Gateway 120711.pmd - Rotary Club of Bombay

‘We look forward to the time when you will be theNo. 1 Club in the world’District Governor Vijay Jalan saidhe always enjoyed visiting theClub because he looked at it as an institutionthat did phenomenal work.Its members were not only the Who’sWho of the District but also of industry.He especially recalled the namesof Sir Phiroze Sethna, Sir ShapoorjeeBillimoria, Dr. Shantilal Mehta andJimmy Guzder who was a doyen ofthe (logistics) industry.Besides, the Rotary Club ofBombay had sired his Home Club, theRotary Club of Bombay North, 50years ago and he considered it to be“the big daddy of our Club”.Governor Vijay said that the RotaryClub of Bombay exemplified thetruism about ability and availabilitybeing two sides of the same coin. Allthe members of the Club were ableand always available for any cause forthe needy and the underprivileged; andthis was the hallmark of the Club.IPP Pradeep Saxena had led theClub with distinction in the year goneby and had been recognised at the recentDistrict Shukriya (thanksgiving)programme when he was presentedwith a gold medal for the best performingClub.Similarly, in President Paul the Clubhad a fine gentleman, a committed andknowledgeable Rotarian, the perfectchoice to lead the Club in 2011-12.But whether it was ranked at No. 2or No. 3 in the Rotary world, it had towork extremely hard, for, when onewas at the top, one simply had to workharder to retain one’s top position; infact, there was a saying to the effectthat “There is plenty of room at thetop, but there is no room to sit down”.Therefore, the Club would have to keepmoving and work harder to stay at thetop.“I was very happy when Paul waschallenged by Roda Billimoria fromthat end (of the Crystal Room) to saythat we will be No. 1 in the wholeworld. That’s the biggest challenge; welook forward to the year when youwill be the No. 1 Club in the wholeworld.”Turning to the District Thrust Areas,Governor Vijay said the Club hadalready taken up some of them. Hewould only underline two or three ofthem.Apart from solar power, he wantedClubs to get involved with water management.As Governor, he would encourageevery Club to build at leastone check dam during the year. Thiswould result in the creation of 123check dams in the District by the endof the year.Similarly, he was urging all Clubs toadopt one street in the communitythey served. By transforming it intoan ideal street (with a signboard sayingthat the street had been “adopted”by a particular Rotary Club), the Clubwould be able to project a good imageof itself and earn accolades for theRotary movement.Governor Vijay said that anotherarea of service that he was promotingwas a skin bank. The District had anoutstanding skin bank in Airoli whichhad been developed by the RotaryClub of Bombay North in collaborationwith the Euro Skin Bank. Overthe years, doctors had been using potatopeel because no skin was available.And 90% of people died becauseof burns since there was no skin available.“I request you to promote skinIt’s always apleasure visitingthe Rotary Clubof Bombay.DistrictGovernor VijayJalan speaks asthe guest ofhonour at thefirst meeting ofthe new Rotaryyeardonation. I am leaving a CD which better source of inspiration to startwill tell you everything about skin the new Rotary year.donation.”His inspiration was embedded inHe requested members to take the thought-provoking Theme that hegreater part in District events so that had chosen for the year, viz., Reachmembers of other Clubs would be inspiredWithin to Embrace Humanity. Fur-to do better. Asking them to ther, he believed that Rotary had toparticipate in large numbers in the become the preferred organisation toDistrict Conference which would be join and participate in, to make theheld in Hotel Renaissance on February11world a better, safer and happier place.and 12, 2012, Governor Vijay Kalyan had served Rotary withtold members that R.I. President great distinction over the last four decades,Kalyan Banerjee expected a large contingentas District Governor,from the city to attend the R.I. President’s Representative, CommitteeConvention in Bangkok in May, 2012.and Task Force Chair, Rotary“I am sure you will do wonders in Foundation Trustee and Director. HeThe Rotary Foundation which is dear had also been a member of the Internationalto all of us. I have just been told byPolioPlus Committee, head-District Co-Chairman Nirav Shah that ing initiatives that had spurredyou have decided to contribute $200 Rotary’s eradication efforts in India.per capita, which is about $66,000; I “Our country is on the verge ofam happy to hear that.”eradicating polio. It is our earnestThe Governor then requested Assistantprayer, and it would be only befitting,Governor Arun Todarwal to that this dreaded disease is wiped outstep forward and present a “Commitmentduring his tenure as President.”Certificate” to President Paul A voracious reader who carried atGeorge. The Club would henceforth least two books on his travels, atbe called the “Golden Heart Club” present he was reading the biographybecause it was committing to give $200 of Nelson Mandela. His favouriteper capita to The Foundation. magazines were The Economist and“It is said that great things can be TIME which he had not missed readingdone with a lot of love; and thatsince 1961.miracles happen when you do things President Paul said that Kalyan waswith love. I’m sure the Rotarians of a yoga enthusiast and practitioner andthis fine Club will serve with lots of faithfully performed his asanas forlove and produce miracles and while about 45 minutes every day.serving the community they will Leading by example, he was a majorReach Within to Embrace Humanity,”donor, a Benefactor and BequestGovernor Vijay Jalan added. Society member of The Rotary Foundation.Finally, President Paul introducedIn recognition of his contribu-R.I. President Kalyan Banerjee, the tion, he had been conferred The Rotarychief guest at the meeting.Foundation Citation for merito-He said it was for the first time in rious and distinguished service.the history of the Rotary Club of When asked what role he wouldBombay that the Rotary International play as President, he had said that itPresident was attending an “installationwould be that of helping the leader-meeting”. It was a privilege and a ship; his real function would be to in-Another historic installation. R.I. President Kalyan Banerjee was the chief singular honour for him as President spire, motivate and help people doguest at the first meeting of the Rotary Club of Bombay North held on July 3. of the Club to receive and welcome their work for Rotary. “One couldn’tIt was at this meeting that Vijay Jalan was formally ‘installed’ as District R.I. President Kalyan Banerjee, affectionatelyknown as Kalyanda, and his answer,” added President Paul.ask for a more simple and profoundGovernor (he is a member of the Rotary Club of Bombay North). Interestingly,the President of the Club this year is Ajeet Arenja, the spouse of Nitika graceful and charming wife Binotaji. (The President’s speech is reproducedverbatim on Page 6)Arenja and the father of Anuj Arenja, both members of the Rotary Club of Kalyan was only the third IndianBombay. From left in this picture are Nitika, PP Gul Kripalani, Rotary to occupy the position in the 106- The vote of thanks, laced with someFoundation Trustee Ashok Mahajan, Binota and R.I. President Kalyan, year history of the Rotary movement. delightful humour, was proposed byPresident Paul George, Sheila Kripalani and PP Sandip Agarwalla And he could not have asked for a President-Elect Nowroze Vazifdar.July 12 to July 18, 2011 THE GATEWAY, The Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Bombay Page 5