President’s Message
ADVENTURE WORKS IN ANY STRAND — IT CALLS TO THOSE WHO CARE MORE FOR LIVING THAN FOR THEIR LIVES.
– AMAL EL-MOHTAR
What a year this has been! The pandemic sweeping the globe, lockdowns, vaccines being produced in record time, partial openings, the second wave beating upon us with even more ferocity. Had I been asked two years ago I would have said it was more likely for us to have lived through a third world war than a global pandemic.
However, let us talk about the positives as well. This past year has opened up opportunities for us, as Rotarians, to step up and battle against the odds and brave adversity head on.
Our 92 years heritage has come to the fore and we have proven that Rotarians are cut from much stronger cloth, with the sacrosanct phrase “Service Above Self” having been tattooed into our DNA.
The much awaited off-site meeting with Directors and Chairpersons could not take place and the disappointment was quite palpable. However, all of us became masters of Zoom overnight and online meetings were established as the norm.
My Board of Directors have been a tremendous source of support and learning for me. They have lightened my load by engaging enthusiastically with the Committees under them.
Thank you Additional Director PP Ashish Vaid and Directors Meera Alreja, Dr. Rohini Chowgule, Ram Gandhi, Peter Born, Ajit Lalvani, Pratap Padode, Jamshed Banaji and Bipin Vazirani.
My special thanks to our stalwart Trustees, PP Dr. Rahim Muljiani, PP Dr. Adi Dastur, PP Arvind Jolly and PP Arun Sanghi, who have encouraged and guided me and confirmed every decision taken, as being for the good of our Club and especially for those that we serve.
The Chairs and members of our various Committees have been active to ensure that all our projects were kept on-going.
The Bhavishya Yaan Committee and mentors, alongwith the teachers from Vidya, ensured a smooth transition from textbooks to tablets, especially for our std. 9 and 10 students. With scarce hardware and low-to-nil internet connectivity, the students were quickly issued smartphones and tablets. Online worksheets, quizzes, regular feedback and practical application of work taught was the norm all through the year. BY has never believed in ‘all work and no play’; hence summer camps and various extracurricular activities – arts and craft, magic math, celebrating festivals – lifted the spirits of these spirited children.
Our elderly at the two Ananda Yaan centres were so well cared for during these trying times. Their physical and mental well-being were our priority and the team did a marvellous job of entertaining them, as well as ensuring their safety. We are grateful to Dignity Foundation for their constant endeavours to keep the elderly occupied with various physical and mental fitness regimes and entertaining programmes. Of course the picnic to Alibaug brought out the child in each of them as they rode ATVs on the beach and frolicked the whole day.
Two more Integrated Rural Development Village Projects were inaugurated this year at Tokpada and Jogulwadi, albeit without our presence due to the lockdown. I thank Chirag Foundation for their commitment and dedication towards water, sanitation and electrification of rural villages and hamlets. I am sure that many more villages will gain tremendously from such development projects, when they too experience the wonders of solar power to light up their homes and bring potable water for drinking and for irrigation.
Our Medical Centre at Talwada, though shut for many months in the beginning of the year, opened its doors to the rural population as soon as the lockdown was partially lifted. Our team of dedicated resident doctors and visiting Rotarian doctors braved the pandemic and ensured that all patients from nearby villages were treated for their ailments. We took advantage of the drop in patients to carry out maintenance work at the Phiroze Vakil Eye Centre and the Ajit Deshpande Medical Centre.
This year we ensured that whoever applied for education scholarships, were scrupulously evaluated and granted amounts to cover their fees and books for the academic year. No child was turned away due to budgetary constraints, since the generosity of so many Rotarians and the CSR funding from their corporates ensured that funds were available for them all.
I must also speak of two new initiatives undertaken this year.
The Skill Development program (though conceived last year) took off with std.10 BY students being evaluated by YoungBuzz, a professional firm in career guidance and counselling. A comprehensive database was created, encompassing all details – educational and personal – of the student and his/her family. These students were then mentored to make each one understand his/her potential for higher education; be it a graduation course or a vocational program. Eventually, the plan is to encourage and assist these youth with gainful employment in the future.
Then there was the success of the International Service Committee which brought together clubs from all over the globe that were chartered by the Marco Polo of Rotary, James Wheeler Davidson. The online meetings held with these clubs proved to be most educative and diverse. It was a pleasure interacting with fellow-Rotarians from across the world and from neighbouring countries too. The Rotary Club of Bombay was catapulted onto the international scene and the PR exposure we received was tremendous.
The Jal Jeevan and Water Resources Committee continued with their projects to ensure safe drinking water to surrounding villages and installed hand washing stations at 117 rural schools. They continue to expand such installations as part of the Global Grants received, as clean water is a basic necessity and teaching rural India good hygienic habits assumes prime focus.
Under our Global Grant, this year over 119 Paediatric Heart Surgeries were performed this year at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, NH SRCC Children’s Hospital and Haria Rotary Hospital, Vapi. The satisfaction one receives, on seeing parents’ relief once their children are well, is a true joy. Jaymin has been monitoring this project for a number of years now and is our resident expert.
I am delighted that our Rotaractors were the superstars during these trying times and they put together amazing virtual programs in conjunction with our Bhavishya Yaan, Ananda Yaan and Child Welfare Committees. Rotaractors entertained and at the same time educated the children of BY and the CWC. They also very sweetly made sure that our AY elders felt special and cared for. Hats off to these enthusiastic and committed Rotaractors. I am also heartened to have chartered 2 new Rotaract Clubs – the Rotaract Club of Sydenham College (my Alma Mater) and the Rotaract Club of ISME.
As Rotarians we are not wired to sit behind a desk when it comes to serving the community, but to be out there in the forefront. While the lockdown stymied the full potential of a few Committees, our Rotarians did give it their all. And I sincerely acknowledge the work done by the Gender Equality, Attendance, Cotton Green, Cancer Aid, Urban Heritage, Animal Welfare, Sports, and Vocational Training & Night Study Centres Committees.
This year our Fellowship activities took a bit of a beating, since we could not meet and greet in person. However, the fellowship events organised online were thoroughly enjoyable and well attended, with members’ heartfelt participation. As expected, Malti and Nirav often stole the show with their wardrobe and fancy moves. The In-Camera sessions exposed us to a variety of international speakers showcasing their beautiful countries and motivating us to go visit each place; as did the presentations on domestic boutique hotels and resorts. We also learned so much about the nooks and crannies of our very own Mumbai.
The highlights of the year were, without doubt, the host of speakers, both local and international, who had us engrossed with a variety of interesting topics. We kicked off the year with a bang and each speaker, brought by our formidable Programme Committee, was impressive and interesting.
We honoured many deserving awardees with public awards. I am happy to have bestowed the Citizen of the Year award upon Mr. Iqbal Singh Chahal, Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Although, our weekly magazine, The Gateway, became an e-bulletin, it kept us connected and updated and I sincerely hope my front page messages brought you some joy, some solace, some humour, some food for thought. Thank you Alpana Lath of The Narrators for your editorial and design expertise and also Ms. Shraddha Chavan for transcribing our speakers’ words week after week. Social Media was outsourced this year to Freyan Bhathena of Word It Well and since then we have seen a spike in not just views, comments and traction (which is what social media is about) but also in in-house communication as we enthusiastically wish each other on our birthdays, as well as are up-to-date on the many activities undertaken by our club members during this time of social distancing. Our sincere thanks also to Viraf Hansotia of Spenta Multimedia for regularly updating our website with features and projects of our Club.
We added 10 new members with varied classifications and I am sure they will be assets to our Club and will contribute meaningfully.
Sadly, PP Arjun Bulchandani, PP Nalin Parikh, Rtn. Mohsin Contractor, Rtn. Chiranjilal Joshi and Rtn. Jayesh Jhaveri passed away during the year. They will always be remembered and sorely missed.
I have concentrated on the need of the hour, that is Covid Relief activities. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our members and external donors who have generously and selflessly contributed large sums, knowing full well that every rupee would be spent judiciously and for the benefit of those that deserved it the most. Hot meals were given to so many who have so little, ration kits were distributed to tribals and transgenders and people living along the railway tracks and in slums. Their grateful smiles touched our hearts and strengthened our resolve to continue to assist with uplifting their spirits and giving them hope.
At the same time a multitude of medical equipment, such as ICU beds, ICU monitors, Bipap and HFNC machines and Dialysis machines were procured and donated to many hospitals and medical clinics in Mumbai and the surrounding rural areas as well. We answered the call of never ending requirements for PPEs, face masks and hand sanitizers by donating large quantities of these basic essentials to hospitals, clinics and the police force.
And our efforts still continue.
On the District front, RCB successfully undertook the 3H Project – Hunger, Health & Hygiene – where food was distributed in the slums of Mumbai, nutritional supplements were given to young children and re-usable sanitary pads were distributed to women in the Vikramghad-Wada area.
RCB has sponsored 7 Low Cost Houses in rural Maharashtra under Project Aashiyana with a contribution of Rs.4,90,000/- and has also participated generously in the Rotary Angels Project.
I am proud to inform you that as showcased at the 4th District TRF Seminar last Saturday, RCB is 2nd in the District in Annual Fund Giving and has successfully completed the 10 Dollar challenge, and also become, for the first time ever, an EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year – Club.
Dear Sunnil, Shilpi, Saurabh, Riaz, Rajesh, all my fellow Crusaders and members of the District, I am so grateful to have gotten to know you and have the opportunity to interact and work with you during the year and I look forward to the day when we can all meet in person and continue to work together.
I must profusely thank my Office Bearers, Immediate Past President Preeti, President Elect Shernaz, President Nominee Vineet, Honorary Secretary Satyan, Honorary Joint Secretary Natasha and Honorary Treasurer Kirit for their support all through the year.
One more person deserves special mention. This year things have run smoothly, but behind the scenes we have had to tackle some bumps, glitches and last minute hiccups. My favourite go-to person Rhea Bhumgara has poured her heart and hard work into ensuring our smooth functioning. Thank you Rhea for using your valuable time to add value to my duties as President.
My sincere thanks also to our office personnel of Eruch, Rashmi, Datta, Karuna, Vishnu and Chandrakant for their dedication, diligence and support. They have braved the dreaded Covid and attended office to ensure that no work was affected due to lack of backend support.
I have been blessed with a tremendously supportive family. Zarina, you certainly are my better half and your love, encouragement, patience, reassurance, sensitivity and concern have been so crucial to me and has given me the strength and drive to convert adversity into opportunity. Pheroze & Rohaan, having you both locked down with us at home is the best thing that has happened this year. Your constant light-hearted banter and our after-dinner card sessions and laughs have helped me de-stress and become invigorated to face the next challenge. I do miss my youngest son, Zahan, who is in the US having just finished his Masters degree and who will not be visiting home for quite a while. But having our recently acquired four legged youngest scampering all over house, has kept us energetic, vibrant and at the end of the day, quite tired.
I’d like to end with a big thank you to each and every one of you who, in your own way, have done your very best in the true spirit of Rotary all through the year. God Bless.
Framroze Mehta
President