. “We do have many women leaders in their own fields but they are still in their shells. It is not as though Nepal’s women are backward and not educated. They are educated but now we have to give them the platform… a helping hand... to come to the forefront.” Her District has 97 clubs and 3,420 Rotarians. “As a woman DG, my priority will also be to get more women members, right now it has only 460 women Rotarians.” Another focus area for Jaya will be maternal and child health, as she already has experience of working in that field as a social scientist.

Innovative in raising funds

hanks to the leadership qualities and innovative spirit that Rotary has inculcated in him, Ananth H R visited around eight Rotary clubs in the New Hampshire region of California, US, prior to his training at the International Assembly in January 2016. “I told them I bring you an opportunity. I will make 100 per cent of my district clubs participate in one global grant and I would like your clubs to participate with each one contributing $500 each.” With this initiative, he has managed to get two grants approved, each around $170,000. “What I proposed and what really aroused their interest was that your district has the opportunity to ensure that all your district clubs participate in the Centennial. And they need to contribute just $500 a club, and we will do the same.” The money thus raised will be used for e-learning systems, desks and benches, toilets, teacher training and adult literacy, he says. Hailing from the publishing industry, this DG also wants to raise funds to enhance Rotary’s public image “through coffee table books for which the forewords are written by some very eminent people.” Ananth became a Rotarian in 1994, “because one of my friends dragged me into Rotary!” Over the years, apart from giving him leadership qualities, being in Rotary has enabled him “to appreciate the difficulties of the poor people, which I was never able to do earlier.” Though both his father and brother were Rotarians, “I joined Rotary because of somebody’s pressure.” But, he adds, everything changed for him when he visited a school for disabled children as a Rotarian, and that experience “really changed me. It has opened my eyes to the suffering of humanity.” On his priorities this year, he says, “Our district has seen unprecedented growth in membership last year. From 3,800 at the beginning of the year, we crossed 5,500. My challenge is to ensure that this work is not undone… so basically, it is retention.” He gives credit to his IPDG Nagesh for D 3190 getting such prominence in both membership and TRF funds. Ananth has used his professional expertise in publishing to benefit Rotary through various publications. Giving the example of their district directory he explains how he turned a cost centre into a profit centre. From 2003–04 onwards, the district was spending nearly Rs 1 lakh on the district directory, but last year, “Nagesh created a surplus, and I have continued; this year our surplus from the directory after all costs is Rs 17–18 lakh”. He is also bringing out a set of “Amazing books” which are designed, written and printed by Rotarians on excise concession paper and the money raised from them is going into the district welfare projects.

Ananth H R Publishing RC Bangalore West D 3190

Narayan Nayak Industrial Security RC Bhubaneswar Metro, D 3262

When he felt Rotary’s “real power”

he year has been quite satisfactory for him as he had planned each club should do one or two projects and “they are doing wonderfully well.” Narayan Nayak wants to bring 15 per cent growth in membership and add 10 more clubs in his District. He is keen on bringing behavioural change in adults by engaging children as catalysts of change through five global grant projects to construct toilets in 200 schools. Nayak retired from the Indian Army as a Brigadier in 1988 and motivated by his wife Sunanda, joined Rotary in 2001 at Bhubaneswar with the objective to play golf! “But I find that Rotary has given me another huge family.” Talking about the magic of Rotary, Nayak says that he felt the real power of Rotary when Rtn Anurag Sahu met with an accident recently when he had led a team of Rotarians to Pataya. He had badly injured his spinal cord and with help from the local Rotarians, landed at Kolkata to be operated upon at Kolkatta Apollo Hospital. He plans to establish eye hospitals in two towns and work on a garbage disposal project with American Rotary clubs.

From left to right with Rotary!

is priority is to strengthen the clubs and improve relationship with Gen X. He wants to visit engineering colleges and bring in at least 1 lakh Rotaractors and 25,000 Interactors. He has planned a Rotaractors’ Fest in Hyderabad during December to take the message of Rotary to youngsters. Ratna Prabhakar Anne is confident of meeting his District’s goal of $1 million for the TRF Centennial year. “We will have two AKS donors this year. I have also requested all 3,200 Rotarians to contribute $26.5 each,” he says. On membership development, he is concentrating on retention and increase membership to 4,000, with an addition of 10 new clubs. He has exceeded his WinS target of 300 schools. His association with Rotary began in 1991, on an invitation by the local MLA and the club’s charter president Jeyyamma. He was then an active student leader. “Rotary changed me from being on the left to right.” The best part of his Rotary life, he says, was when as club president in 1996, he was instrumental in performing cataract surgeries for 82 old people. “One of them hugged me and said, ‘Thank you, because of you I am able to see my grandchildren after so long.’ I had tears in my eyes. I understood that Rotary not only affects the community, it shapes us also for the better.” His wife Sivakumari is a member of RC Guntur Aadarsh and both of them are Major Donors.

Ratna Prabhakar Anne Insurance marketing RC Chilakaluripet, D 3150

Drawing a parallel between the Army and Rotary

Maj Deepak Mehta Poultry farming RC Raipur Royal, D 3261

“I am a retired Army officer, tuned to serving my country, placing my life and family second only to our nation. That’s why I love Rotary’s theme — Service above Self — and am proud to be serving the two best organisations of the world — the Indian Army and Rotary,” says Deepak Mehta. His love for Rotary began as a GSE candidate to Nebraska, USA in 1995 and he “joined Rotary within seven days after my return to India. Now I cannot imagine a life without Rotary.” His most cherished moment was when he managed to convince “a hardcore non-believer of Rotary” to not only donate liberally but also succeeded in changing his opinion about the organisation and its activities. “Ours is one of the most spread-out Districts encompassing Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, and our biggest challenge is poverty and illiteracy. My focus therefore is healthcare and education,” he says. He aims to send 1,000 girl children to school through Asha Kiran and organise three mega medical camps during the year. Mehta says that the workshops by the VTT team from Australia to Chattisgarh to train midwives and health workers to reduce cases of infant and mother mortality will be extremely beneficial. He is confident of exceeding his target of $50,000 for TRF and hopeful of attracting CSR funds from the many corporates in the three States. His wife Ruby is a member of RC Raipur Queens.

Dispelling darkness of Illiteracy

he fervour of the festive season is all around us. As we wish each other Happy Dussehra and Diwali, what better way to celebrate the festival of lights than share stories of success and triumph over the darkness of illiteracy?

E-Learning Three MoUs signed on October 10, 2016 between Tata Technologies, Tata Motors and Tata Trust for the flagship Rotary Distant E-learning Project of D 3131:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your fightâ&#x20AC;? against Illiteracy That you are reading this article proves that we are together fighting against illiteracy. Through stories that reach us from the five verticals of the T-E-A-C-H programme, we let you know of the ways you have already touched lives with a will to fight. It is the fight to show a ray of hope amidst the darkness of Illiteracy.

Teachers Support D 3131 has completed training of 5,000 teachers as on October 3, 2016. The training is conducted by various expert trainers on the following topics:

a) An MoU has been signed between Rotary Club of Poona North, D 3131 and Tata Technologies Limited and Tata Motors Limited for Rs 122 lakh to install E-learning facilities in about 188 schools in Pune. b) Another MoU was signed between them to install E-learning facility in about 80 schools in Ahmedabad for around Rs 60 lakh.

Adult Literacy One letter at a time towards Dignity: RC Bengaluru Platinum City, D 3190 Residents of a large housing society in Bengaluru joined hands to make literate 58 security staff, gardeners and

a. Classroom management b. 3M Concept: Teacher as a Mentor, Mediator, Motivator c. Teaching Skills and Personality Development d. Constructivism They have an MoU with the Zilla Parishad to train 10,000 teachers, which was signed on September 8, 2016, the International Literacy Day. 48 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

house-keeping staff who worked for them. The classes were held at the society’s community hall continually for three months in the evening. The basic literacy classes were interspersed with eye check-up camps, counseling sessions by a gynaecologist and other programmes as value-addition. Starting with teaching the adult learners how to hold a pencil correctly and moving their hands in the correct way to form proper letters to the joy of being able to write their own names, the residents of the housing society were closely engaged with the adult learners throughout the process.

Child Development Ensuring Right to Education to children at worksite

blocks, hand washing station, RO plant for drinking water, library with 620 books and two bookshelves and indoor/outdoor sports facilities. The project benefited more than 100 students.

Global Recognition The Rotary Literacy Mission in South Asia is probably the way forward with the TEACH initiative. I am sure after having heard about the activities of Rotary in its Literacy Mission, it will help in making Nepal a literate country through quality education. – Vidya Devi Bhandari President of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

“After my father passed away, we faced financial crisis. Therefore, my family decided to migrate to work in a brick kiln site at Bhubaneswar. I liked studying a lot. But since we had to migrate, I had to leave my village school and my mother never enrolled me back.” says Kumudini Putel (7), who hails from Bolangir district in Odisha. But thanks to Aide et Action and RILM, as they encouraged me to enroll my daughter into a school again. They assured me that it won’t cost me a rupee. Like her, other school dropout migrant children were also enrolled into schools in the vicinity of worksites.

Happy Schools RC Hosur Midtown, D 2982, with RILM’s grant support, has transformed PUM School in Thorapalli Agraharam village into a Happy School. They provided compound wall, renovated classrooms, clean toilets and urinal

t was indeed a pleasure and privilege to have the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Vidya Devi Bhandari as the Chief Guest to inaugurate the National Conference on Literacy and WASH in Schools. Compliments to DG Jaya Shah, Rotary Nepal Literacy Mission (RNLM) Chair PDG Tirthaman Sakya and Nepal Conference on Literacy and WASH in schools Past President Kiran Lal Shreshtha. The President’s presence at the event gave a big fillip to the Rotary Nepal Literacy Mission. RILM Chair and PRID Shekhar Mehta made a commitment to equip 100 schools with audio-visual smart classes for teaching children in government/ government-aided schools in Nepal. NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 49

Literacy Warriors

Paul A Netzel TRF Chairman for 2017–18 PRID and TRF Trustee Paul A Netzel, a member of RC Los Angeles, California, USA, will be TRF Chairman for the year 2017-18.

etzel is the founder and chair of Netzel Grigsby Associates Inc, a leading management consulting firm specialising in work with non-profit organisations and institutions throughout the western United States. He served as mayor of Culver City, California, and president of Culver City’s Board of Education. He has held leadership positions in numerous local and national professional societies and not-for-profit boards, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Boy Scouts, Goodwill Industries, United Way, YMCA and the

50 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Auto Club of Southern California Advisory Board. A Rotarian since 1968, Netzel has served as Director, task force zone coordinator, committee chair, zone institute chair and convener, International Assembly moderator and chair, training leader and District Governor. He has received The Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service. He and his wife, Diane, are charter members of the Arch Klumph Society, Major Donors and members of the Paul Harris Society and Bequest Society of The Rotary Foundation. Source: Rotary International

Are you THE ONE?

he One is an award constituted by Rotary District 3450 to recognise an individual whose extraordinary service activities exemplify the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self. The hunt is for one who has dedicated his/her daily life to the improvement of mankind; advocates humanity, acts with compassion and kindness. The Award The winner will receive US $100,000 to be used for his/ her humanitarian efforts. Two runners-up will receive US $50,000 and the Rotary Club that nominates the winner will receive US $5,000. Criteria Candidates should have provided outstanding and remarkable service to mankind; promoted integrity and advanced world understanding, goodwill and peace through their humanitarian efforts. Eligibility Any individual aged 18 or above. Candidates cannot be Rotarians, employees of a club, district or other Rotary entity or of Rotary International. Spouses, lineal descendants, and ancestors of persons in the foregoing categories

are also ineligible, as also ex-Rotarians who have left Rotary for less than 3 years. The award will not be presented posthumously. Those who have previously got a cash prize from THE ONE organising committee are not eligible. Contact us Website: www.theonerotary3450.org Email: info@theonerotary3450.org The endorsing Rotary clubs should ensure the information submitted is true; the candidates are aware of their responsibilities and will be available for any interviews required. The club is also obliged to ensure the prize money is used appropriately. Deadline Completed nomination forms with supporting documents should be sent to: THE ONE, a project by Rotary District 3450 Organising Committee Rotary Information Centre 14/F Capital Commercial Building 26 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong or emailed to nominations@theonerotary3450.org by 31 December 2016

Come, swing for Rotary

he South Asia Fellowship of Golfing Rotarians (SAFGR) and International Fellowship of Golfing Rotarians, D 3190, Bengaluru, will host the Inaugural Asian Fellowship of Golfing Rotarians on December 3 at the Prestige Golfshire Club, Bengaluru. The participation fee is Rs 6,000 for Indian golfers and $100 for international participants, and includes breakfast, lunch, a goody bag, course, caddy and buggy fees. Proceeds from the golf tournament will be donated to TRF. Contributions for the Foundation can be made to ‘The Rotary Club of Bangalore Charitable Trust.’ Such donations are exempt from Income Tax u/s 80G of the IT Act. Participants can draw a cheque favouring ‘Fellowship of Golfing Rotarians Bangalore’, and mail it to SAFGR Organising Committee Chair Rtn K Vijayakumar, #1, Chinmaya Apartments, Puttanna Road, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru 560004. For further details, please contact SAFGR Founder-Chair PDG Parag Sheth: 99980 14005. E-mail: parag@ambicasalt. com or Rtn K Vijayakumar: 98450 66999. E-mail: vijay@ vigirom.com NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 51

A special place Kiran Zehra

awan has a gift, he can paint almost anything he sees. “He painted the Nilgiris Mountain Railway train with just thumb impressions and went around the class holding it and whistling like the steam engine,” says his teacher Arul Mary, who is delighted that this 14-year-old special child has begun to express his thoughts through sounds and actions as “he never opened his mouth earlier.” Pawan and other special children living at Rotary Ashia Residential Rehabilitation Centre for the Differently Abled, Ooty, are proving to the world that children with disabilities can also live normal lives. Equipped with two classrooms, a dining area, separate hostel for boys and girls and a spectacular view of the blue mountains, Rotary Ashia, an RC Ooty Town, D 3202-initiative, is a place 52 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

of care and love for these kids as they can “tear paper to bits, smudge paint on canvas or simply stare at the mountains. In other words, they can do whatever they want and no one would yell at them,” says Mary, who has been with the school since its inception in 2002. The school’s correspondent Rtn Sujith recalls how Rotary gave this special school a new lease of life. In 2011, the trust that managed the school, ran dry of funds and decided to send the 28 inmates of the rehab back home. RC Ooty Town stepped in to run the school. “They were children with special needs and it was their home. We couldn’t let them go for want of money,” he says. Today Ashia has 32 students between 10 – 22 years of age, two special educators, two management staff and two cooks. Lessons are planned

according to the Madras Developmental Programme Scale, with yoga and karate also included in the syllabus. A neurologist attends to the students every month. Mary says, “We won medals for running, throwball and volleyball at the District Special Olympics.” Picnics and cultural programmes are regular here.

The exhibition Talking about the bright and beautiful paintings created by these special minds, he says, “We owe a big thanks to Cynthia (USA) and Dominic (Italy), a tourist couple, who offered painting lessons for the children. He taught them abstract painting and each child came up with a masterpiece.” On the last day of the class they hosted an exhibition. “We sold two paintings for Rs 10,000, and the money was used to

improve infrastructure and buy quality painting material for the children.” Muniyandi (22) of Ashia can only paint squares, but surprisingly his was the first painting that was sold at the exhibition. “I was surprised to see that he drew a street full of buildings and grey clouds,” says Mary. Yamuna’s mother feels that her daughter “is doing much better now. Her paintings are beautiful and if I had the money I would buy them.” This exhibition is an annual affair now and the paintings are sold online and through WhatsApp. The students also participate in the annual Christmas sale held at Hebron International School, Ooty, to sell handmade greeting cards and small crafts and that helps them earn Rs 1,000-3,000. Pointing out that some parents don’t want to take these children home

during the holidays too, Mary says, “They are embarrassed or otherwise get tired of them. We have to force them to come and take these kids home.” But the school staff is delighted to spend time with them even on a holiday. “I make a special menu for the children who stay here during the holidays. Non-veg and North Indian cuisines are their favourite,” says the cook Jothi. The school received special appreciation from the District Collector for a mock fire drill. “Within 90 seconds we had evacuated the campus and the Collector was surprised by the

watchfulness of our special 32,” says Sujith. “We want other clubs to help us host these exhibitions in other cities; it will boost our income and we will be able to bring in more special students,” he adds.

Making Miracles in classrooms Team Rotary News

ur education system needs to be revamped as the learning outcome of our children is quite poor, observed M P Vijayakumar, an IAS officer and member of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), while inaugurating a twoday training programme for teachers

at Udumalpet. The workshop, called Miracle Maker, was organised by RC Udumalpet, D 3202, in association with Only Success Learning Technologies (OSLA) and The Hindu. About 250 teachers and principals from 75 schools from Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Salem

participated in this programme that highlighted ways to evolve an effective pedagogy for classroom studies. Vijayakumar added, “Students must be encouraged to adopt practical learning methods instead of just listening to lectures, and rote learning must be discouraged.” The OSLA team trained the participants on making the best use of both sides of the brain, language patterns and the Pygmalion effect, and urged the teachers to develop an innovative mindset and embrace new techniques in handling classes. Additional DGP C Sylendra Babu urged the teachers not to work for income alone, but strive for the outcome of their students. “The two-day training helped us realise that each of us is a sculptor and a nation builder,” said R Udhayarani, teacher, Vidya Nethrra School. NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 53

A joyful makeover for schools V Muthukumaran

o usher in the right infrastructure with all basic amenities for classroom learning, District 3150 comprising the State of Telangana, and Prakasam and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh, kicked off a flagship project called Save our Schools (SoS) on July 1 at Bhashyam Public School in Guntur with fanfare. The project was launched to convert learning centres into ‘Happy Schools’, through Global Grant with support from TRF, RC Jesup, D 6920, USA and 16 clubs of D 3150. Under this integrated project, one lakh study desks would be presented to government schools over a three-year period. “We aim to cover nearly 600 schools by June 30, 2017. A 57-member Task Force has been set up to plan and execute the project which will meet once a month to take stock of the progress,” said the Chairman of the Task Force, PDG Ravi Vadlamani. The members visit classrooms, talk with principals and teachers to identify and evaluate the needs of the schools. Quick to clarify that distribution of school desks is just a part of their mega project, Vadlamani informs that various Rotary clubs have taken up a series of training workshop for

teachers who are being taught how to inculcate best practices in hygiene, sanitation among students. “Rotarians take the initiative to hold such workshops that usher in attitudinal and mindset change among teachers which will have a trickle-down effect on students,” he explains. The District has so far spent Rs 3 crore

The 9 criteria for ‘Happy Schools’: 1. Painted, well maintained and secure school building 2. Adequate and functional separate toilets for boys and girls 3 Hand washing stations 4. Clean and adequate drinking water for students and teachers 5. Library 6. Play material, games and sports equipment 7. Benches, desks for students 8. Well maintained space for teaching staff 9. Shoes and school bags for students. 54 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

under the various elements of the SoS programme and it will touch Rs 10 crore by June 30, 2017. Next in the District’s ‘to do’ list includes the WASH in Schools and E-learning programmes. Created by the DG, DGE and DGN, the SoS Task Force has a threeyear tenure to discharge its duties. The project envisages involvement of the local community too in giving quality education to children. The relevant club would set up a ‘monitoring mechanism’ at school-level to improve the hygiene and sanitation aspects in the immediate environment. At the club-level, a committee strictly monitors the implementation of SoS project, especially the distribution of benches, installation of toilet facilities and hand wash initiative in schools, says KSRK Prasad, District Secretary and past president of RC Parchur Central.

A Food Odyssey in Delhi Rasheeda Bhagat On a food trail in Delhi’s Zakir Nagar for a pampering of the taste buds.

ooking is an art and we possess the instinctive art of cooking,” proclaims, rather pompously, you’d think, the menu card of the restaurant called Purani Dilli in Zakir Nagar, near the Jamia Millia Islamia and close to the Batla House and New Colony areas of New Delhi. The nearest Metro station is Govindpuri. Inviting its patrons to “come walk down the memory lanes of Old Delhi and let us make it an affair to remember”, the restaurant promises delicious Mughlai food with “original recipes and authentic spices”. It is our fourth and last stop in this unbelievable and freshly discovered food paradise in Delhi. The ambience, the chaos, the crazy traffic, the noise of vehicles whizzing past you in the narrow street give you the feel of Purani Dilli alright. We have been regular at Kareem’s … the original one near the Jama Masjid in the Red Fort area of Delhi, right from our trekking days in the Himalayas in late 1980s and early 1990s. After a visit to Gangotri or Kedarnath, and surviving on little more than aloo parathas in those yesteryears, the moment we hit Delhi it had to be either Kareem’s or Moti

Galouti kebab ready for frying.

56 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Haleem at Purani Dilli.

Galouti kebab served with roti and onion.

Mahal for some hard core non vegetarian fare.

ut this time around, our son, who lives in Delhi, promises a “much better food experience, but you’ll have to be prepared to walk; the place will be crowded. And don’t expect anything fancy, it is street food!” I don comfortable foot gear, drop the handbag at home and swinging my arms march down the street, till I’m

almost run over by a three wheeler. Our first stop is at a non-descript joint called Lucknavi Gilawati, where seating is organised on narrow benches. This place is famous for its galouti kebab. As you enter, the aroma of freshly pounded, spicy meat envelops you, and you soon catch a glimpse of the galouti mix placed on a huge steel platter on one side of the narrow eatery. On the other side, a couple of workers are engaged in making fluffy and soft ulta tawa rotis. In barely five minutes… it takes less than that for the magically marinated mix to get

cooked to a tender delicacy that melts in the mouth… half a dozen disposable plates are slapped onto our table. Heaped with galoutis, tandoori rotis and chopped onions with lemon pieces. The galoutis are as soft as possible, utterly delicious, fragrant with freshly ground spices and can give Lucknow’s famous Tundewala Kebab a run for its money. And a plateful of the stuff costs an unbelievable Rs 40, about 4 small pieces. I polish off a plate and want more, but am refused the treat, with a strict warning: There are lots more to come and you won’t be able to enjoy the rest! Our next stop is for mutton seekh kebabs; this is really roadside and all that is available for seating are a couple of little wooden stools. When bade ka or beef (buffalo) and mutton are on offer, chicken will seem a waste of time for any foodie! The seekh kebabs, along with fresh and spicy mint chutney, arrive in barely 6-7 minutes, and are succulent, juicy and well done… and a plateful of 4 or 5 pieces cost Rs 40-50; each kebab costs only Rs 10. These are mutton kebabs and the math simply doesn’t work out, until you consider they are rolled out of really thin slivers of meat, before being placed on the skewers for cooking. NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 57

A tandoor at Javed's Nihari.

Nihari garnished with fried onion and green chillies.

58 RROT 58 ROTARY RO OT O TA ARY AR RYY N R NE NEWS EWS EWS W NOVEMBER NOV N OVEEM OV EMB M MB BEER R 2016 2201 016 01 016

ur food trail now pauses at the much written about and really famous Purani Dilli which boasts about “really authentic Mughlai food of yore”. The problem here is that the menu offers a whole range of tempting fare. Having already tried out the galoutis and seekh kebab, we opt to have Haleem. After all, how can a Mughlai food Odyssey be complete without Haleem? But this is a disappointment. Mind you, there is little wrong with it; it is well pounded, soft and tender and delicious. But having been spoilt by Hyderabadi Haleem, which scales another high during Ramzan, the Delhi Haleem simply doesn’t measure up. Also, it is served with tandoori roti, which isn’t really a great accompaniment. Coming away from Zakir Nagar without its famed and fragrant biryani is a sin, but the choice was between Nihari and biryani and the former won. Both my sons swear by the South Indian biryani, and it has to be admitted that the Awadh biryani is no patch on the Hyderabadi or even the Ambur

biryani of Tamil Nadu. So Nihari it had to be and we trudged along to Javed’s Nihari. While on one side you can see Nihari cooking in a big degh (vessel), on the other side is a buzzing tandoor with fluffy khamiri rotis being turned out in quick succession.

he Nihari is a Mughlai delicacy, on the origin of which there are two claims; one is that it took birth in Mughal kitchens of Old Delhi, while the other says it was born in the rival camp… the Awadh region or Lucknow. Wherever it was created, it is a delicacy that leaves you licking your fingers. Apparently, after the Partition, North Indian Muslims who opted to go to Pakistan introduced it in Karachi and other cities and now it has become the national dish of Pakistan and can be found in most Pakistani restaurants. It is also popular in Dhaka, Chittagong and other places of Bangladesh. In a good Nihari, the meat has to be cooked, with lots of desi ghee, on low flame for at least 6 to 8 hours. And nd often it is cooked overnight,

Seekh kebab.

A spread of whole fried chicken.

sometimes in vessels that are buried under the ground. Basically a winter dish, obviously because of its high calorific content, it is normally consumed at breakfast. We opted for the mutton Nihari, and it was served with piping hot khamiri rotis. The Nihari was garnished with birishta or fried onion, green chillies, slivers of ginger, and there was so much of ghee floating on top that large spoonfuls of it had to be removed, in order to reach the mutton pieces and the gravy! The mutton is so tender, after all those hours of slow cooking with fragrant desi ghee, that it virtually melts in the mouth. It’s been such a rich fare that it is impossible to try the famous firni that is available here. Not to mention its other reputed delicacies such as Paya (trotters), Kadhai ka Gosht, Korma, Bheja Masala, Saag Gosht, etc, and of course its biryani. Enough reason to go back. Pictures by Rasheeda Bhagat Designed by N Krishnamurthy NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 59

Simple Economics

How economics would solve the Cauvery row

an economics provide a solution to the problem of river waters sharing? This question is important because although Karnataka was ordered by the Supreme Court, no less, to give 6,000 cusecs of the Cauvery River's water to Tamil Nadu, it refused. The problem of inter-State sharing of river waters exists between many States. All kinds of recommendations have been made whenever a dispute has arisen. Karnataka is what is called the upper riparian State and Tamil Nadu is the lower riparian State. Both need water but Karnataka controls the flow. So if it says no, there is nothing anyone, perhaps even the Supreme Court, can do about it.

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The key to understanding the problem lies in appreciating that this 125-year-old problem can be solved if — and only if — the solution is to everyone’s satisfaction. Remember, India is a democracy and the politicians are answerable to the people. They are very mindful of the voters’ perceptions. If you were to argue that the politicians should take a long-term view keeping national interest in mind, this will be a non-starter because of the way politics is oriented. The loss of votes will always worry politicians. It is futile to expect responsible behaviour from politicians, especially the ones who are in the Opposition. They

TCA Srinivasa Raghavan

will oppose even good things, putting governments on the defensive. A second recommendation is that such problems are best left to engineers and scientists. This is true, but can they come up with a solution that is acceptable to everyone? The answer is no. This is because the division must not only be fair, which the engineers and scientists can ensure, but it must also be seen to be fair. This is the crux of any sharing problem. It doesn’t matter what is being shared. The division must satisfy everyone as being fair by being perceived to be fair.

Economics to the rescue

Enforcement

A partial answer to this problem can be found in a branch of economics called Game Theory. Amongst many other things, this branch discusses strategies that lead to outcomes that satisfy everyone and are seen to satisfy everyone. The basic postulate of the solution is that what one side receives must be exactly equal to what the other side loses. This is called a Zero Sum Game because one sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s losses are exactly equal to the other sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gains. The total of losses and gains is zero. The best known example of this can be found in what is called the Cake Cutting Problem. It can apply to anything that needs to be shared. The solution is that while one person cuts, the other person chooses. This compels the cutter to cut as close to precisely half as possible. It also ensures that the first player cannot claim that the second player got more. After all it is he or she who cut the cake. There can be many procedures for cutting. But whatever they are, once agreed, both sides must accept the outcomes.

There are two ways of ensuring the enforcement of the agreement. One is to punish the side that reneges; the other is to reward it. This is what economics tells us. The punishment is that the side that rejects the result gets nothing at all. It forces both sides to behave. But this punishment needs to be agreed to by both sides before the sharing formula is implemented. By this rule, Karnataka should not get any water at all, because under the Constitution, it has agreed to certain things. However, this is clearly impractical. So the reward aspect must be considered. How does Tamil Nadu incentivise Karnataka to release the water? Simple: Tamil Nadu needs to pay for the water it wants. It cannot have it for free. After all, if electricity can be traded between States, why not water, which is also a scarce resource? The beauty of this solution is that the negotiation immediately becomes manageable because it is no longer about water but about money. Once a rate seen to be fair is worked out, both sides will get the amount of water

Tamil Nadu needs to pay for the water it wants. It cannot have it for free. After all, if electricity can be traded between States, why not water?

they actually need and there will not be exaggerated claims. And, the problem will be solved bilaterally, without the intervention of a third party. I can see the people of Tamil Nadu protesting against this solution saying that water is a natural resource and stopping its natural flow by building a dam gives an unfair advantage to the upper riparian State. But then this is how economics would solve the problem. Â&#x201E;

OCTOBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 61

Jaipur Foot A new lease of life to amputees Anubha Aggarwal

osing a limb is heartbreaking in any situation. The Jaipur Foot is acclaimed as one of the world’s largest nonprofit organisations serving the disabled. Under the patronage of former IAS officer D R Mehta for the last four decades, Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), the makers of the world famous Jaipur Foot, have implanted artificial limbs and prosthetics enabling the disabled to get back on their feet again. The Jaipur Foot has changed many lives. One of the most prominent examples is Sudha Chandran, a professional dancer, who got the prosthesis after a car accident when she was only 17. Three years later, she was able to restart her dancing profession with her prosthetic leg. Restoring dignity in amputees’ life The 22 BMVSS centres across India provide services to amputees all over the world for regaining their mobility, dignity and making them self-reliant. From just 59 artificial limbs fitted in 1975, the organisation has scaled up its operations to distribute about 60,000 aids and appliances to handicapped people every year. The Jaipur foot technology was developed in 1968 by eminent doctors at Sawai Mansingh Medical College, Jaipur, led by Dr P K Sethi, who was the then head of its Department of Orthopaedics;

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Dr S C Kasliwal and Dr M P Udawat. Others who served on the design team were master craftsmen Ramachandra Sharma and Chugga Bhai. Sharma shaped the initial design — a foot resembling a natural human foot with toes. Lifetime Achievement Award In 1969, as then Collector of Jaisalmer, Mehta met with an accident in Pokhran. His femur splintered into 43 pieces and doctors were not sure if he would even survive. After five months of being bedridden in hospital, while the surgeons contemplated amputation, he slowly started recovering. Having being a victim himself he wondered how the poor manage to get artificial limbs. That was how the Jaipur Foot Foundation, also known as BMVSS, was born. Since then the Foundation has provided free prosthetic limbs to about 1.5 million people. For his selfless efforts Mehta was conferred with The Albert Schweitzer Lifetime Achievement Award by HOW International, the US-based NGO. The performance of the Jaipur Foot has been so remarkable that its use has exceeded geographical boundaries making it the most used prosthetic foot in the world. It is basically a rubber-based prosthetic leg for those who have suffered underknee amputations.

D R Mehta (third from left), the chief patron of the BMVSS, being conferred the Mother Teresa Memorial Award in 2012.

Today the Jaipur Foot has its footmark in 26 countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. It has conducted limb replacement camps in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and many other countries where war and landmines have robbed people of limbs. BMVSS is making serious efforts on the research and development of artificial limbs. It has partnered with leading institutions in India and abroad, and is making constant efforts to improve the quality of artificial limbs and simultaneously reduce their cost. The NGO has entered into partnerships with the US institutes like Stanford University, MIT, and Virginia Tech University; Dow India, ISRO, and IIT-Jodhpur for research and development.

Sudha Chandran

Stanford-Jaipur knee innovation Stanford University has designed a four bar-linkage polycentric knee joint for above-knee amputees called the Stanford-Jaipur knee. The knee has a dynamic centre of rotation that varies with knee flexion, mimicking human knee movement. It is stable during the standing, bending,

An amputee demonstrates squatting with the Jaipur Foot.

and swinging phases of the leg movement but also allows the user to sit on the floor. This knee is currently being used at BMVSS, and 7,500 units have been fitted to patients in India with excellent results. The Stanford-BMVSS Jaipur knee was hailed by Time magazine as one of the world's 50 best inventions in 2009. Now, BMVSS has successfully devised artificial limbs for amputee animals that may have lost limbs due to disease or accident, particularly cows. The writer is member of RC Jaipur, D3052.

NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 63

What is brewing in Rotary Revathy Suresh

hoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer!” So said Martin Luther, except I think, and many of you will agree I’m sure, that if you enter heaven with a capital H the minute you take a first sip of the world’s most preferred cold drink, why bother with the sleeping and sinning at all. Or, like Babe Ruth, you perhaps harbour charitable feelings for and intentions towards those who might be eased out of their jobs because you didn’t do your bit to keep them ale and hearty. “Sometimes” said the man, “when I reflect on all the beer I drink, I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes

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and dreams. If I didn’t drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. I think it is better to drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.” We know now that Babe Ruth need never have worried about the hopes and dreams of those brewers because, of course, beer is one drink that’s never going to go out of fashion. And unless you’re going to be guzzling the stuff from morning to night, downing a glass a day is actually believed to have beneficial effects that range from lowering the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney stones to protecting one from Alzheimer’s, and even helping with weight loss and insomnia. So where is all this leading up to? Imagine our delight when we found that Rotarians are contributing to making the heady brew work

wonders for communities all over the world. The BREW (Beers Rotarians Enjoy Worldwide) fellowship “fosters and encourages fellowship between and among Rotarians of all nations who have a love for beer and through this fellowship support international projects of The Rotary Foundation.” Rotary News spoke to Moses Aryee, one of the BREW founders, and past President of the Rotary Club of Accra, Ghana, to find out a little bit about this unique group of Rotarians. Why BREW? The idea for a Beer Fellowship emerged from the delivery of Rotary Fellowship presentations, where each time the mere mention of beer as one of the possible Rotary fellowships that could be established, elicited immense excitement from my audience.

Gradually, the idea took shape as to the wide platform that a Beer Fellowship would enjoy. Now BREW is the most sought-after and the most diverse Rotary Fellowship. Describe a BREW gathering... it sounds like fun. How many people typically attend a Rotary Beer Club Fest? A BREW gathering is fun! It brings together male and female, young and old, high and low in society. In this gathering, we have technocrats, ocrats, aca academics, and all other professionals ofessionals one can think of. Typically, lly, a Beer Fundraiser attracts a minimum imum of 100 to 120 participants. How many such events have ve you been to and how hass BREW grown since it first started in 2013? What are your plans for the future? Since 2013, we have had three major Rotary Convention outings. In addition to this, countless number of events are organised globally by our members in different States. In the United States alone, more than 30 beer-related fund-ly. raisers are organised yearly. BREW is about bringing ging together people of various ious nationalities. Has it fostered ered a better understandingg of other societies and cultures ures and the way different people eat, drink and entertain? Other than helping expand business interests, what has been your greatest takeaway from these gatherings? It definitely has fostered better understanding! We offer the

most friendly and informal gatherings one can ever experience. Beer is the common denominator that brings us together. Also, at our Annual General meetings, members from various nationalities are given the platform to showcase the cultures and traditions from their various societies. I notice that one of your newsletters had an article on empty beer bottles

and cans. I know that Rotarians take social and civic responsibility very seriously. How do you think a fellowship like yours can help manage beer trash? Rotarians do take social and civic responsibility very seriously. Currently, we are locally engaging our student population (Rotaractors) on the management of trash during our guidance and counselling sessions. Also, Rotaractors and Rotarians, along with their families, clean the beaches regularly of bottles. We aim to step this up in the near future. Tell us a little bit about BREW’s clean water initiative. BREW is currently discussing a collaboration with WASRAG, a Rotary Action group, to provide clean potable water to needy communities globally. What makes beer your beverage of choice? What’s your favourite snack to go with it? Can you share the recipe? Nothing beats a fresh chilled beer! The cooling effect and the health benefits that come along with it, makes beer my choice of beverage. A chilli barbecue goes with it anytime. Fresh African hot chilli spice with any meat or fish, well-grilled, is the recipe! What are the most unique brews you have ever tasted and what made them special? A fresh lager beer anytime! Fresh from the keg. That cool refreshing sensation in one’s throat makes them special. More about BREW: http://rotarybrew.org

ROTARY NEWS 65

CONVENTION

Old-school Atlanta

he great city of Atlanta suffered extensive damage during the Civil War, and many of its pre-war structures were lost. However, stories of Georgia’s nearly 300-year history abound — you just have to know where to find them. Only a short ride from the site of the 2017 Rotary International Convention, 10–14 June, lies Oakland Cemetery, where you’ll find monuments dedicated to Confederate soldiers and the graves of famous locals, including golf great Bobby Jones and Gone with the Wind author Margaret Mitchell. Tours of the 48-acre space are available.

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Speaking of Mitchell, her former home — where she wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel — still stands in midtown Atlanta. Across town at the Atlanta History Centre, you’ll find more historic homes to tour, including a Civil War-era farmhouse and a cabin that dates to Atlanta’s earliest days. An hour-and-a half away, in Macon, Ocmulgee National Monument

offers the chance to journey even further into Georgia’s past: The prehistoric American Indian site is said to represent 17,000 years of continuous human habitation. If Rotary history is what interests you, you won’t have to go far. The 1917 Rotary Convention was held in the Baptist Tabernacle, today a concert venue known simply as the Tabernacle, a short distance from the Fountain of Rings in Centennial Olympic Park. – Deblina Chakraborthy Register for the 2017 Rotary convention in Atlanta at www.riconvention.org.

A novel milk van Team Rotary News

he benefits of breastfeeding extend beyond basic nutrition for newborns, as breast milk is packed with nutrients and disease-fighting substances that protect babies from various illnesses. The Sassoon General Hospital in Pune is running a human milk bank since 2013, where excess milk donated by lactating mothers is stored to provide supportive care for preterm and sick neonates. RC Poona, D 3131, has donated a milk collection van to the hospital on August 1 — the first day of World Breast Feeding Week — to support the hospital’s milk bank, which is central to achieving the goals of Every Newborn Action (ENAP) 2014, a global project led by UN agencies to reduce neonatal fatalities. Handling nearly 25–30 deliveries a day, the hospital facilitates mothers at postnatal ward to donate milk after counselling by resident doctors and staff nurses if the milk produced is in excess of baby’s requirement.

Once they are discharged from the hospital, the van will go to the houses of these mothers to collect the excess milk which will be stored in the bank. After pasteurisation, the milk will be utilised to nurture sick babies at the hospital. The van, donated in memory of late Manijeh Framroze Irani and late Framroze Ardeshir Irani, parents of PDG Sam Irani, is equipped with a refrigerator, air conditioner, pumps, inverter

Skilling Rohtak girls, the Rotary way V Muthukumaran

and other devices for its effective operation. “The milk van costing Rs 20.5 lakh enhances the services of the hospital. From just 4 lakh litres a day before the arrival of this facility, the milk bank has now improved its storage count to 16–20 lakh litres,” says DG Prashant Deshmukh. Nearly 100 infants are being saved with timely nursing from the milk bank, says Club President Dharamvir Taneja.

irls in Rohtak have a reason to smile now. With the Sewing Skill Training Centre launched by RC Rohtak City, D 3011, in collaboration with Singer India Ltd, they can now get trained in tailoring. The facility with 21 sewing machines and two trainers to impart skills to young women was inaugurated in June at the Government Girls Senior Secondary School. According to Mukesh Gera, Assistant Governor and charter president of the club, “about 192 students of Classes 9 and 11 are being trained in tailoring and embroidery which will help them pursue the vocation to earn a livelihood.” While free health camps in slums are a regular feature, the club’s physiotherapy centre in Janata Colony has become a hub of healthcare offering prescribed exercises to patients of all age groups. NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 67

Pappu’s Mission Education Renu R

appu Kathat was only 13 when he left his Lasaria village in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district to come to the national capital to work as a rickshaw puller. He had to drop out of school to find work because it was tough for his father, Ahmad, to single-handedly support a family of 10 children. Living on the footpath in Delhi there was one name he used to hear very often — Kiran Bedi, India’s first woman IPS officer. He was surprised that a woman had reached such an ‘important position’ because in his village girls used to get married before they turned 18 and were never allowed to complete their education. For five years Pappu and his father slogged day and night to make ends meet. But after his eldest brother Mohan was recruited in the army in p 1985, their financial position improved turned to considerably and his father returned tinued to the village. Pappu though continued work — first as truck driver and then as a crane operator. Of course, the time he spent in Delhi totally changed his outlook, ook, particularly towards understanding ng a woman’s role in the family and society. He realised that educating themwas the key to ensuring advancement of not just one’s family but the community as well. Pappu wanted to make a difference in the lives of his village girls and he started off by bringing about a transforrmation within his own family. ly. Although three of his sisters had ad already stopped going to school ol after their early marriage, when en his fourth sister, Sushila, who ho had also been married off when en she was just five, completed her er Class Five he didn’t let her drop op 68 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

out of school. He insisted that she go to Andheri Deori village, five km away, to continue her schooling. In 1999, after she passed her Class 10 exams, he arranged for her to pursue her senior secondary studies at Beawar town, 11 km away, and sent his youngest sister, Kiran, named after the trailblazing IPS officer, to an English medium school in Beawar. His Mission Education extended to the larger community after he got elected as the sarpanch of Delwara gram panchayat, which has six villages under it. There were two schools in the panchayat and both were only till Class Eight. Pappu upgraded them to secondary level. “Often, the reason for girls dropping out early was the long distance they had to traverse from home to school. Parents don’t allow

daughters to travel alone in these parts. So I knew that if I had to motivate them to educate their girls, I had to provide schools that were not too far away,” states Pappu, a father of two. Then, in 2010, when Delwara panchayat became reserved for women he egged on his wife, Umra, who shares his passion for promoting literacy, to jump into the fray. Riding on the success of her husband’s dedicated activism she registered a thumping victory. During her tenure, the Delwara school was upgraded to Class 12 while the one at Lasaria was extended to Class 10. In 2015, when the government introduced the minimum educational qualification criterion for candidates in the local self government, the community decided to approach

Sarpanch Kiran Kathat being felicitated by the Ajmer district collector.

his sister, Kiran, to provide the progressive leadership that Pappu’s family has become synonymous with. “The villagers wanted someone from among us to continue the work that I had begun. Kiran won and I’m happy to see that she’s carrying forward my legacy,” says the proud brother. Truly, the women of Pappu’s family have become an inspiration for the girls in the area. Sushila boldly rejected her childhood nuptials after her in-laws began asking her family to send her to them once she turned 14. “There was a lot of friction between the two families but thankfully my mother and brother stood by me and refused to send me away. They realised that I wouldn’t go to them and I was freed of the burden of an unwanted relationship,” she shares. Sushila is the first girl from the 12-lakh-strong Kathat Muslim community to qualify for a government job. Incidentally, the Kathats, who are descendants of the Chauhan rulers of the erstwhile Rajputana that converted to Islam in the 14th century, are spread across three districts of Ajmer, Pali and Bhilwara. Sushila is all set to become a sub-inspector in Rajasthan Police after completing her probation. Her siblings, Sangeeta and Kiran, are working as school teacher and sarpanch-cum-software engineer, respectively. Even their elder sister Jeena, who had gone off to her husband’s home after Class 10, got divorced in 2012 and, after much counselling from Pappu and Kiran, resumed her studies and is now doing first year Bachelor of Arts course. Indeed, these days, colleges in Beawar are full of girls from Delwara panchayat. “Pappu’s sisters have shown that with good education women can accomplish anything. I am ensuring that my daughters go regularly to school in Beawar,” says Ismail Kathat, a Lasaria resident. Adds Maimoonnesha Ansari, 19, an undergraduate at a Beawar college,

Kiran Kathat felicitates meritorious girls in Lasaria village. “Most of us really look up to Kiran and her sister.” Kiran, who has effortlessly stepped into Pappu’s shoes, is glad that her brother has never shied away from taking a stand for the empowerment of girls. “Talking about education is his favourite topic. When Sushila had completed her college in 2009 and got a job in 2012, for three years, people mocked Pappu ‘bhaiya’ for being the one to let his sister ‘waste’ her life in college. But when she became a sub-inspector, my family took a truckload of villagers to the police academy in Jaipur for her passing-out ceremony. Thereafter, no one ever needed any proof of the kind of benefits education can have on a girl’s life,” elaborates Kiran. While the modest young woman is all praises for her older siblings, she, too, is making them proud. Kiran,

Living on the footpath in Delhi there was one name Pappu used to hear very often — Kiran Bedi, India’s first woman IPS officer.

who divides her time between her duties as the sarpanch and her job as a web and mobile app developer for Shree Cement, has done her B Tech in Information Technology from Jodhpur Institute of Engineering and Technology. In 2014, after she won the election, she promised bicycles to students who scored more than 70 per cent marks and last year, she gave away bicycles to two such boys in Lasaria. The same day, she was felicitated by Ajmer’s district collector for turning Delwara into the first open-defecation-free gram panchayat in Jawaja Panchayat Samiti. Currently, she’s busy setting up a computer lab at Delwara Government Senior Secondary School, which will provide free computer training to girls. While Kiran is taking forward the work Pappu started over a decade ago, the man himself has gone back to school. “I have resumed my studies in earnest. I sat for my Class 10 exams through open school but I failed in Maths. I am working hard to pass this time,” he says, adding that his wife, Umra, too, has cleared Class Eight. By motivating and leading by example, Pappu Kathat has made the right to education a lived reality for the women of Delwara. (© Women’s Feature Service) NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 69

Develop a good body image Sheela Nambiar

ody image is not quite literally what we see in the mirror. It is really the interpretation and our own analysis of what we see. All of us with decent eyesight are able to see that perhaps we are a bit overweight, we may like the look of our legs, we may appreciate our arms, love our hair but concede, that the waistline could do with some work. Most of us tend to make judgment calls about what we see in that mirror. How these judgment calls affect us emotionally and what we then proceed to do as a result of these emotions is the real relevance of body image. Take for instance a teenage girl who looks at herself and sees a plump young woman. How she responds to seeing that image will depend largely on what she really feels about her body. This feeling often comes from subconscious information she has gathered about her body and herself as a whole since childhood. A teenager who, as a child, was loved and nurtured, and praised for what she did rather than what she looked like is more likely to see her image, register that she is a little plump and perhaps should do something about it, such as exercise or cut out the sweetened soda. On the other hand, a woman who had a mother who was critical about her complexion or weight, a father who commented on her looks, peers/siblings who teased her about her size, would relate to the image of herself differently. She has already imbibed some distaste for her body. The pain she experienced at comments or the judgment of family

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and close friends will remain with her, as a negative body image. How does body image translate in real life? Having seen that image and interpreted it, what we then proceed to do about it is important. People with poor body image z may continue to dislike, even hate

their bodies z may continue to gain weight, overeat, eat indiscriminately or develop addictions z may turn to extreme measures to lose weight or alter their complexion z may develop eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia or binge eating

z may succumb to the surgeon’s

knife and other procedures in an attempt to make themselves ‘look’ better. Improving body image is possible. Preventing poor body image to begin with is also possible. Here are some pointers for parents, caregivers, instructors and yourself. Parental pressure plays a crucial role. A child’s self-esteem rests with how she is viewed by her loved ones and is important to her wellbeing. Being critical about a child’s appearance only lays the foundation for future angst and poor self-esteem. The emphasis should be on health and wellness rather than size or appearance. The focus should also be on what the child does rather than what she/he looks like. Praising a child for herself, her accomplishments and hobbies, rather than praising her looks, keeps the perspective on what is truly important for emotional wellbeing. Lead by example. Parents who practise healthy behaviour such as regular exercise and healthy balanced eating are more likely to communicate that to their

children. If the parent himself or herself has issues with body image, is overly self-critical or self-abusive, the child is likely to absorb it. This becomes relevant to how they then grow up to view and feel about themselves.

order to be able to guide clients properly. Some instructors are overly critical about their own bodies. This can transfer to or be imposed on the clients. A thin instructor is not always better than a slightly overweight one.

Avoid stereotypes. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Thin is not always better or more beautiful. Focus on fitness rather than thinness. Most cultures have their own stereotypes of beauty and tend to idolise it. Not everyone fits into that mould and don't need to either. Fairness creams are a typical example of how people are made to believe that being fair is a great thing.

Emphasise “form” of exercise. While exercising, rather than focusing on burning calories, emphasise on performing the exercise correctly, improved coordination and balance. This relieves the pressure from appearance to actual performance. It also develops a healthier relationship with exercise and one’s own body.

Avoid comparisons of any kind. Comparing your own body to that of your best friend or that glamorous film star is simply setting yourself up. Your friend is genetically different, so her body is different. The film star has an entourage of beauticians, dieticians, trainers and hairdressers, not to mention the photo-shopped, airbrushed magazine images. Parents comparing their children to siblings or friends will only injure their self-esteem, setting the stage for poor body image and a host of other psychological problems. Focus on health and fitness rather than just appearance when you (or your child) start to exercise. This has been found to improve persistence with an exercise programme. Weight loss takes time. An obsession with the mirror or the weighing scale will prove counterproductive. Persistence with exercise and healthy, balanced eating on the other hand will sustain weight loss and fitness. The endorphins released with regular exercise make you feel good about yourself, increasing self-esteem and improving body image. Instructor’s body image. Instructors and trainers should identify and deal with their own body image issues in

Beware of communication in training areas. Instructors and trainers need to beware of what they communicate with a client. Judging the client’s body is not the trainer’s prerogative. The role of a trainer is simply to guide and encourage, not to ridicule or criticise. Balanced eating. Focus on healthy eating and don’t obsess over micronutrients and calories. This obsession could very well lead to an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia. This is nothing but an endorsement of poor body image. Overcome emotional baggage. Understand that sometimes, looking better, does not always translate into feeling better if the entrenched thoughts about one’s self is deeply negative. Changing that feeling takes more than the surgeon’s knife, weight loss or even exercise. It takes the understanding that feeling good has to start from within and will take work. It may require prolonged therapy for some, especially if they develop eating disorders, addictions and so on. Finally, body image is a perception. Poor body image is preventable. It can be changed into a positive body image with the right tools. Good body image is important for good self esteem which is greatly important for emotional well-being.

NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 71

CSR for farmers’ welfare Dr Veerendra Patil

andatory CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) spending introduced by the Indian Government is an effective step for speedier and overall development in the country. According to a survey, CSR spending pattern by top 200 BSE listed companies revolved around livelihood, environment, education, healthcare and rural development. Among the spending, rural development received the least attention. Ironically, no activity related to farming figured. Does agriculture qualify for CSR activity? Unfortunately, the words ‘agriculture’ or ‘farming’ don’t figure per se in schedule VII (Section 135, Companies Act 2013), which speaks of activities that may be included by companies in their CSR policies. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean the end of the road; there is ample scope and flexibility to take CSR activities in the farming sector under ‘rural development’. In an article recently, well known food analyst and writer Devinder Sharma compared wheat procurement 72 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

price by the Central government in 1970 to 2015, and pointed out that in the last 45 years the price has increased by only 19 fold. Whereas in the same period, salaries in the government sector have gone up by 125 to 350 fold and up to 1,000 fold in the private sector. Under such circumstances, how agriculture can survive remains an unanswered question.

Why CSR in farming Farmers are the largest stakeholders of our society and form the bottom of the pyramid. In a recent article it was pointed out that about 70 per cent of our population lives in rural India and the majority engaged in agriculture contribute only 14 per cent to the economy. It is a fact that farmers accept every insult and exploitation hurled on them as fate. Can a society progress leaving farmers behind to fend themselves. Is it not time and opportunity to transform their fate? At every stage of farming activity — seed treatment to postharvest handling and marketing — interventions are needed. Let us take postharvest

interventions as an example. This is important because, the farmer has produced, it is in his hands, yet he fails to realise what is his due. Postharvest losses account for 6–18 per cent; and 50 per cent of losses occur at the farm level. Simple interventions like mechanised cleaning, grading and drying at the village level can reduce postharvest losses and distress sales can be avoided. Successive Central governments have paid attention to food security, totally forgetting farmers’ security. The result of this flawed approach is evident in the form of farmer suicides. On August 15, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared from the Red Fort that henceforth 'Farmer Welfare' will be tagged on to the title of the Ministry of Agriculture. It is time for corporates to join hands and do their bit through CSR participation and make Modi’s vision of farmers’ welfare a reality. (The writer, a member of RC Bidar, D 3160, is a consultant to the Karnataka government in biotech projects)

Rotary

& Social media

Facebook

Twitter

World Polio Day Livestream

WinS Promo

A series of fundraisers including a walk, run, cycling event, etc were featured at a live stream hosted on endpolio.org on Oct 24 as part of World Polio Day 2016. This was to raise awareness and funds to #endpolio. In the picture is the RC Calapan’s (D 3820) End Polio Fun Run featured in the live stream in 2015.

D 3190’s twitter account is inviting cyclist from across India to participate in the #TourDeRotary Kashmir to Kanyakumari ride to promote WinS throughout India.

Instagram

Immunisation a must Reposting its Senior Coordinator Chonticha Yurai’s Instagram post, Rotary International has made a young Indian boy famous. The boy who carried his baby sister in one hand and held the hand of another, bringing them to an immunisation camp to ensure they received the polio drops got record likes and was reposted many times.

Board for service project ideas RI has pinned innovative projects on its Service Project Ideas Board to share ideas for Rotary Clubs, Rotaractors and Interactors. Featured on the board are the eco-coolers from Bangladesh, Coop Dreams, a project by Heifer International, that plans to address global poverty by donating chicken to families in need and other fresh ideas of service.

FOLLOW US On our Facebook page @RotaryNewsIndia or on Twitter @NewsRotary for latest news and updates from the Rotary World. Compiled by: Kiran Zehra

Club RC Villupuram — D 2982

he club set up a drinking water facility costing Rs 35,000 at the Panchayat Union Middle School in Melamangalam and renovated a classroom in another panchayat school in Nannadu, a neighbouring village, as part of their literacy project.

RC Sonepat Uptown — D 3012

he club organised the Nation Builder Awards event to honour 35 teachers from 25 government schools. These teachers have excelled in their vocation and have been voted as the best by their students and principals.

RC Vuyyuru — D 3020

he Rotarians joined hands with the local panchayat to organise a tree plantation drive in Vuyyuru. About 1,000 saplings were planted across the city and the club has taken up the responsibility for safeguarding these plants.

RC Bhopal Hills — D 3040

tree plantation drive was organised by the club at Bachpan Play School in Lalghati and Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital. Club President Anil Agrawal said that the green drive will continue throughout the rainy season across Bhopal. The club organised a blood donation camp and donated 54 units of blood to the Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital.

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Matters RC Surat Roundtown — D 3060

he club sponsored 100 cataract operations and donated two special cameras, each costing Rs 2.5 lakh, to Tejas Eye Hospital in Mandvi. PDG Bharat Solanki said that the non-android cameras will help the hospital staff to examine tribal patients who are hesitant to visit the hospital.

RC Ahmedabad Metro — D 3051

he Rotarians celebrated World Literacy Day by distributing school bags to children of Paldi-Kankaj village. The club has adopted children of this village for a year and has planned welfare projects aimed at improving their lives.

RC Karnal Midtown — D 3080

n adult literacy project was held at Dadupur village (Nising tehsil), in association with Bharat Shakshrta Mission. About 80 adult learners were given books and stationery kits. It was a different experience to visit the village, sit with the villagers and get to know how they feel, says Club President B R Seth.

RC Sriganganagar East — D 3090

t was a grand Navaratri festival for Rotarians as they organised Dandia Mahotsav fundraiser for 10 days. “Over 5,000 people including members of all the five Rotary clubs of Ganganagar participated in the festivities and the money we raised will be used for our club projects” said Lalit Doda, past president of the club. NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 75

Club RC Bareilly Metro — D 3110

he club took up Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by cleaning up the premises of Bareilly Railway Junction on October 2 to mark Gandhi Jayanthi. BJP MP Dharmendra Kashyap led the Rotarians and Railway officials in the clean-up drive. Club President Harsh Arora and Secretary Neeraj Malik were also there on the occasion.

RC Udgir Central — D 3132

mega medical mission was held in Udgir located in southern end of Maharashtra from June 1–8 under the chairmanship of PDG Rajiv Pradhan. About 100 doctors examined 21,600 patients and medicines were given free of cost. Surgeries were performed for 1,260 patients for various disorders. Districts 3131 and 3170 co-hosted the programme.

RC Bombay Kandivli – D 3141

nteract Club of Gundecha Education Academy (ICGEA) had its installation on July 2. The ICGEA initiated by the club has got 330 new members, a record, thus bringing their total strength to over 600 interactors.

RC Panaji Riviera — D 3170

he Transport Minister of Goa Sudin Dhavalikar flagged off the ‘Wear Helmet, Save Life’ campaign organised by the club at Panjim Community Centre, jointly with the Goa Motorcycle Taxi-Riders Association. Helmets were distributed to two-wheeler taxi riders across the Union Territory to sensitise them on the importance of wearing it to safeguard their lives.

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Matters RC Erode Metro — D 3202

round 60 students with their parents benefitted from the one-day career guidance programme organised by the club. It helps them make informed decisions when planning their higher education, as well as the various subject combinations available to them, said the Club President L Vairahvel.

RC Kalladikkode — D 3201

mmachu, a widow with two children, has moved into her new home, from the thatched hut she was staying in for so long, thanks to the Rotarians who have sponsored it for her. The Club President Thushar V K said that the members pooled in the money to meet the cost of construction.

RC Kottayam Southern — D 3211

he Rotarians organised a cancer awareness and screening camp with help from Caritas Hospital in Kottayam. Over 200 people were screened and the four people detected with cancer were offered treatment at the hospital. An awareness lecture by the doctors also sensitised the people about the disease.

RC Calcutta North Suburban — D 3291

‘Toto ambulance’ was dedicated by the club to RCC Natunpally Dankuni for use by the local people residing in the slums. The three-wheeler equipped with the basic emergency amenities can have access into the narrow gullies and thus save precious lives during emergencies.

Compiled by V Muthukumaran Designed by L Gunasekaran NOVEMBER 2016

ROTARY NEWS 77

From Mumbai to Bhutan

otary Clubs of Mulund and Mumbai Parleshwar, D 3141, are hosting an International RYLA in Bhutan from December 3 to 13, 2016. The event is supported by Rotaract Clubs of Mulund and Parleshwar. The fee for the IRYLA is Rs 27,500, inclusive of train travel (from India to Bhutan and back), accommodation, food, activities, awards, participation certificate and sightseeing. This rate is valid for registering until November 15, and will increase thereafter. Passport is not mandatory. Rotaractors and non-Rotaractors between age 18 and 30 are eligible to register for the IRYLA. For details and enquiries contact:

Rtn Deepak Lala District Convenor & Chair RYLA Rotary International District 3141 9821096054/ dmlala75@yahoo.co.in or Rtn Anand Ramnani: 9820084649

CENTENNIAL STORIES

ANNOUNCEMENT With effect from July 1, 2016 the revised RI exchange rate is US $1 = INR 67.00 Source: RI South Asia Office

Doing good in the world How did The Rotary Foundation grow from a small fund overseen by the 1917–18 Board of Directors, shown here, into one of the world’s leading humanitarian organisations? Find out in Doing Good in the World. Order your copy of the book at shop.rotary.org.

78 ROTARY NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor, trustees of the Rotary News Trust, or Rotary International. Every effort is made to ensure that the magazine’s content is accurate. Information is published in good faith but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience arising from errors or omission. Advertisements are accepted at face value and no liability can be accepted for the action of advertisers. The Editor welcomes contribution of articles, news items, photographs and letters, but is under no obligation to publish unsolicited material. The Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity or length. Contributors must ensure that all material submitted is not in breach of copyright or that if such material is submitted, they have obtained necessary permission, in writing, for its reproduction. Photographs in this publication may not be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the consent of Rotary News Trust. Printed by Mukesh Arneja at Thomson Press (India) Ltd, Plot A-9, Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar 603209, India and published by Mukesh Arneja on behalf of Rotary News Trust from Dugar Towers, 3rd Flr, 34, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008. Editor: Rasheeda Bhagat.

Membership in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives WHERE CAN YOU LEARN TO BE A MORE EFFECTIVE ROTARIAN?

THE LEARNING CENTER PUTS THE TRAINING YOU WANT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.

GET STARTED AT ROTARY.ORG/MYROTARY

Rotary at a glance Rotarians

: 12,27,197

Clubs

: 35,521

Districts

: 534

Rotaractors

: 2,23,169*

Clubs

: 9,703*

Interactors

: 4,74,720*

Clubs

: 20,640*

RCC members : 2,11,370* RCC

: 9,190*

* As on October 3, 2016

Correction In the article ‘From begging to school,’ (October 2016) it was wrongly mentioned that RC Thane Hills, D3140, had set up the entire signal school. The club only supported the cost of beautification of the school.

As on October 3, 2016 RI RI Rotary No of Women Rotaract Interact Zone District Clubs Rotarians Rotarians

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

2981 2982 3000 3011 3012 3020 3030 3040 3051 3052 3053 3060 3070 3080 3090 3100* 3110 3120 3131 3132 3141 3142 3150 3160 3170 3181 3182 3190 3201 3202 3211 3212 3220 3230 3240 3250 3261 3262 3271 3272 3281 3282 3291 3292 Total

*Non-districted

110 63 117 74 79 86 99 95 66 68 63 96 108 75 81 80 113 74 123 92 82 78 95 66 129 66 78 147 139 129 134 96 75 147 86 102 74 84 65 123 194 122 149 104 4,326

4,453 2,811 5,405 3,021 3,391 4,360 5,391 2,221 2,503 3,585 2,460 3,913 3,203 3,237 2,135 1,853 3,828 3,048 5,681 4,006 5,067 2,958 3,365 2,310 5,442 3,032 3,220 5,793 5,176 4,967 4,306 3,892 1,985 6,175 2,977 3,821 2,439 3,100 1,236 2,304 5,570 3,455 3,877 3,868 1,60,840

200 76 426 531 589 240 663 250 196 595 338 372 296 205 76 84 193 303 1,148 400 917 389 304 112 344 199 218 664 303 261 234 208 260 526 338 616 233 365 192 376 721 239 656 535 16,391

51 46 194 41 56 103 66 50 46 38 16 52 56 58 32 10 51 36 74 58 97 50 72 17 46 28 24 120 80 85 11 97 78 166 55 47 15 40 41 32 209 118 61 107 2,830

211 106 397 96 107 455 241 106 144 133 32 106 149 194 36 10 49 49 226 131 227 171 177 42 266 163 262 327 106 407 71 236 187 438 140 194 100 68 14 35 79 24 120 100 6,932

RCC

167 41 112 29 54 353 154 135 334 130 91 123 55 99 122 146 78 49 69 111 84 63 109 81 158 100 88 48 46 39 121 126 78 305 133 173 42 70 13 35 184 38 567 95 5,248

Source: RI South Asia Office

Dazzling Dubai Rotary Zone Institute 2016 – Zone 4, 5 & 6A Dec 16–18, 2016

John F Germ RI President

Dr Manoj Desai RI Director & Convenor

Dazzling Celebrity Speakers Michael McQueen from Australia is a professional speaker and leading author on youth trends and strategies for engaging with generation Y. He has given presentations on topics such as career planning, interview skills, financial literature. He is member of the Rotary International Strategic Planning Committee.

V Raja Seenivasan RRFC & Chairman

Leander Paes, an Indian Tennis celebrity, considered to be one of the best doubles and mixed doubles players of all times. He has won eight doubles and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, and is the oldest man to have won a Grand Slam title. He holds a career Grand Slam in men’s doubles and mixed doubles, and has achieved the rare men’s doubles/mixed doubles double at the 1999 Wimbledon tournament.

Bird’s Eye View 13 Dec 2.30 pm to 9.00 pm

GETS

On a Catamaran

14 Dec 8.30 am to 2.00 pm

GETS (Lunch at revolving restaurant) Desert Safari

Hotel Hyatt Regency Deira

15 Dec 8.30 am to 4.00 pm 4.30 pm to 6.15 pm 9.00 am to 5.00 pm 9.00 am to 5.00 pm 9.00 am to 5.00 pm 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm

GETS Graduation Ceremony DG’s Mid Year Review DGN Orientation Program Dist. Trainers Training Seminar TRF Centennial Dinner

Hotel Hyatt Regency Deira ___SAME___ ___SAME___ ___SAME___ ___SAME___ Hotel Hyatt Regency Deira

16 Dec 9.00 am to 1.00 pm 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm

Vision 20–20 Seminar INSTITUTE Inaugural INSTITUTE Inaugural dinner

Hotel Hyatt Regency Deira Jumeirah Beach Hotel Conference Centre Jumeirah Beach lawn overlooking Burj Al Arab

17 Dec 9.00 am to 2.00 pm 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm

INSTITUTE Sight Seeing (optional) Dinner

Hotel Hyatt Regency Deira Refer Box Armani Pavilion at Burj Khalifa overlooking musical dancing fountains

18 Dec 9.00 am to 2.00 pm

INSTITUTE concluding sessions Hotel Hyatt Regency Deira

3.00 pm to 9.00 pm

Desert Camp

Dubai Visa Dubai tourist visas can be obtained through your local travel agent. You don’t have to give your passport. It is e-paper visa. If you need visa through DDZI, please contact: Concord Travels and Tours, Dubai (sudhakar@ cttdubai.ae). The cost is $80 per person. Please provide your passport copy, a photograph and a letter with your credit card details authorising Concord Travels to debit the cost.

Anshu Gupta, a Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient, he left his corporate job in 1999 to start the organisation Goonj at Delhi. The NGO undertakes disaster relief, humanitarian aid and community development in 21 Indian States. It collects and delivers 1,000 tons of discarded clothes and household goods every year through a network of 500 volunteers and 250 partners, and recycles them into useful products, for the poor.

Accomodation The Institute venue Hotel Hyatt Regency Deira is full. However, Hyatt Regency Creek Heights (5-star) and Holiday Inn (4-star) are available. Book early to avoid disappointment. Transfers will be provided from all the three hotels to the venues.

Sightseeing at Dubai Dec 17 (3-6 pm) City tour or Gold Souk drop at $8 per person. Gold Souk is at a walkable distance from Hyatt Regency Deira. Visit the world’s tallest tower Burj Khalifa at $40 per person, inclusive of entrance fee of $34. Three weeks prior booking and payment is mandatory.

Stalwarts at the Dazzling Dubai Rotary Zone Institute Contact Chairman: PDG V Raja Seenivasan Mobile: +919840024466 Email: rajaseenivasan@gmail.com Kalyan Banerjee TRF Trustee Chair

Gary Huang Past RI President

K R Ravindran Past RI President

Sushil Gupta TRF Trustee

Vice Chairman: PDG TVR Murti Mobile: +919848021462 Email: murtitvr@hotmail.com Organising Secretary: DGE Abhay Gadgil Mobile: +919850900001 Email: abhaygadgil3131@gmail.com

Ronald Beaubien Past RI Director

Padmashree Dr J M Hans has done pioneering work in cochlear implant surgery and has done more than 1,000 cochlear implants in India and SAARC countries. He is the Founder Member of the Cochlear Implant Group of India.

Mikael Ahlberg RI Director

Hsiu-Ming Lin RI Director

C Basker RI Director-elect

Flash News

New Concept PATRON Registration RIPN Sam Owori and Nora will grace the Dubai Institute with their presence.

New Concept PATRON Registration

Registrations

Patron couple registration includes:

Visit www.dubairotaryinstitute2016.org for one registration.

z Club room accommodation at Hyatt Regency Deira for three nights (Dec 15-17).

Please e-mail your queries to dubairotaryinstitute2016@gmail.com Registrations cross 700 mark. Last date for registration: November 7, 2016.

TRF Centennial Dinner

z Special reserved seating for all sessions — TRF Dinner (Dec 15), Vision 20-20 Dinner (Dec 16), and Institute Sessions (Dec 16-18). z Institute registration for two; TRF Centennial dinner for two; Vision 20-20 Registration for two. z Exclusive Club lounge access for coffee/tea throughout the day and cocktail and canapés between 6-8 pm.

Gary Huang Past RI President

Kalyan Banerjee TRF Trustee Chair

TRF Trustee Representative PRIP Gary C K Huang and Trustee Chair PRIP Kalyan Banerjee will lead the TRF Centennial Celebrations. Venue : Hyatt Regency Deira Date : 15 Dec 2016, at 7 pm

z Patron registration is available only as couple. Couple need not necessarily be spouses, could be Rotarians too. z Only 50 couples on first come first served basis. z Email your queries regarding Patron registration to dubairotaryinstitute2016@ gmail.com

Joint Secretary: PDG N Asoka Mobile: +919443364932 Email: nasoka@rediffmail.com

Emirates is the official airline partner for the Dubai Institute Emirates offers exclusive savings for Rotary into Dubai for Dazzling Dubai Rotary Zone Institute 2016. Book online by Dec 18 for travel between Dec 10-22, and receive great savings across on Business Class and Economy Class fares, and experience exceptional service, fine dining and up to 2,000 channels of ice entertainment. First Class and Business Class passengers may also enjoy complimentary Chauffeur-drive service and access to luxurious airport lounges. Savings are applicable on existing market fares at time of booking. How to book this offer: Book online using special promotional code EVE6DAZ or logon to www.emirates.com/ 1. Select “Book a flight” 2. Enter your promotional code on “Advanced Search” page 3. Enter your destination and travel dates 4. Make payment online You are also eligible to earn Emirates Skywards Miles when booking this offer, plus you can earn bonus Miles with our Skywards Miles Accelerator. If you are not a member of Emirates’ frequent flyer programme Emirates Skywards, enrol now and start clocking your Skymiles. Terms and conditions apply.

In Brief MJ: highest earning dead celebrity The late King of Pop Michael Jackson tops the Forbes list of highest-paid deceased celebrities. His afterlife fortune includes the sealing of a $750 million deal for his share of the Beatles’ music rights to Sony earlier this year taking his income to $825 million. His estate benefits his mother Katherine and three children.

India gets its first convertible stadium The Transtadia arena in Ahmedabad where the Kabaddi World Cup kicked off on October 7 is India’s first ever convertible stadium. A section of the stadium can be converted into an indoor arena within six minutes at the touch of a button to host around 14 sports, except cricket, and fashion shows and cultural events. Facilities include a helipad, multi-cuisine restaurants, luxurious suites, business centres and sports academy.

Charles Schulz, the ‘Peanuts’ cartoonist who died of colon cancer 16 years ago, is second on the list with $48 million and golf legend Arnold Palmer’s estate earning $40 million is listed third.

No toilet means no passport Passport applicants in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh have to attach a certificate from the municipal officer in urban areas or gram panchayat in the rural belt that their home is equipped with a usable toilet, to get the NoC from the police. The directive is part of the Swachh Bharat Mission. The State development department has set a target of constructing 55 lakh toilets by 2018 and to make the State open defecation free by the end of 2019. In Khargone district, students in a government school have been instructed to respond to the daily roll call by saying, “Toilet hai.”

India’s puja pandal replicated at Melbourne The MPavilion 2016, designed by Mumbai-based architect Bijoy Jain, at Queen Victoria Garden in Melbourne, is an inspiration from a Durga puja pandal he had seen at Malda, West Bengal. The 16.8 sq m pavilion, constructed with seven km of bamboo, 50 tonnes of stone and 26 km of rope, brought Indian and Australian building designs together. The bamboo poles, roof and panels were made in India, while the bluestone floor was from Victoria. The MPavilion is a commissioned project where architects design temporary landmark for a four-month-long programme of workshops and performances, after which it will be permanently placed elsewhere in Melbourne for public use.

A ‘coverboy’ for CoverGirl New York-based James Charles (17) will be the face of the cosmetic brand CoverGirl’s new mascara, and he will star in the brand’s ad campaigns. It is a personal victory for Charles, especially since his family found it difficult to understand his love for makeup as a concept separate from his gender identity. His appointment is also a huge win for gender inclusivity, as male models are largely ignored by major cosmetic companies.

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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