Meet your Governors – February 2019

Excited to implement global grant projects

He started out as a Leo when he was young and became a Rotarian in 1994.

Arun Kumar Jain lists four projects being done with global grants — a dialysis centre in Mathura, computers in a school for the disabled in Bareilly, a ventilator-equipped ambulance in ­Hathras and creating four Happy Schools, equipping them with furniture, toilet blocks, wash stations and library. Further, all the 21 clubs of the district were given $1,000 each from the District Grants “to motivate the members to do some meaningful projects in their community. This has been a huge hit as so many clubs have done a wide range of activities,” he says.

He is keen on increasing women members  as now there are only 6 per cent female members in his district. His wife Seema is a member of RC Hathras Aastha, an all-women’s club. “She is very supportive and even identifies projects for clubs to implement.” He aims to add 400 new members to the existing 3,938 Rotarians and install new clubs in unrepresented areas.

He wants to streamline the ­Rotaract activity in the district. Of the 52 ­Rotaract clubs only 6 clubs are active, and he has chartered 12 new clubs.

His goal for TRF contribution is $450,000. “We have collected $100,000 so far but I am confident of meeting the target as we have 4 or 5 CSR projects lined up,” says Jain.

He wants to install 40 Rotaract clubs

He proudly proclaims that he belongs to the same club where his father and grandfathers, both paternal and maternal, were members. Abhinandan Shetty was a DRR in 2002 and joined Rotary in 2005. He holds his assignment as counsellor for an International RYLA close to his heart.

He is keen on inducting quality Rotarians and is of the view that Rotaractors will make good Rotarians as they are well oriented in Rotary and its principles. So he is presently focusing on transforming Rotaractors into Rotarians. The district has just two Rotaract clubs after it got bifurcated two years ago. “I want to install 40 clubs and the charter is ready for 25 Rotaract clubs now,” says Shetty.

His signature project for the year is to create road safety awareness among youngsters and he is involving Rotaractors to perform street plays and rallies to spread the message.

Establishing a skin bank in Manipal and extending infrastructure support to schools in rural areas are his other plans. “I have three global grant sanctions for this,” he says. He has given three handwash stations for each of the 85 clubs in the district to promote the habit among schoolchildren.

His focus is on literacy

Hailing from a family of Rotarians, he joined Rotary in 2004. “I want to enhance our community’s literacy level. An educated man will never know poverty and knows to take good care of himself and those close to him,” says Bhabani Prasad Chowdhury. He was inspired to engage better in Rotary following a visit to a hospital in the city. “As a green Rotarian, I accompanied the other members to distribute fruits and nutritional food among patients, and the expression of gratitude on their otherwise pained faces made me realise the enormity of what Rotary can do to impact people’s lives.”

All his projects revolve around literacy and he is happy that his district has set up quite a number of Swabhimaan centres to teach adult illiterates. He has set a target of enrolling 1,000 such people and the clubs have already got 680 adults for the programme. He wants the clubs in his district to focus on the Asha Kiran programme to sponsor the education of school dropouts.

The DG has set aside district grants for all the 91 clubs to set up an  e-learning centre in a school in their locality. “We have two global grants to implement WinS elements to enhance school hygiene and sanitation,” he says.

With a target of $500,000 for The Rotary Foundation, Chowdury is asking clubs to achieve 100 per cent contribution. The district has been showing an upward trend in giving in the past five years, he says.

He is aiming at a 10 per cent increase in membership and emphasises on chartering more Rotaract clubs.

His wife Prativa is also member of the same club.

Reviving Rotary interest is his priority

This district has come to life after a two-year hiatus and Deepak Jain is busy gearing up his team to participate in various Rotary projects. “Lack of Rotary awareness is the main cause of all issues. People should take pride in being a Rotarian,” he says ruefully.

True to his vocation, he has motivated the clubs to enhance the learning atmosphere in many schools in the district by providing furniture, computers and e-learning facilities. Presently his focus is on establishing WinS elements in at least 100 schools.

With a goal of achieving 20 per cent growth in membership, he is well on track, having already added 10 per cent members so far. “I am keen on increasing the team of women Rotarians from the present 69, to 100. But there will be no compromise on quality,” he says. He wants to increase the number of Rotaract clubs too, which is 20 now, and is excited to share that the district is organising a RYLA after 12 years.

As for TRF contribution, the DG is a bit sceptical, for, he has “to motivate the Rotarians to give.” The district has 50 Paul Harris Fellows.

Jain joined Rotary in 1993 and loves being a Rotarian, for, it has “given me everything — friends, lot of action and opportunities to serve the community. It has changed my life for the better.” His wife Geeta too is a member of his club.