Letters to the Editor – November 2018

Rotarians help Kerala

The article Rotary swings into action to help Kerala by Jaishree narrates the shocking plight of ­people hit by the devastating floods and Rotary’s gesture in overcoming such a dreadful situation. It is heartening to note that Rotary was the first among the NGOs to deliver food packets, water bottles and clothes to the helpless victims.

Rotary’s role in polio ­eradication is praiseworthy; the story of Chetna from a middle class family in ­Mumbai, who started The Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank, is a motivating one told by RI Director C Basker.

Best practices for ­successful clubs by Aadesh Sikehi can be ­followed by clubs for their better performance. The write up A park where children can touch, feel and learn at Mankada is really a novel idea adaptable by any club. Rotarians from Raigarh steel city’s campaign against child marriage is a noble deed.

Other articles such as From a stump to a hand, Time Rotary takes on the TB challenge, and ­Promote gender equity and build ­resilience in communities: Helen Clark are all worth ­reading. Thanks for the good effort by the ­Editorial team.

M T Philip, RC Trivandrum
Suburban — D 3211

Rotarians are the first to rush to the disaster site and provide relief material to the victims even before the arrival of any government agency. Rotarians from Districts 3201, 3202 and 3211 have done great work in Kerala. The article The ­Wada-Paav Miracle! turns the spotlight on how the beneficiaries are leading a normal life after being fitted with LN-4 hand. Hats-off to members of RC Poona Downtown which has successfully executed artificial limb camps in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, ­Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Karnataka, UP, Telangana and Kashmir, among other places.

The project (A floating home for flood victims) done by RC Dispur, a club with just 21 members in Assam, is excellent. As the project will serve the people living in Majuli, a river island 340 km from Guwahati, ­during floods, my hearty thanks to the district governor and the club for conceiving such a useful project for the community.

S Muniandi, RC Dindigul
Fort — D 3000

I was impressed by the activities of RC Navi Mumbai, D 3142, as it is a thoughtful gesture to gift food coupons to visiting dignitaries, get these signed by them and provide the coupons to the needy people. Planting trees and maintaining them is an excellent way of ­protecting nature. ­Renting out club ­premises to other clubs is also an innovative, income-generating idea. All clubs should ­emulate their practical way of doing service to the ­society. Hope we will get to see more articles on the novel projects of other clubs.

Sobhana Narayanan
RC Kalamassery — D 3201

The cover page caption ­Restoring confidence is wonderful. ­Initially, I thought this picture belongs to my home town club ­project. For RC Berhampur East has recently taken up an LN-4 project in collaboration with RC Poona Downtown. It was one of the best service projects and beneficiaries came from all over Odisha and neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh.

Polio eradication is our dream and today most of the countries report zero polio cases. Congrats to visionary Rotary leaders. ­Rotarians with big heart swing into action to help Kerala flood victims. This shows our timely action to serve humanity. All the articles are informative and inspiring. Rotarians always say: “See good, think good, do good” to serve people globally.

PRN Chandra Mouli
RC Berhampur Midtown — D 3262

I read the article Salem Rotarians reach out to an orphanage in ­Pattaya with interest. Members of RC Salem Young Town have done a good job of helping 150 orphanage children at Pattaya in Thailand with a ­donation of ₹50,000 and also giving notebooks and uniforms valued at ₹1 lakh at Kilinochchi town in Jaffna, both worthy projects.

Generally, Rotarians used to go to Pattaya and Sri Lanka mainly for tourism, visiting local Rotary clubs, ­attending their meetings and exchanging flags. But this club has done an innovative job of helping the poor children at the orphanage.

S Mohan, RC Madurai, West — D 3000

The article Books by chance ­written by Sandhya Rao ­captured my imagination and revived my memory of reading the book The Search in Secret India by Paul Brunton several years back.

I was captured by the ­content of the book with wonderful ­feelings and wishful thoughts of the silent sage Ramana Maharishi. After reading this piece, I have got an urge to ­procure a copy of Somerset Maugham’s A Razor’s Edge. Hope I will be able to fulfil my desire.

My heartfelt thanks to you and through you to Sandhya Rao for the article which has touched my heart.

Deepak Agarwal, RC Siliguri Midtown — D 3240

We are happy to read the ­article Giving them limbs on our ­signature project in the ­September issue. The write-up has given a morale boost, especially to the recently joined Rotarians who have understood the magnitude of our project.

Suresh Gokuldas, RC Coimbatore  Midtown — D 3201

A quality magazine

I congratulate you and your team for publishing a magazine with ­quality articles, cover photos on Rotary ­projects and letters from ­miracle makers. I was thrilled ­reading Shakti Sinha’s article ­regarding our ­former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee, an ­affable politician, a generous and farsighted person.

Daniel Chittilappilly, RC Kaloor — D 3201

From a non-Rotarian

I had the opportunity to read about the good work being done by Rotary in Rotary Samachar and want to become a Rotarian. Please tell me how I can become one.

Deodass, Daraganj (Allahabad)