Where There Is Love, There Is Life” – Mahatma Gandhi

OUR President not only shares her birthday week with Bapu but similarly embraces humanity, simplicity and honesty.

RCB President Preeti Mehta’s birthday was a cherished moment for everyone, from a four-year-old at Lighthouse to a 74-year-young from Ananda Yaan! Preeti celebrated her birthday with 110 tiny tots at Lighthouse (an initiative of Rotary Club of Bombay in association with Vidya).

Her family and friends arranged an entertaining evening for children on October 1st. The evening began with a magician and juggler but the unicyclist stole the show!

The highlight of the evening was Gautam and Preeti sportingly playing a game with the children. Yummy snacks and the cake from the CCI bakery made everyone smile.

This party was but the finale to an engaging weekend for our President. It had begun with an educational story session for the children on Mahatma Gandhi by Ms Marina Dutta on Friday, September 27th. Around 50 students from classes 1 to 5 attended a two-hour session conducted by Ms. Dutta. Ms. Dutta is a well-known educator with over 40 years of teaching experience. She was the chairperson of the Programmes for Children Sub-Committee, Museum Society of Bombay. Using a combination of teaching aids like photographs, food items, real objects and flashcards she actively engaged the students in the narrative of Gandhiji’s life. Her teaching method was adapted to include all five senses to ensure retention. At the end, children were encouraged to use their creativity to colour pictures of some of the people they had heard about.

This was followed by a trip to Mani Bhavan on Saturday, September 28th. Around 45 students aged six to 11 visited the Gandhi museum in the evening. They were accompanied by three teachers and three volunteer mothers. The children viewed, with interest, the mini models depicting Gandhiji’s entire life from birth to death. They even observed the sparsely furnished room Gandhiji occupied when in Mumbai. The students returned with a better understanding of India’s freedom struggle and the non-violent philosophy of one of its greatest sons, Mahatma Gandhi.

Meanwhile, senior citizens from Ananda Yaan (an initiative of Rotary Club of Bombay in association with Dignity Foundation) had their first-ever brush with Indian Art. On October 3rd and 4th, members visited the Piramal Museum of Art at Lower Parel for the exhibition “Art before the Canvas”.

This exhibition looked at a broad spectrum of paintings from historical India that were created prior to the advent of the canvas – a popular support for paintings. The exhibition looked at traditions of Indian art that used paper, wood, palm leaf, glass, mica and cloth as a support. Senior citizens learnt about both the material history of these traditions as well as the way each artist in ancient India approached the theme that they created.

Paintings as old as the 1700s were on display. Through the art, members experienced India’s rich cultural history. After the tour, senior citizen members participated in a workshop where they had a hands-on experience of using different kinds of art material on canvas. It was a 360 degree holistic understanding for the senior citizens. We wish the President a fabulous year ahead!