50 years of service @ RC Moradabad East
If you visit Moradabad in western Uttar Pradesh, 175km from Delhi, the presence of the Rotary Wheel and the striking projects of the city’s Rotary clubs through buildings and parks impress you instantly. “There are 25 Rotary clubs and around 500 Rotarians in this brass city in RI District 3100,” says Regional Assistant Governor Prashant Singhal, a member of RC Moradabad East, the second oldest club in the city, celebrating its golden jubilee this year.
In the media limelight for doing impactful projects, the club distributed sewing machines to 50 well-trained women from less privileged families at a glittering event to mark its 50th year in the presence of PRIP Shekhar Mehta. “A panel of Rotarians interviewed the shortlisted women trained at the various skill centres run by the government to know their economic status. Only after that, we finalised the 50 beneficiaries in this project funded by club members,” says PDG and club member Lalit Mohan Gupta. Chartered in November 1974 with 30 members, “we have a reputation for doing long-term sustainable projects that reach out to maximum number of people in Moradabad.”
During his tenure as district governor (2004–05), Gupta had set up a Rotary Blood Bank (matching grant: $50,000) at the Asian Vivekanand Hospital, Moradabad, and “the facility is giving a lifeline to 2,900 patients at various hospitals and gets around 2,500 donors in a year. Though the hospital’s management has changed hands, our blood bank is standing tall and supplying blood to patients and hospitals,” he explains.
In the same Rotary centennial year, calipers and artificial limbs (Jaipur foot) were distributed to 700 amputees (MG: `8 lakh) at a seven-day prosthetic limb camp held with the support of Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti.
A Piyau Centre with a drinking water booth in a beautiful park near the Moradabad district court was created in 1983 through member contributions. It was inaugurated in 1984 by PRIP Rajendra Saboo, who was then DG of RID 310. “Over the years, this green hub known as Jhalshala has become a sought-after place for elders who sit and relax on the concrete benches put up there. More than 100 people use the water booth daily,” says Singhal. “We will set up another Piyau Centre near the taluk office in the coming months.”
Retinopathy of Prematurity
Through a global grant ($70,000), the club donated high-tech machines to C L Gupta Eye Hospital in December 2024 for treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity, an eye disease affecting premature babies. “We trained the paramedical staff, and donated a fully-equipped Bolero van for providing treatment to sick newborns at their homes,” explains Gupta, who is also a DRFC (2022–25).
For the balance amount of ₹3.5 lakh “we did an eye check-up camp screening 900 people at the Gautam Buddha Park, in partnership with the eye hospital.” Among them, 50 were chosen for cataract surgery, and “their transport, accommodation, food and medicine cost were borne by the club.” At the camp, 350 spectacles were given.
With the approval of a new GG of over $50,000, the second Rotary Blood Bank will be set up at the Crest Hospital shortly. The club, with a membership of 60 Rotarians, has till now donated around $150,000 to TRF. The club has three Major Donors, including PDG Gupta at Level-2, and contributed three governors to RID 3100. “You get a very nice feeling being a member of this iconic club as fellowship with the cream of our society gives you a great feeling,” smiles Singhal.
At the golden jubilee event PRIP Mehta honoured 27 past presidents, three PDGs — Lalit Gupta, B S Mathur and Rakesh Singhal — and two charter members, Shambhunath Tandon and Chander Mohan, with mementos and citations.
