D 3000 gets a massive dose of Rs.1.2 crore CSR funding from KVB

Karur Vysya Bank has donated ₹1.2 crore to The Rotary Foundation under its CSR funds for setting up four low-cost dialysis centres at four locations — Trichy, Karur, Dindigul and Theni — in Tamil Nadu. Each centre will have six dialysis machines and the total project value is ₹2.2 crore including the grant from the Foundation.

“This is the single largest amount received by Rotary in India from a corporate entity under CSR funding. We have joined hands with the KVB for community service,” says RI District 3000 Governor P Gopalakrishnan. In the last few months he met the top officials of the bank including its managing director and CEO P R Seshadri to make detailed presentations on TRF policies, methods of project implementation and stewardship in a bid to get CSR funding for Rotary’s service and humanitarian projects.

But the district’s first-ever CSR project took some time to crystallise and a lot of deliberations before it was finally okayed by the KVB Board of Directors and the amount has been received.

Striking a rapport

The district has approached many firms in and around Tamil Nadu ever since Rotary International okayed the proposal to accept CSR funding and include it as TRF contribution, says L Subbiah, District Secretary, Admin and from RC Karur Texcity.

With four out of 11 KVB directors being Rotarians including one Ann, and Gopalakrishnan striking a ‘good working relationship’ with the top officials of the bank, “we were able to make an effective presentation with a bouquet of projects the bank could choose to fund from their CSR money.” In Karur, RC Karur Texcity Secretary A J Suriyanarayana and RC Karur Angels (all-women’s club) President S Nirupama’s husband Rtn M V Srinivasamoorthi are part of the KVB Board.

RI Director C Basker visited the KVB headquarters to make a presentation on TRF’s programmes and global projects to its managing director. “His briefing added value to our proposal seeking CSR funds from the bank,” adds Gopalakrishnan.

All the four dialysis centres will offer treatment sessions at an affordable cost, almost 65–70 per cent lower than that charged in private hospitals. Each centre will have a five-member Rotary panel consisting of two doctors, two Rotarians and one beneficiary to oversee its administration.

D 3000 Rotary leaders led by Gopalakrishnan felicitated Swaminathan, Seshadri and nine other directors at the KVB headquarters in Karur with a citation and a shawl. Apart from individual citations to every director, the DG along with PDG S Rajendran presented certificates issued by TRF (signed by RI President Ian Riseley and Trustee Chair Paul Netzel) to Seshadri thanking the bank for its generosity.

During the informal interaction at the Board room, the Directors appreciated Rotary clubs for being proactive in Karur and doing a wide variety of community projects.