Rotaract News - April 2019

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@Rotaract_India

@RotaractNewsIndia

April

2019

(Quarterly)

Inside 24 Biking for women’s empowerment 36 Educating children about child abuse 42 A helping ‘box’

8

A Rotaractor’s maiden Assembly experience

11 Rotaractors celebrate Rotary Day

campaign in a 17 Sanitation neighbourhood colony

12

Rotasia 2019

On the cover: DRR Nishita Pednekar, RID 3170, with RI President Barry Rassin at the International Assembly held in San Diego.

28 Spreading smiles APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 3

RI Director C Basker District Rotaract Representatives Zone 4, 5 & 6A 2981

Bragadeesh Vidya Sagar

2982

S Manikandan

3000

Lokesh Kumar Rengarajan

3011

Ashima Agarwal

3012

Manan Singla

3020

Lekhna Vegi

3030

Arti Goswami

3040

Dr Shikha Chaudhary

3053

Ashish Gupta

3054

Ayush Sharma

3060

Khushal Shah

3070

Pardeep Kumar

3080

Gaurang Gupta

3090

Ashish Aggarwal

3110

Vaibhav Birla

3120

Jagrat Kapoor

3131

Dhruv Gujrathi

3132

Kshitij Choudhari

3141

Hansika Shahani

3142

Shardul Gavaskar

3150

Ranjit Kumar Reddy

3160

M D Gouse

3170

Nishita Pednekar

3181

Manjesh Venkatesh

3182

Malini Shetty

3190

Kiran Raj N

3201

Shibin David

3202

Selvakumar Ponnusamy

3211

Harikrishnan A

3212

Ashwin Shijo

3220

Mohd Amjath Yoosuf

3231

Udayakumar Srinivasan

3232

Girish Easwaran

3240

Mantu Paul

3250

Anmol Singhal

3261

Chetan Sharma

3262

Prajakta Devroy

3291

Soumya Sarkar

3292

Saugat Gautam

Rotaract News Editor Rasheeda Bhagat Senior Assistant Editor Jaishree Padmanabhan Senior Sub Editor Muthukumaran V Sub Editor Kiran Zehra Designers Vishwanathan K Gunasekaran L Krishnamurthy N Krishnapratheesh S Send all correspondence to

ROTARY NEWS TRUST 3rd Floor, Dugar Towers, 34 Marshalls Road Egmore, Chennai 600 008, India. Phone: 044 42145666 e-mail rotarynewsmagazine@gmail.com facebook @RotaractNewsIndia twitter @Rotaract_India instagram @Rotaract_India website www.rotaractnews.org

Published by Rotary News Trust from Dugar Towers, 3rd Flr, 34, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008.

The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor or Trustees of Rotary News Trust (RNT) or Rotary International (RI). No liability can be accepted for any loss arising from editorial or advertisement content. Contributions – original content – is welcome but the Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity or length. Content can be reproduced, but with permission from RNT.

Editor’s Note

When the young lead… compassionately, yet firmly

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nybody going through the content of this issue of Rotaract News, as any of the earlier ones, will be amazed by the community development projects that our Rotaractors pursue — right from spreading awareness on preventing diseases, sanitation and hygiene to cleanliness and education, and so on. All this comes from your concern for the disadvantaged and your compassion, and because you care, and have the energy and enthusiasm to achieve your goals. This proves, yet again, that when the young make up their minds to take on leadership roles and bring about a positive change in the lives of those around them, they can do it. The keywords here are “young” and “leadership”. But how many young people do we really have in leadership positions in governments around the world in general, and India in particular? In Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, the party that won the polls and formed the government, projected young leaders before the polls, but when it came to government formation, the older satraps bagged the CM’s kursi. But fortunately, elsewhere in the world, we are getting younger role models as heads of governments. Recently Slovakia chose its first female President in <W\CPC êCRWVQX¶ # UKORNG UVCVGOGPV OCFG D[ JGT CHVGT her victory assumes significance in the background of the negativity and name-calling we are seeing in the campaigns

leading to our own Lok Sabha polls. She said her victory showed that “you can win without attacking your opponents”. She led a positive campaign based on progressive values and political reform, but also “the values of humanism, solidarity and truth”. She is only 45 and is a lawyer and anti-corruption campaigner. Then of course there is this woman in New Zealand, who brings stars in our eyes when we talk about her — the country’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The way she responded to the recent horrendous terror attack in this tiny nation is exemplary. She acted with kindness, compassion, empathy, of course, but also firmness. The murderous attacks on two mosques in Christchurch left 50 worshippers dead. It was carried out by an Australian white supremacist who hated immigrants. She lost no time in calling it an act of terror. She visited the families of the victims wearing a hijab, made a series of supportive statements that sent a clear signal to non-Muslim New Zealanders that the Muslim community needed their empathy and support. And so we had citizens coming out in visible support of Muslims; white girls wearing the hijab and walking beside their Muslim friends so they didn’t feel threatened and a plethora of such affirmative acts. Guess how old Ardern was when she became Prime Minister of New Zealand? Barely 37! Last year she was celebrated as a symbol of a progressive and unconventional young woman leader (she is an unmarried mother) who gave birth while she was PM, and even brought her baby to the UN. Her leadership skills were put to the ultimate test during this terror attack and she acted not only kindly and compassionately but swiftly to ban guns in the country. More important, she took on the Turkish President Recep Erdogan who tried to get political mileage from the Christchurch tragedy by showing brutal images of the killings from the murderer’s video in his recent poll campaign. Best of all was her one-line terse message to the killer: “You may have chosen us, but we utterly reject and condemn you.” It is not surprising that on social media there were calls for her to be given the Nobel Prize! This is the mettle leadership is made of. Small wonder then that RI is concentrating on getting more women and more young into the Rotary family!

Rasheeda Bhagat APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 5

Together with Rotaract, Rotary is unstoppable: President Rassin RI President Barry Rassin acknowledges the service activities of Rotaractors around the world. Here is his message published in the March issue of The Rotarian and Rotary News: Dear fellow Rotarians, One of the things I appreciate most about serving as President of Rotary International is the people I get to meet. Much of my time is spent travelling and visiting Rotary clubs around the world. A Rotarian welcome is something quite special. But let me tell you, there’s nothing so warm as the welcomes that have been rolled out for me by Rotaractors. These are young people who are committed to Rotary ideals, who are pouring their hearts into service, and who, in the process, don’t forget to have fun. One of the highlights of my recent travels was a trip to Ghana, where I visited a district that boasts some 60 Rotaract clubs. They aren’t satisfied with that number, though — in fact, they’re excited about a plan to double it. They’ll do it, too. Rotaractors are vaccinating children against polio. They’re donating blood where the supply is dangerously low. They’re providing handwashing facilities to schools where children previously had no way to get clean. In short, they’re all about transformational service: carrying out projects that make a real difference in their communities. In Nakivale, Uganda, one special Rotaract club is making a difference in its community — which happens to be a refugee settlement. These young leaders are turning what others might see as disadvantages into opportunities for service, building community and opening up new possibilities to those who are most in need of them. 6 ROTARACT NEWS APRIL 2019

In Turkey, Rotaractors are visiting children in the hospital every Wednesday to lift their spirits by playing games with them. They are also mentoring new students at their university and teaching them leadership skills. Rotaractors are blazing the path for Rotary to be more relevant in this new century of service. And World Rotaract Week, which we’re celebrating March 11–17, is the perfect opportunity to get to know your local Rotaractors and talk to them about how your clubs can work together. If your Rotary club doesn’t already sponsor a Rotaract club, know that you don’t need to be near a college or university to do it: Community-based Rotaract clubs are a great option. And remember that Rotaractors are part of the Rotary family. When Rotaractors are ready to leave their Rotaract club, we don’t want them to leave that Rotary family behind. I’m asking all Rotarians to help them make the transition into a Rotary club or to start a new one: I’m happy to

charter as many new clubs as we need to give everyone a place where they feel at home while making the world a little better. Service should be fun, it should be inspirational, and it should be open to all. If there’s one thing Rotary has always excelled at, it’s diversity. In the past, that often meant diversity of profession, nationality and outlook. We’ve made great strides when it comes to diversity of age and gender, and as we welcome more Rotaractors into our organisation, we’ll become even stronger. Rotary is powerful. Together with Rotaract, it is unstoppable. Working side by side, we have the potential to Be the Inspiration in every part of society, to every person we meet.

Barry Rassin President, Rotary International

Message from the

RI Director

Demonstrate confidence and leadership

Dear Rotaractors, Rotary encourages young leaders to take responsibility for their own learning on leadership skills and commitment to serve the community. This involvement assists them in not only growing their leadership, planning and organisational skills but also in developing a sense of responsibility and creating a positive outlook. Involving the youth in such initiatives helps them make their transition into responsible adulthood and engenders social and emotional well-being. Rotaractors are important members of the Rotary family who work in tandem with Rotarians as partners in service to community. Rotary strongly believes that the youth of today are the leadership of tomorrow and developing our youth leadership is important for the future of the community and the country. As Klaus Schwab, the founder of the Davos Summit, said: “we stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another. In its scale, scope and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before. We do not yet know just how it will unfold, but one thing is clear: the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all stakeholders of the global polity, from the public and private sectors to academia and civil society.” I am inspired by the achievements of 20-year-old Angad Daryani, the young leader

who created India’s first 3D printer. At the age of eight he built his own robot and at the age of 13 he started creating his own versions of RepRap 3D printer. He is now working on its modified version and wishes to share it with other makers in India. Having done so much at just 20 and with his willingness to serve the community definitely qualifies him as a young achiever. Angad’s example tells us that every youth has potential to achieve success and organisations like Rotaract, through their close integration with community service, can help them unlock their potential and become youth icons. I strongly believe youth in leadership roles brings dynamism and a commitment to serve the community. I am sure many of you might have seen the Hollywood blockbuster movie Gladiator starring Russell Crowe as the Roman General Maximus. Before the fight to the finish with Caesar’s gladiators at the Colosseum he delivers an important message to his fellow inmates “stand alone, you die; stand together and we can win.” Positive role models always boost the team’s morale and provide the motivation to excel. Youth have the ability to inspire; youth have a clear set of values and a commitment to community. Keep doing good work, keep connecting the world and keep inspiring.

C Basker Director, Rotary International APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 7

A Rotaractor’s maiden

Assembly experience Nishita Pednekar

I

t was indeed an honour and a rare privilege to have been one of the first few Rotaractors from the world to be invited to attend the Rotary International Assembly at San Diego from Jan 13–19. It was on July 18 last year when the selected Rotaractors from India shared the invitations they had received on their social media accounts. I was very disheartened to have not got any invite and, on that note, decided to check my

8 ROT ROTARACT R RO OT O TA AR ARA RACT RA CT N NE NEW NEWS EW EWS WS AP APR APRIL PRIL PR IL 201 20 2019 019

email inbox. And yes! There it was, an invite that read: “You’re invited to the 2019 International Assembly!” A flow of mixed emotions gushed through me, leaving me speechless and overwhelmed. It was a great experience to attend the Assembly where I met many intelligent and sharp international Rotarians and Rotaractors, all experienced and specialists in their various disciplines. I thoroughly enjoyed this

Above:From R: DRR Nishita Pednekar, RI Director Elect Bharat Pandya, Madhavi Pandya, RI Director C Basker, RI President Nominee Sushil Gupta, Sonal Sanghvi, RIDE Kamal Sanghvi, PDG T N Subramanian and spouse Vidhya: Left: Rotaract delegates with RI President Barry Rassin and his spouse Esther; Below: DRR Nishita Pednekar with RIPE Mark Maloney and his wife Gay.

APRIL APR A PPR RIL IL 201 2019 20 0119 ROTARACT 0 ROT RO ROT OTARA AR A R RA AC CT TN NEWS NEW NE EW EWS 9

event with its numerous interesting sessions and discussions on various leadership-oriented topics. Several of the sessions were very informative and insightful in the topics that they covered. It has been a very enriching experience and this Assembly has helped me adopt an international perspective on how to benefit from the exchange of ideas, sharing of personal expertise, and socialising with international delegates. The Assembly helped me embark on a journey of new learnings and has served as a fount of knowledge. How often do you meet and greet people from all over the world who collectively work for one common platform called Rotary? I would like to thank RI President Barry Rassin for giving me the opportunity to be present at IA and share my views and ideas with Rotarians and Rotaractors from all over the world. He is truly an inspiration to all of us and has changed the perception of Rotary towards Rotaractors. Rotaractors are the future of Rotary and today, we can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Rotarians and support them in the various areas of focus. I can proudly say now that if I have friends and family all over the world, it is only because of the RI Assembly. There has been an exchange of various cultures and brainstorming sessions have been conducted on various levels. These have instilled in us an all-toonovel way of looking at different situations that life might throw at us. A very big thank you to RIPE Mark Maloney for presenting such a beautiful theme for the RI year 2019– 2020: Rotary Connects the World. It highlights the feeling of being connected to the entire world which is only possible because of Rotary. It’s beautiful how a theme as simple as this can have such an impactful and profound meaning. The writer is DRR of RID 3170 Designed by N Krishnamurthy 10 ROTARACT NEWS APRIL 2019

Rotaractors celebrate Rotary Day Team Rotaract News

Sand art at the Elliot’s Beach in Chennai.

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sand sculpture of Paul Harris on the Elliot’s Beach in Chennai attracted the attention of beach goers. This art was a creation of the Rotaractors of RI District 3232 to celebrate the Rotary Day (Feb 24)

and it was inaugurated by DG Babu Peram. A walkathon campaigning for road safety was also part of the celebration. Close to 800 Rotaractors from different colleges across the city participated in this rally that started from Olcott

Memorial High School in Besant Nagar and culminated at the Elliot’s Beach. Rotarians too participated in these endeavours which served to enhance Rotary’s public image and the event got wide media coverage.

Walkathon for road safety. APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 11

Rotasia 2019 Shalaka Mainkar

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f we were to sum up the experience of organising Rotasia Goa 2019, it would be through Conrad Hilton’s words — “Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” Through this journey that lasted a year and touched its peak during Feb 21–24, we’ve made mistakes a dime a dozen. We’ve stumbled, fallen down, we’ve helped each other up, but above all, we’ve grown. And what is Rotaract if not a means through which we don’t just help the community grow, but ourselves too? Rotasia Goa 2019 was District 3170’s magnum opus, the likes of which the district had never seen before. Not only did it serve as a

rallying point for Rotaractors from across South-East Asia, it also saw the might of the district in action, putting up the show of a lifetime. And what a show it was. Right from the opening ceremony which saw a veritable galaxy of notable personalities including the likes of Dr Prakash and Mandakini Amte and the Governor of Goa Mridula Sinha, to the closing ceremony on Feb 24, by all accounts, the attendees had a gala time.

Over 1,000 Rotarians, Rotaractors and school students participated in a record-making creation of the largest human representation of a text.

Goa Governor Mridula Sinha inaugurates the conference in the presence of DRR Nishita Pednekar and Rotasia Chair Sai Dhekne. 12 ROTARACT NEWS APRIL 2019

A cultural performance.

The opening day saw a number of speakers, Goan folk dances and the all-too-novel DRRs parade that stole the show. The business sessions were as informative as they were motivational. Notable lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, social activist Pravin Nikam, distinguished Toastmaster Ashley Lobo and Rtr Bhagyashree Sawant conducted a series of sessions that surpassed each other. The cultural show put up by various districts and the DRRs’ presentations added colour and verve. Over 1,000 Rotarians, Rotaractors and school students participated in a record-making creation of the largest human representation of a text. The endeavour, made in association with RC Mapuca, has got the Guinness World Record certification. Later, the delegates explored the nooks and crannies of Goa, including a trip to a spice plantation, a feni (a local alcoholic

Rotasia Goa 2019 was District 3170’s magnum opus, the likes of which the district had never seen before.

beverage) factory and other popular Goan locations on a hop on-hop off bus. Rotaract clubs and Rotaractors were felicitated for their achievements and hard work with awards. A live band in the evening was a perfect opportunity for the delegates to let their hair down. All in all, Rotasia Goa 2019 was an overwhelming experience carried out under the leadership of DRR Nishita Pednekar, Chairperson Rtn Sai Dhekne and Rotasia Secretary Rishikesh Jadhav. It served as the site of fellowship and bonding for over 1,700 Rotaractors from world over. The writer is District Secretary, RID 3170 APRIL 2019 ROTARACT NEWS 13

Indian DRR has Japanese Rotaractors

jiving to a Rajini hit Rasheeda Bhagat

S

uperstar Rajinikanth is undoubtedly a big hit in Japan, but it did take a little effort on the part of DRR Udhayakumar Srinivasan, from RID 3231, to get Japanese Rotaractors to jive to Rajini’s superhit song Marana Mass from the movie Petta. Presently in Japan on deputation from his IT company in India, this DRR has bent over backwards to stretch to the maximum incoming RI President Mark Maloney’s theme for Rotary year 2019–20 — Rotary connects the world.

14 ROTARACT NEWS APRIL 2019

Through email and social media, he has been striving to connect with the Rotarians and Rotaractors of Japan, and one such invitation took him to the annual Rotaract conference of RID 2770 in February. The first thing that impressed him was that “they started bang on time and had so many different and innovative ways to welcome all the people they had invited,� he says. The theme of the main part of the conference was “Step One for International Service�. The participants were divided into five groups and each group was given the challenge to define and offer constructive and dynamic solutions to solve the social problems of five countries chosen — India, Mexico, Kenya, Germany and Cambodia. The Indian DRR’s group — each group comprised Rotarians, Rotaractors and other invitees — was given Cambodia, “and we identified problems such as poverty, illiteracy and road accidents due to poor traffic management. I got a chance to brainstorm with people at an international level

DRR Udhayakumar Srinivasan with delegates discussing social issues of Cambodia.

on the problems that Cambodia faces. Listening to different people’s ideas, and summarising the solutions was a great learning experience for me,� he says. Later each group submitted its own set of ideas on how to tackle and solve such problems. The way the dinner was conducted, was another learning; fun games were conducted to make people understand the nutritional value of each item on

DRR Udhayakumar Srinivasan dancing with Japanese Rotarians.

This helped me to connect with various nationalities in one place CPF GZRGTKGPEG ĹżTUV JCPF VJG diversity of various cultures.

the menu as well as its importance in the Japanese cuisine. And then came the dance‌. which Rotary/Rotaract event worth its name is complete without dance and music? “I requested them to play Rajini’s super hit song Marana Mass, and while initially only three people joined me on the dance floor, very soon the energy of an Indian film song had 15 Rotaractors on the floor with me, and they totally enjoyed the music and the moves,â€? smiles Udhayakumar. He adds: “So far I have visited events conducted by four RI Districts in Japan — 2750, 2770, 2590 and 2840. Every day was a new learning experience for me from the Rotarians and Rotaractors of Japan. What struck me the most was their punctuality and the consideration and importance they give to the suggestions and views expressed by every single APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 15

person. I believe that this respect for all is a key factor in their success.”

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n interesting meeting he attended was that of the Rotary Club of Tokyo Yoneyama UI, RID 2750, which has members from various nationalities such as China, Korea, Germany, Taiwan, Nepal, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and of course Japan. “This helped me to connect with various nationalities in one place and experience first-hand the diversity of various cultures.” This being the club’s year-end party, it had invited students studying in Japan on Rotary scholarship programmes from Korea, Vietnam and China. “In this trip I got ample opportunity to explore the connectivity between Indian and Japanese Rotarians and Rotaractors,” he says. The DRR was also invited to the annual Rotaract conference of District 2590, where he was struck by its theme: Enjoy new Experiences. The theme of the main programme was

16 ROTARACT NEWS APRIL 2019

the First Penguin, which is all about change, fear and failure, and how we are meant to fail, but what we do to rise after failing is important. At this session the Rotaractors discussed the problems faced by their members and how innovative ways could be found to address them so that it ensured sustainable membership. He also had a memorable meeting with a Canadian DRR, Kate Kutzner from Kelowna Rotaract Club, RID 5060. She was also one of the invitees at the International Assembly 2019.

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ut clearly, the highlight of Udhayakumar’s ongoing Japan experience is the lunch hosted for some Japanese Rotaractors at an Indian restaurant in Tokyo. “I briefed them about the Rotaract activities and projects in India and they shared their memorable experiences at the IA. I also introduced them to some of our traditional dishes and they simply loved Vada, Naan with Chicken curry, Mango lassi and

What struck me the most was their punctuality and the consideration and importance they give to the suggestions and views expressed by every single person.

Paruppu Payasam; the last they had tasted for the first time and liked it the most!” What is more, the Indian DRR had the Japanese youngsters salivating with his description of South Indian meals “served on the banana leaf. They said they want to try it next time. They expressed the desire to visit our mango and cashewnut forests and taste South Indian meals. I do hope I will be able to facilitate that experience sometime in the future,” he adds. For now he is in Japan till Aprilend and hopes to use every weekend to connect with Rotarians and Rotaractors in Japan. Designed by Krishnapratheesh S

Sanitation campaign in a neighbourhood colony Kiran Zehra

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otaractors from RAC Bhubaneswar Capital, RID 3262, have been visiting Saraswati Chuggi, an underprivileged colony in the city, and raising awareness about sanitation and hygiene among the residents there for the last four years. “When they first started, the Rotaractors understood that the women in the region were not used to using sanitary napkins, neither did the children know what a handwash meant,” says DRR Prajakta Devroy. The 25 members of the club organised themselves into groups and visited the locality to educate the people about cleanliness and sensitise them on the ill-effects of open defaecation and usage of rags and newspapers during menstruation. The Rotaractors educated the women on menstrual hygiene and use of sanitary napkins, and talked to the

Rotaractors with the residents of Saraswati Chuggi.

children about the importance of handwash. They taught the adults to read and write too. “Most of them have now learnt to sign their names. This has even inspired them to send their children to school,” says Devroy.

Rotaractors teach handwash to children.

The club distributes free sanitary napkins every month to the women in the colony. “We want to provide them biodegradable pads which are eco-friendly. But they are expensive and right now we are using the club’s funds. Some of us use the stipend we get from our internship programme to buy the pads. We hope to partner with other NGOs soon,” says Nimish Aggarwal, the club’s vice president. She recalls that when they started this initiative two years ago, “no woman was willing to talk to us. Now they know us so well that they are comfortable letting their children play with us and openly discuss sanitation issues they are facing.” The Rotaractors have provided dustbins in the colony at the request of these women. Devroy says, “This is a life-changing project by the club. Rotaractors have set an example by conducting this cleanliness drive as part of their responsibility and contribution to society.” APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 17

Kolkata Rotaractors’

care for cancer

The new Rehab Centre at the ICH, Kolkata.

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patients Jaishree

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he Rotaract clubs of RI District 3291 have come together to establish the Rotaract Cancer Rehab Centre at the Institute of Child Health (ICH) in Kolkata. The Rotaractors have pitched in to equip the centre with brightcoloured furniture, board games and have painted and adorned the walls with cartoon characters to cheer up ailing children. Water purifiers, a television, music system and a laptop has also been provided here. The centre was inaugurated in March by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Debasish Kumar in the presence of PDGs and other Rotarians of the district. ICH will open out the centre without charges for paediatric cancer patients. An experienced team of therapists and physicians will work with the patients to address their rehabilitation, says Sumit Ray, the District Secretary and member of RAC Altruism. The drugs and radiation therapy have sideeffects later that can impair their performance including their memory, mathematical ability and learning capability. The goal

Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Debasish Kumar inaugurating the centre.

is to improve the quality of life of the young patients and keep them comfortable amidst their pain. The Rotaractors are planning to look for more volunteers to reach out and lend a shoulder to the patients. “We are also planning to organise awareness drives to educate people, especially in the backward areas, to come forward for cancer screening as early detection is vital for its successful treatment. We want to drive home this message among people everywhere because even educated people tend to

be extremely negligent when it comes to undergoing a full-body test,” says Ray. He recalls the initiative taken by PDRR Aloke Agarwal in 2011 for the establishment of a children’s ward at the Saroj Gupta Cancer Care Centre and Research Institute in 2012. “Several Rotaract clubs contributed to set up the ward. Since then Rotaractors make it a point to pay regular visits and make lives of the cancer-afflicted children a little better in some way or the other.”

APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 19

It’s digital creativity for Mumbai Rotaractors V Muthukumaran

to Rotaractors alone. We are keen to open the digital space for those who can write, comment and analyse the evolution of technologies which impact us in many ways.” With a membership of over 300 students, the web platform has opened an effective handle for the club to present its news and views for its growing subscribers. Rotofest show

ra A Rota

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ere is a 20-year-old Rotaract club that has embraced digital technology to open up a platform for its members to showcase their talent in photography, art and literary work. An online student magazine, Mozaic being run by RAC N M College, RID 3141, attracts more than 70 submissions

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ctor en

ter tain

olchil s scho

each month for its 10-page journal which caters to Mumbai’s youth. Over the last six months, the web magazine has gained popularity with increasing hits as the entire design and content are nicely packaged by a Rotaract team led by its Digital Communications Director Aayush Dalal, who is also

dren a

t the R

otofest.

the editor of Mozaic. “Dalal coordinates with Masumi Doshi, a core team member, to bring out the digital magazine. We upload the pages on our social media handles, including Instagram, which has over 3,000 followers across Mumbai,” says Prachi Jiphra, Club President. “The magazine is open to outsiders also and not just limited

In December, they organised Rotofest, a multi-event extravaganza attracting Rotaractors, NGOs and college students from different parts of Mumbai. “We had around 15 contingents from colleges and Rotaract clubs for this two-day conclave which had a number of programmes covering fine arts, youth contests and social events for children from NGOs,” she says. Under the Handful of Grains project, a team of 20

A Rotaractor gives biscuits to children as part of the Handful of Grains project.

Rotaractors collected foodgrains from schools, institutions and residential colonies during a 20-day special drive, and distributed

it to over 30 families in Usgaon, a village in Thane district. In another community project, these Rotaractors

give micro-loans to beneficiaries to start fruitful, self-sustainable ventures like candle-making and selling edible items.

“We contact sponsors, create awareness on social media and mobilise donations to collect enough money to give loans to small-time artisans and aspiring entrepreneurs,” says Prachi. Candle-light march

Candle-light march to mark the 10th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The Rotaractors took out a candle-light march from the Churchgate Railway station to the CST station to mark the 10th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. “We also performed a flash mob outside the CST station to create awareness among commuters on the 26/11 terror strike and pay homage to those killed in this dastardly attack,” she adds. APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 21

An enriching RYLA for Gujarat youth Team Rotaract News

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hen the RYLA camp at Saputara, Gujarat, wrapped up, the participants, as always, “made amazing friends and had a life-changing experience at the end of that exciting weekend,” says Darshan Patel, the PR Manager of RAC Navsari, RID 3060, adding that most of the Rotaractors had not thought that they could bond so closely with total strangers so quickly, and wanted to be part of this RYLA next year too.

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RAC Navsari Young Turks, in association with RC Navsari, conducted the two-day camp. All the 70 participants were lodged in tents at a campsite in the Sahyadri ranges. Rotaractors, non-Rotaractors and Rotarians indulged in boating, bungee jumping, rope balancing, zipline rides, horse riding and other such adventurous activities, “keeping in mind that this was to encourage strong leadership in the participants in an atmosphere of trust and respect and also showcase Rotaract to the non-Rotaractors as a fun group so

that more young people are inspired to join,” says Patel. Throughout the camp the focus was on leadership characteristics: integrity, communication, planning, decision making, trust, teamwork, problem-solving and self-esteem. “While some participants enjoyed the food, some loved the dance night. But for me the best part was camping in a tent in the mountains and interacting with the tribal community,” says Muskaan, a participant who is now keen to join Rotaract.

Workshop on life-saving skills Team Rotaract News

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two-day workshop on basic life-saving skills such as first-aid in emergency situations; rescuing victims from electric shock, drowning; offering therapies to epileptic patients; CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to heart patients; and other critical aids were taught to 60 participants in a programme organised by the Rotaract Club of Kongunadu College of Engineering and Technology, RID 2982. The main purpose of this medical workshop was to create awareness on rendering timely first-aid to people in emergency

A first-aid demo being performed on a volunteer.

cases, said Rtr B Veerapandi, Project Chairman. “Saving lives is a mindset. It is knowing what you need to do and responding quickly to the emergency,” he adds. Simply put, basic life-saving skills refer to a level of medical care which is given to victims of life-threatening diseases or injuries until they can be given a proper treatment at the hospital. A team of Rotaractors with the help of a professional trainer M Rupesh Kumar organised the event at the Pallotti House in Nagamalai, Pudukkottai. Signature Projects District Chair K Sundharalingam was the chief guest at the valedictory event in which DRR S Manikandan and other Rotarians were present.

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Biking for women’s

empowerment Jaishree

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inhajullah Hashmi (25), Minhaj to friends, is just back after a 3,000plus km solo bike ride across Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. He was on a crowdfunding campaign to support rural women with income generating opportunities. “I am happy to have raised `1 lakh from this 16-day ride,” he says. He is a software professional from Accenture and member of RAC New Age Engineers, RID 3150. The club plans to provide tailoring courses for

Minhajullah Hashmi on a bike expedition.

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100 underprivileged women and also facilitate their earning by engaging them in making clothes for people in orphanages and old-age homes. “We have enlisted support from Rotarians also to divert work to benefit these women,” he says. This is his first year in Rotaract and he is “already excited with the number of opportunities that Rotary has to offer.” Minhaj’s mother, a medical officer with the State government, is his role model. “I know first-hand the power of a woman; my mother worked hard

to bring us up as my father passed away when I was just five. And my faith in women was further reinforced when she successfully rolled out a bright future for my four sisters and I. I strongly believe that women can achieve anything and everything if they are exposed to the right opportunities at the right time. They can build a family into a masterpiece if they set their mind to it.” Minhaj and team had earlier collected `65,000 through a fundraiser called Dandya Dhoom and the

In Mumbai.

money was used for education of few orphaned children in Hyderabad. So, how did he manage to take a fortnight off from work, I ask him. He says he didn’t take leave for the last five months and applied for 10 days leave and included the weekends for his adventure ride. Also, he used his own savings for this trip. He shares some unforgettable memories from his journey. One was in a village, Nuvapud near Udupi, where he met a physically-challenged woman on a wheelchair. She was all alone and managing a small general store inherited from her father. “I admire her grit. She has even done the Umrah which is a pilgrimage to Mecca, as an alternative to the Hajj. Unlike the Hajj which is done on specific dates according to the Islamic calendar, the Umrah can be performed anytime. When asked if she did not have anybody to support

her, she said, ‘I want to help people. I am capable of taking care of myself.’” On another occasion at Amboli, near Goa, he had stopped by at a lodge for the night. He recalls the kindness of the inn-keeper who offered him chapati and fish prepared from his home as the restaurant at a distance accepted only cash and “I had just `10 in my pocket and was planning to use my credit card. In fact he fed me breakfast too the next morning before I left the place.” Asked if Rotary clubs and Rotarians helped him along the way, Minhaj says that he had only sent mailers to the DRRs and so “I didn’t meet the Rotarians, although our parent club RC Secunderabad West supported me. Club members Padmini and Kamal Jain were in touch with me throughout the tour. I shared the Google location with them and the moment I stopped

somewhere one of them would call and check if all was well.” Sahil Vakharkar of RAC Wai gave him valuable tips on riding across the Western Ghats as “that was my first trip on this route. His guidance helped me save 500 km and I was able to attend the RotAsia fest in Goa on time.” He had a memorable reception at the event too. So how was the solo riding experience? “I was comfortable in my own company. I didn’t have to wait for anyone. And earphones and music were a strict no-no for me, as I had a narrow escape on my previous trip when a lorry overtook me from the right when I was riding on a highway listening to music,” smiles Minhaj. Presently he is at Srikakulam basking in his mother’s love, who “keeps complaining that I don’t have time for her.” APRIL 2019

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t is amazing to see how the two magic words — ‘Thank you’ — can brighten a person when his work is acknowledged. And the delight is even more significant when he least expects it, says DRR Udhayakumar Srinivasan, RI District 3231. His district’s Rotaractors are acknowledging and appreciating services rendered by various people in the community through ‘Thank you’ notes. “We first began this good act with our parents,” he says. Around 200 Rotaractors are still continuing the act, some of them even designing their own personalised cards, and spreading positive cheer among service providers such as drivers, sanitary workers, vendors, waiters, cooks, traffic police and doctors. Such simple notes make a huge difference not only among the receivers but also the Rotaractors. “By giving the appreciation note, we realise the service each of these people do for our comfort and well-being. This project is really special to me because it gave me a chance to appreciate my father as well for his service as an ambulance driver for the past 15 years,” observes Rotaractor Jayapriya. Jayashree P, another Rotaract member, says that it was “an awesome experience because I saw many happy smiles and warm hearts. I cannot ever forget the incredulous look on the faces of the garbage collector and fruit vendor when I gave them the card. All sorts of emotions played on their faces.”

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Thank you notes Team Rotaract News

make their day

Rotaractors cheer sanitation workers with ‘Thank you’ notes. Below: Acknowledging the services of the college bus driver; A ‘Thank you’ note for a teacher.

Spreading smiles Jaishree

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he happiest people are those who make others happy,” says Krishn Singh, President, RAC Priyadarshini College of Engineering, Nagpur, RID 3030. The club has executed 13 projects in two days under the banner ‘Spread Happiness’ to bring cheer among several people in various walks of life. Singh, along with Club Secretary Preshit Sambhare, devised projects ranging from stationery kit distribution for schoolchildren to blankets for roadside dwellers in the city. “The exercise made us appreciate the comforts that we enjoy

and take for granted, and be more empathetic for the less-privileged,” says Sambhare. The ‘Happiness’ series was inaugurated at the Maharashtra Mandir High School and the ZP School where Rotaractors donated first-aid kits. “We formed teams and spread out across the city so that as a club we can cover as many people as possible,” he says. Some of them visited the Saraswati Primary School to donate stationery kits and conduct drawing competition for children, while some others took to painting the walls and distributing sports material in the

Rotaractors distribute gloves to the municipal corporation workers in Nagpur.

ZP school at the Ordinance Factory campus. At midnight they covered street dwellers with blankets and at the break of dawn, they gave gloves for sanitation workers of the municipal corporation. Playing games and performing music and dance with children at the Happy Street had the place resonating with happy shouts and laughter. A visit to the government school for the differently-abled helped to tap their innate talent as the Rotaractors engaged them in dancing, music and mimicry. “One of our best moments was an impromptu birthday celebration

Rotaractors celebrate a child’s birthday at a construction site.

we organised for a couple of children at a construction site,” says Singh. He and his team organised a birthday cake for the two boys and “that was their first ever birthday celebration. The children were so thrilled and the boys cherished their moments of stardom.” Animals too were included in this Happiness campaign as the Rotaractors fed biscuits to street dogs and fresh grass for cows. A team distributed freshly-cooked food and distributed it among 100 street dwellers, while another group gave sanitation kits comprising toothbrush, tooth paste, comb, soap and hair oil for the needy. “Needs are vast and we managed to touch just a miniscule segment of such people. But at the end of the two days each of us had just one thought — that through our club we were able to collectively bring few moments of happiness for the really needy. Happiness results in not what we get rather what we give,” says Singh, and thanks the parent club RC Mihan Town and Dr M P Singh, the College Principal for their support. JANUARY 2019

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Rotasports, a huge draw V Muthukumaran

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aving witnessed the gala celebration of sporting talent at Rotasports, a two-day event for Rotaractors from RID 3060, a lot of youngsters want to join RAC Bharuch and “we are still basking in the success of this flagship district event,” says Sonam Shah, Chairman, Rotasports. With a mix of games such as carrom, chess, badminton, swimming and table-tennis and team games designed exclusively for Rotaractors — Bumbigy, Task Quize, Box Cricket and tug-of-war — it was a combination of brain and brawn power of the youth which turned out to be quite a spectacle. However, the main highlight was ‘Rotaractvilla’

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which brought to the fore the team-building abilities of the youth brigade who were tested on disciplines such as general knowledge, stamina and coordination. Rotasports is one of the successful legacy projects of the district over the last four years with a good turnout of participants, says DRR Khushal Shah. More than 100 Rotaractors from 15 clubs took part in the events, all of which were held at MI Patel Rotary Youth Centre owned by RC Bharuch. Rtn Satyen Shah, Chairman of the youth centre, inaugurated the sports meet and “we are grateful to our parent Rotary for throwing open this centre which has all the facilities for

DRR Khushal Shah (centre, seated) with Rotaractors at the Rotasports event.

in Bharuch hosting our indoor games and special events,” says Sonam. The co-host RAC SRICT Ankleshwar, an institution-based club, staged a musical concert in the evening, a medley of Bollywood music, contemporary and popular folk songs belted out by Rotaractors. “They also performed a karate demo at the inaugural show and our club member did a stand-up comedy,” says Sonam. Best District Event

For the last two years, Rotasports hosted by Bharuch Rotaractors has bagged the Best District Event Award from the DRR as the “mega event showcased the best of

skills and sporting talent from the district clubs.” “Our main focus is to nurture fellowship, team-building and professional development of Rotaractors of our district,” says Shah. The members get an opportunity to interact with clubs, share notes and display their sporting skill in a friendly manner. RAC Bhavnagar Royal clinched the rolling trophy and all the winners got medals and certificates. Next year the district is planning to host a multidistrict Rotasports in February, says Sonam. APRIL 2019

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All about Books

Making friends with books Sandhya Rao

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his is a relationship for life. It will never let you down, nor ever let you feel alone. Many years ago I was tasked with keeping an eye on my baby sister who had only just begun to learn to kick her legs. I had just discovered the magic of books, specifically, comics, thanks to the fact that my dad always had a pile of them beside the bed, on the bed and under the pillow. There was The Beano, The Dandy, action heroes like Superman, Batman and Robin, Flash Gordon — yes, all those characters you see on the silver screen and streaming live or otherwise on your small screens, were all born way back, in the early and mid20th century! And don’t forget Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and a deadly character called Modesty Blaise, apart from kiddie characters like Richie Rich, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Little Dot. Then there were Bugs Bunny, the Road Runners, Beetle Bailey, Classics Illustrated, and comic books based on the antics of reallife comics Bud Abbot and Lou Costello, The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy. Oh, there were a lot of funny bones being tickled back then, my dad’s included.

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That morning I managed to grab one and was immersed in it, looking at the pictures, as I hadn’t yet learned to read, when somewhere in the dim distant recesses of my consciousness, I heard a ‘thud’ and the shrill cry of a baby. But I was so wrapped up in my ‘reading’ that nothing else registered. Until the comic book was rudely snatched from my hand, and I was nose-tonose with the fuming face of my mom holding my wailing baby sister in her arms. Soon I learned to read well enough to be able to unravel the magic and mystery of every single

I heard a ‘thud’ and the shrill cry of a baby. But I was so wrapped up in my ‘reading’ that nothing else registered.

one of the comic books in my dad’s collection. That’s how I came to reading and the wonderful worlds opened up through books riding the wings of imagination and a willing suspension of disbelief, as Samuel Taylor Coleridge so memorably put it. Basically, what he meant was, forget everything else. Now, that’s easy to understand, and easier to do, especially today with all the platforms and devices available to us. Back in my time, all platforms and all devices fitted into one category: books. And the radio, of course. But you couldn’t carry the radio around and it was still early days of transistor radios. Just imagine the scene: You and your book. Lost in a story. Who wrote it? Why does anybody write? There was once a young man called Franz Xaver Kappus. In 1902,

poetry should emerge, you will not think to ask someone whether it is good poetry‌ A piece of art is good if it is born of necessity.� The correspondence between Kappus and Rilke spread over five or six years, during which the poet wrote nine more letters, in each of them offering timeless insights into life, love, the creative spirit, truth, faith and much more. First published in 1929, the slim collection entitled Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke still has the capacity to stimulate, encourage, embolden, empower and change the life of anyone who reads it.

aged about 19, he was a student at the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt, south of Vienna, and was struggling with a dilemma many of us struggle with: his career. He couldn’t decide whether to become a writer, or a soldier in the Austro-Hungarian army. So he did what anybody who is confused is well-advised to do: he sought advice from someone responsible. The ‘someone responsible’ he turned to was not someone he knew in person, but a BohemianAustrian poet and novelist called Rainer Maria Rilke, who wrote in German. Along with his first letter to Rilke, young Franz also sent samples of his poems. Surprisingly, Rilke responded. He did not critique the poems; instead he advised the boy to look within himself: “Go within. Search for the cause, find the impetus that bids you to write. Put it to this test: Does it stretch out its roots in the deepest place of your heart?â€? He went on to write: “If, as a result of this turning inward‌

From: ‘The Fourth Letter’ (Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke) You are so young, you stand before beginnings. I would like to beg of you‌ to have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the

Go within. Search HQT VJG ECWUG ĹżPF the impetus that bids you to write.

answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. From: ‘The Seventh Letter’ To love is also good, for love is difficult. For one human being to love another is perhaps the most difficult task of all, the epitome, the ultimate test. It is that striving for which all other striving is merely preparation. For that reason young people — who are beginners in everything — cannot yet love; they do not know how to love. They must learn it. However, the process of learning always involves time set aside for solitude. Thus to love constantly and far into a lifespan is indeed aloneness, heightened and deepened aloneness for one who loves. From: ‘The Eighth Letter’ We have no reason to mistrust our world, for it is not against us. If it has terrors, they are our own terrors. If it has precipices, they belong to us. If dangers are present, we must try to love them. And if we fashion our life according to that principle, which advises us to embrace that which is difficult, then that which appears to us to be the very strangest will become the most worthy of our trust, and the truest. Designed by Krishnapratheesh S APRIL 2019

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Transforming schools in the

North-East V Muthukumaran

Rotaractors providing sports equipment in a school.

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n a far-reaching initiative aimed to revamp schools across North-East India and motivate school children, Rotaract District 3240 Literacy Committee Chairman Tushar Jalan and Rtr Chandan Sarkar launched Padhega India, Badhega India, a flagship project, across all the eight NE States and some parts

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of North Bengal in the month of September, the World Literacy Month. With a long-term vision of doing impactful projects for Happy Schools based on Rotary India Literacy Mission (RILM), they designed various projects related to schools and students. “Each club had to take up at

least a project across three main categories and complete them all within 35 days,� says Jalan. He made sure that all the 15 participating clubs entered into tie-ups with their parent Rotary or got a corporate sponsor to implement the project. Across the North-East, over 250 Rotaractors were

involved in completing 45 projects to improve infrastructure in schools. Five schools got sturdy washbasins and handwash solutions including soap to inculcate good sanitation practices among students at an overall cost of `2.5 lakh. While two schools were provided with a projector and

smart screen each under the e-learning programme at a total cost of `80,000 and eight schools were given a range of sports equipment worth `70,000. High-tech water purifiers were donated to seven schools. “We had set up two libraries in government high schools and uniforms and footwear were given to students in one school. We took up wall painting, tree planting and other aesthetic work at five schools, besides holding Swachh Bharat camps in four schools,” explains Jalan, a DRR-Nominee (2020–21). Awards & honours

State Builder Awards were presented to 12 teachers of government schools for their contribution in moulding children for over 25 years. For their “tireless efforts and passionate execution of this pan-district project”, RACs

A teacher being honoured with State Builder Award.

Silchar, Dimapur and Siliguri Greater were felicitated with DLCC Awards. DLCC Citation Awards were presented to RACs Asansol and Women’s College Silchar, and RACs Malda and

Guwahati Luit, Jalan’s home club, received the DLCC Recognition Awards for completing the Happy Schools projects on time. Designed by L Gunasekaran

Rotaractors of RAC Guwahati Luit with schoolchildren. APRIL 2019

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Children engaged in a painting activity.

Educating children on

child abuse Jaishree Jaishree

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DRR R Lokesh Kumar with DG RVN Kannan after inaugurating a toilet for transgenders at Dindigul.

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hile all along we believe that girls suffer majorly in child abuse, it was shocking to find that 60 per cent of boys undergo the trauma,” says S Shanmugavel, President, RAC Madurai North, RID 3000. His team is actively educating schoolchildren across the town on various forms of child abuse. The club has joined hands

with an NGO called Ayudha Siragugal to visit schools and raise awareness on the subject among boys and girls upto Class V. They have completed ten schools so far and are still on the job, the awareness campaign being a year-long project. It is a two-fold programme, explains Shanmugavel. “We address students and teachers separately. For children we teach the basics including the good touch-bad touch, the five-finger rule and tips to safeguard themselves against such attacks and educate them on the Child Helpline: 1098. The teachers are taught to identify victims and counsel them in an hour-long session.” Through a drawing and painting exercise, the team had identified two children studying in a government school who were sexually victimised. The children were asked to draw what they liked the most and what they feared the most and this gave them insight, say Shanmugavel. Subsequently, these children are being counselled with the help of their teachers. The NGO provides the resource persons, “most of whom have been

abused in some way when they were young. So they know the subject like the back of their hand and are able to shed light in a striking manner,” says the president. Seed ball bombing is yet another passionate activity of the club. The Rotaractors recently made and sowed 3,500 seed balls on open fields on the Madurai-Natham road. “It was a combination of fun and service as we drove on our bikes just before the monsoon and engaged in the greening activity.” Transgender toilets The district Rotaractors initiated the idea for an exclusive toilet for transgenders and it was given shape with support from Rotary Clubs of Dindigul Queencity and Tirupur — one such toilet was installed near the Dindigul Bus Stand. More such dedicated toilets are being planned across the eight revenue districts, says DRR R Lokesh Kumar. “We have got feedback from transgenders with request for more such facilities in other places and we intend to give them dignity,” he adds. APRIL 2019

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Rotaractors focus on women, schools, health V Muthukumaran

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series of well-focused projects like workshop for women, awareness sessions, grain collection drive and visit to old-age homes create great impact in the community and

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RAC Delhi Janak, D 3011, has built its brand image over such activities in the neighbourhood. With the aim to engage women of a slum colony, Basti Vikas Kendra, the Rotaractors taught them the art of

marking decorative items and souvenirs for Deepavali under the Aamdani project. “All the art pieces were sold within the club and the district. This workshop is one of our ongoing projects which has received good

feedback from the beneficiaries,” says Manvi Thakur, Club President. In association with the Interact club, the Rotaractors visited DAV Pushpanjali to collect grains under the guidance of teachers and Rtr Ekjyot Kaur. They collected 250 kg of rice and pulses in a week from this school. “We collaborate with Feed India to donate grains for the mid-day meal programmes in rural schools. The target is 1,000 kg for 30 days which will be given to a rural school to feed poor students,” she says. A well-stocked library was installed at Aadarsh Nagar Nigam Primary School at Janakpuri to encourage students from backward areas in the habit of reading and taking interest in subjects that are beyond academic pursuit. RC Delhi Janak President Rekha Vaish, local councillor Amarjit Singh and Principal Surainder Kaur were present and they also witnessed a performance by special children from an NGO.

Children at the Basti Vikas Kendra learn the art of making decorative items.

Christmas gala The Rotaractors visited an old-age home Kanjhawla, along with the Rotarians of their parent club, to celebrate Christmas with the 50 inmates there. They distributed shawls and

A Rotaractor ties Rakhi on the wrist of a fruit vendor.

nutritious food for the elderly and infirm people at the centre. Earlier, a health camp screened the aged inmates for chronic ailments like diabetes, blood pressure and medicines were given to the needy. A physiotherapist advised the elderly people on the right exercise to stay free from joints pain. They were taught on maintaining proper hygiene by keeping their surroundings clean and adopting handwashing on a regular basis. In a preventive campaign, the Rotaractors took up a malaria and dengue awareness drive at the Connaught Place where flyers and small brochures were distributed to people on symptoms, treatments and some effective home remedies for the diseases. A breast cancer awareness event was held for women of Basti Vikas Kendra and girls from a local NGO in which a visual presentation detailed the symptoms of the disease, how it is linked with the irregular menstrual cycles and women’s health. “We had an interactive session with them and now the women are conscious of their health and how to take care of themselves,” says Manvi. Designed by N Krishnamurthy APRIL 2019

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Mr & Ms Rotaract from Team Rotaract News

Rotaractors with the winners of various titles. PDG Jaya Shah and DGE Chintamani Bhattarai are also in the picture.

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fter a series of gruelling rounds testing their ability and capability to showcase Rotary to the world, Salil Raj Shakya from RAC Bhaktapur and Sareesha Shrestha from RAC Kist Medical College were crowned Mr Rotaract and Ms Rotaract respectively at a grand finale held at the Nepal Academy Hall, Kathmandu.

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Mr Rotaract and Ms Rotaract Season 2 is a showcase event organised by RI District 3292 to encourage Rotaractors in their journey to becoming Rotarians of repute in their respective zones. The gala event opens up a platform for Rotaractors to showcase their talent and forge a team of young, committed people who can bring innovation and sustainability to their Rotaract clubs.

This year RAC Patan, the lead club, joined hands with six other Rotaract clubs to host this highprofile talent show in Kathmandu which was preceded by a series of preliminary rounds to shortlist five male and female finalists. A total of 77 candidates were selected in the auditions that were held across five major cities of Nepal. The chosen Rotaractors were given a two-fold task — to make a video on the theme

RID 3292 This is a showcase event organised to encourage Rotaractors in their journey to becoming Rotarians of repute in their respective zones.

‘Why should young people join Rotaract?’ and a work schedule for a project related to the Rotary Nepal Literacy Mission. From this second round, 35 Rotaractors were chosen for the final round, where the participants were exposed to different topics related to Rotary, Rotaract, community service, career, communication, project management and TEACH mission during the grooming sessions. During an introductory round at the Nepal Academy Hall, the top 10 contestants were selected. A panel of

six judges led by PDG Jaya Shah and DGE Chintamani Bhattarai vetted the finalists on all parameters related to Rotaract, Rotary and their governing ideals. The winners Shakya and Sareesha got the sub-titles Mr and Ms Personality. The first runners-up were Ayush Suwal of RAC Patan South and Urja Newa of RAC Patan West. They also won the Mr Popular and Ms Creative titles.The second runners-up were Abhay Lal Shrestha of RAC Balaju and Maya Thapa of RAC Sainbu Bhainsepati who also won the sub-title Ms Intelligent.

DGE Chintamani Bhattarai honouring the winners.

APRIL 2019

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A helping ‘box’ Team Rotaract News

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he Rotaractors of RAC Junagadh, RID 3060, have put up boxes in strategic places such as malls, shopping complexes, theatres and restaurants frequented by people. The public is encouraged to drop a variety of articles they no longer use, but are in good condition. “We call these collection boxes, Bhalai nu

box. All of us have those clothes, footwear, toys etc, the fascination for which would have dulled, although they are in good shape. Instead of letting them idle and occupy space and gather dust in our cupboards, why don’t we give them to somebody to whom they can mean a lot? When we brainstormed on these lines, we came up with this idea

Rotaractors with a ‘Bhalai nu Box’.

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six months ago,” says Club President Kikani Jeel. Every week the Rotaractors visit these joints and collect the assembled items, sort them out and take them to orphanages, old-age homes and hospitals to distribute them to the needy. “It is a great idea as the response has been good so far. We even find shoes, uniforms, stationary material and these will be of immense help to schoolchildren who do not have the means to buy new stuff.” Blankets, woollen clothes, health drinks and fruits are few other items that get collected in these boxes. “It is heartening to see that not every item is a used item. There are people who donate new stuff too,” adds Jeel.

Lessons in selfdefence for young adults Kiran Zehra A self-defence workshop in progress.

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n Delhi, and even elsewhere across the country, it’s unfortunate that young girls have to fear walking home from school or college, or even walking to a corner store,” says DRR Ashima Agarwal, RI District 3011. “And so we felt, if we can provide them with some basic knowledge of self-defence, it could go a long way in helping them to protect themselves when the need arises,” she adds, talking about Project Nidar — No More Fear, an RI District 3011 Rotaract’s initiative to enhance the skill and ability of young boys and girls to overcome challenging situations and defend

themselves against sexual assault, harassment or abduction. “Although we women match steps with our male counterparts in many areas, when it comes to dealing with assault, most of us are clueless. We need to learn the basic skills to protect ourselves, rather than wait for a Prince Charming to rush to our aid to protect us. But in fact, today, even a Prince Charming needs to be equipped with self-defence skills,” she quips. The programme encompasses 20 lessons spread over ten days, teaching girls and boys to be aware of their surroundings and trust their instincts, and learning different self-defence

strategies to handle crisis. D 3011 has partnered with the Delhi Police to conduct this workshop and aims to train over 10,000 young adults through the project. “Lectures do not help, nor can any workshop teach you self-defence technique in a day,” she says. So, a well-planned curriculum has been designed in consultation with the Police. In the first batch 70 girls have completed the 10-day training programme held at the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW) and they were given course certificates by the Delhi Police and RI District 3011.

Rotaractors with participants of the workshop.

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Mini Olympics Team Rotaract News

Above: Rotaractors with participants of the Mini Olympics.

Below: Winners being honoured.

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otaract Club of Vapi, RI District 3060, organised Mini Olympics which had a participation of 850 children in the age group 6 to 15. The participants competed in 15 games, both indoor and outdoor, including running race, relay, cycling etc and some interesting ones such as dressing, bunny carrot race, backward race, hoola-hoop, tyre race and sack race. “We loved conducting the event as much as the children and this is the second such event. Our club members have unanimously decided to repeat the programme next year too,” says Club President Dhara Dhanesha.

Project Nanhi Kali

against girl child abuse Team Rotaract News

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hese Rotaractors are committed to sensitising girl children about child abuse and educating them on ways to safeguard themselves against such attacks. With support from parent club, RC Jalgaon East, RID 3030, the ‘Nanhi

Kali’ teams from RAC Godavari visit government schools across Jalgaon district of Maharashtra and address girl students on issues pertaining to good touch-bad touch and how to get out of vulnerable spots. This is done through awareness sessions.

Having covered 12 government schools, the Nanhi Kali (a small bud) sessions involve students from Class 3 to 8 who are “vulnerable to sexual abuse, molestation and stalking by anti-socials. We also prod the students gently to reveal if they

have experienced such a situation before and counsel them how to protect themselves in future,” says Project Chair Hemangi Mahajan. Since October 2018, the Rotaractors have conducted sessions for more than 500 children. With a membership of 80 students from the Godavari Institute of Management and Research Institute, the club is also focused on women’s empowerment, for which they organised a one-day exhibition titled Sabala. “We had around 15 stalls put up by smalltime entrepreneurs and they were happy to display their products which got sold in no time,” says Hemangi. APRIL 2019

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Restoring lakes and cleaning school compounds Team Rotaract News

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he one question that Aravindhan T, past president of Rotaract Club of Zenith, D 3232, had to answer while gathering volunteers to clean up lakes on the outskirts of Chennai, was “It’s not me that littered. So, why should I pick the trash somebody else threw?” Getting the local community involved was a difficult task. “We had to remind them that the 2015 Chennai floods could have been avoided if the city’s waterbodies were well maintained.” Constant counselling of the residents living by the lake along with the efforts of Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), who initiated the cause, finally led to the cleaning of 30 lakes and ponds in Chennai.

The cleaning process involves physical removal of garbage from the premises. This is where Rotaract Clubs of Zenith, AM Jain and AIHT come into the picture. “We go out there and alongside the locals clean the area,” says the past president. Following this the water samples are checked at a lab repeatedly to analyse the amount of contamination. After this the lake bed is desilted and a bund strengthening programme initiated. Native species saplings are planted around the bund. “Other things follow, but our job is to get the lake ready for desilting and ensure that the people living in the area maintain it.” “As young men and women, our parents remember being part of cleanliness drives conducted by their schools and colleges. We have to bring

A school compound wall gets a fresh paint, thanks to the Rotaractors.

Rotaractors cleaning the banks of a lake.

back that practice,” he says, adding that most government schools on the outskirts of the city, though maintained neatly have the most “dirty compound walls. You can find broken liquor bottles outside the school and the wall is used as a urination spot. Keeping the cleanliness idea in mind, we decided to paint the compound walls of the schools

under our project named Peachy Clean,” he says. Through wall paintings the Rotaractors have tried to create awareness on topics like cleanliness, personal hygiene, the importance of conserving water and protecting trees, and how the usage of plastic affects the environment. “None of us are artists, but we decided on

the mural concept, formed an outline and began painting and the paintings have turned out well. We used the walls outside the schools as a canvas to express our ideas and thoughts on cleanliness.” All the three clubs sponsor the paints, brushes and other material required to clean and paint the walls. Designed by L Gunasekaran APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 47

A ‘Mahadaan’ to commemorate World Rotaract Week Team Rotaract News

A blood donation camp in progress.

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he Rotaractors of the Excel group of institutions sponsored by RC Komarapalayam, RID 2982, came in large numbers to donate over 380 units of blood at Mahadaan, a mega camp held each year to mark the World Rotaract Week.

48 ROTARACT NEWS APRIL 2019

Last year, they donated over 470 units of blood. The college principal and faculty too came forward to donate blood and set an example to their students. “Over 500 Rotaractors from seven Rotaract clubs at this institution have taken up a large number of service projects such as

tree plantation, collecting plastic waste on the campus, organising health awareness sessions, visiting old-age homes and vocational centres for the disabled and presenting them with gifts and nutritious food,” says Prof G Sampath, Rotaract Coordinator at RC Komarapalayam. A series of four blood donation camps were held by the Rotaract clubs at their seven group colleges — Excel College of Engineering and Technology with the support of Salem GH Blood Bank; Naturopathy and Yoga Medical College (Supreme Blood Bank, Erode); and Excel Business School, College of Commerce and Science, College of Architecture, and College of Education (Erode GH Blood Bank); and Excel Engineering College (Sivaramji Blood Bank, Salem).

Healthcare sessions in Delhi schools Team Rotaract News

Rotaractors talking to students on health and hygiene.

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he members of RAC Young Visionaries, D 3011, have taken up Shashwat, a project to educate schoolchildren across Delhi on avoidable diseases such as anaemia, diarrhoea etc. “We highlight how such diseases can be prevented through healthy lifestyle changes and maintaining a clean environment. Children are quick to grasp and we are hopeful they will diligently follow instructions,” said Club President Sarthak Bansal. The Rotaractors have presently visited four schools covering 500 students and sensitised them on the diseases, their symptoms, prevention and home remedies for cure. They also talked about some of the natural herbs and remedies that have curative value. In addition, guest lectures were given and pamphlets and booklets were distributed to the students who were asked to spread this message among their family members and neighbours. APRIL 2019

ROTARACT NEWS 49

Suratgarh Rotaractors plunge into community service V Muthukumaran

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n Rajasthan, all the 15 members of RAC Suratgarh, RID 3090, have been involved in community service right from the club’s inception last July, doing projects of social impact. “Our first project — a medical camp for students of a government girls’ high school with the help of four women doctors who are also our members — was a great success,” says Club President Rohit Dhuwa. Over 600 girl students were screened for anaemia and given iron tablets. The doctors briefed the students on menstrual hygiene. A dentist, gynaecologist, dietician and an ayurvedic physician examined the girls for chronic diseases. Mega rally

The Rotaractors participated in a mega rally conducted by its parent Rotary club, RC Suratgarh, to create awareness on organ donation. About 4,000 students from 30 government and private schools participated. 50 ROTARACT NEWS APRIL 2019

RAC Suratgarh President Rohit Dhuwa leading an organ donation campaign.

A team of doctors from Apex Multispecialty Hospital, one of the event partners, extended help to make it a “thumping success, earning us a lot of goodwill,” he added. DG V B Dixit flagged off the rally along with PDG Rajinder Taneja and District Secretary Budh Dev Arya. Government organisations such as the CRPF, officials from Sub-divisional Magistrate and former legislator Ashok

Nagpal, attended the inaugural event. Distribution of clothes, footwear and sweets to the mentally-challenged inmates of the Har Prabha Ashrama, and sanitary pads for girls and women around the region, are some of the other initiatives of the club. Literacy camp

A series of contests will be organised at the Literacy camp scheduled for April 26, in partnership with

RC Suratgarh and RD English Zone, an institute to teach spoken English and personality development. The objective is to engage the participants and enthuse them to excel in their studies. During Mahadaan, a district-wide blood donation camp for Rotaractors held annually, the club made a sizable contribution, creating a “good impact in the community,” says DRR Ashish Aggarwal.

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