Letters to the Editor – August 2019

Thoughtful messages, articles

Congrats and best wishes to RI President Mark Maloney and his new team. Johns Hopkins University’s report about the volunteer service hours put in by Rotarians around the world is astonishing and we can be proud of this statistic.

Message from RID Bharat Pandya is meaningful. He says Rotary grows with family and not at its expense. Also, Rotarians have to act with love and integrity. Glad that we are celebrating Rotary’s 100 years in India this year.

Trustee Gulam Vahanvaty’s life-enhancing experience in the Rotary’s group study exchange programme is worth reading.

PRIP Barry Rassin’s remarks about Rotary and the need to make it stronger and that for the first time, six women will serve on the RI Board in 2020–21, are all welcome. The pictures of the convention are superb.

Articles such as Karnataka Rotarians on a mission to green the Earth, Mapuca Rotary holds Robotic Arm camp, Word games are good medicine and The Mind-Body connection in exercise are interesting and useful. Club activities are well covered in Club Matters.

The Editorial team is doing a great job.

Philip Mulappone M T, RC Trivandrum Suburban —RID 3211

Thirty-five years back when I became President of the Youth Wing of Lion’s International, my first Presidential note was No Man is an Island. And now in the July issue, our President Maloney writes his first message titled No one is an island. This statement is derived from a sermon by the 17th century English author John Dunne who said no one is self-sufficient as everyone relies on others. Truly, Rotary connects the world.

Piyush Doshi, RC Belur — RID 3291

Service-oriented RI Directors

Every month without fail I read Rasheeda Bhagat’s Editor’s Note. The single emerging remark from the interviews of RI Directors, Bharat Pandya and Kamal Sanghvi is that they took up their posts not as ‘positions of power’ but responsibility. This clearly amplifies that we have chosen two great service-minded leaders.

Paramesh Dev Choudhury, RC Gauhati South — RID 3240

The revelations by RIDs Bharat Pandya and Kamal Sanghvi about their responsibilities are interesting. Your observation in the editorial Sending Sundara to school is important. The Ashram Shala episode and sending Sundara to school through the efforts of Rotarians and Inner Wheel members will help eradicate illiteracy. The Happy School system of RILM needs to be acclaimed by Rotarians.

Arun Kumar Dash, RC Baripada — RID 3262

Good reportage, pictures from Hamburg

The Editor’s Note by Rasheeda Bhagat has given a good overview of the Hamburg Convention with beautiful pictures of Rotary’s top leadership and PRIP Barry Rassin’s compliments to the South Asian Rotarians for their great service projects, membership growth and TRF contribution.

Rassin praised the hard work of PRIP Rajendra and Usha Saboo for their medical missions in the service of Rotary.

It is pleasing to note that for the first time, six women will find a place on the RI Board in 2020–21 and the right emphasis is being given to a greater role by Rotaractors in shaping the future of Rotary.

The article on RIPN Holger Knaack reflects the ethics of Rotary. Following the stepping down of PRID Sushil Gupta on health grounds, Knaack admits it was a “bittersweet moment” for him when he was chosen as the replacement. But Gupta encouraged him to take up the role and wished him all the best. This is the real magic of Rotary.

Naveen R Garg, RC Sunam — RID 3090

A salute to PRID Basker

A big salute and hearty thanks to PRID C Basker who completed his term as RI Director in June. We wish him higher positions in RI. Now we have two RIDs in Pandya and Sanghvi; we are happy to welcome such experienced Rotarians as our leaders. RI President Nominee Holger Knaack has rightly stressed on increasing women’s membership. In India we are below the RI average in this aspect and we have to strive harder to induct more women into our Rotary clubs.

The demise of Kris Chitale is sad news for Rotarians in India. He has put in dedicated service for over five decades in Rotary and such Rotarians are rare to find nowadays. I offer my condolences to the bereaved family.

I wholeheartedly appreciate all the Rotarians involved in the Kuyil Kuppam project (RC Madras Central) which is building 64 concrete houses for Irulas in this village. Along with the new houses, they also provide a gas stove, fridge, wet grinder, mixer, TV set, kitchen utensils, mattresses and electrical gadgets, which is praiseworthy. The dairy farm planned at the village will improve their income opportunities.

S Muniandi, RC Dindigul Fort — RID 3000

The article RID 3190 honours corporate partnerships (June issue) turns the spotlight on a wonderful initiative by the Rotary Club of Jeevanbimanagar which has organised the event for the second consecutive year.
This event spreads awareness on the good work being done both by Rotary and corporates who support these projects through their CSR initiatives.

Paritosh Segal, Co-founder Sahyog Foundation

Great to see Rotary News in Tamil. As I am not a Rotarian, I don’t know from when the monthly magazine is being published in Tamil, but I am pleased to see this in our mother tongue.

Moreover as a reader, I have gone through all the articles and all are very nicely written and compiled. The content is worth reading. And the credit should go to you as an Editor. Keep rocking like this in future too.

Arunachalam Vetrivel