I read about the Dharmashala project of RC Bombay (April issue) for cancer patients near the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, and my heart swelled with pride.
Think about it: a cancer patient travels hundreds of kilometres, drained by treatment, worried about costs, and unsure where they’ll stay. And Rotary steps in with a Dharmashala: a clean bed, warm food, dignity, and hope — at a very nominal price.
This is what real service looks like. Not just writing cheques, but holding someone’s hand through their darkest days. This is Rotary — turning compassion into concrete kindness.
Take a bow, RC Bombay. Moments like these remind me why “Service above Self” is more than a motto, it’s a way of life. Proud to be associated with this incredible organisation.
Lalit Manik, RC Ulhasnagar — D 3142
Director Speak in the April issue has impressed me. RID K P Nagesh’s remarks are most welcome. Rotary clubs should recognise and honour the Rotarians who work tirelessly. Let us unite for good to Create a lasting impact.
Chappidi Veeraiah, RC Singarakonda Addanki — D 3150
Let’s promote women in Rotary
The Editor’s note in the May issue (The quota conundrum) has focused on women’s empowerment in Rotary, while talking about the efforts in Parliament to bring in women’s quota.
Following their admission in 1989, women now make up around 26 per cent of the global membership of Rotary. One of the areas of engagement includes empowering girls through initiatives related to healthcare, education, safety and wellbeing. Rotary projects include distributing menstrual hygiene products, building sanitation facilities in schools, building gender-segregated toilets and and addressing gender-based violence.
Rotary clubs these days are active in promoting women’s entrepreneurship through vocational training centres, microloans and skill development. The Rotary Fellowship for Empowering Women and the Rotary Action Group for Girls’ Empowerment are driving these initiatives globally. The Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award is an official award recognising members who work to advance women in Rotary.
K M K Murthy, RC Secunderabad — D 3150
It is a fact that there is a shortfall in women’s global membership in Rotary which stands at 27 per cent now, and this causes concern. When we try to find reasons of this shortfall, we encounter numerous views and suggestions. But it is difficult to point out any particular reason.
As mentioned by the editor, often women’s quota are frowned upon and the reason given is that such quotas means compromising on quality. When competent candidates are available fixing a ‘quota’ may be necessary. But how to determine any one’s competence? What are the parameters and who will decide on these?
As regards women’s involvement in Rotary, the remark of RIPE Yinka Babalola: Giving women opportunity to create an enabling environment, make them comfortable, and you will find a woman leader, is worth thinking about.
Niranjan Kar, RC Bhubaneswar — D 3262
Rotary News should carry funding appeals for projects
Congratulations for doing an excellent job editing Rotary News.
I would like to make a gentle suggestion of publishing worthy appeals for donation in Rotary News for Rotary projects meant to benefit large numbers of those living beneath the poverty line (BPL), where the funds requirement are ₹50 lakh or more. Be it for solar lamps for very low-income villagers, farming machines and cold storage rooms for perishable products, or drip irrigation systems both for farmers’ cooperatives and poor farmers. As Rotary News goes to all Rotarians across districts it will not be difficult to collect large funds required for such projects.
Ashok J Mehta, RC Mumbai North Island — D 3141