Without membership, there is no Rotary

Membership is the core of Rotary’s existence. We will still be an organisation even without service projects, but without membership, there is no Rotary,” said PRIP Shekhar Mehta, addressing incoming leaders at the Disha event in Bhubaneswar, convened by RIDEs M Muruganandam and K P Nagesh. Mehta noted the lack of sustained focus on membership growth. While contributions to TRF receive constant follow-up and recognition, membership growth efforts are often neglected. “Just as DGs, AGs and club presidents tirelessly follow up on financial commitments, a similar approach should be applied to membership growth,” he said.

Rotary’s success in fundraising has been phenomenal. When the goal was set to raise $120 million for polio eradication, Rotary surpassed that by raising $242 million. Similarly, when Kalyan Banerjee as Foundation Chair, set a seemingly ambitious goal of $300 million that goal was also surpassed, he noted. “Any goal that we have set for TRF, 99 per cent of the time we have succeeded. But every time we have set a goal for membership, we have failed.” He recalled his presidential emphasis, ‘Each One, Bring One,’ urging club presidents to diligently follow up to introduce at least one quality member and retain them.

To facilitate growth, bifurcating districts is essential, said Mehta. India currently contributes 15 per cent of global Rotary membership but has only 42 districts, far fewer than its proportional share. ‘Divide to grow’ is not just a concept; it is a necessity. “More districts mean more representation at the COL, ensuring India’s voice is heard at the global level. Ensure that at least 60 per cent clubs meet the required membership criteria to enable bifurcation,” he said, and appreciated the RIDEs for their ambitious goals for membership growth and TRF.

Just as DGs, AGs and club presidents tirelessly follow up on financial commitments, a similar approach should be applied to membership growth.
-Shekhar Mehta, Past RI President

Through interesting success stories, PRID C Basker explained the role of a leader in accomplishing an organisation’s vision and goals. Leaders are not meant to be performers; they are mentors. Their role is to guide, inspire and empower others to take ownership of their roles, he said. District training programmes must go beyond routine sessions, and equip leaders with the skills and mindset required to mentor their club leaders effectively. He recalled initiating Disha in 2017. “Trustee Bharat, its first chairman, named it Disha, which translates to guidance, leadership and the path we need to follow.”

Basker advised the incoming leaders to “build strong relationships with your club leaders. Be empathetic, listen to their concerns and create an environment where they feel supported and inspired.”

He noted that Rotary’s growth, “an average of just 400 new members per year over the last decade, is simply not acceptable. India today is no longer a developing economy. A consistent growth of 7 per cent year after year, digital transformation reaching even the smallest of vendors, advancements in infrastructure, industry and agriculture, our successful ventures in space and a steadily rising per capita income demonstrate India’s progress. To harness this potential, club leaders must be empowered, inspired and trained effectively.”

We set short-term goals with the aim of completing projects within the Rotary year. It limits our capacity to dream bigger and take on more ambitious projects that may span multiple years.
– A S Venkatesh, Past RI Director

Success lies not just in working harder but in working smarter,” said PRID A S Venkatesh, and listed three critical approaches — asking the right questions, dreaming bigger and fostering collaboration — to achieve remarkable growth and impact. Holding the audience attention with personal anecdotes, he said, “Whatever you want to achieve, it starts in your mind. It’s not about resources, skills or time; it’s about belief. If you believe you can, you will. In Rotary, when faced with seemingly impossible targets, it’s easy to take the path of least resistance and say, ‘It’s not possible.’ But if we believe in our ability to achieve, we can make it happen.”

Referring to a question some Rotarians asked him: ‘why do we keep learning the same things in Rotary,’ he said that learning the same concepts repeatedly isn’t about redundancy. “It’s about honing our skills until they become second nature. The moment we believe there’s nothing left to learn, we stop growing. Every repetition strengthens our abilities, making us better at what we do.”

To achieve Rotary’s ambitious membership targets, Venkatesh suggested learning to ask… “repeatedly and consistently”, and asking the right questions. “For too long, we have been asking questions that we believe are important. We tend to lead conversations by boasting about Rotary’s phenomenal work, forgetting that these facts, however impressive, can wait. The person we are speaking to may not be interested in all that information initially. Instead try asking him/her: ‘What do you want to do?’ This simple but powerful question opens the door to understanding their interests, aspirations and motivations. The story of Rotary becomes far more compelling when it resonates with the individual’s values and aspirations. At that point, we are no longer imposing information; we are offering an opportunity that aligns with their interests,” he said.

He then highlighted two factors that limit leaders from achieving transformational change in Rotary — the desire to finish everything in one year; and reluctance to collaborate across clubs and districts. “We set short-term goals with the aim of completing projects within the Rotary year. While this ensures accountability, it limits our capacity to dream bigger and take on more ambitious projects that may span multiple years. Many of us hesitate to consider multi-club, multi-district, or even multi-country projects. We tend to operate within the boundaries of our clubs and districts, missing opportunities for greater impact. To dream big, we must break free from the limitations of individual timelines and geographical boundaries,” said Venkatesh.

Aparajita Sarangi, IAS officer-turned-MP from Bhubaneswar, emphasised on increasing women’s participation in leadership roles, citing that fewer than five per cent of NIFTY 500 companies have women as chairpersons, and only seven per cent have women executive directors. She appreciated Rotary’s DEI initiatives and suggested installing dedicated toilets for transgenders in public places.

Pictures: Jaishree