Letter to the Editor – March 2022

A Rotary message through a Rose Float during the parade held to mark new year’s day at New York will surely help build awareness about Rotary and its theme. The cover photo exhibits the good work of RC Rourkela.

Glad to know that the nationwide blood glucose testing camp on World Heart Day was a success. As explained by the editor, waterwheels will be a novel idea for future generations.

RID Mahesh ­Kotbagi’s ideas are noteworthy in empowering girls to become women with vision. Focusing on public image of Rotary which can attract new members as pointed out by RID Venkatesh is the right strategy. Messages from TRF Trustee Chair and TRF Trustee are informative.

The interesting feature on LN4 prosthetic hands and Rourkela Rotarians’ involvement in providing them to the needy is loaded with information. Happy to learn that RC Calcutta has built a school in Darjeeling. The feature on playback singer T M Soundararajan takes us back to the golden days of the past where film music was enjoyed by all.

Articles like Rotary saves yet another child, Waterwheels to the rescue of women, TRF grants:bane or boon, Project Vignettes, and ­Uttarakhand school back on track with Rotary gifts, are all informative. Congrats to the editorial team.

Philip Mulappone M T, RC Trivandrum Suburban — D 3211

Thank you for writing about our project Arivu in Rotary News. The article has increased our responsibility.

Frankly, we were not aware that this is such a good project which would attract your ­attention till you called and expressed your ­interest. We started this with a natural instinct to support the rural students. We, the Team Arivu of RC Puttur Central, along with all the members of our club are grateful for your support. Even though we are just three years old, every year we take up long-term projects. We are very happy with these projects, hence thought of sharing with you and we will continue to do so in future too.

B Sanath Rai, RC Puttur Central — D 3181

I loved the idea shared by RI President ­Shekhar Mehta on ­Rotary’s Days of Service. It is a great PR exercise to showcase our projects. The power of many clubs highlighting a common theme builds trust among the people to join hands in their quest to do good to society.

RID Mahesh Kotbagi has asked us to empower girls and our club is doing exactly that this year. Our Project Red is empowering the girls through MHM sessions. We intend to impact the lives of at least 4,000 girls this year.

The projects covered in the magazine are diverse each month. The cyclothon project by RC Bharuch is inspiring. I also loved the way Mahabs institute was covered with detail. RIPE Jennifer Jones has come out with her presidential theme Imagine Rotary. These two words have a much deeper meaning.

Vivek Khandelwal, RC Deonar — D 3141

When we think of playback singer T M ­Soundararajan, our mind also conjures up images of lyricists ­Kannadasan, Vaali, ­musician duo M S Viswanathan-­Ramamurthy and ­composer K V Mahadevan, as they all have created a niche for themselves in the Tamil filmdom. You should have published their pictures too in the ­article, TMS, the singer of hope, a ­well-written and ­interesting article.

Dr Subramanian, RC Puliyangudi — D 3212

I have been a regular ­subscriber of Rotary News. I have, in my library, almost all the copies of this wonderful monthly journal.

The January edition has been a special one. RI President Mehta has written a wonderful piece titled Use your vocation to change lives. His enumeration of Rotary’s work in India is worth three cheers. For years I have been looking for a catchy compilation of such content but could not find it. It is for the first time that we have in front of us a ­one-page-summary of the great work we Rotarians have been doing in India. Thank you, Rasheeda for bringing this to print. A very nice coverage on the most visible portion of the page. I have pasted its snapshot on my desk board for all to read and feel proud.

Vipan Bahl, RC Jaipur Bapu Nagar — D 3054

The article on CoL was well-reported, covering all aspects of the council presented by Rotary leaders in the Jan issue. Rotarians pay $1 as annual fees to fund and participate in the CoL. RC Rasipuram proposed a resolution to acknowledge the role and responsibilities of district secretaries at one of the CoL sessions which was adopted with 70 per cent of votes. I request the RI board to frame curriculum on the roles and responsibilities of district secretaries so that they can be trained appropriately.

Ramaswamy N P, RC Rasipuram — D 2982

RI President Mehta has urged Rotarians to use their vocation to change lives and true to this suggestion, they have built 500 houses as part of tsunami-relief effort. He also wants us to do something of value for the poorest each month to improve their livelihood.

Congrats to Editor Rasheeda Bhagat and her team for coming out with the issue in time without missing even once during the peak of the Covid pandemic. The entire team is doing an excellent job and I pray to god to give you good health to ­continue your work.

S Muniandi, RC Dindigul Fort — D 3000

Durgapur ready for ­Sanjeevani Hospital

Your article ­Mending Little Hearts, the Sanjeevani Way (Oct issue) gave me a new light and inspiration to stretch beyond and do more for the ­community. The last paragraph says that the trustees are ­looking for a city in ­Eastern UP or ­Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand. I suggest to them to set up such a ­centre in ­Durgapur which has emerged as an educational and ­medical hub of the eastern region because of its ­connectivity. All the hospitals here serve patients from Bihar, Jharkhand, North East and some parts of UP.

I would like to be instrumental in helping acquire land either free or at a nominal cost and try to assist them in setting up the Sanjeevani ­Hospital. Our district has completed over 300 congenital heart ­surgeries through a Global Grant Project Heart to Heart a couple of years back.

Amit Kumar Sharma, RC Durgapur Smart City — D 3240