RI Director, 2025–27
As 2026 dawns, let’s start with thankful hearts and renewed passion to serve through Rotary. Rotary, to me, is a movement of light — and every Rotarian, a torchbearer. When we let this light shine, Rotary glows. And when we share that glow widely, Rotary grows.
After becoming an AKS member, I once thought to myself — maybe now I can slow down, maybe I can focus on other Rotary work. But then came a moment that changed everything.
My home club, Rotary Club of BHEL City Tiruchirapalli, invited me for the inauguration of a global grant project at the Government Hospital in Manapparai, a small town about 50km from Trichy. The hospital serves nearly 80 villages and welcomes hundreds of mothers every month. But for years, it had no Neonatal ICU facility. When a newborn fell critically ill, families had to travel all the way to Trichy — and heartbreakingly, many infants never survived that journey.
Through Rotary’s global grant, the neonatal ward was equipped with life-saving equipment — turning an empty ward into a lifeline. In the last five years, that single project has saved thousands of newborn lives.
Standing there, watching these fragile yet determined lives breathing and thriving, I realised something profound: this is the magic of Rotary. That experience also reminded me of the true power of public image. Because when people see what Rotary actually does, their belief in Rotary grows deeper. Visibility builds trust. Trust creates participation. And participation expands impact.
Public image is one of the significant pillars of Rotary, alongside membership, Foundation and service. It is equally vital to Rotary’s growth. For the world to support us, the world must first see us and understand us.
In India, 83% of the population is aware of Rotary, placing us second in the world. But awareness alone is not enough. Understanding is what truly matters — people knowing why Rotary exists, how it works, and what difference it makes. In that, India leads the world with 73% understanding.
Let me share a thought from one of the greatest treasures of Tamil literature — the Thirukkural. It says, Naraa malar — flowers without fragrance. The meaning is simple yet profound: even the most beautiful flower loses its essence without its scent. Similarly, no matter how much we achieve in Rotary — if our work is not known, if our light does not reach others — it is like a flower without fragrance.
Through Interact and Rotaract, we are already taking Rotary’s story to newer generations. Our Polio Eradication Initiative, too, has made Rotary a name recognised and respected in every corner of India. Rotary is seen very well in our country — now let us ensure in 2026 that it is celebrated in a larger way.
Every photograph shared, every project inaugurated, every human story told — adds to that fragrance. When Rotary’s public image glows, Rotary itself grows — in membership, in Foundation giving, and most importantly, in the faith people place in us.
So my dear friends, as we step into this new year, let our projects speak loudly, and let our stories spread widely.
Let us keep glowing, and keep growing.
M Muruganandam
RI Director, 2025–27