A mid-sea, fun training session for RID 3211 AGEs
The incoming governor of RID 3211, decided to celebrate the nearing end of the Covid pandemic and the 117th birthday of Rotary by conducting his AGTS (assistant governors training seminar) on board a cruise ship from Feb 23–26, and aptly titled it ‘Sagara Madhanam’. Cordelia, the luxury cruise ship, provided the perfect setting for the group led by
DG K Srinivasan, DGE K Babumon and his wife Beena, district trainer PDG K P Ramachandran Nair, PDGs, DGN Dr G Sumithran, DSGE Vijayalakshmi Nair, other district officers and the 36 assistant governors-elect of the district.
Apart from providing so much fun, laughter and of course learning, our AGTS also served to promote Rotary’s public image as there were about 1,000 people on board who came from all over India.
— DGE K Babumon
As Rotary’s anniversary cake was brought by the ship’s crew to the festively decorated deck, with colourful streamers, festoons and balloons, as the ship sailed on the high seas between Kochi and Mumbai via Lakshadweep, the DG and DGE jointly cut the cake. As the Rotarians sang in full-throated gusto ‘happy anniversary to Rotary’, the echo reverberated over the splashing waves of the Arabian Sea.
DGE Babumon said: “Apart from providing so much fun, laughter and of course learning, our AGTS also served to promote Rotary’s public image as there were about 1,000 people on board who came from all over India. In addition, there were some 600 crew members spread across the 10 decks. Our celebration and camaraderie attracted their attention and many of them were asking questions about our organisation; what Rotary is and what kind of work it does. Many were more than curious. Some even enquired whether such an organisation was available in their particular towns, and a few even expressed the desire to join Rotary.”
The Rotary group was a big and merry one and over 360 people joined this cruise. When the ship reached Lakshadweep, while the AGEs remained on board for the training, their spouses and children went on shore to enjoy games and water sports.
When the cruise ended in Mumbai, the Rotarians and their family members enjoyed a day’s tour of the metro, and then took a flight back home to Kochi. “The incoming assistant governors had a satisfying and purposeful three-day training session, and were given certificates signed by RI Director A S Venkatesh,” added the DGE. n
