In order to increase women’s involvement in Rotary, RI District 3212’s leadership used an innovative approach — engage and enthuse more women by participation in a throwball tournament designed exclusively for women Rotarians, and the spouses and daughters of Rotarians.
The unique sporting initiative, titled ‘Sheroes Throwball Tournament,’ has created a powerful ripple effect across the district — socially, culturally and organisationally. In order to put “RI’s vision of DEI, our DG Dhinesh Babu envisioned a Rotary year where women’s participation would not only increase in Rotary but they would also become meaningful contributors to our activities such as service projects. To make a symbolic gesture of inclusion and recognition of the importance of women in all Rotary activities, at the throwball games, the official attire of the DG and assistant governors was designed in pink, sending a clear message that women would be at the forefront of the district’s engagement efforts,” said M Balamurugan, Rotary News coordinator for RID 3212.
The enthusiasm was palpable; some teams even engaged professional coaches for training.
The throwball tournament for women was organised by Malarvizhi, a member of RC Tuticorin Trailblazers. But to get the women from within the larger Rotary family in the district to embrace this event wholeheartedly was easier said than done. She recalls that when the first tournament was announced in August 2025 for clubs in Kanyakumari district, mobilising women to participate was a challenge. Club leaders were personally contacted and urged to generate an interest and build confidence among the female family members of Rotarians to participate. To ensure accessibility, no entry fee was charged, matches were held only on weekends to accommodate various responsibilities that women shoulder.
The DG’s wife, Ramyaappriyaa, was personally involved from the beginning helping to make this a successful project. Balamurugan said the enthusiasm displayed in the first tournament was remarkable. “Participants followed rules diligently, competed with energy, and embraced sportsmanship. More importantly, the spirit of friendship far outweighed the focus on winning.”
The results were astounding; women who had lived in the same town for years — yet had never interacted — formed meaningful connections through the tournament. The playing field became a platform for bonding.
Encouraged by the positive response, the core team expanded the event and took it to seven revenue districts including Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, getting participation from 200 women in the age group 12–60 from 27 Rotary clubs. “The enthusiasm was palpable; some teams even engaged professional coaches for training. Custom-designed team jerseys added a vibrant, competitive atmosphere reminiscent of national-level sporting events,” he said.
A welcome feature of this tournament was that it soon transformed into a sort of celebration with family members turning up to support the players. Husbands, fathers and children cheered from the sidelines, creating a festive environment.
Balamurugan added that at the grand finale of the tournament RC East Coast Ramnad faced RC Tuticorin Trailblazers, in which the latter walked away with the trophy.
But the impact of this sporting event went beyond the stadium; not only did the women feel a sense of belonging to Rotary, many of them also felt that thanks to this event, they had returned to a sport they had once loved.
The trickle-down effect, thanks to connections made and friendships forged, was that members of RC Sivakasi Pyrocity collectively sponsored a water purification unit for a local school, “demonstrating how fellowship can translate into service. In several clubs, women participants went on to formally join Rotary as members,” said DG Dhinesh Babu.
Expressing happiness that his primary objective to “strengthen friendship among women within the Rotary family, something that I strongly believe in, was achieved,” he hoped that future district leaders will continue with this initiative and build upon its success, because “we can strengthen and expand Rotary through innovative leadership and fresh ideas. This tournament was proof of how sports can serve as a powerful tool for membership growth, engagement and community impact.”
He hoped that this would be the beginning of a movement — celebrating women’s strength, fostering unity, and reinforcing Rotary’s spirit of fellowship and service.