Opportunity to meet Rotarians Across Borders :

Thanks to Rotary South Asia Summit. Rotarians from neighbouring countries had decended down to Hyderabad and participated with lots of enthusiasm. And our President Rtn.Athithan was quick in mingling with these Rotarians and exchanging flags. He had pitched for friendship exchange program with Rotarians from Bangladesh and Nepal.

Rotary South Asia Summit 2013 @ Hyderabad

5000 plus Rotarians from South Asian countries of India, Pakistan, Afganistan, Nepal, Singapore, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Srilanka converged at Hyderabad on 3^rd May 2013 for the summit. Following are some of the highlights:

·         Conference took place at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).

·         Event was organized in the mammoth hall with seating capacity for 6000 Rotarians.

·         Registration counters were buzzling with activities in spite of as many as 15 counters.

·         Eminent speakers from the Rotary world and outside addressed the gathering on the three day event.

·         Honoroble Chief Minister of Andhra pradesh Mr.Kiran Kumar Reddy was one of the invited speakers.

·         Rotary International President Nominee Gary Huang from Taiwan, Past RI President Rtn.Kalyan Banerjee, Trustee Chair Rtn.Wilfrid Wilkinson, Rtn. Rajendra Saboo, RI Director Rtn.Yash Pal Das were among top rotary leaders who were present for all the sessions and dealt with important topics like South Asia Initiative, Membership Development and Corporate Social Responsibility.

·         Rtn.Shekar Mehta, Director - Rotary International, was the convenor of the Summit.

·         Rotary South Asia Film Awards were given to best documentaries propagating the Rotary Values.

·         For Rotarians to network, there was “Hall of Friendship” with music activities and display of art and craft.

·         Food court was aptly names “Flavors of South Asia”, though we had predominantly Indian Foods.

·         Out of 140 Rotarians from RID 3000, 28 Rotarians were from Madurai, including 13 from our club. President Rtn.Athithan, Rtn & R’Ann Rajagovindasamy, Rtn.Valliappan, Rtn.Gopalakrishnan, Rtn.SPA Ganesh, Rtn.Ravee, Rtn.Ramanathan, Rtn. Rajkumar, Rtn.Karunakar, Rtn.Ramasamy, Rtn.Kannan and Rtn.Balachandran attend the summit.

·         Thanks to Rtn.Ganesh for having identified a Service Apartment near the conference venue. It was a Home away from Home – for these three days.

·         Frequent Pickup and Drop vans were arranged by summit organizers to reach the venue.

·         Total Registration : 5350 which includes,

o   Bangladesh : 400

o   Pakistan : 45

o   Srilanka : 27

o   Nepal : 63

o   India : 3800

o   Other Countries : 75

o   Cancelled : 185

o   R’Ann : 500

o   Rotaractors and Rotarylet : 200

 

No doubt, the summit was of International Standard @ economical cost.

Yeomen Service of Rtn.PDG.Rathode

Rtn PDG Rathode of RID 3050 was District Governor in 2001 there was a severe earthquake in Gujarat and he did good job. Now he has done free catract removal camps, which has been covered widely in Times of India Newspaper, Ahmedabad edition. No doubt, it should be a proud moment for every Rotarian.

... article forwarded by Rtn.C.Dhamodharan.

Happy Birthday to You : Rotary : 23rd Feb 2013

It was fortunate to celebrate Rotary’s 109^th Anniversary in the presence of Rtn. PP. Molorie Barber from Rotary club of Weyburn, Canada. He visited our club during our regular weekly meeting on Friday the  22nd Feb 2013 along with his beloved wife, Mrs.Delaine.

 23rd Feb, being the is the Birthday for our Rotary movement was celebrated with cutting a cake by our distinguished Rotarian guest and Mrs. Delaine along with our Past District Governor R.Shanmugasundaram, our club charter member PP. Dr. K.A. Srinivasan, PP.MK Vijay and other members along with our club president and secretary.

Rtn. PP. Molorie Barber exchanged flag with our president Rtn.Athithan and shared information about his home club and his involvement in Rotary Movement. He admired the participation of Rotarians in India in various good activities of Rotary.

Rotary International President Rtn.Sakuji Tanaka

“Peace means different things to different people. No definition is right and no definition is wrong. However we use the word, this is what peace means for us. No matter how we use or understand the word peace, Rotary can help us to achieve it.

Rotary helps us to meet the basic needs of others: to provide health care, sanitation, food, and education, when and where they are most needed. It helps to meet the inner needs as well — for friendship, connection, and caring. And Rotary helps us to build peace in its most traditional sense, by reducing the causes of conflict. It builds bridges of friendship among people and nations. It helps us to understand one another.

To me, Service Above Self is more than just a motto. It is a way of life, one that will make any life richer and more meaningful. Putting Service Above Self allows us to focus our energies on what is truly important. We put the common good above our own. We value the needs of others over our own desires. We think less about ourselves and more about what is best for everyone. And in this way, we help to build the foundation for a more peaceful world.

This is why, in 2012-13, our Rotary theme will be Peace Through Service. Because, however we define peace, whatever peace means to us, we can bring it closer through service. Service Above Self reminds us that none of us can live for ourselves alone. A life lived in isolation is empty and without joy. But when we live for others — when we focus on our role as part of our family, our community, and all humanity, then we begin to realize our own place in the world.”

Rotary Madurai West shakes hand with RC of Ojai and RC of Ventura

Rtn.Nandalal @ Rotary Headquarters in Chicago

Our incoming president Rtn.Nandalal made it a point to visit Rotary Head Quarters in Chicago. He met Rtn.Kalyan Bannerjee and Rtn.Ravindren at the Rotary Head Quarters.

Rotarian from Morning Rotary Club, California