Rotary set for a tech makeover

In step with changing times, Rotary must invest in technology to amplify its action and impact on global communities. Extensive work has been done to upgrade RI’s six portals — My Rotary, Rotary International website, Club Central, Rotary Showcase, Brand Center and Rotary Learning Center — in recent years. These are not just tech tools, but pathways to be more connected, efficient and make us future-ready,” said RI director Anirudha Roychowdhury, addressing delegates at the inaugural of RID 3233’s discon in Chennai titled Navaratna.

Digital transformation is no more an option, but a necessity for Rotary. Over the last decade, the RI Board has taken some key decisions relevant with the times, and “I urge you all to visit the Rotary Learning Center to know about the changes in membership and service projects,” he said. While US President Donald Trump’s decision to stop USAID funding will affect healthcare programmes of many NGOs, “Rotary’s senior leadership and staff have decided to continue with our ongoing health initiatives including polio eradication without any let up.”

Recalling his visits to discons of RIDs 3231 (DG M Rajanbabu) and 3234 (DG N S Saravanan), the RI director said, “the erstwhile RID 3230 was split into two in 2016–17 as it had over 5,000 members at that time. In the next nine years, the new RID 3232 had an explosive growth with over 6,000 members, and now the three districts have a combined strength of over 12,000 Rotarians, the largest in Zone 5. I salute all of you for your leadership which has led to such an explosive growth in membership. But we have to work on retention of members.”

DG Mahaveer Bothra has only one agenda — membership. Thanks to his efforts, RID 3233 is now the second largest district in Zone 5.
— Anirudha Roychowdhury, RI Director

DG Mahaveer Bothra has only one agenda, that is membership, and thanks to his efforts, “RID 3233 is now the second largest district in Zone 5. He started with a bang, promoting Rotary through public image initiatives such as Rotary Wheel stickers on mobile phones, Rotary clocks, a clock tower, peace poles, a Rotary bus stop, promoting RI’s service projects on city buses, and ads in cinema halls.”

Roychowdhury urged Bothra and his team to engage new members through a ‘structured programme’ introduced by RI in January this year, and “promote new club versions such as e-clubs, satellite, corporate and cause-based clubs to expand Rotary in remote areas.” As Rotary is committed to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusivity) principles, “clubs have to foster a cultural belonging for all members.” They have to work together to make their “district a beacon of service, leadership and change,” he added.

A delicious thali

This maiden discon of RID 3233 is like a traditional, well-balanced and delicious thali with a blend of motivational speakers, spiritual orators and experts on education, tech platforms like AI and deep tech on one side, and entertainment shows on the other, said RIPR PDG John Daniel, RID 3211.

“Rotary is basically a membership-driven organisation, and everything depends on the headcount which is critical for sustaining our service activities, lifting our public image, networking and fellowship, and contributing to TRF.”

As a person who walks the talk, DG Bothra stands by his commitment. With the kind of resources at his command, he is on the right course to achieve the district targets and grow Rotary in this region, he said. The district has a target of $1 million for TRF-giving, taken up eight CSR grant projects so far, and numerous global grant projects, he added.

In his address, Bothra said, “being a charter governor, I have the responsibility to create benchmarks of growth in terms of membership, and TRF contributions for incoming leaders to follow.” With the support of CoG and club presidents, “we are laying a strong foundation with a first-year performance that will be talked about in the next 10 years.”

Recalling his breakfast meetings with every club president where he focused on taking up “impactful ­service projects and growing ­membership,” the governor said over one lakh Rotary Wheel stickers for mobile handsets were distributed so far, over 1,000 special children were taken on a one-day trip to Tirupati on a chartered train accompanied by 400 volunteers and 150 Rotarians, and 1,500 smartboards will be distributed to government-aided schools by June 30.

Once in three months, clubs were given awards for inducting new members; a NextGen Connect was formed for attracting young members — so far 150 were inducted by clubs, and “we have created a world record by forming RC Chennai Icons with 225 charter members at one go,” he said.

Bharat space station

Giving details of future space missions, ISRO chairman V Narayanan said three uncrewed missions will precede Gaganyaan, India’s first human space flight mission with a three-member crew to a low earth orbit of 400km for three days, and bring them back safely. “For the uncrewed missions, we will be using the LVM3 rockets, formerly known as GSLV Mark-III.” The manned space flight is expected by 2028.

Following GoI’s clearance, ­Chandrayaan-5 will be launched with a 250kg-rover to study the lunar surface in a joint endeavour with Japan, while Chandrayaan-4 is slated for lift-off in 2027 to bring more samples from the moon. “India is the first country to discover water molecules on the south pole of the moon (Chandrayaan-3 mission with Vikram lander).” In a big boost to indigenous space tech, ISRO has developed the C-32 cryogenic propulsion system with a 20-tonne (thrust) cryogenic engine which is critical for heavy-lift missions and prolonged space exploration, said Narayanan, also secretary, Department of Space, GoI. “Earlier cryogenic engines were denied to us, and we were forced to develop our own. Till now, we have tested successfully three cryogenic stage systems including C-32, thus demonstrating our ability to push the boundaries of space exploration.”

One lakh Rotary Wheel stickers for mobile phones were distributed, over 1,000 special children were taken for Tirupati darshan on a chartered train, and 1,500 smartboards will be given to schools by June 30.

Recently, the docking and undocking of two satellites in space (SpaDEx — Space Docking Experiments) has led India to an elite group consisting of US, Russia, China and SpaceX (owned by Elon Musk), having mastered a complex space technology in its first attempt. “We carried out 125 simulations before the final undocking to ensure that it succeeded without any glitches, thus strengthening our credentials as a space faring nation,” he smiled.

By 2047, ISRO is aiming to set up a Bharat Space Station with five modules, the first set will be launched in 2028, and “work is on for building the entire components and sub-systems in tie-up with all stakeholders,” he said.

Former IPS officer K Vijay Kumar speaking on ‘Leadership in crisis’ said those aspiring to be leaders must “first be team members. Try to be your aspirational model, learn to smile and don’t try to hide your faults.” Citing the recent study of the Harvard Business Review, the ex-advisor to the Union home ministry on Naxal threats and former DGP (Tamil Nadu), said “the late LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran was a good leader in his own way, that is, staying on the ‘backstage’ and inspiring his cadres. While the Greek warrior Alexander was an ‘upfront’ leader, and Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan can be termed as ‘middle stage’ leader.”

A fierce leader expects fidelity from his subordinates and followers, ‘rank agnostic’ should be the norm for a leader to succeed in his missions and goals, said Kumar. “As a top IPS officer, I had to control my ‘horses’, be wise, sagacious and practical. Empathy beyond a point is not right for a decisive leader.” Change is the only thing constant, “hence leaders must abandon old ideas, traits, and evolve new strategies to be successful.” Global and national leaders have charisma, boundless energy that make them different from the rest, Kumar noted, and “try to mould yourself as a leader you wish to have in your own life.”

In a presentation, PDG Muthu Palaniappan said not even one per cent of ₹30,000 crore of CSR funds (2024–25) available with corporates are being used by the Rotary clubs in India. However, RID 3233 clubs are “being mentored in a proper way and our target is to do at least $1 million worth CSR grant projects this year. Till date, we’ve garnered $800,000 of such funds for various service projects.”

Justice D Bharatha ­Chakravarthy of the Madras High Court ­conferred Rotary Lifetime Achievement Awards to ISRO chief Narayanan, M S ­Swaminathan Research Foundation chairperson Soumya Swaminathan and Kasturi and Sons director and former Editor of The Hindu N Ravi. Over 1,500 Rotarians, 400 Anns, 200 Rotaractors and 100 Annets were present at the three-day Navaratna discon.

As part of its innovative series programme, RID 3233 conducted an all-women’s event titled Golden ­Sparrow in Chennai on April 19. ­Promoting it at the discon, PDG I S A K Nazar said, “We want to bring all women Rotarians of Zone 5 under one platform, and it is all about celebrating women in Rotary.” The sessions will focus on women-centric issues in Rotary such as increasing their membership and participation in service projects, added District Communications chair Sashikumar V S.

Earlier during the year, the district had organised Kalangarai Vilakku (Light House), where around 500 past presidents of the district clubs were honoured, and this was followed by Valarpirai (Crescent Moon) in which 800 newly-inducted Rotarians were given an orientation programme.

Pictures by V Muthukumaran