Vol.64, Issue 10 Annual Subscription Rs.480
April 2014
World’s Biggest High Five - Guinness World Record at Presidential Conference in Chennai.
Opportunity knocks.
You hold the key. Save the home of Paul Harris, a living tribute to friendship, tolerance, and peace. Go to www.paulharrishome.org.
JANUARY 2014
ROTARY NEWS 5
WHAT’S INSIDE
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In My Thoughts First Thought Inspiring the New Gen Reminiscing San Diego Pick of the Month
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WHAT’S INSIDE
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Icing on the Cake Innovation Economy: The Next Wave Remembering Akashvani La Fiesta Extraordinaire Malala is one of us
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WE ARE THIS CLOSE TO ENDING POLIO Now is our chance to change the world. To make sure no child is disabled by polio ever again. Join in. Speak out. Donate. Be a part of history. Endpolionow.org
ThisClose
A. R. Rahman
WHAT’S INSIDE
ADVISORY BOARD RID P.T. Prabhakar
RI Dist. 3230
PRIP Rajendra K. Saboo
RI Dist. 3080
PRIP Kalyan Banerjee
RI Dist. 3060
PRID Ashok Mahajan
RI Dist. 3140
PRID Yash Pal Das
RI Dist. 3080
PRID Shekhar Mehta
RI Dist. 3291
DG
Rabi Narayan Nanda
RI Dist. 3262
DG
Radhe Shyam Rathi
RI Dist. 3053
DG
Hari Krishna Chitipothu
RI Dist. 3150
PDG R. Badri Prasad
RI Dist. 3190
PDG Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh
RI Dist. 3261
PDG Ramesh Aggarwal
RI Dist. 3010
COMMITTEES DG Vinod Bansal - Finance Committee DG Deepak Shikarpur - Editorial Committee DG Anil Agarwal - Marketing Committee
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DG Mohan Mulherkar - Marketing Committee
ROTARY NEWS ROTARY SAMACHAR Acting Editor Jaishree
66 66 Paging Dr. Google 70 Pick of the Month 78 Veg Travels 83 9HU\ %ULHÁ\
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Send all correspondence and subscriptions to ROTARY NEWS TRUST 3rd Floor, Dugar Towers, 34 Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008, India. Phone : 044 42145666 Fax : 044 28528818 e-mail : rotarynews@rosaonline.org
for
LITERACY Your club’s literacy project could win $2,500. How? The Pearson Foundation is awarding two cash prizes worth $2,500 each to support literacy projects that are created jointly by Rotary clubs and International Reading Association councils. Apply by 15 June. To learn more, email rotary.service@rotary.org.
Reactions L ETT E R S F R O M R EA D E R S
Enthralling Editorials I am a regular reader of Rotary News and I read the ‘Editor’s Letter’ with great interest. I have decided to read your editorials in my weekly club meetings for the next whole year as I believe that they reflect the feelings of the honest and true Rotarians. Rtn. R. Shankar RC Salem South RI District 2980 The Editor’s Letter, ‘Relationships are more important than ambitions’ is thought-provoking and very true. If one adopts these principles in their personal life and in Rotary, they can knit bonds of everlasting friendships. Rtn. Ashok Suneja RC Delhi Rhythm RI District 3010 I enjoyed your thoughts in your editorial, ‘Time to let go.’ Every quote is meaningful and apt. I expect more letters of this kind so that at least few people who read will understand Rotary and themselves better. Rtn. Shivaram Alva RC Pondicherry RI District 2980 The Editor’s Letter, ‘Fences around the mind’ is an article for everybody. As the Editor of Rotary News, you possess a remarkable technique of taking care of every aspect of the magazine. Rotary News
has blossomed into a rose garden under your editorship. Rtn. Prof. V. Nagarajan RC Pondicherry Midtown RI District 2980 The Editor’s Letter, ‘Fences around the mind’ in January 2014 issue was thought-provoking. If all of us follow the real spirit of the Editor’s words in our lives, then I am sure that relationships will never die. Rtn. K. Philip RC Kundara RI District 3211 I congratulate you for bringing up excellent and brainstorming article, ‘Understanding.’ It is true that people in some organisations insist in making truths complicated by refusing to understand others. Rtn. S. Natarajan RC Koothapakkam RI District 2980 I was overwhelmed with thoughts when I read the editorial, ‘Fences around the mind.’ It was very meaningful. Rtn. S.N. Shanmugam RC Panruti RI District 2980 The February 2014 issue of Rotary News emphasises compassion through the article ‘Understanding.’ The Editor’s Letter is inspiring and has universal appeal. Article on polio is informative. The cover page is beyond compare. Rtn. Jyothi Dinesh Saravadi RC Amravathy Ambanagar RI District 3030
I am impressed with your editorial, ‘Relationships are more important than ambitions.’ Congratulations for publishing such valuable advice. Rtn. M.T. Philip RC Trivandrum Suburban RI District 3211 Your March ’14 editorial was indeed a clarion call to all Rotarians to shun schadenfreude that has spread its tentacles amongst many Rotarians. A feeble attempt in promoting relationship over ambition will go a long way to wipe off the stench that pervades in our Rotary movement. Rtn. Dr. Saji M.T. RC Quilon West End RI District 3211 I am reading Rotary News since 1973, when I joined Rotary. Each issue has something new and interesting. In March 2014 issue, ‘The Invisible Hands’ article was splendid. I congratulate the Editor and his team. Rtn. Nan Narayenen RC Madurai West RI District 3000 The March 2014 issue of Rotary News is full of dazzling, magical style making it a cut above various other world-class magazines. The article, ‘The Invisible Hands’ highlighting the involvement of the magazine team has been elegantly presented. Rtn. C.P. Gopinathan RC Wadakkancherry RI District 3201
The editor welcomes brief comments on the contents of the magazine, but reserves the right to edit submissions for style and length. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or the R I leadership, nor do the editors take responsibility for errors of fact that may be expressed by the writers. Only letters that include a verifiable name, address and day and evening phone numbers can be considered for publication. Readers are our source of encouragement. Some of our esteemed patrons share their valuable feedback….
In My Thoughts
Dear Fellow Rotarians, Like attending a Rotary club meeting, reading Rotary magazines is an essential ntial part of the shared experience of being a Rotarian. When you pick up a Rotary Ro publication, whether it’s Rotaryy Down Underr in Australia and New Zealand, Zeala aland, or The Rotary-No-Tomo in Japan,, you’ll find that every single one does ju just what it’s meant to do: It informs, and d it inspires. It keeps eeps you up to date with Rotary news, brings you new ideas for or your Rotary service, and tells te stories stor ories that are relevant and meaningful to o you. ou. To me, these publications publica s around the world are a tangible representation esentation of Rotary’s grea greatest strength: strengt that each club is a local, community-based munity-based entity, enti engaged in a truly global network. This organisation is incredibly largee and an diverse, and as much as we all have in common in Rotary, wee are re not a place where one size fits all. Our expectations of a magazine, e,, both b culturally and linguistically, are With our regional publications, Rotarians naturally going to be different. W ’s going on in Rotary in Bulgaria, and in Bulgaria can find out what’s what’s going on elsewhere in the Rotary world, along with the latest news from Evanston. Becausee each one of our Rotary publications ry magazines — each one is, like every belongs to the family of Rotary nd fully part of our international identity. Rotary club, both fully local and One of the greatest privileges oof being RI President is the ability to o every ev one of our 1.2 million Rotarians. speak directly, every month, to ite this, to think of all of you, sitting n It’s awe-inspiring to me, as I write bre table or maybe on the tr train down in your living rooms or at the breakfast tur whhat a ’s to work, reading these words, and then turning the page to find out what’s new in Rotary. And overwhelmingly, mingly, that is exactly ex y what each of yo yyou u does doe does. s. Not just because your Rotary magazine turns up in the mailbox, lbox, or o becau because usee you feel you have to — but because beec Rotary magazines es are are good good magazines. magazines es. I hope that when you pick up your our ur pu publication ubl b — which whichever che heve ver one o you’re re rreading eadi ea ding nngg right now — you get the same feeling ng off pride, e, aand nd aambition, mbit mb i io ion on, n, that thaat I do do. Rotary magazines remind us that as Rotaria Rotarians, ans ns, w we aare re aall ll ppart artt of ar o so something omething larger than ourselves. They show ho us ju how just ust how m much we can achieve through g Rotary. Through them, we seee what dollars do, we seee what wha h t our Foundation Foun whatt our fellow Rotarians are doing,, and w wee are inspired Engage Rotary, re in inspire ed to En nga gage ge R otar ot ary, y, Change Chang hange Lives even more.
Ron D. Burton President, Rotary Internationall APRIL 2014 APR
ROTARY ARY NE NEWS WS 13 1
First Thought My dear Partners in Service, April is important for two reasons. On 19th April we celebrate the birthday of Paul P. Harris, the Father of Rotary and April is also celebrated as Magazine Month. Just as Newton discovered the law of gravity, Paul Harris discovered the concept of service clubs. He wrote in the first issue of The National Rotarian: “Rotary is entirely without precedence in the history of clubdom. We have had no rules except such as have been gathered from the creative imagination of the men who have been responsible for our destinies. As mariners, long before the invention of the compass, successfully navigated perilous and unknown seas by the guidance of stars, so they, the forefathers of Rotary, observing the rules that they from time immemorial influenced the lives of men, skilfully guided their craft in perilous, unknown and trying circumstances. May we never in time to come, depart from the safe course of rational tolerance and humane consideration of the conviction of others.” This message of Paul P. Harris holds good even today and will continue to hold good in future.
Rtn. P.T. Prabhakar RI Director, 2013–15
This was the message ‘President’ Harris wanted to deliver not only to every Rotary club but to every Rotarian. ‘Secretary’ Perry had a lot of news items to be given to Rotary clubs and the result was the birth of The National Rotarian. We have The Rotarian, the official magazine of Rotary and Rotary News, the official regional magazine of Rotary. Let us celebrate April month in a befitting manner as Magazine Month. Second only to The Rotary-No-Tomo, the regional magazine for Japan, Rotary News, the regional magazine for Rotary in India has a circulation of 1,15,000 which is the second highest amongst the 30 regional magazines in the Rotary world. I encourage every Rotarian in India to not only subscribe to the Rotary News but also gift a subscription to local schools and libraries. The DGEs are busy planning their PETS, SETS, AGTS and District Assembly, where they will share the RI goals with district leaders. Dream big and set ambitious goals! Please remember that Rotarians make the impossible, possible. After our huge success in polio eradication, the expectations from us are very high! We are only two months away from the RI Convention in Sydney. For those of you who have not yet registered please do so now. Please also join the Traditional South Asian Reception at RI Convention, Sydney. This event is slated for Monday, June 2, 2014, at Hilton Sydney hotel, between 5–7 p.m. The registration fee is Rs.4,500. Please rush your registration as the event is getting filled up fast. Please invite your global partners who support your service projects. Please bring your Rotary friends to show how Rotary works globally. Please use this opportunity to meet all the world leaders of Rotary. Yours in Rotary,
P.T. Prabhakar Director Rotary International (2013–15) APRIL 2014
ROTARY NEWS 15
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Celebrate Magazine Month Today with Rotary’s club membership spanning more than 200 countries and geographical areas, its publications are more vital than ever. The RI Board of Directors has designated April of every year as Magazine Month, and it is a time to recognise the role that our Rotary publications play in our Rotary lives — and the role that we should play in our publications. The Rotarian, which is edited here at RI headquarters in Evanston, Ill., USA, has a circulation of about 5,00,000. Around the world, 31 more magazines are published in more than 20 languages. In total, these 32 magazines reach more than 1.2 million people. To make this happen, it takes more than just an editorial staff — it also takes the good work of Rotarians. I always feel that the best part of reading any Rotary publication is the opportunity to find out what other clubs are doing. Each issue, each article, is a chance to be informed and inspired. In an era when electronic communication seems to be everywhere, the role of paper magazines is still important to our organisation, but we must be open to new formats to get the word out. That’s why, this April, I encourage you all to explore The Rotarian magazine’s new digital experience: The RotarianMagazine.com. Email the stories to friends and family. Share them on Facebook and Twitter. This is a chance to take the great ideas and great work of Rotarians even further and to inspire future generations to do the same.
Dong Kurn (D.K.) Lee Foundation Trustee Chair
TAKE YOUR CLUB
TO THE NEXT LEVEL
IMPLEMENT THE CLUB LEADERSHIP PLAN
Develop a long-range plan Simplify the committee structure Involve all club members
Find more information at www.rotary.org FEBRUARY 2014
ROTARY NEWS 17
Inspiring the New Gen
T
he RI Presidential Conference on New Generations, held on October 5–6, 2013, at Chennai was a runaway success! When the conferences were being planned during April/May 2013, I requested RI President Ron Burton to give an opportunity to India, to host one of the five Presidential Conferences in 2013–14. I had promised President Ron that 10,000 Rotaractors will participate in the two-day event at Chennai. It required a super human logistical effort to achieve the participation of so many over two days. The dynamic event Chair DGE Nazar and DG A.P. Kanna surpassed all expectations! They surprised everyone by achieving the participation of 20,000 Rotaractors and Rotarians over two days! The Rotaractors put up a fantastic show, under the inspired leadership of DRR Ramkumar Raju, of RI District 3230. They created two Guinness World Records in two days!
18 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
Clockwise: Overflowing auditorium; RI President Ron Burton and Jetta inaugurating Change Libraries. Conference Chair DGE Nazar addressing the gathering; Scenes from Polio Rally; RI President Ron Burton and Jetta with RI Director Holger Knack and Sussanne; RI President Ron Burton calls the Conference to order.
APRIL 2014
ROTARY NEWS 19
Young leaders organised successful Presidential Conference Ramkumar Raju of India and Winfred Karungi of Uganda have never met, but they have a great deal in common. They’re both Rotaract club members and District Rotaract Representatives. They’re also promising young community leaders who helped plan successful Presidential New Generations Conferences in their countries. Rotary International President Ron Burton hosted the conferences, which were held in Chennai in October and Kampala in November. (A third conference took place in Rosario, Argentina, in March.) The goal of these international conferences was to bring together young community leaders and Rotary members to share ideas for attracting new members and engaging young people. Raju, a member of the Madras Central Rotaract Club, and Karungi, a member of the Kampala City Club, were asked by Rotarians in their areas to be part of the conference planning committee. Both describe the experience as a great learning opportunity. “I learned decision making and communication skills, how to be a team player and handle crucial situations, and last but not least, I learned the power of Rotary,” Raju says.
Improving their communities Each conference included a community service component. Rotaractors in India chose projects that focused on education and disease prevention. They collected thousands of donated books, which will be used to establish libraries in rural areas. They also collected more than 300 units of blood, held a rubella awareness camp hosted by a panel of local doctors, and offered free vaccinations.
people participated in the challenge, which was recognised by Guinness World Records in the category, Largest Human Image of a Hand. He says the hand served as a symbol of their theme for the year: Let’s Be the Change. “We have always had this dream of breaking a Guinness World Record but didn’t have the funding,” Raju says. “Rtn. I.S.A.K. Nazar (RI District 3230 Governor-elect from Guinness World Record Chennai) proposed that we attempt it. With the help of Rotaractors in India took time out from their humanitarian Rotary, all the guidelines were met and we received the projects to take on another global challenge, breaking a certification that we are ‘Officially Amazing’.” Guinness World Record. Raju and his fellow Rotaractors Source: www.rotary.org organised the “world’s biggest high-five.” A total of 7,084
On October 5, they had 7,084 Rotaractors participating in ‘Hand formation,’ which symbolises change, true to the conference theme ‘We are the Change.’ RI President Ron and Jetta were part of this world record! Starting a week before October 6, the Rotaractors collected 8,00,000 books in seven days (world record) and donated them to ‘Change Libraries’ 20 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
set up in underprivileged schools. RI President Ron who symbolically inaugurated one of the Change Libraries in Spencer Plaza, a leading shopping mall in Chennai was amazed at the fantastic show by the Rotaractors. The ‘Trio’ rally on Marina beach, to create awareness on polio eradication, with the participation of 5,000 Rotarians/Rotaractors was a tremendous
success, what with RI President Ron and Jetta leading the rally in a tri-cycle! The presence of RI President Ron and Jetta, RI Director Holger Knack and Sussanne throughout the two days, added charm and dignity to the events. Source: First Thought Quarterly Newsletter of RI Director P.T. Prabhakar
Reminiscing
SAN DIEGO International Assembly 2014
22 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
T
he International Assembly is an annual training programme for the District Governors-elect, from all over the world. This year, the International Assembly commenced on January 12 and concluded on January 18, 2014. The Assembly took place at Hotel Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego. It is significant to note that this hotel was recently named ‘Best Meetings and Conference Hotels’ in the USA by the rating agency, Groups International. The hotel faces the beautiful San Diego Bay and the California weather, throughout the week, was perfect. The International Assembly is more than just a training meeting for the incoming class of District Governors. It is an opportunity to get inspired, exchange ideas, make new friends and discover a new world of service. For the DGEs, the inaugural session of the International Assembly is an exhilarating experience where, they not only come to know about the next year’s RI Theme, but also get to hear about the goals from the President-elect. In addition to being the first to learn about the RI President’s plans for the next year, they also have the chance to share their own district’s goals and activities with their fellow classmates. In short, it’s an exciting, fun filled and informative week that prepares them for the year ahead. True to the motto of the International Assembly, ‘Enter to learn and go forth to serve,’ it is truly a learning curve for the DGEs. The words of DGE Syed Shahab Balkhi, RI District 3271: “I had the knowledge. The difference is that now I know how to use it and I have APRIL 2014
ROTARY NEWS 23
RI President Ron Burton and RI President-elect Gary Huang share a lighter moment with the Rotarian delegates.
the motivation to use it,� best describes the International Assembly experience. The incoming District Governors learn a lot on how to strengthen their clubs, organise new clubs and improve membership. Besides, they get an in depth insight into the working of TRF, promoting positive public image, 24 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
supervise district programmes, preparing budget and helping administer the District Designated Funds. A lot of man hours and effort is put in by the Rotary staff who are the back bone of International Assembly. They take care of the seating arrangement of the 537 DGEs, with a different
seating plan every day. They also take care of the group discussion halls, the round-table discussions for the spouses, training leaders’ material etc. The sergeant-at-arms play a crucial role in ensuring time management. It is an amazing experience where lifelong friendships are made by the
Rotary Days Around the World Excerpts from the speech delivered by RI Director Steven A. Snyder at the Assembly
P
Past RI Presidents being recognised on the dais.
DGEs, from all over the world. It is a place to greet and meet the stalwarts, the past, present and future Rotary International Presidents, Trustees and Directors, along with their spouses and sharing their experiences. Our efficient RI Director P.T. Prabhakar and Naliniji were a great
resident-elect Gary wants all of us to let everyone know that we are a group of people who together share a common bond of caring — enough to contribute our time, our talent and our wealth. We are doers, and we are interested in finding like-minded people to partner with us to help solve common problems facing our communities. We want to find others that care about our community as much as we do. President-elect Gary attended Rotary Day at the White House, where 12 U.S. Rotarians were honoured as ‘Champions of Change’ for their efforts to improve communities locally and around the world. President-elect Gary was inspired, seeing the work of ordinary Rotarians who do extraordinary humanitarian work. That is when he got the idea to ask each Governor to develop a ‘Rotary Day’ between July and December of this year. This event would be unique to your community, your state, your province or your country. It would highlight Rotary in a way that is both meaningful and fun for everyone. The Rotary Day concept is simple: Hold a fun, informal event that can be used as an opportunity to introduce everyone to Rotary. It should be easy, and help drive interest in membership, strengthen our relationships with local institutions and community leaders, and improve Rotary’s image. Just imagine the collective impact Rotary will have when all 34,000 Rotary clubs make an effort
to introduce the public to the fun, rewarding experiences that we all enjoy as Rotary members. This event should be informal, friendly, and focused on what unites Rotary members with their fellow citizens. If you decide to do a countryor region-wide event, President-elect Gary will make every endeavour to attend. That is how committed he is to the success of Rotary Day! At the end of your event, you will be able to post photos online. These photos from around the world will be collected and featured at the 2015 Convention in São Paulo, Brazil. Certain photos may appear in The Rotarian magazine. You may also submit a video. President-elect Gary will recognise one grand prize-winning club or district with a special award. In the end, Rotary Days will: • Increase membership all across the world. • Let non-Rotarians in thousands of communities know who we are. • Create an atmosphere that will promote humanitarian projects. • Make our new logo recognisable by millions of people who don’t know, or may never have heard of, Rotary. So I am asking each and every Governor here today to commit your clubs, your district, or your region to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime chance to promote Rotary worldwide with a clear, consistent message — a message that lets everyone know that, as Rotarians, we are the leaders in your community.
source of strength, support and guidance to the DGEs and their spouses, throughout the Assembly. At the Interfaith Service, RI Director P.T. Prabhakar explained beautifully the tolerance of the Hindu religion. The Rotary Moment speech delivered by him was highly motivating and inspired all the DGEs, to eradicate polio from the face of the earth. During the International Assembly, spouses of incoming District Governors also attend a variety of lively, interactive sessions to learn more about Rotary and The Rotary Foundation. They too make friends with people from around the world while discovering new ways to make a difference. A photograph of the DGE and his spouse along with the President-elect and his spouse is a feature, each and every DGE always cherishes. The daily plenary sessions in the morning, were addressed by senior Rotary leaders and covered important topics like membership, Rotary Foundation, polio eradication, New Generation etc. The speeches were simultaneously translated in six different languages, to the International audience, by the most efficient and experienced translators, who not only
translated the speeches, but the same topics were further discussed in detail in group discussion rooms of 15 to 20 DGEs each, where they got an opportunity to air their views. Each day, sessions on setting goals for TRF, exchanging ideas for service projects, participating in the round-table discussions, attending workshops etc., transformed the DGEs
into confident and enthusiastic leaders. They were now highly motivated and dreaming ‌ dreaming big to go back, to plan their year ahead and implement the new ideas and to propagate the new Rotary theme in their PETS, SETS and District Assembly. After a brainstorming session, each one looked forward to the buffet lunch and dinner where the actual
RI Director P.T. Prabhakar and Nalini being introduced on stage at the International Assembly.
Indian dance performance by DGEs and their spouses.
26 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
Light Up Rotary Huang says
C
onfucius once said, “It is better to light a single candle, than to sit and curse the darkness.” The Chinese philosopher died nearly 2,400 years before Rotary was founded, but RI President-elect Gary C.K. Huang calls him “the world’s first Rotarian.” Inspired by his teachings, Huang chose Light Up Rotary as the theme for 2014–15. “There are so many problems in the world, so many people who need help. Many people say, ‘There’s nothing I can do.’ So they sit there doing nothing. Meanwhile everything stays dark,” Huang told the 537 District Governors and their spouses and partners who attended the 2014 International Assembly, held in January in San Diego. “The Rotary way is the Confucius way. The Rotary way is to light a candle. I light one, you light one, 1.2 million Rotarians light one. Together, we light up the world,” said Huang, a member of the Rotary Club of Taipei, Taiwan. After announcing the theme at the opening session of the five-day training meeting, Huang urged club members to Light Up Rotary in the coming year by hosting a Rotary Day in their community and including local Rotaract and Interact club members in their service projects.
RI President-elect Gary C.K. Huang and his wife, Corinna Yao, at the International Assembly in San Diego.
“How you Light Up Rotary is up to you,” he said. “You know where you are strong, you know what your community needs, and you know how you can help.” Huang also shared his membership development goals, including the need for more female and young-adult members, and his goal to increase membership to 1.3 million. He asked Rotarians to invite their spouses, family members, and friends to join Rotary. “We need to assume leadership for building strong clubs, and that starts with bringing in new members,” he said. Addressing the status of the fight against polio, Huang noted that with the current momentum, Rotary is on track to end the disease by 2018.
“When we eradicate polio — and we will — we will have proved ourselves an organisation capable of great things. And we’ll be even better equipped for the next challenge we choose to take on. We’ll have given the world a gift that will endure forever,” he said. By continuing the eradication effort, setting an example in local communities, and increasing membership, Huang hopes to see Rotary shine brighter than ever. “Light Up Rotary is our theme, but it is more than our theme. It is how we live in Rotary, how we think in Rotary, how we feel, how we work,” the President-elect said. “It is how we make a difference — every day, in every club, every district, and every country where we serve.” APRIL 2014
ROTARY NEWS 27
Rotary Values An outstanding speech by PRIP Kalyan Banerjee at the International Assembly 2014
Good morning, and namaskar: I am delighted to be here with you this morning, Rotary leaders of the future. And I greet you in the traditional Indian way of folding my palms in front of me. My thumbs point toward my own self, and the rest of my fingers point upwards. And when I greet you this way, what I am saying is that there is divinity in each one of us, and the divinity in me greets the divinity in you. And I begin with this traditional greeting to underline our diversity, yes, but, at the same time, emphasising that no matter who you are, and which part of the world you come from, I think we are all a bit awestruck at what we have been experiencing in our five days here. Indeed, how can we not be awestruck? Because what we have in this hall is nothing short of amazing: 530 men and women, and our partners, coming from every corner of the world, from more than 200 countries. And as we all squeeze into the hotel elevators here, we are seeing dresses we have never seen before and hearing languages we have never heard. And 28 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
doesn’t this incredibly amazing experience make us all stop and wonder at the miracle of Rotary? Because we are all here for the same reasons. We are here simply because we love Rotary. We are here because of what we can do because of Rotary, and because we are ready to do more. Indeed, perhaps more than anything else, what really strikes us most is something we don’t always think about in our own club or in our own district, and that is the incredible diversity of Rotary and the opportunity to make friends and be friendly ourselves, starting from right down there, at our own club and district levels, from where each one of us comes. You know, I have often wondered at the genius of our founder, Paul Harris — at this incredibly simple idea of good people, honest people, getting together in friendship, bonhomie, and goodwill. And when these people come from different backgrounds and have lived their lives doing different jobs, would not the effect and the impact of their coming together be more exciting and more vibrant and
help get all of them closer together because of the very excitement of the diversity? I remember that, as a rookie director on the RI Board in 1995, when I would look at agenda items of the Board meeting, I would often tend to decide in advance on my views, even before the meeting. But then, hearing the other views around the table, the cogent discussions and the different perspectives, we would finally arrive at completely different, but very valid and usually correct, decisions. How’s that for diversity? But then, it was clear that while coming together was a great beginning, the point of getting together had to be the work we do together, the service we perform, the difference we make in our communities. Indeed, fellowship in our clubs often creates the environment in which we serve better and more. And this I have seen: You always get a club with lively fellowship when you have a mix of experienced and newer members. And then they all get together to do more. Indeed, when someone asks what Rotary is, and we are not always sure about our answer, I believe we need to tell them simply about those things that have kept Rotary strong even after more than 100 years. Tell them about our core strengths: about service, fellowship, diversity, integrity and an obvious offshoot, leadership. In Rotary, we have always lived by our core values, the roots of the Rotary tree that make our branches spread far and wide and strong, through its more than 34,000 clubs. It is a big tree and growing, and we have to see: How can we make it grow bigger? But while fellowship and diversity are our strengths, what really characterises Rotarians is our focus on integrity, our commitment to high standards of ethics in our businesses and professions, and the morals and the values we uphold in our daily lives. I believe we do this better than any other organisation in the world, through our Avenue
of Vocational Service. And I believe it is important that Rotarians serve as role models in our communities, and that it must start with each one of us here in this room this morning. The high standards we set — and the level to which we follow them — determine our credibility. A story is told of one proud father who was taking his two excited little boys to the circus. At the ticket counter, he was told of the entrance charges: “$3 for you and $3 for any kid older than six.” The father said, “The younger one is three and the other is seven, so I guess I owe you $6, including me.” The man at the counter exclaimed, “Hey, mister, did you just win a lottery or something? You could have saved yourself three bucks telling me that the older one was six; I would not have known the difference.” The father replied, “Yes, that may be true, but the kids would have known the difference, and would have always carried it with them.” Let me tell you another. In the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, Canadian Sara Renner was leading her team in the grueling cross-country ski race when her left ski pole snapped. She pushed on, but it was hopeless. Then, something extraordinary happened. A man stepped forward from the side of the course and handed Renner another pole. She got back in the race and made up some of the lost time. In the end, her team captured the silver medal. Later, Renner learned that her benefactor was the coach of the Norwegian team. He became an instant hero in Canada, but he did not understand all the attention. “The Olympic spirit is the way we try to go,” the coach said, “and if you win and don’t help somebody when you should have, what win is that?” Vocational ethics at its best. Ethics becoming proactive in this world of free market competition. Something for Rotarians to practice.
Integrity in life and in business is what started us off in the first place, in Chicago in 1905. And fellowship and diversity are what cement us all together. But the main thing, the point of why we are here, why we all stay together in our clubs and in Rotary, has to be the work. It has to be the service we render and the difference we make, whether we are working locally in our own communities or are engaged in bringing the whole world together — clubs and districts and governments and non-governmental organisations and UN agencies and everyone else — to eradicate a disease from the earth, for example. Over the past few minutes, I have been talking about our core values and about service, because everything we do in Rotary as Rotarians and as the leaders that you are has to be based on these, and has to be based on trust. If you take all the qualities of a great leader and you sum them up in one word, that’s what that word would be: trust. We all know that whatever happens, great leaders are not going to take more than their share of the credit or less than their share of the blame. If you go to them with a problem, they’ll be ready to help. They’re not there to judge or criticise; they’re there to help you to clearly understand the situation, so that you can manage it better. A great leader is someone you can trust not necessarily to have all the answers, but to be able to help you find them. And it’s someone who will listen, who will take the time to take you seriously. What’s the gold standard of great leadership? In Rotary, I think it’s very simple: It’s being the kind of leader about whom every Rotarian in your district says, “You know, if I am ever a District Governor, I’d want to be a District Governor just like him, or just like her.” That’s because, in Rotary, part of leadership is being a role model. Leading in Rotary isn’t like leading anywhere
else. You are leading equals — even your betters. And you are not there to give orders. You are there to lend support. And let us not forget, it’s only for a year, so there’s not much time to get a big head — but also not much time to get things done. So you’ve got to keep going. And, of course, once you’ve finished being the leader, which happens ever so quickly, the only place you are going is right back to your own club, as someone else takes up the seat you’ve just left. Though our office is only for one year — just one — it’s but natural that each of us wants to make our mark. But I can tell you right now that if you try to start from scratch and achieve something monumental with your name on it in just one year, you are going to fail. To really succeed, you have to look beyond yourself, beyond your year, and into the long term, at the health of your clubs, their communities and our organisation. So when you start the 2014–15 Rotary year, remember that the best thing you can do for your district is to leave it stronger than you found it. The question is not, “What can you do in just one year?” but “How far can you take your district in one year?” — what can you build on, what can you begin, what can you do for your clubs that will still be going, still be changing lives, long after you’ve left office? And we each have to remember that, in the end, it doesn’t matter who thought of it or who gets the credit. I am so fond of quoting Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India, who once said there are two kinds of people in our world: those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try always to belong to the first group. There is much less competition there. My brothers and sisters, it is not about you and me. It’s not even about the things we do. It’s about the work that gets done. And so, let’s go Light Up Rotary. Good luck. God bless. APRIL 2014
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My Rotary Moment An inspiring speech delivered by RI Director P.T. Prabhakar at the International Assembly 2014 Good morning friends, Recently, I overheard my wife Nalini, speaking to her friend. Her friend said, “My husband is a politician. He can speak on any subject for one hour.” My wife said, “You do not know my husband. He is a Rotary Past Governor. He can speak without any subject for one hour!” I have exactly another 4 minutes and 25 seconds in which I will share my Rotary moment with you. I was recently in a flight from the United States of America coming back home after attending a RI Committee meeting. I met this middle-aged American lady who was sitting next to me. You know I always wear my Rotary badge with pride. She looked at it and asked me, “Are you a Rotarian?” I said, “Yes.” She asked, “Can I share my personal story with you?” I said, “Please go head.” She said, “Mr. Prabhakar, I have a 17 year old 30 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
daughter. Sadly, from her age of 2 she is crippled with polio.” She said, “My daughter goes to school, all her classmates know that she cannot move; they make her sit in the centre and they play around her.” She said, “Her teachers know that she cannot move, so they come to her desk and they correct her homework.” She said, “Everybody in the world, her classmates, teachers, cousins, uncles, grand-parents, everybody has got used to the fact that she is a cripple. There is only one person in this world, who, even after 15 years is not able to get used to the fact that she is crippled. It is me, the mother.” She said, “Every night when I go to bed I cry … cry uncontrolably … I cry at night because I don’t want to cry in front of my daughter.” And she said, “I tell myself, had I just spent 30 minutes of my time taking my daughter to the nearest polio vaccination booth 15 years ago and
given her the two precious drops of polio vaccine, today she will be a normal child … she will be jumping and dancing and playing like all those children out there.” And she turned to me and said, “You know, when I could not spend just half an hour of my time for my own daughter … you Rotarians, you are not spending just minutes or hours; you are not just spending just weeks or days.” She said, “You are spending years of your life to save the children of the world from the dreaded disease of polio,” and she said, “By doing this PolioPlus programme you are wiping out the tears from the eyes of the mothers of the world.” That my friends, is the best compliment I have ever heard for our PolioPlus programme. We did so well in this programme that Pope John Paul said, “God bless the Rotarians because they are saving the children of the world.”
We did so very well that Sir James Grant, Director-general of UNICEF said, “The Rotarians have the strength of a government and tenderness of a parent.” Yes, we all have a tender heart, that’s why we are still persisting at this demon called polio. Friends, this incident completely reinforced my faith in the ability of our great organisation to make ‘the impossible … possible.’ You know, in 4,500 years of recorded history of mankind, we have so far managed to eradicate only one disease, that is, small pox. And very soon, when we eradicate polio — when we make the impossible, possible, polio will only be the second disease to be eradicated. Let me tell you, we always proudly say, the Rotarians ‘make the impossible … possible.’ Decades ago, many thousands tried to conquer Mount Everest and they failed, till one day, Sir Edmund Hilary conquered Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hilary was a Rotarian. He made ‘the impossible … possible.’ For thousands of years man looked at the birds, he wanted to fly like a bird. Several tried and failed — till one day, Sir Orville Wright, in America invented the airplane. Sir Orville Wright was a Rotarian who made ‘the impossible … possible.’ And you know, from the day man was born, the mankind race was born, we look at the space, outer space and we wanted to go there. It remained a distant dream till one day the famous American astronaut, Frank Borman orbited the earth. Sir Frank Borman was a Rotarian. He made ‘the impossible ... possible.’ And coming to the contemporary times, my dear friends, we are almost on the verge of eradicating polio. I am sure within the next year we will eradicate the dreaded disease polio, and make ‘the impossible ... possible.’ Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
From top: Spouses of DGEs capture the memorable occasion with Ms. Corinna Yao Huang; RI President Nominee K.R. Ravindran and spouse Vanathy flanked by DGE (RI District 3053) Anil Maheshwari and spouse Vijay Maheshwari.
networking took place. The Asian vegetarian food counter was one of the most popular food counters, frequented by the DGEs from the other parts of the globe too.Thanks to Past RI President Raja Saboo, who ensured, this counter was made available in the International Assembly for so many years now. PRIP Rajaji’s dedication and enthusiasm not only gave good food to all DGEs but he came to cheer the Indian DGEs’ dance rehearsals and made all DGEs and spouses feel like best stage performers at the ‘Festival Night.’ Incidentally, the group dance put up by the Indian DGEs was hailed as one of the best, second only to the breath-taking Brazilians! The Indian
contingent included TRF Trustee-elect and PRID Sushil Gupta and PRIP Kalyan Banerjee, who gave an excellent talk on “Rotary values.” The wonderfully arranged roundtable dinners, in a 1,000-people capacity huge hall, accommodating DGEs from all over the world were most enjoyable. The dinners were well-arranged by RI staff, with the display cards, making an effort to have DGEs sitting on a new table in each dinner, to make new friends and to exchange new ideas. It was a great way to interact! The magnitude and internationality of Rotary is so visible here. The well trained waiters who never forgot to serve the ladies on the APRIL 2014
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Glimpses from International Assembly 2014
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PRIP Rajendra K. Saboo being recognised on the dais along with other Past RI Presidents.
A section of the audience.
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table first, were on their feet running between tables to see that good food is served and relished! Internationality in the true sense was flowing everywhere. The participation in the fellowship evenings, cultural displays, cultural dance, a magnificent Flag Parade by traditionally dressed DGEs and their spouses, and the Talent Nights brought out the best in each one. It was a great insight to get to know their very own potentials and skills in dancing, singing, public speaking, getting partners for global matching grants and most importantly serving by becoming volunteers of the world — the International Assembly truly transformed each and every participant! PDG Dr. Mahesh Kotbagi and Rtn. Dr. Amita Kotbagi RI District 3131
CONVENTION
Flying colours Rotarians attending the 2014 RI Convention 1–4 June can take in the best view in Sydney — from atop the arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge — while spotlighting Rotary and raising money for polio eradication. Led by RI President Ron Burton, Rotarians will climb the bridge on 30 May and line up along the top of the arch, holding flags from every country where Rotary has clubs. They will attempt to set two new world records: for the number of flags from different nations flying on a bridge at one time (the current record is 137), and for the number of people on the arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge at one time (the current record is 316, set by a group led by Oprah Winfrey in 2010). Spots are limited: Book one of the 392 available places at www. bridgeclimb.com/rotary. The event will last up to four hours, and all registrations must be made in advance. Convention partner BridgeClimb will donate 50 percent of the price of each ticket ($248 for adults, $168 for children ages 10 to 15) purchased by Rotarians participating in the world record attempt toward polio eradication. It will donate an additional amount for every Rotarian who climbs the bridge between 26 May and 10 June. Register for the 2014 RI Convention in Sydney at www.riconvention.org. APRIL 2014
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NVEL MIDTOWN SOLAPUR NORTH KAMAREDDY ANANTAPUR CENTRAL PANAJI RIVIERA SHIMOGA RIVERSIDE KOTHAMANGALAM UPUR METROPOLIS KOTTAYAM CENTRAL VALLIYOOR CENTRAL MADRAS SOUTH RANIGANJ KODERMA BHUBANESWAR NEW HORIZON LCUTTA RIDGE KATHMANDU MIDTOWN CHIDAMBARAM MIDTOWN JAMBUKESHWARAM CHANDRAPUR JODHPUR VAPI RIVERSIDE RITSAR EAST MOHALI AGRA WEST AHMEDNAGAR PRIYADARSHINI MUMBAI NORTH ISLAND GUNTAKAL QUILON CASHEW CITY RTHANDAM MARAIMALAI NAGAR KUMBAKONAM SHAKTHI DINDIGUL VIZAG METRO AKOLA APRIL GODHRA2014 MIDTOWN NOKHA BARODA ANDAR SOUTH ROOPNAGAR RAJPURA GREATER MORADABAD CIVIL LINES HALDWANI VARANASI SUNRISE PUNE SPORTS CITY NAND DOMBIVLI WEST KAMAREDDY DHONE ANKOLA RURAL KUNDAPURA MIDTOWN COCHIN AIRPORT TIRUPUR COTTON CITY Su Mo TuCOSMOPOLITAN We Th Fr Sa UPTOWN LON LOTUS S RAJAPALAYAM CENTRAL VELLORE SOUTH DURGAPUR JAMS JAMSHEDPUR WEST RAIPUR CALCUTTA TWAL SALEM LEM EM MC COSMOS OSMO OS MOS MO S TH T THURAIYUR UR RAI AIYU YU UR PE P PERUMALMALAI RUMA MA ALM LMAL A AI V AL VIJAYAWADA IJ JAY AYAW AWAD AW AD DA VI VISI VISIONARY SO SI COUPLES NAGPUR SOUTH EAST VISNAGAR GANDEVI JOURI FATEHABAD TE EHA HABA ABAD D GR GREA GREATER E TER EA TE ER GA G GANGA ANG GA BI BIJN BIJNOR JN NOR R B BAREILLY A E AR EIILL LLY Y SO SOU SOUTH UTH PU UTH UT PUNE UNE NE K KOTHRUD SOLAPUR NORTH POWAI WARANGAL RASIPURAM 5 4 3 VEERANGANA 2GWALIOR 1 UCHIRAPALLI ALLI R REWARI EWARI M MA MAIN AIN N AN ANAKAPALLE NAKAPA ALLE LLE JALG JALGAON GAO A N IN INDORE NDORE RE M MEGHDOOT EGHD AHMEDABAD MIDTOWN VAPI ERSIDE JULLUNDUR ULL LUND DUR DEHRADUN DE EHRADUN WEST WES ST RAJPURA RA GANGA GAN NGA BIJNOR BIJN BI JNOR AGRA AGR HERITAGE VARANASI CENTRAL POONA MIDTOWN MADHA ANE HILLS WA WARANGAL ARAN NGAL T TADPATRI ADPA ATR TRI P PANA ANA A JI R RIVIERA IVIERA MANG MANGALORE GAL ALOR OR RE SO S SOUTH UTH BANGALORE SADASHIVANAGAR KOTHAMANGALAM TIRUPUR 11 12 INFOCITY 9 10 8 7 NDHINAGAR AR QUILON QUIL LON O NORTH NORTH ORTH H NAGERCOIL NAG AGERC AGE COIL CENTRAL L MADRAS MADRA ADRA RAS AS CENTRAL CE C ENTRAL AADITHYA 6BURDWAN GREATER GAYA CENTRAL UBANESWAR AR C CENTRAL ENT NT TRA RAL L CALCUTTA CA ALC LC TA LCUTT TA DHULIKHEL DHU ULI LIKH KHEL E SALEM SAL AL LEM E TEXCITY TEXCITY Y DINDIGUL DIN INDI ND GU VIJAYAWADA CHANDRAPUR CAMBAY LUDHIANA GREATER RNAL MIDTOWN TOW WN N NABHA ABHA BAREILLY ABHA BAR REI EILLY EIL LLY CENTRAL C NTRA CE NT TRA AL BAGALKOT BAGA BAG BA GALK GALK KOT OT BUTWAL BUT UTWA AL KOMARAPALAYAM K PERAMBALUR VUYYURU CHANDRAPUR 19TILAK ROAD 17 18PUNE 15 16BAHRAICH 14 METRO ANER BHAVNAGAR AVN NAGA AR UD UDHAMP UDHAMPUR AMPUR UR BHAKRA BH HAKR HA A RA NA AKRA NAN NANGAL NG N GAL S GAL SRI RII G GANGANAGAR ANGA AN A ANGANAG NGA GANA GA ANA NAG GA G AR KHURJA 13 BAREILLY I BOMBAY Y JU JUHU UHU B BEACH EACH ACH SATTENAPALLI RAICHUR KARW AR BELUR BEL BELU CHANNAPATTANA COCHIN VYPIN ISLANDS TIRUPUR WEST LON LOTUS US T TINNEVELLY INN NEVE NE VELLY VELLY LLY VANDAVASI GREATER TEZPUR RANCH RANCHI S SAMBALPUR WEST CALCUTTA MID SOUTH BUTWAL HOSUR 26 24 25 RAJPURA 23 ROORKEE 21 22 CITY 20 LUDHIANA RIYAKULAM M RAJAHMUNDRY RA RAJA AJA JAH HMUNDRY HM NDRY RIVER CITY AKOLA BIKANER MARUDHARA MARUDHAR SURAT EAST PUNE VAJINAGAR R MUMBAI GHATKOPAR WARANGAL GUNTAKAL SANGLI KOMA KOMARAPALAYAM KARUR ANGELS SONEPAT UPTOWN ICHAPURAM GAON GOLD CITY INDORE MEGHDOOT PALANPUR CITY JAIPUR GWALIOR VEERANGANA SHINDKHEDA UDHAMPUR ROOPNAGAR 30CENTRAL BOMBAY MID CITY 28 29 27 EAST JPURA MORADABAD CIVIL LINES HALDWANI Compiled by Kiran Zehra BAHRAICH PUNE JALNA RANGAL TADIPATRI HONAVAR SHIRVA PUNGANUR CENTRAL COCHIN VYPIN ISLAND SAKTHINAGAR EPPEY EAST GOLDEN RAMNAD GUWAHATI DAMODAR VALLEY KORBA BHUBANESWAR FRIENDS SALT LAKE METROPOLITAN BUTWAL NDICHERRY BEACH TOWN PUDUKKOTTAI PALACE CITY BHUSAWAL LUDHIANA NORTH FARIDABAD CENTRAL MATHURA CENTRAL NGOLA ULHASNAGAR MIDTOWN SALT LAKE CITY AARCH CITY MADRAS MANNARGUDI MADURAI NORTHWEST FARIDABAD MIDTOWN
ick P OF THE MONTH
RC KOMARAPALAYAM RI District 2980 The club in association with RC Pondicherry Central and Matching Grants partners from RI District 1760 France, and TRF constructed a toilet block at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Komarapalayam at a cost of Rs.3.35 lakhs.
RC ARIYALUR RI District 3000 At an eye camp conducted by the club in association with Aravind Eye Hospital, 500 patients were screened and 250 cataract operations were performed.
RC REWARI MAIN RI District 3010 Nutritious food was provided to the students of SNJJ Jhuggi Jhopari School, Rewari. This was done in order to nourish the poor students and develop their interest to attend school regularly.
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RC MACHILIPATNAM RI District 3020 Polio drops were administered to children from slum areas in order to keep the battle against polio going.
RC NAGPUR DOWNTOWN RI District 3030 The club set up Rotary Pathology Centre to assist poor patients to complete their diagnosis without pinching their pockets.
RC SAGAR RI District 3040 In order to zero down malnutrition, health kits along with medicines were given to mothers of 70 malnourished children who have been adopted by the club.
RC PALANPUR CITY RI District 3051 Under its permanent project the club distributed grocery items to 190 poor families. This timely help provides them with food in times of economic crisis.
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RC JAIPUR BAPUNAGAR RI District 3052 “Apna Ghar,” home to 40 orphan boys had its encounter with joy when the club presented each boy at the orphanage with food, books and stationery.
RC GWALIOR VEERANGANA RI District 3053 In order to lay emphasis on oral health amongst children the club organised a dental check up at Hindi Akshar Government School. Tooth brushes and tooth pastes were distributed to the children.
RC VYARA RI District 3060 The club under its District Grant project constructed a toilet block at KMG School, Vyara. This will allow the students to answer nature’s call without any worry.
RC KANGRA RI District 3070 Shoes, socks, sweaters and stationery were distributed to the students of Government Primary School Khanyara in order to encourage the students to attend school regularly.
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RC NANGAL CENTRAL RI District 3080 To challenge disability and live life independently the club distributed tricycles, wheel chairs, crutches, white canes, spectacles and hearing aids among 250 financially weak, disabled people.
RC RAJPURA GREATER RI District 3090 An eye camp conducted by the club witnessed the examination of 300 patients and over 50 cataract operations at Kakkar Eye Hospital, Patiala.
RC MUZAFFARNAGAR VISHAL RI District 3100 The club along with clubs from RI District 9780, Australia, RI District 3630, South Korea, RI District 6060, USA and TRF installed a computer lab at Saraswathi Shishu Mandir School.
RC BAREILLY CENTRAL RI District 3110 An ENT check up organised by the club benefited 200 people living in slum areas. Asthma patients were identified and inhalers along with medicines were distributed.
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RC BAHRAICH RI District 3120 Solar water heaters were donated to a residential school for the blind and mentally retarded. This would provide the residents with warm water at any hour.
RC PUNE UNIVERSITY RI District 3131 Knee braces were distributed to old men and women at a camp conducted by the club. This was done with a view to assist elderly people to move around with ease.
RC JALNA CENTRAL RI District 3132 Poor students suffering from hearing impairment were operated for tympanic membrane replacement. This will allow the students to hear properly and thereby be more attentive in class.
RC MUMBAI LAKERS RI District 3140 The club conducted an eye camp at Tunga village, Powai. Cataract surgeries, post surgery treatment and medicines were provided to nearly 600 beneficiaries post their eye check up.
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RC WARANGAL RI District 3150 Cash awards were given to the winners of the ‘District Science Exhibition’ held at Warangal. This would encourage young students to develop an interest in science-related topics.
RC PRODDATUR RI District 3160 The club conducted a dental camp at Indira Priyadarshini School in order to emphasise the need for oral health among poor students.
RC KOLHAPUR MIDTOWN RI District 3170 The club in association with its Trust, Rotary Lok Kalyan Mandal and Rotary Club of Bath, RI District 1200, UK and TRF donated Jaipur foot to 90 beneficiaries.
RC KRISHNARAJANAGAR RI District 3180 In a move to promote education the club distributed 2,500 notebooks worth Rs.25,000 in various government schools in Krishnarajanagar Taluk.
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RC COCHIN VYPIN ISLAND RI District 3201 An eye camp followed by cataract operations was conducted by the club at Elankunnpuzha village. The project relieved 100 patients suffering from eye ailments.
RC TIRUPUR RI District 3202 The club in association with the Frontline Interact Club of Tirupur conducted a literacy programme in Amaravathypalayam village to provide basic education to 50 illiterate villagers.
RC QUILON RI District 3211 Under the project “Amruthadhara” the club facilitated a water supply unit along with a water purifier at Infant Jesus School, Pallithottam, Kollam.
RC GOLDEN RAMNAD RI District 3212 Uniforms were distributed to students who belong to very poor families. This would help them attend school with dignity.
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RC MADRAS CENTRAL RI District 3230 RI Director Bryn Styles and spouse Randy visited Rotary Central-TTK-VHS Blood Bank and interacted with the children receiving blood transfusion there.
RC PATALIPUTRA RI District 3250 Poor children from different parts of Patna received a dose of love in the form of T-Shirts and snacks distributed to them by the club.
RC GADARWARA RI District 3261 The club inaugurated “Rotary for Special Children� programme at Justice Tanka Memorial School. Snacks and toys were given to the differentlyabled children who were special invitees to the event.
RC CENTRAL CALCUTTA RI District 3291 An annual sports meet for mentally challenged children in order to encourage them to participate in sports and other outdoor activities was organised by Rotarians of the club.
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RI dignitaries and Rotarians behind the counter at one of the Winners retail outlet.
T
he delicious whiff of freshly baked bread and mouth-watering freshcream pastries, muffins, croissants, tarts, doughnuts, cookies, puffs and much more is just too much to resist as one walks into the aesthetically swanky Winners Bakery that has its outlets at three localities in Chennai. The delectable goodies are hygienically prepared and are also easy on the pocket when compared to other cake shops. What makes Winners Bakery a winner? Cakes and croissants apart, the institute stands for a noble cause. The Winners Bakery and Confectionary was an insightful idea of the Rotarians of
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Rotary Club of Madras East, RI District 3230 and Mr. Mahadevan, Proprietor, Hot Breads. The unit was established in 2005 as a unique vocational service project of Rotary Club of Madras East. A joint venture of the club along with Chennai Corporation and the restaurant chain, Oriental Hotels’ Hot Breads, Winners provide training to youngsters from economically backward families. It equips the displaced youth and school dropouts including the differently-abled, with skills suitable for gainful employment. The students are imparted training in bakery and confectionary products. The sales outlets also empower them with hands-on, behind the counter experience. The
students undergoing training at the institute are also provided with decent stipend besides food, uniform and laundry allowance and also accommodation if required. On successful completion of the training, they are either absorbed in the unit or placed in jobs elsewhere. The institute has trained more than 500 young people so far and the Rotarians are proud to observe that every one of them are earning a handsome pay packet, including one who has landed himself a catering job in a cruise liner! On March 14, 2014, this prestigious vocational service monument of Rotary Club of Madras East, had a distinguished visitor, Rotary International Director (2012–14), Bryn Styles
Secretary of the club, Rtn. R.M. Narayanan (right) explaining about the Winners project to the visitors in the presence of the club President, Rtn. N. Sudhakar (second from left).
RI Director Bryn Styles and spouse Randy with trainees and Rotarians.
and spouse, Randy. RI Director Bryn Styles congratulated the Rotarians for this significant project that serves as a lifeline for the underprivileged. “It has everything a successful project should have — it is sustainable and it is producing funds to start other projects,” the RI Director said. A definite icing on the cake for the club and for Winners! Rotary Madras East had invested in human and monetary resources and also renovated the building that houses the institute at a total cost of Rs.10 lakhs; the state-of-the-art machinery costing Rs.20 lakhs was imported from France and donated by Mr. Mahadevan, Proprietor, Hot Breads. The institute sports one of the cleanest bakery shop
floors that you can ever witness. Mrs. Chandri Bhat, a well known culinary expert and Principal of Chennai Culinary Institute was the first person to handle both training and supervision on a day-to-day basis. After her retirement Ms. Geetha, another enterprising person was in charge and currently it has Mr. Balasubramanian managing the show. Winners is an absolute delight for any bakery product lover. For the Rotarians of RC Madras East, transforming the otherwise-branded ‘good for nothing’ to become successful ‘breadwinners’ of the family has indeed been like eating a piece of cake! Jaishree
Tel.: 011 42250101 Fax: 011 42250191 APRIL 2014
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A thought-provoking lecture from Padma Vibhushan Dr. R.A. Mashelkar that is sure to stimulate and kindle the innovative spark in you. Innovation led Economic Growth Joseph Schumpeter, with his classic 1942 book, Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, really laid down the fundamentals of ‘innovation economics,’ although this term came into use only recently. Subsequently Solow’s (1957) seminal work that brought to us the discovery of the importance of the ‘residual’ in aggregate productivity growth and Nelson’s (1959) and Arrow’s (1962) influential papers on the economics of knowledge creation brought further insights. There is empirical evidence worldwide to show a positive link between technological innovation and economic performance. The United States has gained a major share of the world’s wealth through their aggressive pursuit of technological change, demonstrating that technological innovation is a key catalyst of their impressive economic performance. Added economic value gets created when, through the process of innovation, new products are introduced into the market, production processes and organisational practices are redesigned, and so on. Competitive advantage is created by firms and nations through innovation. Creating, diffusing and sustaining innovation is playing an increasingly important role in national strategies now. Conventional Economics & Innovation Economics Let us get some fundamentals right first. Innovation economics 46 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
reformulates the conventional economic theories so that knowledge, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation are at the centre rather than at the periphery. Previously, they were being looked at as independent forces that were largely unaffected by policy. Not so any more. Innovation economists look at the central goal of economic policy to be able to spur higher productivity through greater innovation. This also means that markets relying on input resources and price signals alone will not always be as effective in higher economic growth, which is fuelled by higher productivity. This is in sharp contrast to the two other conventional economic doctrines — neoclassical economics and Keynesian economics. The focus in neoclassical economics is on studying how societies use scarce resources to produce valuable commodities and distribute them among different people. On the other hand, the focus in innovation economics is on the study of how societies create new forms of production, new products and new business models to expand wealth and quality of life. Neoclassical economics is focused on getting the price signals right to maximise the efficient allocation of scarce resources. On the other hand, innovation economics is focused on spurring economic actors — from the individual, to the firm, to cities and even an entire nation — to be more productive and innovative.
Global Challenge: Inequality of Access The ‘Base of the Economic Pyramid’ comprises 2.6 billion people worldwide — a majority of whom live in Asia and Africa — subsisting on less than US $2 a day (PPP). Everyone needs access to essential services, be they education, health, financial services, communication and so on. Then only can one achieve the basic level of human empowerment. Then only can one participate in economic development productively. Presently BoP members are not just excluded from the benefits of economic growth, but also from the ability to contribute to it. A well-designed inclusive growth agenda must address both well-being and human empowerment. Perceived injustices breed social upheaval, as is evident from the recent developments in the Middle East, Thailand, and frequent disruptions all across the globe. As emerging economies continue to design special policies and programmes that focus directly on the needs of the economically excluded, they cannot simply wait for a ‘rising tide to lift all boats.’ One cannot simply address the income inequality exclusively through standard policy levers like tax and transfer mechanisms, subsidies, welfare and entitlements, and standard economic development practices focused on competitiveness. Those initiatives are unquestionably important. But an agenda which also facilitates the provision of access to essential goods and services at
affordable prices and increases the purchasing power of the BoP will better enable this segment to participate economically, and will reduce the challenge of income inequality by making the daily experience of those with lower incomes more like that of the well-to-do. We need to achieve three objectives simultaneously and rapidly. First, improving the access to essential services; second, increasing the purchasing power; and third, reducing the income inequality. We can well begin to achieve these three objectives, if we do something that looks impossible at first sight. And that is to create access equality despite the income inequality. And how can we do that? By using inclusive innovation.
A Paradigm Shift in the Development Path It must be emphasised that inclusive innovation forces us to measure opportunity by the ends of innovation— what people actually get to enjoy—as opposed to just an increase in their means. In important ways, this rationale invokes a return to the traditional case for innovation—its ability to produce break-through improvements in the quality of life—alongside the usual objective of competitiveness. Inclusive innovation essentially expands what even meagre incomes can afford. It lays down a parallel track of development for the BoP that relies less on redistribution of gains, and more on the direct expansion of the bundle of goods and services against which we traditionally measure purchasing power— and at an ever-accelerating rate. Inclusive Innovation Strategy Let us understand the concept of inclusive innovation clearly. Inclusive innovation is any innovation that leads to affordable access
of quality goods and services creating livelihood opportunities for the excluded population, primarily at the base of the economic pyramid, and on a long term sustainable basis with a significant outreach. First, the term ‘any innovation:’ The innovation can be technology-led or it could be non-technological, or it can be a combination of both. A typical example of technology-led innovation is the lowest cost refrigerator ($69) ChhotuKool, which does away with the use of conventional technology involving a compressor and uses a cooling chip and a fan similar to that used in computers. This is a clear case of using ‘disruptive’ rather than using an ‘incremental’ technology innovation. As we will see later, for shifting the price performance envelope radically, it is often times the ‘disruptive’ rather than ‘incremental’ innovation that one needs to resort to. The examples of non-technological innovations include business process innovation (e.g. low cost telecom service providers) or workflow innovation, (such as in low-cost cataract surgery or low-cost heart surgery).
It could be a combination of technological and nontechnical innovation. The Indian telecom revolution of low-cost mobile services came about due to a business process innovation done by the Indian telecom service providers. However, it was the technological innovation producing handsets at the price point of $20 - $30 by the leading telecom companies (such as Nokia, for instance) that led to an ‘affordable access’ to a handset. In other words, in this case, the ‘affordable access’ to a handset was provided through a ‘technological innovation’ and ‘affordable access’ to low-cost telephone calls was provided through a ‘non-technological’ business process innovation. One without the other would not have worked for the consumer, but the combination worked.
Key Characteristics of Inclusive Innovation There are five key characteristics of inclusive innovation. The first characteristic is that of ‘affordable access.’ The affordability will depend upon where exactly the individuals are placed in the economic pyramid. If 2.6 billion people in the world are earning less than $2 a day, then one can imagine that the goods and services cannot be just ‘low cost’ but ‘ultra low cost.’ Such inclusive innovation will have to be aimed at ‘extreme reduction’ in both the costs of production as well as the distribution. Here are some examples of ‘extreme reduction.’ •
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Can we make a Hepatitis-B vaccine priced at US $20 per dose available at a price that is 40 times less? Can we make an artificial foot priced at US $10,000 available at a price that is 300 times less? APRIL 2014
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Can we make a high quality cataract eye surgery available, not at $3,000, but a price that is 100 times less? Can we make an ECG machine available, not at US $10,000 but a price that is 20 times lower?
Incredible as it may sound, all such ‘extreme reduction’ targets have been met. The second characteristic is about the inclusive innovation working on a ‘sustainable basis.’ This means that in the long term, the ‘affordable access’ must not depend on the government subsidies or generous government procurement support systems but should work by retaining the market principles with which the private sector works comfortably. The third characteristic has to do with ‘quality’ goods and services and livelihood opportunities. ‘Quality,’ because we have to recognise the basic rights of the people at the base of the pyramid, who should be enjoying more or less the same level of quality of basic services as people at the top of the pyramid. The objective of a truly inclusive type of innovation, therefore, would not be just to produce low performance, cheap knock-off versions of rich country technologies so that they can be marketed to poor people. That is getting ‘less for less.’ Inclusive innovation gets ‘more from less.’ This will mean that we will have to harness truly sophisticated science or technology or truly creative non-technological innovation to invent, design, produce and distribute rich price-performance envelope that leads to quality goods and services that are affordable for the majority of the people. Coexistence of low price and high quality may appear as a contradiction in terms. But there are a number of examples of this being achieved. For example, India’s Aravind Eye Care Hospital performs ultra low-cost cataract surgeries with quality that measures up to international benchmarks by 48 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
Presently BoP members are not just excluded from the benefits of economic growth, but also from the ability to contribute to it.
making more efficient use of scarce (and highly-paid) surgeons; rather than having a surgeon perform the entire surgery, each medical personnel performs a specific task during the operation. Similar workflow innovations have been applied to perform low-cost open-heart surgeries (at a cost of US $3,000) at the Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital in Bangalore with success rates that match their western counterparts. The fourth characteristic is the access to the excluded population, primarily at the base of the pyramid. The excluded population could include the poor, the disabled, the migrants, the women, the elderly, certain ethnic group, and so on. The fifth characteristic is ‘significant outreach.’ If ‘true inclusion’ has to happen then the benefits of inclusive innovation should reach a large scale, i.e. a significant portion of population, and not just a small section of the population. (In many cases, the total target population may only be a few hundreds of thousands or a few million — and not necessarily hundreds of million — e.g. psoriasis patients or premature babies).
Advantage India in Inclusive Innovation As the title of my lecture suggests, I am going to look at what special challenge and opportunity that we in
India have in this space of innovation economics. That opportunity comes to us through innovation that drives inclusion, and through that accelerated inclusive growth and economic development. I and late C.K. Prahalad wrote a paper titled ‘Innovation’s Holy Grail’ in Harvard Business Review in the July–August 2010 issue. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the last paper that the legendary CK, as we fondly called him, wrote. There we discussed how the combination of scarcity and aspiration had helped India develop its own brand of innovation — getting more from less for more people — not just for more profit. This was called the MLM paradigm, i.e. ‘More from Less for More.’ This paper provoked worldwide discussion and debate. In fact only six months after the paper was published in HBR, the World Economic Forum had a special session on ‘More from Less for More’ on 16 November 2010! And there have been many more since then. In this paper, we had first analysed the contextual factors that had undoubtedly facilitated the growth of Indian inclusive innovation. Let us examine these in some detail. First, India’s political leaders experimented with socialism for more than four decades, which kept out foreign capital and technologies, but spurred local innovation. Indian engineers, backed by government funding, developed some of the lowest cost nuclear weapons, rockets, imaging techniques, supercomputers by depending only on their own ingenuity. Second, the Indian economy didn’t start growing until the 1990s, so local companies were small. For example, in 2008, India’s then largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy, made $800 million in revenues, which was 60 times less than the $48 billion that Pfizer made and nine times less than what the U.S. giant budgeted for research. Indian entrepreneurs, therefore, developed a penchant for
undertaking small projects and using capital carefully. They’ve changed their approach to scale since 1991, but they maintain an unwavering focus on capital efficiency. Third, local companies knew that while India has both rich and poor people, catering only to the rich limited their market. Most targeted the aspiring middle class family, which lives on $5,000 a year. As a result, they were forced to develop value-for-money products and services by changing the price-performance equation. And fourth, the most important driver happened to be India’s innovation mindset. Some Indian leaders had the audacity to question the conventional wisdom. With increasing frequency, these leaders were rejecting established ways of doing business in favour of new practices. The mix of miniscule research budgets, small size, low prices and big ambitions had created the need to think and manage differently. Indeed it is fair to say that the combination of extreme scarcity and extreme aspiration ignited the Indian innovation.
The Challenge of MLM A ‘more from less for more’ strategy— more quantity and quality of goods and services, from less resources, for many people — often requires radical re-thinking of the existing business models, organisational structures, and product development, manufacturing and distribution processes. This strategy also requires similar boldness in rethinking complementary public policy, organisation and regulatory regimes. Slight changes to the existing ways of doing business to serve the BoP rarely work — either the target is missed completely, or the end product is highly inferior in quality. To overcome this requires initiative and investment, an acceptance of uncertainty, an appetite for risk — and considerably more churning to determine which pro-BoP business models work.
If ‘true inclusion’ has to happen then the benefits of inclusive innovation should reach a large scale, i.e. a significant portion of population, and not just a small section of the population.
For example, lower cost inputs do not explain why Indian telephone companies were able to introduce mobile phone service in India at a cost that was orders of magnitude lower than in the USA. Rather, the telecom companies decided at the outset to adopt high-volume, low-cost strategy. That strategy prompted radically different decisions on when to ‘make or buy’ than those that were adopted by their Western counterparts. They dispersed the risk of up-front investments amongst various players involved in mobile service provision. The end result was that the service providers could charge rates far closer to the (ultra-low) marginal cost of adding a new user to a network, allowing cell phones to emerge as a powerful poverty-fighting and empowerment tool for the BoP, especially the ruralites in India.
Towards an Inclusive Business An ‘inclusive innovation strategy’ promotes the sustainable production, dissemination, and absorption of inclusive innovations by connecting excluded populations to a nation’s innovation ecosystem. Given the BoP’s immense aggregate purchasing power, inclusive
business can be a sustainable business for private firms. Inclusive business provides great opportunities. First, firms can benefit from seeking alternatives to highcost traditional innovative processes, which are based on the principle of ‘More from More.’ Second, they benefit from innovating over constraintinduced hurdles, rather than avoiding those challenges by lowering product quality or changing the target market. Third, the mindset matters: accomplishing these tasks requires a frugal attitude, which tries to achieve ‘More from Less.’ It is clear that inclusive innovation, if firmly anchored on the solid foundation of affordability and sustainability, will help us design a sustainable future for the mankind.
Leadership in Inclusive Business If inclusive business innovation models have to thrive, and in turn drive accelerated inclusive growth, what kind of leadership qualities will be required? Conventionally, the business leaders believed in doing well and doing good. That means one made a lot of profits, and then set aside a small fraction of it for some public good. No, we have to shift to another model. And that is ‘doing well by doing good.’ That means a fundamental commitment to ‘doing inclusive business.’ This requires paradigm shift in thinking and action. First, inclusive business CEOs must develop a deep commitment to inclusive growth, which will force them to think of un-served customers, be they rural poor, who don’t have access to telephones or urban poor, who don’t get emergency medical services. Companies often start by asking: “Given that we need to cater to the un-served, what should our cost structure be?” Second, inclusive business CEOs must have clear vision with a human dimension: for example, helping poor APRIL 2014
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Indians travel safely and affordably with their families; using connectivity to improve people’s work and lives; and enabling patients to buy cheap medicines. Third, inclusive business CEOs must establish ambitious goals and clear time-frames for achieving them. Companies should ask: “What is our on-the-moon project?” Or, as they do in India’s boardrooms: “What is our Nano project?” Fourth, inclusive business leaders must force project teams to work within self-imposed boundaries that stem from a deep understanding of consumers. That will result in novel, outside-in view of innovation. The language inside their organisations should be about consumers as people, suppliers as partners, and employees as innovators. And finally, inclusive business CEOs must continuously ask, “What if we change the way we operate to reduce costs and focus on return on capital employed, not just on operating margins? If we reduce prices enough and make our products available to the poor, won’t there be explosive growth as they quickly find uses for and buy our offerings?”
Inclusive Innovation-led Economic Growth A well-designed ‘inclusive innovation’ strategy would complement the conventional policy approaches that are generally aimed at improving incomes. First, inclusive innovation will improve access to essential goods and services, thus helping in government’s goal of universal access to high quality basic services in an efficient and sustainable basis. Inclusive innovation enables more people to participate in economic development. For example, innovations that have drastically lowered the cost of healthcare (e.g. low-cost prosthetics, low-cost heart and cataract surgeries) and preventative services (e.g. low cost vaccines, diagnostics, clean 50 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
Policy makers are rightly concerned about the purchasing power of the BoP, as evidenced by the uproar surrounding commodity and food price instability and inflation.
water systems) can introduce millions more to the workforce and make them far more productive members of it. Second, income inequality, even if reduced, will likely be a persistent feature of even the most successful (and equitable) growth stories. Thus, any inclusive growth agenda must also directly address the quality of life affordable at very low income levels. Policy makers are rightly concerned about the purchasing power of the BoP, as evidenced by the uproar surrounding commodity and food price instability and inflation. But those issues present only limited opportunity for policy interventions because of their exogenous causes and the extremely large countervailing benefits of high growth and open markets. Consider, for instance, the quality of life-improvements that come with a highly affordable non-electric washing machine, a low-cost refrigerator, and non-essential but life-improving healthcare associated with ‘modern medicine.’ Ultra low-cost health
products can make tough living conditions more manageable (and reduce the spread of disease). These products do not only make life more comfortable; they empower people. They facilitate economic activity and entrepreneurship by freeing up time, making labour more productive and improving health. Third, inclusive innovation will eventually have a bearing on our goal of achieving a reduction in income inequality. Inclusive innovation provides income-generating opportunities for BoP innovators. With the right policies in place, the needs-driven innovation and creativity inherent in the BoP way of life can be brought to market, to the benefit of the innovators and society at large. At the same time, diffusion of knowledge to (and adaptation of products for use by) the resource-poor can enhance productivity, again improving nominal earnings for BoP businesses (many of which are currently small, informal, and severely lag behind their productivity potential).
Global Spread of Inclusive Innovation Paradigm Multinationals are beginning to take ideas developed in (and for) the emerging world and deploy them in the West. For instance, GE’s Vscan, a portable ultrasound device was developed in China. As against the standard ultrasound machine, costing around $20,000, Vscan costs just $1,500! It is now a big hit in rich and poor countries alike. The same is true of what GE Healthcare in Bangalore did for electrocardiogram (ECG) machines. Their team created a portable high quality ECG machine for just $600, as against the standard $10,000 machine. This has become a big hit too. The worry among Western firms now is that this strategy will cannibalise the existing market for expensive technology. Why buy a $10,000 device if the same firm makes a slightly simpler one for $600? This worry is misplaced, because at lower costs, the customer base expands dramatically.
GE opened up a new market among doctors for its cheap electrocardiogram machines; whereas previously only hospitals could afford the things. India’s Mahindra & Mahindra sells small tractors to American hobby farmers, challenging John Deere’s market share. China’s Haier has undercut western competitors in a wide range of products, from air conditioners and washing machines to wine coolers. Haier sold a wine cooler for half the price of the industry leader. Within two years, it had grabbed 60 percent of the American market. In fact, anticipating this trend, Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of General Electric recently said, “If we do not come up with innovations in poor countries and take them global, new competitors from the developing world — the Mindray, Suzlon and Goldwind will. That is a bracing prospect.” This trend will surely not only continue but accelerate. As the west moves from times of ‘abundance’ to times of ‘austerity,’ as the middle class is squeezed and governments curb spending, affordable access will become the norm rather than the exception. I sit on the Hindustan Unilever Ltd. Board. On the other day, I was told about the new phenomenon in the sale of sachets of shampoo. Originally cheap sachets were meant for the base of the economic pyramid. Now suddenly the western markets have opened up for sachets. One would not have imagined this to happen about five years ago! There is another driving force. Globalisation is forcing western firms to provide more value for money. Logitech, an American firm, had to create a top-class wireless mouse for bottom-of-the-range prices when it took on Rapoo, a Chinese company, in China. John Deere had to do the same with its small tractors when it took on Mahindra in India. At the same time, globalisation gives western firms more tools. Some are building innovation centres in the emerging world. PepsiCo, for example, established one
Globalisation is forcing western firms to provide more value for money.
in India in 2010. Some Western firms routinely fish in a global brain pool. Renault-Nissan asked its engineers in France, India and Japan to compete to come up with ideas for cutting costs. The Indians won. Though inclusive innovation focuses on addressing the needs of the ‘resource poor,’ it can also be useful for wealthier people in poor countries as well as people in developed countries. There is no reason that the US $28 Jaipur Foot or the US $25 Embrace Incubator cannot find demand in OECD countries — there is nothing inherently ‘poor’ about these innovations. The key features of these innovations are that they are (i) very low-cost, (ii) created or invented with an eye on the needs of the BoP, and (iii) have performance characteristics that are roughly equal to or greater than the performance of more expensive products initially designed and invented for wealthier customers. Nowhere else are the successes of inclusive innovation more relevant to these nations than in the area of healthcare: not only does lack of access to healthcare describe a form of first-world exclusion, but the soaring cost of that care has become the single most important fiscal challenge facing the United States today.
Good News for Indian Inclusive Innovation The Indian Decade of Innovation (2010–2020) has been declared. It
stems from the visionary declaration of our President and the passionate championing of our Prime Minister of this very concept of Indian Decade of Innovation. Prime Minister’s National Innovation Council has been formed. This council has taken ‘inclusive innovation’ as a major agenda. A billion dollar fund — India Inclusive Innovation Fund — has been announced. Rs.500 crore has been already pledged as a starter, with contribution by the Indian government and others. The fund is intended to be operational from January 2013. That augurs very well. Indian march in inclusive innovation is changing the dictionary of innovation. Phrases that did not exist five years ago have suddenly emerged. These include: ‘inclusive innovation,’ ‘frugal innovation,’ ‘Gandhian engineering,’ ‘reverse innovation,’ ‘More from Less for More (MLM)’ and so on. Inspired by the Tata Nano car, there is a book titled Nanovation written by Freibergs, an American couple that has recently appeared. All this shows the emerging strong imprint of Indian innovation.
Dreaming about the Future What should we see at the end of this Indian decade of innovation? As a starter, it will be great to see India achieve a place amongst the top ten of the innovative nations in the world. But it is not about getting into the top league alone. It is about a change in our culture, in our society. It is about achieving innovation-led inclusive development and growth. It is not about ‘some Indians’ doing well, but ‘India’ doing well. And it is also about innovative India rapidly moving, through the inclusive innovation route, to becoming a truly inclusive society. It is about the Indian model of ‘Inclusive Innovation led Economic Growth’ becoming a model for the rest of the world to follow. APRIL 2014
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F
ew people may be aware that the UN has declared the 13th of February as World Radio Day, because the resolution is just two years old. It was on this day in 1946 that the United Nations Radio was established, and though belated, the humble radio has finally been given its pride of place. It helped connect billions through very affordable receivers and can, therefore, claim to be prime ‘democratiser’ of infotainment in the modern world. What began in the early part of the nineteenth century with physicists like Faraday and Maxwell working on exciting theories and experiments in electro-magnetic waves reached its peak when Hertz (remember ‘mega-hertz’?), Branly, Tesla, de Mousa, Braun and other pioneers demonstrated that ‘wireless telegraphy’ was actually feasible. In November 1894, our own Jagadish Chandra Bose literally ‘rang a bell’ in Calcutta without any connecting wire, while six months later, on 7th of May 1895 (Russia’s ‘Radio Day’), Alexander Popov displayed the first ‘radio set.’ But it was Marconi who obtained the first patent in March 1897 and immediately set up his British Marconi Company and also the first radio station in the world, on the Isle of Wight. This Italian would move fast and far in life, and in 1909 he shared the Nobel Prize in Physics, with Karl Braun. But it was San Jose, California, that showed the world that it was destined to become the ‘Silicon Valley,’ when that very year, Charles Herrold constructed the first really operational radio station. As a farmer’s son, he was familiar with ‘broad-casting,’ i.e., the scattering of seeds 52 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
by hand, and he gave us this term to tele-communications. Radios would soon became the lifeline for ships out on the seas, more so during distress, and as expected, it was developed in the First World War to communicate with troops on the battle-front. As soon as the war ended, civilian use picked up and in August 1920, a station in Argentina began regular entertainment broadcasts, Detroit, Michigan issued the first known news broadcast. With typical American business sense, KDKA in Pittsburgh went on the air on
ABOUT WORLD RADIO DAY UNESCO’s General Conference, at its 36th session, proclaimed World Radio Day on 13 February. Radio is the mass media reaching the widest audience in the world. It is also recognised as a powerful communication tool and a low cost medium. Radio is specifically suited to reach remote communities and vulnerable people: the illiterate, the disabled, women, youth and the poor, while offering a platform to intervene in the public debate, irrespective of people’s educational level. Furthermore, radio has a strong and specific role in emergency communication and disaster relief.
“The airwaves have frequently lagged behind when it comes to gender equality. Not nearly enough women’s voices are heard — either in front or behind the microphone,” he stated. “Not nearly enough stories about women and girls are being told. And women make up only a quarter of the members of the boards of the world’s media enterprises.” Ban Ki-moon
November 2, 1920, with the Presidential election results, heralding in commercial broadcasting. Several broadcasters in the USA followed, but the BBC would take two more years to start its first broadcast: on 14th November, 1922. In typical governmental style, the Postmaster General took some months to sign the licence, but BBC had already embarked on its mission and had started spreading its services throughout Britain. The sudden newspaper strike of 1926 gave it unprecedented popularity as the sole medium available, and the radio had finally arrived. India did not lag behind, and even as the BBC picked up speed, Bombay started its own Radio Club in 1923, while the Presidency Club of Madras also set up its own radio facility in 1924. The early adventures covered tiny circles, but by 1926, some enterprising businessmen got together in Bombay and formed the Indian Broadcasting Company. The IBC installed the first proper radio station in Bombay on 23rd of July 1927 and followed it up with another in Calcutta on 26th of August. The number of licensed radio owners was, however, just three thousand and by March 1930, the company had thus to wind up. By then, the British Indian government had finally got its act together and followed the advice of BBC’s founding director general, John Reith, who had been trying in vain from 1923 to convince successive Viceroys on the merits of public service broadcasting. The Crown quickly took over the sick company’s assets and on April Fools’ Day of 1930, the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) was formed. Its parent department, Industries and Labour, tried to offset the costs of the new service by increasing duty on receiver sets. In December 1932, BBC’s Empire Service was extended to India, but matters would greatly improve when Reith sent Lionel Fielden to assume charge in August 1935, of the newly-created office, Controller of Broadcasting. Described as “brilliant but impetuous … very highly creative” and
someone the “system looks on with disfavour,” Fielden proved these epithets as he went about his job like a man possessed. By January 1936, he gave Delhi its radio station, at Kingsway Camp: ruffling many feathers as he went about in his brusque ‘must do’ style. “I quarrel frightfully with all the Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries,” he bemoaned to Lord Keith, “and I don’t see how I can do anything else.” The establishment wanted a bland, officious media, but Fielding tried hard to air the voice of India, as he heard it. When he invited a noted critic of the Raj, Verrier Elwin, to speak on the radio on (yes, on) Empire Day, he won strong enemies but several friends among Indians. On the 8th of June of that year, the ISBS was re-named ‘All India Radio,’ Tagore re-christened it as ‘Akashvani,’ the voice that comes over from the skies, through a poem that was penned in 1938, for the inauguration of Calcutta’s Short Wave service. Within a year, the Second World War broke out and Britain had to act fast in India as Nazi propaganda was reaching over the Short Wave Radio. News bulletins in India had already been centralised and even the regional services were given their ‘ready scripts’ from Delhi: a practice that continues till today. Their daily number was now hiked to 27. We may recall an interesting episode when a ‘Congress Radio’ was set up on 3rd September 1942, just a few days after the Quit India Movement. It claimed to be from “somewhere in India” and played quite a cat and mouse game with the police, as the portable radio station shifted locations. But on the 11th Nov, the young group of freedom fighters were caught in their act and the Police Commissioner of Bombay squarely accused Ram Manohar Lohia of being the mastermind. As British left the shores of India, AIR had only six stations covering four metros and Lucknow along with Tiruchirapally, while the Princely States of Mysore,
On World Radio Day, we celebrate a medium that remains a first choice for women and men across the world. Radio gives a voice to the voiceless, it helps educate the illiterate, and it saves lives during natural disasters. A force for freedom of expression and pluralism, radio is essential to building inclusive knowledge societies and to promoting respect and understanding between people. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Chief
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Travancore, Hyderabad and Aurangabad had four, of their own. There were just two and a half lakh receiver sets for a population that exceeded 325 million. This would soon change, as Nehru made radio one of his priorities for uniting the new India that Churchill predicted would “soon breakdown under its own anarchy.” By 1961, the number of radio stations trebled and by 1981, nearly a hundred centres catered to an estimated 90 million radio receivers. There are 409 stations today, of which 212 are studios that originate programmes: varying from just a few hours a day to 24 x 7. In addition, 193 relay centres carry different broadcasts: mainstream Akashvani, Vividh Bharati, FM Rainbow or Gold and local multi-purpose radio stations. Though Short Wave is on its way out and Medium Wave appears to be stagnating, it is FM that rules the wave and 387 of AIR’s 587 transmitters are FM, with more being added every month. It can be heard quite clearly on mobile handsets, that will soon hit the billion mark, but FM’s range is quite limited. Among the most remarkable achievements of AIR was its Vividh Bharati service which began in October 1957, i.e., five years after Radio Ceylon had started and had managed to garner a huge following of Hindi film song lovers across the sub-continent: all because AIR was stopped by the then I & B Minister, Dr. B.V. Keskar. He promoted classical music, which captivated an unparalleled number of enthusiasts, but he also banned “cheap and vulgar” filmi songs over Akashvani. Vividh Bharati could, however, overtake Radio Ceylon within just a few years, and, in the process, it helped unite India. Most Indians submerged their inherited ‘differences’ of language, religion or region, in favour of an emerging pan-Indian, supra-national identity. Despite the protests from intellectuals, there is no denial that Hindi film songs became the ‘link culture’ and is the shared sentimental heritage of not only the masses, but even of upper echelons. 54 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
For several decades before the cheap tape-cassette arrived, it was Akashvani’s Vividh Bharati that not only captivated Indians but released it from the confines of only the few who could afford movie tickets or could possess expensive gramophones. To the man in street, Akashvani stood for filmi geet and sombre news bulletins. But AIR is or was more than that: it had radio plays, feature shows, radio talks, large doses of classical music, quiz and poetry competitions and school-based programmes, as well as a very rich archives that is yet to be tapped fully. The agricultural revolution in India owes an enormous debt to the broadcasts of AIR, and also DD, before and after it was delinked from AIR in April 1976. AIR also picked up ‘rural broadcasting’ from where ‘community listening’ had started before Independence, and strengthened it with what the farmer needed: weather reports, market prices, agricultural tips, animal husbandry, health and hygiene. By 1960, the number of community sets had reached 50,000 and in the late 1960s, the problem of power and batteries that valve-based radios had faced would be over, as the transistor revolution transformed India. The two wars in the 1960s provided Akashvani a unique opportunity to galvanise the nation as never before. The India that appeared fragmented in 1947, with fourteen distinct provinces of the British and 565 Princely States, stood like a rock in 1962: behind her soldiers fighting on icy high altitudes. Vividh Bharati started its Jayamala programme to cheer the armed forces, with Nargis, Lata, Asha, Mukesh, Naushad, Manna Dey and the who’s who of the film world leading it. Then rolled out other unforgettable programmes, like Inspector Eagle, the Bournvita Quiz Contest, Filmi Mukadama, Antakshari, Man Chahe Geet, Sangeet Sarita, Chhaya Geet, et al. We may also remember that All India Radio actually lived up to its name, for it never discriminated against singers and artistes like Shamshad Begum, Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hasan, Nusrat and Rahat Fateh Ali, Mohsin Khan, Mira, Monalisa, Shafqat Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Adnan Sami and others who were Pakistanis. Its radio waves united souls in music and a shared history that the politics of a ‘Two Nation theory’ had rendered as under. By Jawhar Sircar, CEO of Prasar Bharati Source: UNEWS, February 2014
GRAMMAR GURU
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t a fashionable London dinner party Disraeli was asked to distinguish between misfortune and calamity. “Well,” he is reported to have answered, “if Gladstone fell into the Thames, that would be a misfortune. If anybody pulled him out, that would be a calamity.” Quite often we are confused about the usage of the prepositions between, among and during. We tend to use ungrammatical sentences like the ones below:
other hand we use between when there are people or things on either side of someone or something. He wandered silently among the passengers on the boat. When a phrase beginning with among comes at the start of a sentence, it is usually followed by the verb ‘be’ (not by the subject of the sentence. However the structure is not common and is used only in formal styles.
1. The First World War was fought during 1914–1918.
Among her reasons for resigning is the fact that she wants to move back to her hometown.
2. Between all the magazines on the shelves only one was of any interest.
So now you see why sentences 2 and 3 are wrong? They should read as:
3. The main purpose of the visit is to develop a closer relationship among the two countries.
z
Among all the magazines on the shelves, there was only one of any interest.
4. England grew prosperous between Queen Victoria’s reign.
z
The main purpose of the visit is to develop a closer relationship between the two countries.
Let us look at the rules for the use of each of these prepositions and understand why the above sentences are wrong. Between We say that something is between two people, things or groups of things.
Among the questions asked in the examination of an applicant on the Chicago police force, was this one: “What would you do to disperse a crowd quietly and quickly?” He answered: “I’ll pass the hat around.”
She was standing between the two pillars.
During During answers the question, “When?” For answers the question, “How long?”
Between is often used to talk about distances or intervals.
I completed the course during summer.
I will be at office between 9 and 5.
I did the course for six weeks.
The teacher of our eight year old grandson’s third standard class asked them to describe the difference between climate and weather. Our grandson wrote: “Climate is what you expect; weather is what you get.”
During the prohibition days in the United States, a certain bootlegger was brought on trial. His face had all the features of a drunkard — the strawberry nose, the blood red eyes and the bloated jaw. His counsel resorted to an unusual defence theory. Addressing the jury, he said, “Gentlemen of the jury, have a close look at the defendant.” The jury did so. “Now gentlemen, do you really think that if the defendant had a bottle of whisky in his possession he would sell it? I have nothing more to say.” The jury retired. Verdict: “Not guilty.”
Note: Avoid using between ... to; use between ... and or from ... to. It will take them between six to eight weeks to finish the job. (Wrong) It will take them between six and eight weeks to finish the job. (Correct) Between June 1987 to March 1990 I was in France. (Wrong) From June 1987 to March 1990 I was in France. (Correct) Among Among or amongst is used when at least three people or things are considered as a group or as a mass. On the
Dr. V. Saraswathi, Vice President, English Language Teachers’ Association of India, Reproduced with permission from Education Times, The Times of India, Chennai.
ROTARY ACTS
Service defines an art of facilitating bliss. Bestowing joy is special and when thou art serving the special, service is redefined. A transaction of special service undertaken by RC Bombay Uptown, RI District 3140 is a celebration that served children with special needs in the most special way.
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erfection admired itself. God had made it supreme and divine. Anger and anguish in repulse impaired perfection. Who knew that this transformation would be celebrated as perfection of a special kind? Rotarians from RC Bombay Uptown, RI District 3140 came together at a fiesta for children with special needs and experienced the world of special perfection. Fun and frolic at the surface was just a reflection of the love that had been anticipating an opportunity to drench the dry hearts of children who needed a special shower of care. A carnival hosted by the club celebrated the perfect smile that flashed on the face of every special child’s face. Maharshi Karve Udyan, a garden close to Mumbai’s Marine Drive that presently has been leased out to the club woke up to a different morning. The sounds of laughter and amusement drowned the noise of the bustling traffic. Smallest of details attended to at the garden exhibited a welcome air. A rally flagged off at a popular joint, 5 Gardens, initiated the fiesta. The rally featured students from 30 special schools who walked with grace and pride placing their spectators in a state of consciousness to understand how precious dignity was to them. Led by a brass band, 1,000 participants at the Clowns and super-heroes entertaining the children; Magician performing for the children.
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A juggler entertaining the children.
rally were all set to step into Rotary’s garden of compassion. Banners, balloons and the band playing welcome tunes sent out waves of happiness among the invitees. A path all lit up to glitz and opulence, a wide stretch of gaming counters equipped with special playing material
elated the smiling invitees. To add to all the fun, parents of all the special children escorted them around the carnival which was formally inaugurated by District Governor Lata Subraidu amidst an enthusiastic participation of several Rotarians. Food and cold drinks were on the house so that the
Special Needs Misunderstood “Special Needs” is a channel through which weakness is won by amazing strength identified in a child who could be born with physical, mental or emotional disorders. This process has been misunderstood to work on the negatives of the child. For example, the child can’t read or write, can’t understand, can’t remember, can’t control himself, etc. Parents, teachers, and the society label these children as disabled instead of grooming the child’s strengths. “Special Needs” is a process of making the child realise the strength that lies within him. It’s not about what the child can’t do; it is about what he can do. What the world fails to understand is every child can learn not mandatorily on the same day and in the same way.
energy of the event remained consistent till the very end. Munching on their snacks, hip hopping from counter to counter was just the beginning. As smiles grew wider and wider so did the surprises grow bigger and bigger. When the curtains were drawn a stage all set to thrill its special audience witnessed its encounter with dignitaries followed by sizzling performances. The Army Band blew trumpets of glorification and beat their drums to draw every bit of the attention from the audience. Divinity personified on the stage as young boys and girls performed the Ganesh Vandana. Gradually the scenes on the stage moved from divinity to magic. With a puff and poof and a swaying of the wand, a magician brought out awe that grew into applause and touched the hearts of the children with excitement. Jugglers engaged the spectators with clowns for accompaniment. Each clown running in between the audience had laughter spilling from his pocket. Children looked with curiosity to see if the juggler would APRIL 2014
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drop a ball first or fall off his one wheeler. The noise grew louder and music filled the air as each of the thousand special children got their share of lime light. Each child was taken to the podium and given a chance to shake a leg to the beats of peppy numbers. If there ever was a moment when cheer smiled at fun and shared a moment of uninterrupted joy, it was this. The host, RC Bombay Uptown never knew that they would be surprised by the awe-inspiring performance. It looked like a party of a life time. Photo flashes and all the paparazzi justified for the first time as real celebrities — the special children held the audience in complete admiration.
Another feature at the carnival that left the other visitors in fascination was the handicraft workshop that displayed the art and craft of the special minds. Special schools displayed the hidden talents of the differently-abled children who are hurt, abused and taken for granted most of the time. They say beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder; show of such pure beauty at the art and craft stall needed no beholder. To call these children disabled reflects the petite mind of our society. These children need a little more compassion and care. RC Bombay Uptown has proved to the world that they believe each child who enters the world is special and disability lies in the mind, not in the child. What started as a carnival went on to be a showcase of love and care.
Rotarians of RC Bombay Uptown, RI District 3140, along with RC Bombay Mandvi and RC Mumbai Mahim through this special transaction of handing over a priceless smile on the faces of priceless people have accomplished service of a supreme kind. If a master card can buy anything except what’s priceless then the Rotarians of these Rotary clubs have brought themselves a wholesome share of priceless humanitarianism. Rotarians could be called as the chosen ones who through their service would take us all to a promised land, free of discrimination and disability would be an obsolete.
CLUB DOWNLOADS
Find club committee manuals for: • Administration • Membership • Public Relations • Rotary Foundation • Service Projects search www.rotary.org 58 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
club committee manual
Kiran Zehra
FAO adds a pinch of regulation to spice, herb sector
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lack pepper, vanilla and basil were among the spices and herbs under scrutiny as a newly created committee met on 11 February in Kochi, India, to develop quality standards for the multi-billion industry, which could also aid small farmers in selecting what to grow and how, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) announced. “Once clear internationally accepted standards are established, consumers can trust the safety and quality of the spices and herbs they buy,” Ren Wang, Assistant Director General of FAO’s Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department said. The spice and herb sector has been enjoying rapid growth for several decades as demand grows in booming economies in Asia and elsewhere, and increased recognition of their health and culinary benefits. At its nearly week-long meeting in Kochi, the Committee will continue ongoing efforts to establish general
standards for spices and herbs in line with other foods, based on hygiene, contaminants and pesticide residues. A set of standards could also aid small-scale farmers, the UN agency said, showing them more clearly “what they should be growing and to what standard.” Source: UNEWS, February 2014
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This Rotarian’s daughter is an unstoppable force for education.
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he Swat Valley of northern Pakistan, in the highlands between Kashmir and the Khyber Pass, was once a lush, peaceful place. It was ruled by Miangul Abdul Haq Jahanzeb — the Wali, or absolute monarch, of Swat. A modernizer, the Wali built schools for his subjects — girls as well as boys — and toured remote regions where no one had ever seen an automobile. On one trip, the villagers tried to feed hay to his Cadillac. Zebu Jilani recalls the land of her childhood: “A beautiful, pristine place where mountains climbed to the clouds. People called it the real Shangri-La.” The Wali was her grandfather. Princess Zebu, as Swatis still refer to her, recalls playing with shiny rocks that resembled chunks of green glass. “They were emeralds from my family’s mines.” Then, in 1969, Swat relinquished its sovereignty to the government of Pakistan. So began a 40-year period of decline that led to the rise of the Taliban in 2008. For two years, 60 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
the people of Swat endured a reign of terror as the Taliban imposed their brutal version of Islamic law. They rounded up political opponents, beheaded some and flogged others. They held public executions, beat women, blew up schools. Jilani moved to the United States in 1979. During her yearly visits to her homeland, she couldn’t stand seeing it overrun. The money from her family’s emerald mines was gone, so she raised money from scratch and soon started opening schools, delivering shelter and medicine to Swati refugees, and founding Swat’s first Rotary club. Among the first people she asked to join was Ziauddin Yousafzai, an educator and activist who had a teenage daughter named Malala. You probably have heard of Malala Yousafzai. At 15, Malala was a star student at the Khushal School and College in the Swat Valley town of Mingora. A voracious reader of everything from
Malala Yousafzai was shot in October 2012 for defying the Taliban by speaking out for girls’ education. Facing page from top: Children ride the bus home from school in Malala’s native Swat Valley, in northern Pakistan; Boys and girls in Pakistan pray for Malala’s recovery after the shooting. The doctors weren’t sure she would survive, let alone walk or talk again. Six days after the attack, she was airlifted to Birmingham, England, where she spent three months in the hospital and underwent multiple surgeries.
Pashto poetry to The Twilight Saga, she wore a navy blue school uniform to her classes in science, math, Islamic studies, English and Urdu, the language in which she wrote a blog about life under threat from the Taliban. Malala’s blog posts featured few of the concerns of Western teenagers. While high school
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sophomores in other countries looked forward to weekends, she wrote of disliking Friday “because it’s the day when suicide attackers think that killing has special meaning.” She blogged about battles between Pakistan’s army and the Taliban (“The night was filled with the noise of artillery fire”), about helicopter gunships buzzing overhead, about book shortages, her dreams, her favourite pink dress and about the possible end of her schooling: “The Taliban have issued an edict banning all girls from attending school.” On her blog, Malala used the pseudonym Gul Makai, the name of a heroine of Pakistani folklore, but her identity was an open secret — particularly after she began giving TV interviews. “I have the right to play. I have the right to sing,” she told a worldwide CNN audience in 2011. “I have the right to go to market. I have the right to speak up.” The Taliban had never encountered such defiance from a young girl. There were death threats, directed first to her father and then specifically to her. Malala ignored them. In another TV appearance, she was blunter than ever, saying, “I will get my education. And this is our request to all the world: Save our schools. Save our Swat.” Her father was doing his part to keep the traditions of Swat alive. In 2010, after Pakistan’s army restored partial order in Mingora, he helped his Rotary club stage the first public musical performance in the town since the Taliban takeover. “We Rotarians were proud to arrange such a show. It was a brave thing to do, since the Taliban influence was still there,” says Yousafzai, a member of the Rotary Club of Mingora Swat. “Things were uncertain, with many threats and frequent assassinations. But we put on a good show.” Along with Jilani, who created a nonprofit group called the Swat Relief Initiative, Yousafzai and others paid for new equipment for the maternity ward of a local hospital and an electrophoresis machine to help people with a rare 62 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
From top: In the fall of 2013, Malala received the Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award at Harvard University. Her father (right) joined the students in commending her bravery; Zebu Jilani (right, in Swat’s Kater Village), granddaughter of a revered past Swati ruler, founded the first Rotary club in the Swat Valley and recruited Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousafzai.
blood disease. They built a water filtration plant, hired an American geologist to explore the region’s precious mineral deposits, established a mobile prosthesis clinic for people who had lost limbs to Taliban bombs, and founded a group called Green Swat that aims to plant 2,00,000 trees in the area. On a Tuesday in October 2012, Yousafzai was in Mingora, leading a rally of more than 300 principals and teachers to promote education for all. “My friend Ahmad Shah, a fellow Rotarian, spoke before me,” he says. “I was on my way to the podium when my phone rang. I handed the phone to Ahmad. A moment later, he whispered the news: The Khushal school bus had been attacked. My heart sank. I could guess who the target was. ‘It must be Malala,’ I thought. At that moment, the moderator announced my name. With sweat on my forehead, I spoke for about six minutes. As I finished, Ahmad said, ‘We must rush to the hospital.’ ” His daughter had been coming home when a gunman barged onto her school bus. He threatened to kill everyone unless the students told him which one was Malala. “Tell me,” he said, “or I will shoot you all.” As the terrified schoolgirls looked at their classmate, the gunman turned his pistol on her and fired from point-blank range. “We drove fast to the hospital,” Yousafzai recalls. “I found Malala on a stretcher in her bloodstained school uniform. I kissed her forehead and face and said, ‘Brave daughter, I love you.’ ” Airlifted to Peshawar, Malala endured a three-hour operation to remove the bullet. Surgeons performed a APRIL 2014
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hemicraniectomy, removing part of her skull to relieve swelling in the brain. Her plight made international news. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon denounced the “heinous and cowardly” attack on a Pakistani schoolgirl. U.S. President Barack Obama called it “reprehensible and tragic.” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed Malala’s courage. Former first lady Laura Bush compared her to Anne Frank. Madonna dedicated a song to her. Not everyone was on her side. “We do not tolerate people like Malala speaking against us,” a Taliban spokesman announced as she lay in the hospital, breathing with the help of a ventilator. After the initial crisis passed, a doctor gave her a 70 percent chance of survival but said she might not walk or talk again. The Taliban swore they would attack her again if she lived. Six days after her shooting, the comatose patient was flown to a hospital 64 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
in Birmingham, England, that specialises in treating wartime casualties. It was there that she opened her eyes. “What country am I in?” she asked. By then Yousafzai’s brave daughter was a citizen of the world. The actress Angelina Jolie, who had spoken to her school-age children about the attack, wrote an article titled “We All Are Malala.” Young people everywhere made signs and printed “I Am Malala” on T-shirts to show solidarity with a girl who only wanted the right to go to school. “Those days were a great challenge for one so young,” Jilani says. “Not just her recovery — we were told she might be paralysed on her left side — but the attention. Imagine if you became one of the most famous people in the world, almost overnight. How would you handle it?” Malala stayed humble. She referred to Jilani as “Bi Bi Sahiba” (Revered
Madam). And she stayed resolute. “The Taliban thought they would stop me,” she said from her hospital bed. “But they won’t.” To her father she said, “Be peaceful.” To Jilani she said, “God will help me help people.” In March, Malala reported to her first day of school in Birmingham, a city with the second-largest Pakistani population in Britain. She had a custom-made titanium plate covering the hole in her skull and an electronic hearing device in her left ear, but otherwise she was like any other teen. She wore a green sweater and a pink backpack. “I am one girl among many,” she says. During her first days of classes in England, she gathered signatures for a petition supporting the right of every child to go to school. Her father now serves as an adviser to former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the UN special envoy for global
While the international press covered Malala’s recovery, young people all over the world chanted and tweeted “I am Malala” in solidarity and printed the slogan on signs and T-shirts. She has remained focused on the cause she nearly died for: universal access to education.
education. And while Malala stepped onto the world stage, her favourite princess kept her focus on Swat and stepped up her day-to-day efforts to restore some of its former glory. “It is a difficult task,” says Jilani, 61. “We need more health workers, more water filtration plants, more of just about everything that people in many parts of the world take for granted. The polio vaccine has saved lives, but not everyone will accept help. There are so many conspiracy theories about — people actually believe that the United States uses vaccines to sterilise Muslims.” As president of the Swat Relief Initiative, she
has raised millions for refugee supplies, preventive and prenatal health care, nutrition programmes, village councils practicing grassroots democracy, even entrepreneurship. When Jilani found shopkeepers paying Swati women only 25 cents to weave shawls all day, “we taught the women to sell their shawls themselves,” she says. Jilani says her organisation will use every rupee it raises to help the poor in Pakistan. “One hundred percent to the people, that’s our pledge,” she says. A word in a diplomat’s ear often helps, but sometimes it takes more. “Sometimes it takes a bulldozer — there are mountain villages that have no roads. We have to build them a road before building a school.” Some girls have a sweet 16 party. On 12 July, her 16th birthday, Malala gave a speech at the United Nations. This first public appearance since the shooting had been designated Malala Day at the UN. The guest of honour admitted she was “a bit nervous” stepping up to the podium in the General Assembly Hall, but she didn’t look nervous. She looked fearless. Perhaps she took a measure of strength from the pink shawl that wrapped under her chin and around her head, which still bore a bullet’s scar. The shawl had belonged to Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistani leader assassinated by terrorists in 2007. “First of all, thank you to God, for whom we are all equal,” Malala said. “And thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and a new life.” After greeting the secretarygeneral, Brown, and other dignitaries, the solemn birthday girl disowned any thought of her own celebrity. “Dear brothers and sisters, Malala Day is not my day,” she said. “Today is the day of every woman, every boy, and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights.… The right to live in peace. The right to be treated with dignity. The right to equality. The right to be educated.” In a calmly powerful 17-minute talk punctuated by several ovations, she cited her role models: “Muhammad, the prophet
of mercy,” as well as Jesus, the Buddha, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa. “Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone.” Not even the Taliban, whom she called “extremists afraid of books and pens.” Al Qaeda and the Taliban “misuse the name of Islam, a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood,” she continued. In the end, she said, “we must not forget that our sisters and brothers are waiting for a bright, peaceful future. So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism. Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.” There was a standing ovation. The secretary-general, applauding, called Malala “our hero.” She nodded, relieved that her speech was over, looking momentarily like any other teenage girl. But only momentarily. In an instant, she regained the composure of the girl who looked her assassin in the eye, survived and forgave him. She handed Ban a petition she’d been working on, in school and online, supporting the educational rights of every child on earth. Jilani continues to carry out the often unglamorous task of getting necessities — from tents to antibiotics to bulldozers and steamrollers — to the people of Swat. “Malala’s suffering was horrible, but it made the whole world listen to her,” Jilani says. “Her fame became a great gift to her cause. I hope that one day she can return to her home and find that our combined efforts have made a difference.” That’s Malala’s goal too. The other day her father, reflecting on his family’s remarkable trajectory, said he hoped to go home someday. “I dream of a time when we will go back to Swat, our dream valley,” Yousafzai says. “And I will ask Malala to join our Rotary club.” By Kevin Cook Reproduced from The Rotarian APRIL 2014
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MISCELLANY
In a crisis, are you brave enough to consult the Internet?
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s the rain lashed against the windows of the London pub, I got out my iPhone and frantically began to search for information. “Peritoneal seedlings,” I first typed into Google. Then, “Peritoneal metastasis prognosis colon cancer.” I had just been to see my surgeon with my wife for results of a scan. I wasn’t expecting more bad news, so it was a shock to hear that stomach-churning hiss of the word metastasis. The scan showed a lesion on the peritoneum, the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, and doctors wouldn’t know what it was exactly until they opened me up. The surgeon explained the options. He used his tie to demonstrate how my colon was looped and how it might have breached the peritoneum. He went through what would happen during surgery. But I couldn’t listen to him: His words sounded foreign, barely audible. What I really wanted to do was to pull out my phone and ask Google to tell me when I was going to die. When I found out that I had cancer at age 36, I didn’t weep or break down or scream or shout. I went online. Since that moment, since that first panicky search, the Internet has been both my best friend and my bête noire. In some oncology offices, there are signs telling patients: “Stay Off The Internet.” I understood why the first time I Googled survival statistics. For my stage of cancer (III C), they aren’t very encouraging. Sometimes 66 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
50 percent, sometimes 44 percent, sometimes as low as 28 percent. I knew all the caveats. I was unique, not just a statistic, a complex lattice of flesh and blood. The five-year survival stats were at least five years old and, since then, treatment had come a long way. But still. There it was in stark digits: the likelihood I would die. As my diagnosis began to sink in, the Internet was the scalpel
I used to pick at my fears. Going online increased my anxiety, and I turned to the Web in an increasingly masochistic way. I went on forums for people with terminal cancer. I researched the negative aspects of my pathology reports and found academic papers that confirmed my worst fears. The way I used the Internet was the equivalent of sitting down with the world’s most pessimistic doctor and
asking him for hours on end about the most dismal twists and turns my cancer could possibly take. Sometimes, paradoxically, I did this to feel better. When I could feel the anxiety rise inside me—about dying young, about being sick for the rest of my life—I would Google something related to my condition with the hope of making myself feel less anxious. I don’t know what I was looking for—rousing survivor stories, news about miracle cures—but invariably, I wound up feeling worse. Sometimes I turned to the Internet because I didn’t want to worry my loved ones with my fears. The Internet was always there, willing to listen, telling it to me straight. But even when my intentions were to self-educate, not to selflacerate, the sheer volume of information—academic studies, patient testimonies, potentially life saving treatments—could be overwhelming. It can be empowering for patients, but the vast majority of us don’t have the skills to properly process and synthesise what we’re reading. It was a user on an online message board—let’s call him “colonboy”— who helped me think differently about my time online. My pathology report after the surgery to remove my tumour was a mixed bag. The lesion on my peritoneum was a cancerous lymph node rather than a portion of the dreaded “peritoneal seedlings.” However, there was greater lymph node involvement than I expected. I had expected about four positive; I got nine. I was beside myself with worry.
So I went on a forum, The Colon Club, where prior to surgery I had posted a question about my CT scan. I updated my post with information from my pathology report. The first reply was from colonboy, who had been through something similar. “It was like hearing a gun go off,” he wrote about receiving his own pathology report. But still, he added, he had more nodes positive than I did and was in remission, so there was still a good chance of a cure. My surgeon had assured me that my pathology report was somewhere in the middle of our spectrum of expectations and that it was possible I would make a full recovery and live a normal life. But hearing it from someone who was living to tell the tale was something else, something remarkable. I cried at my computer—great fat tears of joy. It was one of the first times I really thought I might get better. I became a regular visitor to The Colon Club. I also joined a group on Facebook called ColonTown. Support groups, online or offline, aren’t for everyone—many people don’t want to be constantly reminded of their illness—but for me they were invaluable. Here were people who understood the anger, the resentment, the despair. They knew what it was like to feel hyper on steroids, to feel the numbness in your hands and feet from chemotherapy. They understood the day-to-day frustrations of having to hear from people about their mom’s hairdresser’s friend-of-a-friend who got cancer and died. Rather than trying to ascertain through the power of search engines the exact date of my
death, I have tried to use the Internet more productively: diet and exercise tips for chemo, forums to help me adapt to a new life with an ileostomy. Now I know what questions to ask my doctors. I hope my cancer doesn’t progress, but if it does, I feel a bit more prepared. Thanks to patients sharing treatment stories online, I can better understand the range of possibilities, rather than simply viewing a stage IV diagnosis through the prism of a 10 percent survival rate. The problem, ultimately, isn’t with the Internet. The problem is with me. No one is making me Google survival statistics, or search my way into a panicky tizzy. When I went online, the tone and tenor of the conversation was largely dictated by me. If I wanted upbeat, I could search until I found it; if I wanted doom and gloom, it was waiting for me there. There are always positive testimonies of survivors beating cancer, just as there are plenty of moving YouTube tributes to young adults who died of bone cancer. For my hopes and my fears, the Internet has been the ultimate echo chamber. When I feel down these days, I Google “colon cancer exercise recurrence” and read the same academic studies I have now read hundreds of times, which show the benefits of exercise in preventing relapse. Or I reread the thread on The Colon Club where long-term survivors of colon cancer share their stories. It’s much better than asking Google to tell you when you’re going to die. By Luke Allnutt Reproduced from The Rotarian
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News, Studies and Recent Research Sweaty palms could be a good thing, if you’re the kind of person who craves the thrill of negotiating a bargain. As part of a study published in Psychological Science, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology surveyed students about their attitudes toward negotiation and had them discuss the price of a car while walking on a treadmill at either high or low speed. At high speed, subjects’ initial feelings about negotiation were heightened, and those who were enthusiastic about it showed improved performance.
1 in 3 women worldwide does not have access to toilets or facilities to attend to feminine hygiene. A joint report from the UN Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council,
WaterAid and Unilever highlighted the effects on women and girls: In a series of case studies, the authors found that school attendance drops for young women when they begin menstruating, and women collectively lose 97 billion hours per year looking for a private place to take care of business.
Gut bacteria might influence the workings of the mind. To explore this link, scientists from the Digestive Health Research Institute at McMaster University in Ontario studied the brains and intestinal bacteria of mice undergoing faecal transplants. Their findings, published in Current Opinion in Microbiology, suggest that exposure to donor bacteria alters recipients’ behaviour: Anxious
mice became more gregarious with transplants from gregarious mice and vice versa.
Selfishness is hard to quantify, but researchers from the University of Colorado measured the connection between self-serving behaviour and behavioural problems in youth using a computer game that asks subjects to accept or reject offers of money at the expense of a charitable donation. In the journal PLoS ONE, the researchers reported that young people with behavioural problems were significantly more likely than the control group to decide to benefit themselves rather than others. By Sallyann Price Reproduced from The Rotarian
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NVEL MIDTOWN SOLAPUR NORTH KAMAREDDY ANANTAPUR CENTRAL PANAJI RIVIERA SHIMOGA RIVERSIDE KOTHAMANGALAM UPUR METROPOLIS KOTTAYAM CENTRAL VALLIYOOR CENTRAL MADRAS SOUTH RANIGANJ KODERMA BHUBANESWAR NEW RIZON CALCUTTA RIDGE KATHMANDU MIDTOWN CHIDAMBARAM MIDTOWN JAMBUKESHWARAM CHANDRAPUR JODHPUR VAPI ERSIDE AMRITSAR EAST MOHALI AGRA WEST AHMEDNAGAR PRIYADARSHINI MUMBAI NORTH ISLAND GUNTAKAL QUILON CASHEW Y MARTHANDAM MARAIMALAI NAGAR KUMBAKONAM SHAKTHI DINDIGUL VIZAG METRO APRIL AKOLA 2014 GODHRA MIDTOWN NOKHA RODA JALANDAR SOUTH ROOPNAGAR RAJPURA GREATER MORADABAD CIVIL LINES HALDWANI VARANASI SUNRISE PUNE ORTS CITY LONAND DOMBIVLI WEST KAMAREDDY DHONE ANKOLA RURAL KUNDAPURA MIDTOWN COCHIN AIRPORT TIRUPUR Su JAMSHEDPUR Mo Tu We Fr COSMOPOLITAN Sa TTON CITY Y QUILON LOTUS RAJAPALAYAM CENTRAL VELLORE SOUTH DURGAPUR WESTThRAIPUR LCUTTA UPTOWN PT TOW OWN N BU BUTW BUTWAL TWAL TW A SAL AL SALEM ALEM AL EM C COSMOS O MO OS OS TH THUR THURAIYUR URAI UR A YU YUR R PE PERU PERUMALMALAI RUMA RU MALM MA LMAL LM A VIJAYAWADA VISIONARY COUPLES NAGPUR SOUTH EAST NAGAR GANDEVI GAN AN NDE D VI RAJOURI RAJ AJOU OURI R FATEHABAD RI FAT ATEH HABAD AD D GREATER GRE REAT REAT ATER ER GANGA ER GAN ANGA GA BIJNOR BIIJ JNO OR BAREILLY B SOUTH PUNE KOTHRUD SOLAPUR NORTH POWAI 5 GWALIOR 4 3 MIDTOWN 2 1 AHMEDABAD RANGAL RASI RASIPURAM IPUR RAM T TIRUCHIRAPALLI IR IRUC RUC CHIRAPA ALLI RE R REW REWARI EWARI MA MAIN AIN AN AIN AI ANAKAPALLE NAK KAP PAL ALLE ALL LE JALG JALGAON INDORE MEGHDOOT ERANGANA A V VAPI API R RIVERSIDE IVERS SID DE JULLUNDUR JULLUN NDUR DUR DEHRADUN DEHRAD ADUN AD N WEST WES EST RAJPURA RAJPU GANGA BIJNOR AGRA HERITAGE VARANASI CENTRAL ONA MIDTOWN OWN N MA MADHA ADHA TH T THANE HAN NE H HILLS IL LLS WA WAR WARANGAL RANGAL TADP TADPATRI PATR TRII PA P PANA NA JI RI RIVIERA MANGALORE SOUTH BANGALORE SADASHIVANAGAR 11 12 GREATER 9 10 BURDWAN 8 7 CENTRAL 6 THAMANGALAM ALA AM T TIRUPUR IRU RUPU PU UR GA GANDHINAGAR AND NDH HIN NAGAR QU Q QUILON ILON N NORTH O TH N OR NAGERCOIL A ER AG E COIL C CENTRAL MADRAS AADITHYA YA CENTRAL AL INFOCITY IN NFO OCIT ITY Y BHUBANESWAR BH HUBAN NESW ESWAR R CENTRAL CENT CE N RAL L CALCUTTA C LC CA CUT UTT TA DHULIKHEL TA DHU ULI L KH SALEM TEXCITY DINDIGUL VIJAYAWADA CHANDRAPUR MBAY LUDHIANA DHIA ANA GR G GREA GREATER REAT TER KA KARNAL ARNAL AL M MIDTOWN ID DTO T WN W N NABHA ABHA AB HA A B BAREILLY AREI AR E LL LLY C CE CENTRAL ENT N BAGALKOT BUTWAL KOMARAPALAYAM PERAMBALUR 19 METRO 17 18BAREILLY 14 15 16 KHURJA YYURU CHANDRAPUR CHAN NDR DRA AP PUR UR R BIKANER BIKAN BIKA AN NER BHAVNAGAR BHAVNA HAVN HAVNAG VN NAGAR A AR AG AR UDHAMPUR UDH DH HAM AMP AMPU PUR BHAKRA PU PUR BHA BHA AK KR NANGAL 13 SRI GANGANAGAR HRAICH PUNE E TILAK TIL LAK ROAD WAI BOMBAY JUHU BEACH SATTENAP SATTENAPALLI SATTENAPALL RAICHUR KARW AR BELUR CHANNAPATTANA COCHIN SATTENAPA PIN ISLANDS DS T TIRUPUR IRU UPU PUR WEST QUILON LOTUS TINNEVELLY VANDAV VANDAVA VANDAVASI GREATER TEZPUR RANCHI SAMBALPUR WEST CALCUTTA 26 LUDHIANA 25EAST 22 23 24SURAT 21 MARUDHARA D SOUTH BU B BUTWAL UTWAL TW WAL H HOSUR OSUR PERIYAKULAM RAJAHMUNDRY RIVER CIT CITY C AKOLA 20 BIKANER Y ROORKEE KEE RAJPURA PUNE SHIVAJINAGAR MUMBAI GHATKOPAR W WARANGAL GUNTAKAL SANGLI KOMARAPALAYAM KARUR GELS SONEPAT UPTOWN ICHAPURAM JALGAON GOLD CITY INDORE MEGHDOOT PALANPUR CITY JAIPUR GWALIOR VEERANGANA 29 30PUNE EAST JALNA CENTRAL 27 28BAHRAICH NDKHEDA UDHAMPUR ROOPNAGAR RAJPURA MORADABAD CIVIL LINES HALDWANI MBAY MID CITY WARANGAL TADIPATRI HONAVAR SHIRVA PUNGANUR CENTRAL COCHIN VYPIN ISLAND SAKTHINAGAR ALLEPPEY ST GOLDEN RAMNAD GUWAHATI DAMODAR VALLEY KORBA BHUBANESWAR FRIENDS SALT LAKE METROPOLITAN BUTWAL NDICHERRY BEACH TOWN PUDUKKOTTAI PALACE CITY BHUSAWAL LUDHIANA NORTH FARIDABAD CENTRAL MATHURA CENTRAL NGOLA ULHASNAGAR MIDTOWN SALT LAKE CITY AARCH CITY MADRAS MANNARGUDI MADURAI NORTHWEST FARIDABAD MIDTOWN
ick P OF THE MONTH
RC BUTWAL RI District 3292 In order to help brilliant college students continue their education the club provided financial assistance in the form of scholarships to meet their college fees expenses.
RC NAGORE RI District 2980 The club donated ceiling fans to a play school for poor children. This would ease the heat during summer and the children would be able to enjoy their school hours.
RC PERIYAKULAM RI District 3000 With a view to provide better administration and coordination of work, the club donated office furniture to the village library at Jallipattu village.
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RC SONEPAT UPTOWN RI District 3010 Financial and material support in the form of cash, notebooks, stationery and snacks was given to the club’s adopted school that educates children hailing from the poor families.
RC VIJAYAWADA VISIONARY COUPLES RI District 3020 In order to promote civic sense and cleanliness among people of the city the club distributed dustbins at various busy spots in Vijayawada.
RC CHOPDA RI District 3030 Financial assistance by way of scholarship was given to meritorious students from various schools in the region. This would reduce the burden of their fees and help them concentrate on their studies.
RC GODHRA MIDTOWN RI District 3040 The club handed over to the Red Cross Society 45 units of blood collected at a blood donation camp held at Sahera jointly organised with Rotaract Club of Sahera, Jaycees and Sindhi Samaj.
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RC AHMEDABAD MAJESTY RI District 3051 The club organised a medical camp at Bahiyal village on a large scale that tested and treated 900 patients for ENT, skin, dental and other medical issues.
RC JAIPUR MANSAROVAR RI District 3052 In order to help poor students attend school with dignity and pride the club distributed sweaters, school bags and shoes among government school students.
RC AJMER RI District 3053 The club organised a RYLA programme at Aryan College, Ajmer to groom and encourage the youth to build a better world.
RC VAPI RIVERSIDE RI District 3060 A visit to the Dharampur Science Centre was organised by the club for the inmates of Vanchetana Kanya Chatralaya tribal girls’ hostel. This educational outing was an informative experience for the tribal girls. 72 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
RC AMRITSAR MIDTOWN RI District 3070 In order to help poor men and women get married and start a new life the club conducted a mass wedding programme. Financial and material support was also provided to all the newlywed couples.
RC ROORKEE RI District 3080 At a workshop organised by the club at CBRI High School students were taught basic etiquettes and many other interesting skills. Dental check up was also organised for the students.
RC PATIALA MIDTOWN RI District 3090 The club organised an annual education camp for a duration of three and a half months for the inmates of the Central Jail. This noble project has been partnered with RC Toronto, RI District 7070, Canada and TRF.
RC SRINAGAR GARHWAL RI District 3100 The club conducted an oral health programme for the students of Master Mind Public School, Garhwal. The programme briefed the children about healthy dental habits after a dental check up.
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RC BISAULI RI District 3110 The club in association with RC Kettering Huxloe, RI District 1070, UK and TRF inaugurated a new operation theatre at Dinesh Madhu Eye Hospital, Bisauli in order to assist poor villagers with better eye care facility.
RC LUCKNOW RI District 3120 The club conducted a medical camp at Jaitanpur village and initiated a health and nutrition programme for the villagers in order to provide them with a healthier lifestyle.
RC PUNE EAST RI District 3131 The club distributed sweaters in 23 different municipal corporation schools in Pune and in turn relieved 11,000 students from the cold climate. This is part of their silver jubilee celebration.
RC SOLAPUR AIRPORT RI District 3132 The club along with Ashwini Gramin Rugnalay and Mahavidhyalay Kumbhari organised an eye camp in which 50 poor and needy people were operated for cataract.
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RC MUMBAI SHIVAJI PARK RI District 3140 Wheel chairs were donated to needy patients at the Paraplegic Centre, Mumbai in order to assist them to move around with ease.
RC HINDUPUR RI District 3160 An orthopaedic check up camp was conducted for the inmates of an old age home. The senior citizens were examined for various bone related complaints.
RC DHARWAD CENTRAL RI District 3170 To promote environmental awareness and other important aspects of creating a better nation the club conducted an elocution competition for students from 18 different schools in the region.
RC THIRTHAHALLI RI District 3180 The club in association with RC Bangalore West, RI District 3190 distributed solar-powered table lamps to 1,500 students from the taluk to help them study without worrying about power disruptions. Laptops to promote e-patashala were also donated to schools. APRIL 2014
ROTARY NEWS 75
RC COCHIN KNIGHTS RI District 3201 Under the project “Amritajalam” the club installed purified water units at various places in the city to provide the general public with hygienic drinking water.
RC OOTACAMUND RI District 3202 An oratorical competition on enlightening subjects to encourage school students was organised at Breeks School, Ooty. Various schools from the region participated in this competition.
RC MAVELIKARA RI District 3211 The club conducted diabetes camp for poor men and women. Biothesiometry tests, Doppler tests, ECG and blood tests were done at the camp.
RC NAGERCOIL CENTRAL RI District 3212 A trip to a tourist spot was organised by the club for students from an orphanage. Along with the food the students were given pocket money for the trip.
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RC GUDIYATHAM RI District 3230 The club along with ten other city-plus clubs hosted a RYLA programme for various Interact clubs in the region. Students from 13 different schools took part in the programme.
RC GIRIDIH RI District 3250 Rotarians from the club extended a caring hand to poor, physically challenged people by donating tricycles to them.
RC CALCUTTA SOUTH CITY TOWERS RI District 3291 The club organised a medical camp for poor and needy people. Medicines were also provided to all the patients.
RI District 3292 Rotary’s first building in Pokhara, Nepal was inaugurated by the Rotarians of RI District 3292. The new building will be used for establishment of vocational training centre, library, community centre and cerebral palsy centre. APRIL 2014
ROTARY NEWS 77
HEALTH WATCH
TRAVELS
A
ny vegetarian who travels abroad knows that food is an issue. In fact travelling on business can really curtail your options since you may have limited time or you might be stuck at an airport hotel. Also, if you are travelling alone in a strange city, you might not feel comfortable heading out after dark to explore restaurants. EAT ETHNIC In larger cities, Indian restaurants are a safe bet for getting something vegetarian. Italian restaurants are omnipresent and always offer vegetarian options. You can try spaghetti with tomato sauce or even a vegetarian pizza. o For travellers who don’t want to ng experiment, Chinese restaurants are among the few eateries that provide a good variety of vegetables and tofu.
EATING IN If you don’t feel like going out in search of a veg restaurant, you can trade in your business suit for a bathrobe, turn on the television and order room service. Most hotels will be accommodating and let you pick and choose from their menu or make slight variations to their dishes. 78 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
BRING YOUR OWN OR SHOP AROUND While most people loathe dragging their groceries around on a trip, there is one item that is considered to be a boon while travelling — Instant cups of soup or noodles. With a small hot pot to heat water in your room, these soups can make a good stand-in meal when it’s just impossible to find anything else. You can also ask your hotel front desk where the closest grocery store is. You can pick up bread, cheese, fruits, dry fruits, etc. If you enjoy finishing off a meal with something sweet, buy eggless muffins or a bag of cookies.
ON A FLIGHT Almost all airlines offer vegetarian meals. If you forget to order your meal or if the airline makes a mistake and your food doesn’t make it onto the flight, all may not be lost. If the flight isn’t completely booked or if some passengers don’t want their meal, there may be a few extra, regular meals onboard. Ask the flight attendant if he or she could remove the non-veg curry (which is packed separately) from two of the meals and give you two servings of rice, vegetabbles and salad. You might also be able to stave ooff starvation with a couple of airline peanut packets. They are rich in mono-saturated fats.
Here are some countries where vegetarian travellers should have an easier time finding veg restaurants (listed alphabetically): Canada Hong Kong Malaysia Singapore
BUSINESS BANQUETS At catered events, you can fill up on bread rolls, cut vegetables like tomatoes, potato salads, plain boiled rice and eggless desserts. Most caterers can and will accommodate yourr vegetarian needs.
Thailand United Kingdom and United States Luckily, nowadays there are plenty of places where vegetarianism is common and even encouraged (especially in Buddhist countries). Source: The Indian Vegetarian Congress Quarterly
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RECOMMENDED READING
Attitude Architecture Shrest Vyavhar ki Shrest Kala (Fine Art of Human Behaviour) Rtn. Dr. Ramesh K. Arora Rotary Club of Jaipur Midtown RI District 3052 Management Development Academy, 7 – NA – 8, Jawahar Nagar Jaipur – 302004 Email: mdaconcepts@yahoo.com Website: mdatotaltraining.com Mobile: 09784593258, 09829726543 Price: Rs.100
W
ise men befriend the wise, wiser men befriend the wiser but the wisest befriend themselves. In Aristotle’s words “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” So here’s a book that allows you to study you — Shrest Vyavhar ki Shrest Kala (Fine Art of Human Behaviour). A good read to get out of the paradigm you’re stuck in and see the truth behind being successful, lies within you. This fine book is sure to redefine the way you connect to your world of relationships. Rtn. Dr. Ramesh K. Arora, a Fulbright scholar and a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA, through his book has cracked the code to happiness, success and all the positives. This code of conduct
assemblage would work a magical makeover for all your interactions. Life is all about our association with nature, family, friends, God and finally with ourselves. These consortiums when aligned with the virtue of thoughtfulness and subconscious kinesics hold the key to be wholesome. You are a mirror and will only be able to reflect what you exhibit. When you learn to love, respect, forgive and trust everyone, you in turn will find yourself in receipt of these values. This book comes handy when you’re out making new friends and is a refresher for the old ones. It is said that if you wish to know a man’s mind listen to his words. In this compendium of Dr. Ramesh K. Arora, the
art to listen to others and listening to yourself before you say something is mastered efficiently. The book leaves an impressive close with a list of errors human beings commit in a desire to rectify an existing error. Human relationships are very tender and do not require harsh judgements. The right time to bring forth a feeling without offending the likes of your fellowmen would make you famous for good and this comes through practice. With the knowledge to control the mind this book teaches you Shrest Vyavhar ki Shrest Kala (Fine Art of Human Behaviour) for a successful you today, tomorrow and forever. Kiran Zehra
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Printed by Mukesh Arneja at Thomson Press (India) Ltd, Plot A-9, Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar 603209, India and published by Mukesh Arneja on behalf of Rotary News Trust from Dugar Towers, 3rd Flr, 34, Marshalls Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008. Acting Editor: Jaishree.
Padma Shri E.A.S. Prasanna (centre), former Indian cricket player and ace spin bowler was honoured with ‘Vocational Award’ by RC Bangalore Jeevanbimanagar, RI District 3190.
Yoga guru Shri Baba Ramdev (second from right) was bestowed with the ‘Rotary Leadership Excellence Award’ by DG Dr. Deepak Shikarpur at a mega event for the youth organised by RC Indapur, RI District 3131.
Rtn. Satyendra Mittal (right), President of RC Roorkee, RI District 3080, has been decorated with the Indian Geotechnical Society’s ‘Resham Singh Award’ for his innovative research and field applications and a unique technique for underground constructions.
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PHOTO FINISH
Monkey Tricks 84 ROTARY NEWS APRIL 2014
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