Meet your Governors
IT consulting, RC Borivli, RID 3141
Making clubs irresistible
His vision is to make clubs “vibrant and irresistible so that they can build on the magic of Rotary.” Chetan Desai aims to add 700 new members and charter 12 new clubs, taking the total to 6,700-plus and over 130 respectively by June 2025.
Project Vibrant Anganwadis will transform 436 child care centres at the tribal hamlets in Jawahar, Mokhada areas, 100km from Mumbai, touching the lives of over 26,000 children. “The ₹6 crore-project, funded by both CSR and global grants, will train sevikas (teachers) and revamp the anganwadi facilities,” he says.
Around 1 lakh women will be screened for breast cancer through a painless, zero-radiation technology; 2,000 paediatric heart surgeries are planned; 1,000 government school teachers will be trained and 200 old age homes will be provided with essentials. He urged clubs to make use of CSR-India grants so that they are recognised “as TRF contributions.” For TRF-giving, he aims to collect $7 million, “In the first 25 days, eight Rotarians have pledged to become AKS members,” he smiles. Having joined Rotary in 2003, it is Service above Self that “keeps me ticking in Rotary,” he adds.
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Education, RC Deralakatte, RID 3181
Medical help for elderly
A former chief technical officer at the Indian Navy, Vikramdatta enjoys doing community work. “After being in the navy for 15 years and travelling to many countries, I was drawn to Rotary in 2010, as its community service, fellowship and discipline attracted me,” he recalls. He is confident of inducting 300 new members, and chartering six new clubs taking the total number to around 4,000 and 95 respectively by June-end next year.
His pet project, Sandhya Surakhsha (protection for elders), is providing medicines, recliner beds, mobility aids and western toilets to at least 1,000 elderly patients facing terminal illness, mostly in rural areas. “We are holding cervical cancer awareness sessions in 450 educational institutions. If the vaccine price comes down, then we will have vaccination camps too,” he says. RC Sullia will donate medical equipment (GG: ₹50 lakh) to a physiotherapy centre for special children; while RC Puttur will conduct mammography camps
(GG: ₹35 lakh) jointly with a government hospital.
For TRF-giving, his target is $400,000. “We are continuing with nine big projects from last year,”he says.
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Outdoor media, RC Bhubaneswar Toshal, RID 3262
Carts for poor vendors
Service to mankind is service to god, is the life philosophy of Mohapatra. Aiming for a net membership growth of 250 which will take the headcount to over 4,250, “I will also charter at least 15 new clubs that will add to the current strength of 117 clubs,” he says.
The district will apply for 10–15 global grants during the year. He inaugurated a dialysis centre (GG: ₹60 lakh) at the Meenakshi Hospital, Berhampur. Through CSR fund of ₹20 lakh, “around 80 clubs are distributing vending carts to over 300 retailers who belong to BPL families under Project Swabalambi (self-reliance).” Shortly, a pathology centre will be set up at the Government Hospital, Balasore, through a GG worth ₹25 lakh.
Around 50 health check-up camps will be conducted across the rural belts of Odisha. For the Foundation, he aims to collect $250,000. He joined Rotary in 2008, “to further expand my service activity. PRIP Rajendra Saboo is my role model in Rotary,” he adds.
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Construction, RC Tiruvannamalai, RID 3231
Training district leaders
Mission Excellence is the district theme chosen by Rajanbabu, for “our focus is on training club presidents and district office-bearers so that they are well-equipped to handle their responsibilities and perform their duties.”
Rotarians who introduce new members will be recognised. The DG wants to induct 1,000 new members and charter 10 new clubs, which will push up the total to 4,500-plus and 104 respectively. “Our target is to construct 20 toilet blocks for government schools and install 50 handwash stations, for which we will be either applying for a global grant or tap CSR funds,” he explains. Each club will plant saplings on all 365 days under Project Dhinam Dhinam Thittam (daily plan), and create Miyawaki forests in urban areas.
Around 100 medical camps will be held; “three clubs have shown interest to set up dialysis centres through GGs.” At least 10 GG projects (₹50–60 lakh) are under drafting stage. He aims to collect $700,00 for TRF. “Foundation projects motivate me to be active since 2005 when I joined Rotary,” he adds.
