Letters to the Editor – April 2020
Bravo Rotary
I appreciate the bold and humanistic decision of RI President Mark Maloney to cancel the Rotary International Convention scheduled for June 6–10, 2020, in Honolulu, USA, in response to the threat of Covid-19 pandemic.
This bold decision is necessary to protect the health of everyone and this move has enhanced the public image of Rotary as a caring humanitarian organisation.
R Murali Krishna, RC Berhampur — RID 3262
The article Manipal gets a Rotary Skin Bank in the Feb issue is informative. It’s good to know from Dr Sreekumar, HoD of plastic surgery at the Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, that patients with over 40 per cent of burns (third-degree burns) can be treated from donated skins.
The skin of the donors has to be retrieved within six hours of their death and it can be used to cover and heal the burnt area. Also, the donors’ skin can be processed and stored for five years. This is a TRF project and the cost is nearly ₹80.45 lakh.
N Jagatheesan, RC Eluru — RID 3020
The Feb issue has an impressive message by RID Dr Bharat Pandya in which he emphasised on peace which, he says, cannot be achieved through conferences or seminars but through personal relationships and working one-to-one to eliminate conflict. RID Kamal Sanghvi also acknowledges the need for global peace.
Basic Life Support courses are the need of the hour and must be taught in schools and educational institutions as pointed out by
Dr Saritha Rao in the article Simple steps to rescue heart attack victims. It is critical for victims of cardiac arrest and life-threatening diseases to get timely aid before they are taken to hospital for medical treatment. If this course is taught efficiently in institutions, it will go a long way in saving precious lives.
A very laudable and commendable effort is made by RC Madras in restoring the lakes in Chennai as this will help in preventing water from getting polluted and it is also a step towards sustainable development.
Naveen R Garg, RC Sunam — RID 3090
March issue mirrors Centennial Summit
After reading PRIP Rajendra Saboo’s views in the article Rotary India honours two of its jewels my opinion on Rotary has taken a U-turn. All the articles and photos related to the Centennial Summit are excellent and interesting to read.
The article A Rotarian persevered, and a teenager walked again is worth reading and my congrats to A N Aiyanna, President-elect, RC Mysore Midtown, for his noble efforts. My hearty regards to Editor Rasheeda Bhagat for coming out with great articles and pictures each month in Rotary News.
M A Akbar, RC Mayiladuthurai Kings — RID 2981
The March edition resembles a colourful photo album with beautiful pictures of Rotary leaders and their spouses. Editor’s note on the Centennial year is concise and the beautiful content gives readers the feeling of being at the celebrations in Kolkata.
An evening with Laxman by Viney Kirpal gives us a chance to remember the legendary cartoonist whose sketches are time immemorial. RIDN A S Venkatesh’s advice to Rotarians to wear their pins is really a good idea and should be complied with as far as possible. Articles like Rotary India honours two of its jewels, Let’s work for a more diverse & flexible Rotary: Maloney, and Honouring generosity among others are worth reading. Keep up the good work.
Philip Mulapone M T, RC Trivandrum Suburban — RID 3211
Rasheeda Bhagat’s editorial Rotary India marks its 100th year with a bang, baja and bonhomie was interesting. It is a fact that no place on earth celebrates Rotary events as colourfully and grandly as Rotarians do in India.
Messages from RID Bharat Pandya and Kamal Sanghvi were informative. The cover story Rotary India celebrates centennial with service projects worth $300 million was excellent. Congratulations to RID 3232 for donating pink autos to 100 unprivileged women and further training 200 of them to drive autos enabling them to become financially independent. Report of Team Rotary News on New light-weight calipers for polio sufferers was superb.
Daniel Chittilappilly, RC Kaloor — RID 3201
The reasons listed out by RIDN A S Venkatesh in his profound appeal to Rotarians to wear the Rotary pin wherever they go are truly impressive. The appeal will obviously prompt every Rotarian to wear the pin and thus become the brand ambassador of the organisation.
Dr B Nagalingam Pillai, RC Nagercoil — RID 3212
I was happy to go through the Editorial on the centenary celebrations of Rotary India. RI President Mark Maloney in his message expressed confidence that young people will spur the growth of Rotary in future. He says that it must be our job to support the innovations of the youth which will help grow Rotary. We as Rotarians must do something for the Rotaractors in the years ahead.
The RI directors have focused on Rotary Water Mission 2025 and RID Kamal Sanghvi puts it aptly when he says that “let us tighten our belts, the climb is steep, but climbing must be done.” Two of TRF’s largest individual donors — Rajashree Birla and D Ravishankar — were honoured at the Centennial Summit in Kolkata and the article Honouring generosity by Jaishree has nicely captured some of the interesting moments at this session.
RC Rajkot has set up a skin bank at a cost of `50 lakh with the support of RC Cary Kildare, RID 7710, US. Good articles on such great Rotary projects are most welcome.
S Muniandi, RC Dindigul Fort — RID 3000
I like two articles in the March issue very much. In the article Business casual, RIPE Holger Knack when asked to list the post he held during the interview for the top RI post says, “I did not hold any position before becoming the district governor and I had no appointment in the district leadership.” But Rotarians knew him for his work in the youth exchange programmes. If a man has skills, then he can get to the highest position.
Secondly RIDN A S Venkatesh shares a good point in Rotarians must wear their pin always by stating that if all Rotarians in India wear pins when they go out then they become our brand ambassadors. It would be even better when all our members around the world aim to wear their pins.
Pradeep Gandhi, RC Ichalkaranji Central — RID 3170
For many of us who could not attend the Centennial Summit in Kolkata, the extensive coverage in March issue made it almost live for us. The stunning photos and graphic articles brought out the essence of the whole event for the readers.
I must thank the Editor for such a fantastic reporting of this unique, once-in-a-lifetime event. While reading, I felt as if I am participating in that event. It was a pleasure to see RI President Maloney with colourful pagdi and Gay in a saree dancing to Bollywood music.
V G Deodhar, RC Nasik — RID 3030
