Note From President Manoj Patodia

“Leadership is service and there is power in that giving: to help people, to inspire and motivate them to reach their fullest potential…” – Denise Morrison.

As the present competitive world brings a multitude of challenges to life and living, thought leadership has gained acceptance as a key enabler in making a difference. Thought leaders can provoke communities to follow altogether different paths by sharing their knowledge and intelligent opinions, educating their audience and empowering the less privileged to lead ‘a better life’. Moreover, promoting thought leadership can alter group dynamics and orient the teams towards noteworthy causes and sustainable practices.

Rotary is one such thriving initiative, akin to a family, but operating worldwide at a much larger scale. It is a service, leadership, professional and community service organisation (often miscommunicated as a “Social Service Club”) for young men and women aged 18 and over. The Rotary movement focusses on the development of young adults as leaders in their communities and workplaces. Clubs around the world also take part in international service projects, in a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world.

Rotary Club of Bombay (RCB), in its 94 years of existence, has been a treasury of such thought-provoking leadership. The premier institution has had the luxury of being led by Presidents who held the charm to develop a sway over their audience and win their trust.

The various CSR initiatives at Rotary Club of Bombay, commenced by these leaders, have been highly successful in exerting influence, gaining attention, and inspiring the larger audience to fulfil their social responsibility. Each one of these visionaries, in their own unique style, have helped to change society’s perception towards partaking in equal responsibility to give back to the community. Many projects undertaken by the Club continue to drive positive impact, so much so that they hold the power to influence the economy, environment, and society.

The new-age thinking is more focussed on generating new ideas and gaining insights into future trends.

Reports suggest that a large number of decision-makers now believe that thought leadership helps them to stimulate thinking and generate new ideas to inspire inclusive growth across the country.

India is at a critical juncture in history and the epicentre of stardom is centered in Asia. Politics of development can never be sustainable, and every fellow Rotarian must be guided by a moral compass. In this regard, the CSR projects undertaken by the Rotary Club of Bombay can become a game-changer only if they are built on the premise of quality, talent, vision, and passion.

Going forward with the vision and guidance from Trustees and Past Presidents, the team of office bearers and the Board of Directors and various committees chairs and co-chairs, and the committee members have brought in a renewed thrust to the Rotary’s goal of making truly meaningful contributions to the society.

The novel vision for the year 2023-2024 under the new Presidency will strive to create a positive impact through the projects being continued and the new ones being undertaken at the Rotary Club of Bombay. Thoughtful leadership together with an indomitable spirit to serve the community are the essentials to achieve real and sustainable social change. This will not only enable the Rotary Club of Bombay to remain relevant in the ‘New Normal’ but will also benefit our society and future generations as a whole.