A silent team leader
Testing-certification lab
RC Indore Meghdoot, RID 3040
Quite popular as the DGSC couple among Rotary clubs in MP and parts of Gujarat, DG Sushil Malhotra and his wife Ruby are known for their stewardship skills. While the governor has been the District Grants Sub-Committee chair for four years, now this post is headed by his wife.
With 2,600 Rotarians across 102 clubs, he wants to add 100 new members. About 200 have been added aready; he hopes to charter two more clubs, in addition to three already formed.
His clubs have installed over 50 dialysis machines through GGs at charity and government hospitals and donated a surgery microscope (GG: $46,000) imported from Japan to Padhar Missionary Hospital, near Betul, for cancer treatment. RC Bhopal Hills has flagged off an ophthalmic van (GG: $35,000) and a mobile dental clinic (GG: $35,000) for People’s Hospital, Bhopal.
A mega green belt was created (CSR grant: $28,000) in Pithampur, an industrial area near Indore. Malhotra has achieved the TRF-giving target of $252,000 “four months ahead of time. Now I want to double it to over $500,000. For the first time, RID 3040, a 40-year-old district, has raised this much amount for TRF,” he beams.
A Rotarian from 2006, Malhotra doesnt flaunt his achievements. “I am not a publicity monger as my team works silently. I believe in teamwork and my performance speaks for itself.” TRF trustee Bharat Pandya and RI director K P Nagesh are his role models.
A new blood bank in Nagpur
Ice cream/juices
RC Nasik North, RID 3030
Service above Self is the mantra that guides Dnyaneshwar Shewali as his goal is to serve humanity throughout his life. “I joined Rotary in 2006, only to serve the larger public in a much broader manner.”
He has inducted around 1,060 new members, and chartered 18 new clubs with seven more in the pipeline which will bolster the present tally of over 120 clubs and 6,500 members. A CT scan machine (GG: $70,000) was installed at the Matru Sewa Sangh Hospital, Yavatmal; under Project Happy Schools (GG: $42,000), desk-benches were donated, digital classroom was set up and solar toilets were built at the Mai Lele Shravan Vikas Vidyalaya, Nashik and bicycles (CSR: $118,000) are being given to 5,000 girl students in a phased manner, with funding from Delta Phenochem. “We will set-up a new Rotary Blood Bank (CSR: $130,000) at Umred taluk in Nagpur in tie-up with corporate partner WCL. This medical facility will service the needs of local hospitals for treating emergency cases and people with chronic illnesses,” Shewale said.
He wants to collect $1 million for TRF and is focused on achieving his district targets in membership growth and TRF- giving. “I am passionate about community service. Both the RI directors, M Muruganandam and K P Nagesh, are my role models in Rotary as they are young, energetic and very focused in achieving their goals,” he says.
Celebrating Rotary identity
Chartered accountant
RC Moradabad Mavericks, RID 3100
Rotary is a way of life for Nitin Agarwal who wears symbols of this global NGO on a specially themed, custom-designed suit during his official club visits, and travels in a Rotary-branded car, thus carrying the RI identity as an everyday celebration of sorts.
With 2,155 Rotarians across 117 clubs, he has set an expansion target of 15 new Rotary clubs and a steady membership growth. “We have chartered over 200 Interact clubs, thus engaging schoolchildren on Rotary’s ideology and global reach,” he said. As a cadre member of TRF and a faculty of the Rotary Leadership Institute, he mentors new clubs and emerging leaders. For the first time, district grants were sanctioned for 23 clubs for their community projects. Global grant projects worth $200,000 are being done by the district clubs across RI’s Focus Areas. Corporates are funding service projects valued at around $20,000. Agarwal has set a target of $300,000 for TRF-giving.
Gavels and gongs were presented to every club, and each Rotarian has got a Proud Member plaque, so that “we take pride in our organisation.” Agarwal joined Rotary in 2009 inspired by the global impact of TRF, and wants to continue his “service outreach through my life.” He also encourages fellow Rotarians to serve “society through collective goodwill, and by understanding what Rotary stands for, and support the efforts of the Foundation.”
Spotlight on paediatric surgery
Export business
RC Jubilee Hills, RID 3150
The opportunity to be with like-minded people who share the same passion for service to make a positive difference in society keeps Raam Prasad motivated in his Rotary journey.
With 106 clubs in his district having over 4,200 Rotarians at present, he wants to add 200 new members and charter nine new clubs. When he took over as DG, “I had to remove two clubs, and so far, have added eight new clubs. There were 3,750 members then.”
A high-tech equipment (GG: ₹1.2 crore) was donated to the Institute of Genetics, Hyderabad, to facilitate genome research; a Retina wing (GG: ₹1.2 crore) was inaugurated at the eyecare centre of Ramdevrao Hospital; and Project Heal a Child (CSR grant: ₹50 lakh) does surgery for batches of six children at shortlisted hospitals after determining their medical condition. The district clubs are doing CSR-funded projects worth around ₹4.5–5 crore across RI’s Focus Areas.
His target for TRF-giving is $1.5 million. He joined RC Srikalahasti in 1984, and later shifted to different cities in South India. Later, Prasad moved to UK to work in British American Tobacco for five years, before settling in Hyderabad for good and joined his present club in 2010. In the next 15 years, his focus will be on strengthening Rotary clubs in Telangana “by encouraging them to do impactful projects and nurturing the next generation of leaders.” For him, the global NGO has given a “wonderful platform to build meaningful connections and friendships for the betterment of communities,” he adds.