Letters to the Editor – November 2017 issue
A timely Editorial
The Editorial Freedom from misogyny, patriarchy (September issue) is a timely appeal and worth considering. Unwholesome comments of men against women are matched by the strong rhetoric of women who want personal freedom, thus reflecting the ground reality.
Training in martial arts such as karate should be imparted to girl students for their self-defence. But it will be a Herculean task for women to get liberated from the dominance of men. However, let us be optimistic that women get freedom and equality.
G V Sayagavi, RC Davanagere Vidyanagar — D 3160
An emotional final journey
Every month, you have succeeded in accommodating various current affairs in the world of Rotary through our esteemed magazine. In the September issue, the cover photo of a smiling Sam Owori, a great personality who is no more with us, moved the readers emotionally.
The article Sam Owori’s final journey by a much loved senior RI leader, PRIP K R Ravindran, is evocative and heart-rending. The remark by PRIP Rajendra K Sahoo that even in death Sam had brought glory to Rotary was really striking.
Col Gopinathan, RC Wadakanchery — D 3201
D 3000 makes an impact
I am filled with joy on seeing RI District 3000 on a number of pages in the October issue.
Starting with my good friend PP R Srinivasan’s letter, then to the write-up Karur Angels promote Rotary and finally the introduction of DG P Gopalakrishnan by Jaishree (Meet your Governors), the presence of this district is felt all over the pages. In the Club Matters too, District 3000 is represented by RC Dindigul. We are proud of our DG Gopalakrishnan.
Nan Narayenen, RC Madurai West — D 3000
Queue jumping
Although I am just an ordinary member of the Rotary Club of Madurai NextGen, I read Rotary News thoroughly as it covers a wide range of topics apart from Rotary and its activities. One of my favourite sections is the Book Review as I buy many of the books reviewed in its pages. The review by H S Khurana of The Good Indian’s Guide to Queue-Jumping deliberates on many habits of the Indian people in general. I would like to share my experience of queue-jumping in the US long back.
On the first visit in Disney World, I missed my group members and found them far away in the serpentine queue. The barriers were only made of rope, which could easily be removed for easy access to the next bay. There was no security guard to man the queue either. My tour guide shouted in Hindi to cross the rope barriers and move ahead. Though embarrassed, I didn’t want to be left behind by my group and hence had to jump queue. But no one questioned me.
The second instance was at the JFK Airport in New York. After check-in, I found that I had only 20 minutes for the gates to close. After seeing the long queue, I went up to the guard and showed my boarding pass, and was given quick access to the security check area to enable me to be just in time for my flight. In both the cases there were no murmurs or complaints over the priority I got. I am sure had I been in India, there would have been a big ruckus over this. Probably that’s the reason we have mastered ‘the art of queue management’ at places like Tirupati.
S P A Ganesh, RC Madurai NextGen — D 3000
Seed balls: Make it a movement
The article Seed balls to green the Earth by Karthik V is excellent. The Rotary Club of Shimoga has joined the hands with an NGO Utthistha Bharatha to take up the initiative this year and already planted around 15,000 seed balls near the Shimoga forests.
Let all Rotary clubs make a movement of the seed ball project and pursue it with passion just as we did in the case of PolioPlus, and for saving our forests from denudation and contribute in reducing global warming.
Veeranna A Huggi, RC Shimoga — D 3182
Another outstanding issue
It is matter of pride for Rotarians that the GoI acknowledges the supremacy of Rotary (The power to do good – October Editorial). There is a fire in the Rotarians of India to do something unique and touch new heights by helping senior Rotary leaders who have decided to join hands with the Indian government on Mission Indradhanush, and overcome preventable diseases like measles and rubella. That the Government officials believe that Rotarians have the power and only Rotary can do all this is a big reward in itself. The Editor has aptly concluded “when power is used to do good, it transcends to another level.”
As for the October issue, I am at a loss of words to convey my compliments to Team Rotary News — Jaishree and V Muthukumaran and others, and especially Editor Rasheeda Bhagat (who has written as many as six articles in the issue) for bringing out a knowledgeable, thought provoking, and above all, a very attractive issue covering all walks of life. All the articles are readable. Breathing life into blue babies and When charity truly began at home deserve special mention. Hats off to Rotarians… go ahead with the mission “Service Above Self”.
Raj Kumar Kapoor, RC Roopnagar — D 3080
Rotaract News Online
Rotary News will be bringing out an online version of Rotaract News from January 2018.
Rotary clubs interested in featuring activities of their Rotaract clubs may please send reports of their good projects along with candid pictures.
Please email high resolution pictures in original size in .jpg or .tiff format. No embedding photos in the word file. No ribbon cutting, lighting the lamp.
Rotaract projects can be in any of the following focus areas — Literacy / vocational skill development, health, disease prevention, mother/child welfare and water and sanitation.
Mention the name of the Rotaract club, district number, contact details of the person leading the project, where was it done, value of the project and number of people it benefitted.
– Editor
