PRESIDENT’S MONTHLY MUSINGS
Dear Friends, Let me begin by wishing you and your family members a Very Happy Diwali and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year! As the festival of lights illuminates our lives, so too does the spirit of service and camaraderie within our club. In October, we were fortunate to witness the collective efforts of our members, transforming lives, brightening communities and also letting their hair down.
We had another month full of glorious speakers and awardees. We began with the father-son duo of Dr. Mukesh Batra and Dr. Akshay Batra, discussing on ‘Homeopathy in a Modern World’. Then we had the exuberant and energetic Shiamak Davar being conferred with the Kalpana Sham Munshi Lifetime Achievement Award in Performing Arts. His conversation with Rtn. Ptn Yasmin Divecha was particularly endearing as she was able to extract delightful and insightful nuggets from him. We had speakers like the renowned branding and marketing expert Lulu Raghavan; the CMD of Rustomjee Group, Boman Irani; and senior advocate & former MP Majeed Memon. They all shared their life stories and gave us their mantras for success. The highlight of the month was social media sensation Orry, in conversation with our member Rtn. Priya Tanna. He had his own special take on life and this meeting was particularly enjoyed by the Gen Z in the audience. Numbers don’t lie and we had a turnout of 186 people that day who came just to witness the phenomenon that is Orry! Our Diwali celebrations were more than just festivities. This year we decided to celebrate Diwali with the Jawans on our borders. In true Rotary spirit, in just over two/three days, we were able to organise 2,400 mithai boxes (Rs. 12 lakhs) for the Jawans and it brought unimaginable joy and cheer to the soldiers manning our borders. We also donated 50 wheelchairs and two trauma trolleys sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bombay, along with five HFNC machines sponsored by Philip Capital to Tata Actrec for the benefit of cancer-stricken patients. It was unfortunate to learn of the passing of our Honorary Member Rtn. Ratan Tata.
His association with the Rotary Club of Bombay has been a source of great pride and inspiration for all our members. He was an Arch Klumph Society member of The Rotary Foundation. His values of service, ethics and compassion align perfectly with the Rotary and our club ideals. We remain forever grateful for his guidance and support over the years. On behalf of the club, we placed a wreath as a token of our condolence at the foot of his mortal remains. May his soul rest in peace!
This month we also witnessed our club’s first Club Assembly for the Rotary year 2024- 25. It was quite well attended, where all the committees presented their reports of the work that has been done so far and plans for the rest of the year.
The Sports Committee kicked off its activities with a Bridge Fellowship at the historic Yacht Club. It was a warm and cosy event. All those who attended enjoyed the fellowship and camaraderie.
Our dedication to community service continued unabated. Through our various committees, we organized medical checkups and awareness programs on various health issues. These efforts directly impacted the well-being of countless individuals, showcasing the power of collective action. We also had the graduation ceremony of 30,000 underprivileged adults at Palghar, who underwent functional literacy. It was heartening to see the fresh graduates exuding self-confidence, sharing how their lives have transformed, how they now feel empowered, and also how they have created new bonds with their family members.
The month culminated in our Diwali Fellowship at the Turf Banquets. It was an evening of fun, delicious food, foottapping music, laughter and camaraderie. The members came in large numbers and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
As we conclude this eventful month, we’re filled with gratitude for the dedication and passion of our members. Your tireless efforts have made a significant difference in the lives of many. Let us continue to inspire and empower, spreading light and hope in every corner of our community.
Happy Diwali once again and a Very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!