President - Rotary Club of Bombay

Helping the youth, adding value to their lives;Paul George lets his work speak for himThe President and the First Lady. Paul and Sheila at home. Paul has an abiding interest in the environment; he loves nature trails, often goes trekkingand has done his bit to enhance the tree coverSome people call him Santa Clausin a business suit; a Santa Clauswho is visible all through the yearand not just around Christmas time.Others say that he reminds them ofa benign uncle with a beatific smileand a benevolent mien, who has asharp memory and loves to spreadlaughter and joy.As far as members of the RotaryClub of Bombay are concerned, hehas, for the last ten years, been seenas a man who lets his work speakfor him and who prefers silence tothe sound of his voice.Admitted to the Club on February27, 2001, and loaned the ClassificationSocial Service: International,Paul plays a key role in theconduct of YMCA institutions allover the city. That’s a role whichrequires him to interact with youngpeople all the time.But did you know that Paul,who joined the YMCA movementat the age of 22 (he’s 51 now), isan all-out Mumbaikar? Yes, hewas born and brought up inBombay.After obtaining his B.Com. degreefrom Bombay University and earninga Diploma in Business Management,he underwent a year’s formaltraining in theology and became aDeacon at St. Thomas’s Cathedral.For those who came in late, theRotary movement was founded in1905 by a great man called Paul Harris.And, what do you know, theYMCA movement was foundedmuch earlier, in 1844, by anothergreat man called George Williams.Therefore, one can say at a cinchthat Paul + George (or Paul Georgeto the rest of us) will lead the RotaryClub of Bombay in the newRotary year 2011-2012!This fruitful association betweenRotary and YMCA goes back morethan eight decades, when the RotaryClub of Bombay was chartered in1929. One of the Charter memberswas H.W. Bryant who representedYMCA. He served as Vice-Presidentfor two consecutive terms, first underSir Phiroze Sethna (1931/32) andthen under President Dr. W. Nunan(1932/33).Rotary and YMCA started workingtogether on the Night Study Centresin 1971; these unique institutionshave won acclaim for welcomingstudent with open arms. Theycharge no fees, require no uniformsand have no bells to signal the end ofclass. Their only requirement is aburning desire to learn and to gainknowledge.Paul has played a key role in thesmooth conduct of all the collaborativeventures between the YMCAand the Rotary Club of Bombay.As President of the Club, he can beexpected to strengthen the partnership.Besides, his experience at YMCAwill stand him in good stead as he navigatesthe ship of the Rotary Club ofBombay. He will certainly make surethat the Club and its members ReachWithin to Embrace Humanity.Paul is married to the charmingSheila who is an IT professional ofrepute and the Head of IT at LoopTelecom.The couple has two children, Rebekahand Reuben. Rebekah is a formerCathedralite who has just completeda double major in psychologyand economics from Cornell Collegein the USA. Young Reuben, onthe other hand, is also a former Cathedralitewho loves playing the tablaand the clarinet and is at presentpursuing his undergraduate studiesat St. Xavier’s College.Paul has an abiding interest in theenvironment; he loves nature trails,often goes trekking and has done hisbit to enhance the tree cover.One happy family. Paul and Sheila with son Reuben and daughter Rebekah, a former Cathedralite. The picture at right was taken after she completed adouble major in psychology and economics at Cornell College in the USAJuly 5 to July 11, 2011 THE GATEWAY, The Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Bombay Page 2