Month: April 2024
What Rotary clubs can do to help the Environment
In April 2024, we will celebrate our first month highlighting Rotary environmental action. In 1990, PRIP Paulo V C Costa made the environment one of his primary causes, creating Preserve Planet Earth programme. In June 2020, the RI directors and Rotary Foundation Board unanimously approved the creation of Rotary’s seventh area of focus — Protecting the Environment. In 2021, TRF began awarding environmental global grants. Clubs are at the heart of Rotarians’ action to address climate change. To find effective projects, clubs can draw on a rapidly growing trove of expertise and technical assistance from Rotary Action Groups and TRF: the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), Rotary Action Group for Endangered Species (RAGES), WASHRAG, and the TRF Cadre specialists in Environment, Water and Community Economic Development.
Let’s continue to drive positive change
Dear friends in Rotary, As April unfolds its vibrant colours and warmth, it’s a reminder that time moves swiftly, especially within the dynamic world of
When You Have Nowhere to Call Home
Thank you! Thank you!’ My friends from our book club — Pandu Aunty, Bhama and Usha — wouldn’t stop thanking me as we made our way to the car on the evening of February 29.
Breakouts tailored for you
At the Rotary International Convention main stage, you feel Rotary’s sweeping influence while cheering with thousands of fellow members.
Rotary Flower Show in Coimbatore
Six Rotary clubs — RCs Coimbatore Town, Downtown, Uptown, Texcity, Centennial and Thondamuthur, RID 3201 — collaborated with the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University to organise a three-day Covai Flower Show at the 23-acre Botanical Gardens in Coimbatore. It was inaugurated by Agriculture minister M R K Panneerselvam and minister for Urban Development S Muthuswamy. Over 4 lakh people visited the show, said project chairman C Nagaraj. The district’s impactful service projects were prominently displayed on giant LED screens across the garden. The district is planning to organise a similar show in January 2025, said event secretary A Godwin. DG T R Vijayakumar presented the Rotary Vocational Excellence Award to the university vice chancellor V Geethalakshmi.
TRF Chair’s India Moments
During his recent visit to India, TRF trustee chair Barry Rassin visited Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and Kolkata in India and Kathmandu in Nepal.
2025-27 RI Directors for zones 4,5,6 & 7
RI President Gordon McInally declared past district governors K P Nagesh (RID 3191) and M Muruganandam (RID 3000) as directors for 2025–27.
The gender challenge… for the haves and have-nots…
As the cover story of this issue focuses on the record-making seven women governors in our zones this Rotary year, as yet another International Women’s
Beedi workers of Solapur
Everyday life is a testament to strength and resilience for the women beedi workers of Solapur.
Check out cancer
We have written about holistic health and aerobics at some length in our recent columns. The cynic and the couch potato may dismiss this as a good-in theory-but-does-it-actually-work in practice? Time then to take our Fitness-for-Life approach from the library and test-run it on the killing fields of real life. Pit it against the arguably Enemy Number One, Cancer. Cancer is a fatal disease if it runs its course. But the good news is holistic health and lifestyle can nip cancer in the bud (read cell) if treated at an early state and stage. Aerobic exercise is both a shield and sword in this ancient all-pervading perennial disease. And aerobic exercise is the missile to launch and target a preemptive strike on cancer. Prevention is the best cure.
An eye hospital in West Bengal gets a new building
In keeping with its legacy of providing eyecare to the poor and marginalised, RID 3291 has shifted its Joynagar Eye Hospital.
RC Jammu Stars helps autism clinic
When the Department of Paediatrics, in partnership with the NGO Children in India, recently started an Autism Clinic at the government SMGS Hospital in Jammu to offer a range of services to children with autism and their families, the Rotary Club of Jammu Stars, RI District 3070, happily pitched in with some colourful, modern play equipment that was required for training and therapy for these children.
Water is not for wasting
Do we take water for granted? Unfortunately, we do. Despite knowing that it is a vital natural resource essential for our survival and that of all the animals and plants that inhabit the Earth. In fact, most of us don’t give a second thought to water since we assume that it will perennially be in bountiful supply. Isn’t it ironic that water comes into focus only when there is a drought or a flood — when there is too little or too much of it.
Seven women governors break through the glass ceiling in India
The Rotary year 2023–24 has been a record-making year for women in Rotary in India, with as many as seven women managing to break the
English coaching for rural students
Nearly 30,000 school students in rural Karnataka can confidently converse in English and comprehend simple sentences, all thanks to the Remedial English programme being conducted by RCs Bangalore Yelahanka and Bangalore West, RID 3192. The clubs undertook the first phase of the project during 2019–21 with global grant support from RC Austin, RID 5870. It was continued to the next phase in 2021, this time in partnership with RC Cupertino, RID 5170.
Beautifying anganwadis in Mysuru
Renovating run-down anganwadis is a major project of RC Mysore South East, RID 3181, for the last four decades. These days, if the government-run creches in the neighbouring Ashokapuram and Vidyaranyapuram villages sport a spanking new look, it is thanks to the efforts of the club members. “Most of these anganwadis are poorly maintained and in bad shape — the doors and windows are creaky and broken, the paint is non-existent and the buildings generally look gloomy. Right from the club’s inception, our members decided to transform these ramshackle buildings into warm, welcoming homes. This is the least we can do for the little children who spend hours here when their parents, mostly construction or sanitation workers, are out on work,” says K N Muralidhara, president of this club which was chartered in 1983. He shares that all 64 members are involved hands-on in all the service projects being done by the club.