Skilling youth in electrical repair service

Team Rotary News

With the aim to provide a regular income to underprivileged, jobless youth, RC Nagpur, RID 3030, collaborated with the ICICI Foundation to set up The Rotary Centre to train them in electrical and home appliances repair through a 72-day crash course with hands-on knowledge.

The club members donated for the Rotary centre which gets expertise from the ICICI Academy of Skills, Nagpur, for the training programme. Further, the Academy has skilled and placed over 100 beneficiaries in reputed firms after they had completed the programme at the hand spasms by stimulating the nerves and muscles. The ultrasound and electrotherapy devices will provide extensive pain relief and muscle stimulation for patient recovery. “These devices were provided by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous,” he added.

Research support

The club recently helped in funding research equipment and reagents worth `18 lakh through an IT company for the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune. The machines will help in replication and transcription of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, explained Savant. The researchers in IISER will study how the virus proliferates, find ways to arrest its growth and develop tests to diagnose it. “This prestigious project is led by scientist Dr Saikrishnan Kayarat from IISER, which is probably one of the world’s ten such research laboratories.” vocational centre. The well-designed course offers both theory and practical exposure to basic installation, servicing and repairing of electrical and home appliances, and other household accessories. Those who had passed Class 10 are eligible for the programme.

The equipment includes special chromatographic columns for protein purification, crystal/protein freezing and shipping equipment and pipette set for extremely low volume measurements. “We expect the project to take off from June as these machines are all being imported from Italy. The studies will help our country lead the way in the worldwide war against Covid and similar pandemic viruses,” he said.

Already, the first three batches of 108 students, including a girl, who had completed the training course at the centre were placed at service centres run by top firms — IFB, Blue Star, Haier, Reliance Digital, Samsung and Tata Sky. “We are proud to take up this skilling initiative with the support of ICICI Foundation as it will enable a sustainable livelihood for the youth from economically weak families,” said Nilufer Rana, president, RC Nagpur.

Shashank Rastogi

Medical camps to benefit one million people

Serviceabove self, Rotary’s key mantra, attracted Shashank Rastogi to join the organisation in 2001.

A second-generation Rotarian, he was influenced by his late father Rtn YP Rastogi, and “having been an Interactor, Rotaractor and then joining Rotary gave me a good foundation,” he says.

During his year as DG, an ICU facility (GG: $30,000) was set up at the government hospital in Durg, Chhattisgarh.

“A Rotary Tower was installed at a prominent site in Rourkela to enhance our public image. So far, 50 Happy Schools have been done through a mix of CSR grants, district funds and member contributions,” says Rastogi. Artificial limbs were fitted on 1,500 amputees at 12 special camps at a cost of ` 2.25 crore. A four-day Rahat medical camp at Narsinghpur, MP, examined over one lakh patients; and 3,000 cataract, oncology and other surgeries were done. “In certain parts of MP, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, medical camps are held on Sundays to benefit the rural and urban poor,” he says. Rastogi has a target to reach out to 10 lakh people through medical camps this year. RC Raipur Greater has done 108 WASH programmes in schools where students were taught best hygiene practices.

His target for TRF giving is $100,000 and he is confident of adding 150 new members. Five new clubs will be added to take the count to 92. “I am inspired by the leadership of PRIP Shekhar Mehta, PRIDs Kamal Sanghvi, Bharat Pandya; and also, the present directors Venkatesh and Mahesh Kotbagi. I will continue community service to strengthen Rotary,” he adds. His mother was an Inner Wheel member.