Serving the people of Agra
It is known as the Taj of the district; D 3110. The oldest Club of the district, RC Agra now 76, is one among the 20 oldest clubs in India; it was sponsored by RC Lucknow. It has sponsored 12 other Rotary clubs in the region.
The club, which started with 16 members today, has a membership of 93. Senior most member PDG P N Agarwal, who will be completing 60 years of Rotary service this September, says, “86 years old and 60 years of service, there aren’t many Rotarians like me … are they?” The Club has 32 Paul Harris Fellows, says Rtn Jagjit Singh.
Projects
Distribution of education kits, uniform, lunch kits, blankets, sewing machines, providing furniture to schools are few regular service activities of the club. “We have also constructed classrooms, installed hand pumps, built toilets and conducted polio corrective surgeries, blood donation and cataract surgery camps, ” said Club President Digamber Singh. But the project close to their heart is Apna Ghar — home for destitute women and children in Bharatpur. “Under ‘Rotary ki chatra chaya,’ three rooms with 20 beds in each were constructed. Sometimes it’s a birthday celebration or an anniversary, Rotarians keep coming and so does the food,” said Dr Bharadwaj, supervisor at Apna Ghar. Motilal, an inmate, “feels at home. They gave us blankets and food; above all they treat me well.” The club has contributed Rs 38 lakhs so far and “will continue to do so,” adds the President.
The club runs a leprosy home and provides inmates with musical instruments, conduct games and a literacy programme. A Leprosy Research Centre at Agra — JALMA — is also set up by the club. The Educational Trust of Rotary Club of Agra has been providing scholarships, awards and other educational material for underprivileged students.
