FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK
Dear Rotarians,
Reflecting on November, it was a month brimming with activity and meaningful progress. We undertook numerous projects throughout the month, each contributing to our mission and strengthening our community.
We began November with the inauguration of St. Jude’s, India’s largest child care centre, located in Kharghar. In partnership with the Rotary Club of Hanging Garden and the Premlata Vandravan Shah Charities Trust, RCB supported the centre’s movable capital expenditure. We were honoured to welcome our esteemed chief guest, DG Dr. Manish Motwani, who graced the occasion. Special thanks go to ARRFC & PDG Sandip Agarwalla, PP Vijay Jatia, Rtn. Dilipbhai Shah (the donor and a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Hanging Garden), and my co-president Rtn. Hitesh Fozdar for their invaluable contributions and teamwork on this transformative project. On November 5th, we celebrated the opening of our 15th dialysis centre at Galaxy Super Speciality Hospital in Mulund East — another significant milestone in our club’s ongoing commitment to providing free medical care to those in need. This achievement would not have been possible without the generous donations from PP Vineet Bhatganar and PP Zulfiquar Memon. DG Dr. Manish Motwani once again joined us for this event. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rtn. Swati Jajodia, whose tireless dedication and leadership have been the driving force behind the dialysis project. We have now installed our 90th dialysis machine and are on track to reach our goal of 100 machines soon.
On November 8th, we hosted a medical camp at our Cotton Green Medical Clinic, serving more than 125 beneficiaries. Our clinic continues to grow stronger each year, playing a pivotal role in delivering free medical care to our community. The Wockhardt Foundation team and our Satellite Club members ensured the event ran smoothly. My sincere thanks to the entire Cotton Green committee, especially Rtn. Samina Khorakiwala, Rtn. Mehernosh Dotivala and Satellite President Tanisha, for making the camp a success. The Heritage Art & Culture Committee, led by Rtn. Aditya Somani and Rtn. Arish Dastur, was especially active in November. In collaboration with the Fellowship Committee, they organised a delightful evening at the Museum of Solutions — a world-class children’s museum. Thank you, Tanvi Jindal, for this remarkable addition to our city. The committee also hosted a second event at Nilaya Anthology, where we enjoyed hearing Ragini Vakil share her vision for Nilaya and its support of local art and craft. The evening concluded with a feast of Thai cuisine and fellowship at Fireback.
Our Anand Yaan, Bhavishya Yaan Committees, Interact and Child Welfare committees organised a variety of impactful programmes, including the NMJ School Lit Fest, GK Marg ITM Volunteer Support Programme, a cataract camp for AY elders, a visit to the Nehru Science Centre for our Lighthouse kids, an excursion to the mangroves and zoo for BY kids, and a nutrition programme led by our children.
This month, we launched our sports development programme at the Talwada Ashram School in partnership with the Dani Sports Foundation. Sports development plays a vital role in a child’s overall growth, yet it often receives insufficient attention in our school systems, particularly in rural areas. Through this initiative, we aim to foster holistic development through organised sports, and who knows, perhaps one day we’ll nurture a sports champion from Talwada.
On November 21st, Rtn. Tahera Mandviwala, Chair of the Legal Aid Committee, single-handedly organised a legal rights and remedies programme for the tribal community, with a focus on women, at Vikramgad. More than 180 community members attended to listen to distinguished legal experts, including representatives from the Maharashtra Women’s Rights Commission. Thank you, Tahera, for delivering such a meaningful programme.
On November 13th, we held our first club assembly to update members on committee progress and plans. I appreciate everyone’s dedication and hard work in organising meaningful projects this year.
Our weekly meetings remain engaging and well attended. We began the month with an insightful session on AI by Shubham Saraff, followed by a fireside chat between Rhea Chakraborty and Rtn. Priya Tanna. Rhea’s journey resonated deeply with everyone present. On November 18th, we enjoyed another fireside chat with Nyrika Holkar and Devna Vora, gaining valuable insights into Nyrika’s journey and her vision for Godrej Enterprises. We closed the month with an enlightening talk by Jesh Krishna Murthy on sustainability, skilfully moderated by Rtn. Manjeet Kripalani.
The highlight of the month was the reception in honour of RI President Francesco Arezzo and First Lady Anna Maria Criscione, co-hosted with the Rotary Club of Bombay North. Special thanks to ARRFC & PDG Sandip, PP Vijaybhai and Paritosh for organising an evening filled with warmth, fellowship and the community spirit that defines District 3141.
We are concluding the month with the inauguration of our 4th IT Innovation Lab and Career Centre at Dahanu this weekend.
I look forward to welcoming each of you at our Christmas Nite, where we’ll celebrate the festive season with laughter, music, great food and true RCB spirit.
Warm regards and best wishes for a joyful festive season,
Bimal Mehta
President