Rotaractors meet President Rassin
On the sideslines of the Rotary Zone Institute in Chennai, RI District 3232 organised a Leaders meet Leader programme, where the serving, incoming and past DRRs had an exclusive meeting with RI President Barry Rassin and RI Director C Basker. Institute Chair PDG ISAK Nazar was also present, along with RI Rotaract and Interact Committee member Karthik Kittu, DRR Girish Valsala, DRCC Solomon Victor and Rtn Ramkumar Raju. Forty delegates from 22 districts of South Asia participated in the meet.
President Rassin appreciated the interactive audience and enlightened them about his vision for promoting the Rotaract programme. He congratulated the delegates who were chosen to attend the RI Assembly to be held in January in San Diego and also extended a warm welcome to all the Rotaractors to attend the RI Convention in Hamburg. He observed that while Rotaractors are considered the future of Rotary, only four per cent Rotaractors step up to become Rotarians. To inspire more Rotaractors to join Rotary 60 Rotaractors from across the world will be present at the Assembly and they will be part of a breakout session.
Director Basker called upon the delegates to make the Rotaract movement stronger in India and urged the DRRs the importance of registering Rotaract clubs on rotary.org and submitting reports to Rotaract News.
Kittu energised the gathering by stating that Rotaract is similar to an MBA programme and is Rotary’s life insurance. The open house attracted several suggestions and opinions. IPDRR Om Chawla suggested the MDIOs could work closely with RI committee as a sub-committee.
Later, DRR Anmol Singhal suggested that DRRs be allowed to co-sign the charter form of a Rotaract club to keep them better informed.
PDRR Subhadra Marimuthu concluded the session and asked President Rassin to share his experience as RI President, including the time between his nomination and the day he assumed office.
Rassin was happy to answer all the queries raised and acknowledged the feasible proposals suggested by the Rotaract leaders such as enhancing the Rotary website, project funding, etc. He also emphasised the importance of the transition process — from Interact to Rotaract to Rotary and wished every Rotaract member becomes a Rotarian at the end of their Rotaract term.
The writer is District Rotaract Representative, D 3011.
