Lipi
PP Rtn. Haladhar Dey writes :
I was involved in Rotary activities much before becoming a Rotarian, it was with much trepidation that I joined Rotary Club of Calcutta when invited to do so. I have become a compatriot of people, who I looked up to with awe and respect as a student and thereafter in my working career.
Hobnobbing with them was certainly an undreamt of thought for me. But such was the warm camaraderie of the seniors, goading, guiding, advising and accompanying me in projects under my leadership, that before realisation dawned upon me, 1 had been accepted as a member of the family of Rotary Club of Calcutta.
My journey with Rotary Club of Calcutta has been an excitingly enthralling, exhilarating and pleasurable experience of a lifetime. It has opened up vistas before me hitherto beyond my wildest dreams and confronted me with opportunities unimaginable.
Yes, it has taught me many things to enrich my life, helped me to become a better human being, given me the opportunity to serve the world I was born in-humanity.
Fellowships, one of the pillars of strength in Rotary has brought me into contact with and helped me make friends with people from various walks of life and sections of the society which gave me a broader sense of understanding and outlook. It has helped me to look beyond myself.
Activities in Rotary are enjoyment through involvement in service. While executing projects, bonding develops not only with fellow Rotarians but also with the people of the community being served.
The satisfaction that one experiences seeing the expression of gratitude in the eyes of the recipients or in their expression of joy, or when one sees the improvement in lives of the distressed people of the community served cannot be recorded in words.
Yes, Rotary has taught me some very important parameters of life. It has taught me to reach out with patience, understanding, sympathy and appreciation before assessing or judging any situation and taking decisions, thus abiding by the dictum -“Service Above Self.”
Rtn. Sonal Worah writes:
ROTARY, one word that can be spelt in so many ways!
Compassion, Understanding, Goodwill, Friendship, to name a few.
I learnt some traits; some I honed thanks to Rotary.
One thing I have done and continue doing is…ENJOY ROTARY!
RAdm Rajeev Paralikar (Retd.) writes:
The theme for RY (2019-20) set by RI President Mark D Maloney Was ‘Rotary Connects the World’. This ‘Theme’ was a motivation to connect with Rotary Clubs’ Amsterdam’, ‘Amsterdam Minerva’, ‘Amsterdam-Niieuwendam’, RC Diemen and RC Vinkeveen-Abcoude, of RID, 1580, Netherlands. A PPT-Presentation on ‘Activities of RC Calcutta’was given at one of the weekly meetings of these Clubs. Consequently, RC Vinkeveen-Abcoude willingly came forward to donate for the ‘The Centenary HSP EPN Bridge Course Non-Formal School Project a Global Grant Project being executed as ‘International Service Project’ in partnership with Rotary Clubs in Germany and The Netherlands.
A chance meeting with President Gert-Jan van Dommelen of RC Huizen-Gooimeer and Past President Wytzia de Savomin Lohman of RC Amsterdam, who were spearheading the ‘EndPIasticSoup Campaign’ worldwide through Rotary International resulted in establishing a connection between (EndPIasticSoup Campaign’, and Rotary Club Calcutta Centenary.
It was indeed gratifying to observe that RC Calcutta Centenary participated in ‘Rotary India Centennial Summit 2020’ by setting up a Booth at the ‘Hall of Friendship’to represent ‘EndPIasticSoup Campaign’ The RC Calcutta centenary and ‘EndPIasticSoup Campaign’ partnership has a great potential for promoting the cause of ‘Sustainable Environment’ which is a recent addition to Areas of Focus of Rotary International.
Club’s ‘Rotary Foundation Committee’ was able to motivate members to generously donate so that in RY (2019-20)an amount of US $ 52,844(USD Fifty-Two Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-Four only) was contributed to The Rotary Foundation.
For first time in the history of our Club, a member was recognised as Major Donor (Level-2) and two members were inducted into the Paul Harris Society by The Rotary Foundation.
Rotary connects the world indeed and opens opportunities for ‘Service to Mankind’. We need to dedicate ourselves to Rotary and continue to generously donate to ‘The Rotary Foundation’ for fulfilling its aims and objectives.
The Musings of a Free Mind Rtn Samiran Sen
The old giveth way to the new” — so goes the saying. Other than being the archaic version of “give”, giveth also means to gracefully relinquish one’s position to one’s successor without surrendering the legacy.
Nowhere is this tradition truer than in our Club — the Old Number One. From 1919 —the time marked by the aftermath of the devastating WWI and the crippling “Spanish Flu” – to the present topsy-turvy pandemic year of 2020, the baton has passed on for 100 years, without a b r e a k , f r o m o n e generation to another, seamlessly. It has become an institution of sorts that has weathered the storm admirably and yet grown from strength to strength
without faltering. The glorious heritage of the past continue still now.
Rotary Club of Calcutta is the Rolls Royce of the continent. It is like the iconic car that is an institution that has existed for more than a century: changing only in form but remaining the same in character just as the “Spirit of Ecstasy” that adorns the front of its every model. Rolls Royce cars are a symbol of reliability and solidity.
In recent times, a whole lot of young and sprightly new members have been infusing much-needed energy to the Club with the whole-hearted support and encouragement of the grand senior members. T h i s i s t h e r i g h t combination of youth and experience that every ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM 2019 organisation yearns for.
We have nothing to prove to anyone anymore. Except that we must now improve our public image and make our presence felt in the society at large.
“Old Number One” must not be a sobriquet only, but be viewed as a title the Club has to live up to. Riding on the new-found energy, it has to discover a broader horizon to spread its influence and activities. The centenary must bring in its wake a greatly transformed Rotary Club of Calcutta. It is time to open its doors to other aspirational and vibrant Rotary clubs for mentoring and growth. Growth of Rotary Movement should be our motto now. Let the second century of its glorious existence see Rotary Club of Calcutta in a new avatar.
The old giveth way to the new” — so goes the saying. Other than being the archaic version of “give”, giveth also means to gracefully relinquish one’s position to one’s SUCCessor without surrendering the legacy.
Nowhere is this tradition truer than in our Club — the Old Number One. From 1919 —the time marked by the aftermath of the devastating WWI and the crippling “Spanish Flu” – to the present topsy-turvy pandemic year of 2020, the baton has passed on for 100 years, without a b r e a k , f r o m o n e generation to another, seamlessly. It has become an institution of sorts that has weathered the storm admirably and yet grown from strength to strength ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST OF 1920S without faltering. The glorious heritage of the past continue still now.
Rotary Club of Calcutta is the Rolls Royce of the continent. It is like the iconic car that is an institution that has existed for more than a century: changing only in form but remaining the same in character just as the “Spirit of Ecstasy” that adorns the front of its every model. Rolls Royce cars are a symbol of reliability and solidity.
In recent times, a whole lot of young and sprightly new members have been infusing much-needed energy to the Club with the whole-hearted support and encouragement of the grand senior members. T h i s i s t h e r i g h t combination of youth and experience that every ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM 2019 organisation yearns for.
We have nothing to prove to anyone anymore. Except that we must now improve our public image and make our presence felt in the society at large.
“Old Number One” must not be a sobriquet only, but be viewed as a title the Club has to live up to. Riding on the new-found energy, it has to discover a broader horizon to spread its influence and activities. The centenary must bring in its wake a greatly transformed Rotary Club of Calcutta. It is time to open its doors to other aspirational and vibrant Rotary clubs for mentoring and growth. Growth of Rotary Movement should be our motto now. Let the second century of its glorious existence see Rotary Club of Calcutta in a new avatar.
Our club boasts of well-established members of the society, helming large businesses and professions in the state and the country. There is nothing we cannot achieve if we set our mind to it. There is no platform more appropriate than our Club to render selfless service to the needy in a holistic manner.
A serious issue is emerging for our younger population. Impossible goals, unrealistic deadlines, unearthly working hours are causing burnouts in these people. This starts off early with parental and peer pressure to obtain marks and ranks. Hence, what is defined as Emotional Quotient (EQ) or simply empathy, has declined. Younger working populations have been dehumanized causing depression and anxiety that hurts health, creativity and critical thought.
Our Club must take care of the emotionally distressed urban youth. Our senior members with their vast experience and maturity are in the best position to provide mentorship-without rancour or imposition. The young brigade of the Club can facilitate the communication of a “Rotary Helpline”. Are We Game?
Rtn . Anand Sharma writes:
Rotary Club of Calcutta, I am so proud to be a part of this elite organisation.
I am relatively new to Rotary as I had the pleasure of joining in 2016. Since then, it has been a fun journey and an enriching one too. In this path, I met the lovely members of the Club and developed a beautiful bonding with them. Frankly speaking, I feel as if they are my family. And since the first day, I have never felt alienated in the Club. All the members, irrespective of their age, made me feel warm and comfortable.
In this short stint, I was lucky enough to serve the Club, hold a few posts and make really good friends. Fellowships are the best things to happen in Rotary. This is where bonding actually takes place, that last a lifetime.
One of my finest experiences was organising the International Evening, which gave me an opportunity to meet officials from Consulates, and in turn developing relationships with them. It was a beautiful evening and I will always remember and cherish it.
Another milestone event was our club’s Centenary Celebrations and the programmes which followed. I was fortunate to be a part of a Club which completed 100 years and more than that, extremely grateful to be a part of the events that followed. It was a memorable programme spanning almost a week and is still fresh in minds and was thoroughly appreciated by Rotarians from all over the world.
One major support Rotary gives is that it makes you a Citizen of the World. Wherever we go, to any city or country, we can approach any Rotary Club there, and be certain that we will receive the same amount of warmth and hospitality from that Club. This is a big support to any traveller.
Being a member of our Club is of immense prestige. Truth be told, wherever I say that I am a member of Rotary Club of Calcutta, I get immediate attention and due respect therein. One more thing I would love to acknowledge is that Rotary has made me a better person and has helped me grow holistically, for which I will always be grateful.
Thank you, Rotary Club of Calcutta! I remain committed.
"Rotary...ls It Something Extraordinary?" Rtn. Ayesha Mazumder
Rotary…ls It Something Extraordinary?” Rtn. Ayesha Mazumder
Rotary…is it something extraordinary? I used to be Puzzled when, as a child, and then a young adult, I would hear people speaking in glowing terms about what Rotary stood for…about the work that Rotarians did… what was so special, I wondered?
Belonging, as I do, to one of Kolkata’s founding families, the Gooptus of Jorasanko, and becoming, finally, a 3rd generation Rotarian, I always saw Rotary as part and parcel of my daily life. My grandfather, my father, uncles, cousins…so many of them were Rotarians! And outstanding ones too! Wasn’t that normal? Wasn’t that how it was supposed to be? Why the fuss, I wondered?
I learnt about Rotary first from my grandfather, late Rabi Prosad Gooptu [President RC Howrah], and then my father, late Amiya Gooptu, both outstanding, larger-than-life Rotarians of their times. My father was a social and industrial visionary, having been actively involved in the social, cultural and business fabric of this country and abroad. He was Hon. Consul for Hungary, Director & Secretary of the Consular Corps of Eastern India, Sheriff of Calcutta, and President of The Bengal Club. He was a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow and President of RC Midtown in its heyday.
He revived Bengal Initiative, of which I am a member, an apolitical think tank established originally in 1905 with the objective of fighting the British on the intellectual and social fronts.
Bengal Initiative was India’s first indigenous think – tank, created by my great-grandfather Rai Bahadur F N Gooptu , and freedom fighters like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Dadabhai Naoroji, C R Das, P C Ray and others. On its revival in the late 1900s, leading lights of Indian society from all spheres of life became its members. Very similar to what Rotary is today.
My father led apolitical Goodwill Missions to several countries on invitation from their governments for friendly interaction with their peoples and cultures. These include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Turkey, Vietnam, Israel and South Africa.
I accompanied him on some of these Missions and learnt first-hand the art of building social and financial connections with citizens of other countries. We would, on occasion, visit the Rotary clubs there and exchange news and views about our work with them. These experiences showed me that just being a Rotarian was as good as holding a passport to the hearts of the members of those clubs. Those visits left long-lasting imprints on my memory.
My father, who remains my inspiration and my hero, was a path – breaker in many ways. He passed on to me the values he had inculcated during his journey as a Rotarian. It is from him that I first heard of the Four Avenues of Service and the Four-Way Test. I have never forgotten the lessons learnt from him.
He would say to me…Go the extra mile…it’s not crowded. …you can do it! He emphasised that Rotarians are not in social service for the income, but for the outcome. He said that a single person could make a difference, and that everyone,especially me, should try. He drilled it into me that I myself could rise by lifting others. I learnt that touching lives that I had the power to change the world.
Rotary could get exhausting too, at times, he warned me. There would be occasions when I would have to choose my Rotary commitments over family obligations and that would lead to self-doubt, frustration and conflict…at times like these, my father said… be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. You were born with the ability and opportunity to change someone’s life. Don’t ever waste it.
I’ve been a Rotarian for some years now. I started my journey with RC Inner When 1 felt that I was outgrowing that club, I shared my thoughts with City. our centenary President Purnendu. His parents, Sucharita’s parents and mine were fast friends, and he lost no time at all in inviting me to join RC Calcutta in its centenary year. And so I did!
One of my dearest friends, Dr. Nandini Ray proposed my name for membership, and here I am today, writing for…and publishing, the centenary yearbook of this iconic club! God willing, this publication will continue over the years!
Rotary, to me, is nothing extraordinary. I have never found it to be so. To me, Rotary has always been an intrinsic part of my existence and my thoughts. Rotary has been my companion in my joys and sorrows, through all the challenges and hardships that Life has thrown at me from time to time. Rotarians, to me, are secret superheroes… the normal kind. They don’t have wings and definitely don’t need masks and cloaks to save the world.
Someone once said, God could not be everywhere and that is why he created mothers. I say, God could not be everywhere and that is why he created Rotarians.
PP Rtn. Abhijit Kolay writes:
About 23 years have passed since I was inducted as a member of Rotary Club of Calcutta and I consider this period as my best years of my life. When I became a member in April 1997 I was nervous, tense and apprehensive as how I would fit myself among the highly respected and distinguished Senior Rotarians of this Club who are all personalities of eminence of our society. But gradually I overcame my initial thoughts as I was moved by the warmth, affection and encouragement which I had the privileged to receive from these Senior members. As a matter of fact my deep involvement in the activities of the Club had been possible only due to the encouragement, guidance and support I received from my very respected Senior Rotarians.
It was Rtn. Dr. Krishna Sen who initiated my involvement by assigning me as the Coordinator for Rotaract Activities when she was the Director Youth Service Committee in 1998-99. With her faith and trust reposed in me, I had a memorable year with the young members of Rotaract Club of Calcutta all very talented, dynamic and full of vibrance which helped to make this Club the foremost Rotaract Club in our District. I am indeed proud that during my tenure as Chairman Youth Service Committee two Rotaractors of this Club in subsequent years became DRR of the District Rotaract in quick succession.
I gradually became involved in various activities in subsequent years and had the extreme pleasure to Chair the Community Service Committee, Annual Children’s Treat Committee, Vocational Service Committee, Classification & Attendance, Membership, Inter Club & District Affairs Committee etc for which I am deeply grateful to all Past Presidents who reposed their trust and faith on me to lead these Committees.
In this regard I like to express my sincere respects to PP Dr. P.C.Sengupta, an eminent personality whose deep affection encouragement and support had greatly helped my deep involvement in Club activities.
My tenure as Hony. Secretary of the Club in 2003-04 was very special as I had the privilege to have as President Rtn. Chitrak Mitra. The confidence and trust that he had on me just cannot be expressed in words as it was just unmeasurable. The understanding and co-ordination that existed amongst us in running the Club administration was fabulous and unthinkable. Today it is very painful to me that PP Chitrak Mitra younger to me in age is totally bedridden.
In 2012-13 I had the unique honour and rare privilege to be installed as the President of the Club and for which I still today express my sincere respects and regards to all the members of the Club. I was extremely fortunate to have as Hony. Secretary Rtn. Dr. Debashis Mitra and Rtn. K. K. Kothari as the Hony. Treasurer and their whole hearted support made my task easier in discharging the responsibilities entrusted to me.I was also fortunate that Rtn. Purnendu Roychowdhury not only became a Major Donor to TRF during that year but also was instrumental in organising Two Matching grant projects viz. Paediatric Child Heart Surgery and Children Immunization programme at St. Thomas Home Howrah through his innumerable contacts with Rotary Clubs in Germany and Netherland.
I still remain indebted to him for this support because both these programmes were among the major highlights in that year. The visit of then R.I. president Sakuji Tanaka to Rotary Sadan and his presence as the Chief Guest in our RWM was historic as he happened to be the second sitting R I president after Rtn. Nitish Ch. Laharry to address the RWM of our Club.
I came to know Rtn. Purnendu in R. Y. 1999-2000 when he joined the Club and both of us as members of Community Service Committee became closely involved in the functioning of RCC Uchchal Probaho in Bisnupur 24-Pgs. south. Thereafter Purnendu as Director and myself as Club Hony. Secretary in 2003-04 became closely associated in organising several projects in that year. It is worth mentioning that at the initiative of Purnendu my daughter, as a member of the Youth Exchange Team from our R.I. District 3291 visited Germany in 2003-04 under the Team Leadership of Purnendu’s parents. Even now Banidi (Purnendu’s mother) recalls this visit and my daughter’s presence as a team member whenever I meet her. In 2005-06 Purnendu became the Club’s Hony. Secretary and I as the Joint Editor of The Chaka was then in constant touch with him every week for publishing of the bulletin. As both of us have an inclination towards Community Service programmes we were always part of our Club’s team assigned to such service projects.
This R.Y. 2019-20 is the Centennary Year of our Club and in Purnendu we had the right person to lead the Club in this historic year. And what a year it has been. From service projects to celebration programmes to international Club visits everything moved with clockwork precision and President Purnendu & Centennial Chair PP Soumenda left no stone unturned to make each and every programme a runaway success. It is difficult to think that with so many programmes lined up in Kolkata to take place, President and Centennary Chair found time and had energy to make Goodwill Visits to Rotary Club of Shanghai and Rotary Club of Manila to attend their Centennary Celebrations.
Apart from our Club’s own Centenary Celebrations on 26th September 2019 and from 30th December 2019 to 2nd January 2020, the hosting of R.I. President Mark Malony’s visit to Kolkata and to our own Rotary Sadan was indeed a very special feather in President Purnendu’s hat. I also like to give full credit to PP Soumenda for the hard work he had given in organizing these landmark celebrations. Full marks also to First Lady Sucharita who has been a perfect foil to Purnendu in the organizing of all the programmes. It is worth mentioning that the corona pandemic had stopped all work not only in Kolkata but in the entire world. Yet President Purnendu and his team defied the lockdown and with help of technical innovations organized virtual meetings one after another for the benefit of members, culminating in a 3 hour long virtual Members’ Nite programme — a first in our Club’s 100 years history.
Hearty congratulations to President Purnendu, First Lady Sucharita, Centenary Chair Soumenda, Hony. Secretary Rtn. Anusua and the entire team for giving us members a Year to Remember and connecting Rotary Club Of Calcutta with not only Clubs in India but also with those situated in all the continents of this world. You have really lived up to this year’s R.I. Theme “Rotary Connects The World” and ensured that we “Enjoy Rotary”
PDG Raju Rajgaria, 2003-4, writes:
President & members of RC Calcutta
In 2019-20 is historical year for any Rotarian in India and Calcutta in particular. RC Calcutta has inspired many Rotarians, got them engaged, shared with them a light that shines out clear and strong and inviting so that other people want to come closer to that light to inspire, to show everyone what one person can do, what we can all do When we work together. Because of your initiative we Rotarians–150000 in this main-land along with Rotaractors, Interactors and RCC —a Family of more than 5 hundred thousand exists.
By Lending A Hand You have created a wave of Service activities in this Century , which created an Example for others to follow —Rotary Sadan is a symbol for each one of us. You had Guests like Bapu Mahatama Gandhi , Holy Dalai Lama and His Excellency President of India Sri Zail Singh and many other noteworthy speakers in last 100 years of Rotary to enlighten us.
You have shown the World.
The hungry are fed. ● The homeless secure shelter.●The sick are given medical care.●The naked are clothed.● The children are immunized. ● The illiterate are given opportunities to learn reading, writing and do math.
And thousands upon thousands are given clean water to drink, to use in cooking food, to bathe, and to use in washing their clothes.
I hope in coming years –Rotarians would engaged in changing lives. And when we do, we give value to lives where there seems to be none. We give hope to situations where none exists. Best wishes for success.
With Best Wishes, PDG Raju Rajgaria, 2003-4
Rtn. Dilip Bose writes:
“Only a life lived in the service of others is worth living.” — an immortal reflection by Albert Einstein.
Rotary movement started with the vision that professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful friendships. Talents too and the resources of the members were used to serve the community. It’s indeed a great milestone to celebrate 100 years.
I am a Rotarian for the last 22 years and witnessed the transformation that our club has gone through in last two decades, but I have never seen such a Herculean effort what Centenary President Purnendu and Centenary Secretary Anusua and their team delivered for making every programme of Rotary throughout the centenary year a resounding success. With the glittering centennial celebration, the team ensured strong fellowship and camaraderie within our District 3291 and fellow members of our club.
I personally congratulate all the past presidents who have lead the Club to the glory of Centenary year. All of your hard work and leadership made this journey of a hundred years a fairy-tale trail.
My heartfelt thanks to the Centenary team and also to DG Rtn. Ajay Agarwal for guiding the Club to celebrate it in a perfect Rotary way. I will be failing in my duties if I don’t mention the names of First Lady Sucharita and Joint Secretary Rtn. Bodhi Brata. Without their adequate support it would have been very difficult to achieve grand success in so many Centenary programs• Thanks to all the Rotarians, R-Anns and R-Spouses of our club for their active support in the Centenary Year.
Memories of Rotary Club of Calcutta's Centenary Year
Rtn. Amit Ghosh
Rotary year 2019-2020 was a benchmark year in the life journey of Rotary Club of Calcutta. The ” Old No. 1″ , the oldest running club in mainland Asia, became a ‘Centurion’ , and befitting a 100 year old club, had pre-planned and organised a celebration showcasing its history and heritage to the entire Rotary World , with much splendour and grandeur.
The Centenary preparations commenced 2 years back at The Toronto Convention, with setting up of ‘Centenary stall’ which recorded a footfall over 1000 during the 3 day convention, where the impending centenary was revealed to the Rotary world. The process was repeated a year later at the Hamburg Convention, giving added ‘recall’. simultaneously through ‘Goodwill’ visits by President and Centenary team to International Clubs in Asia ( Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Philippines, china) the Centenary message was well publicised and invitations to participate in the Centenary celebrations were warmly extended.
The festivities comprised a day-long Foundation Day celebration and a 7 day celebration of Charter Day. The Foundation Day started with an escorted tour of visiting Rotarians and guests from 30 sponsored clubs , to some community and social projects in economically backward neighbourhoods; foundation of a new club; an evening gala event , which apart from felicitation of various activities and addresses by Rotary dignitaries, included a skit depicting snippets from dialogues of seven founding presidents of Yester Years- with club members in period costume relating the Pillars on which the club is founded.
The Charter Day festivities was a mega 7-day event, including flagging off of some headline Centenary projects (viz. Prevention of Childhood Blindness, Baramangwa School project, etc); a fun filled New YEAR’S eve ‘Party’ with Cultural program and Live Music; a whole day program on New Year’s Day with awards and accolades, and addresses by various Rotary International officials and dignitaries (David Palmer, Ron Denham, Patti Hoffman [U.S Consulate]. Patrick Rooney, Salwa Haddad, Sam Sowket Hossain, and many more) along with case analysis of some critical projects; a friendly golf tournament with over 100 participants; ending with a trip to Santiniketan with foreign guests to showcase the ongoing WASH projects and school projects in rural Birbhum locality.
The onslaught of COVID pandemic and consequential nationwide lockdown somewhat dampened the Centenary momentum by restricting movement. Rotary Club of Calcutta quickly changed into a ‘virtual’ mode to enable communication , raised funds, and was able to do immense service to distressed communities in COVID Relief work in quarantined areas of rural Bengal, in the field of distribution of food and essential items.
Above all the Centenary Year was made memorable by the Rotary News editorial team who made multiple trips to the city to witness the events and captured them lucidly, with reporting in successive Rotary News magazines, giving the Centenary wide publicity and a sense of perpetuity to the entire Rotary World.
Rtm Arindam Roy Chowdhury writes:
Centenary Year- Being a Green Badger in Rotary Club of Calcutta especially in the centenary year was indeed an opportunity for me to feel the essence of the Rotary Movement. My induction was indeed a life time memory with the starting of a new Rotary Centennial Year under the dynamic leadership of our President Rtn Purnendu Roychowdhury and his team. The cutting of the cake with the concept of the old and the young in front of such eminent dignitaries was like receiving an OSCAR AWARD!
I was invited into the Rotary World early on, as I was earlier very much involved in the sports fraternity and Rotary was not new to me. I have seen my father as District Governor and mother in Inner Wheel which gave me some prior knowledge. But I had to polish myself for the centennial year.
One morning Centenary Chair called me up at Rotary Sadan and Started briefing me about the activities to be done for the centenary year. At first it was flying above my head, but our beloved Rtn. Saumenda started pressurising me and giving me loads of jobs with a deadline. Designing the 100 years logo and last minute corrections for the Hotel Hindustan programme was just like running a 100 metres race without practice. But the entire team of our club started giving me inputs and we made a gala presentation.
As I am diabetic, the coffee with sugar was a part of my regular lunch at Rotary Sadan and sometimes puffed rice with “chanachur” was mind blowing with Saumneda on one side deliberating what was to be done and explaining to me about the nuts and cracks of the upcoming programme. RWMs started becoming interesting not only because of the speakers and meeting our members but also for the excellent lunch menu every week posted by Rtn. Renukadi. Then I decided to skip my breakfast as I noticed I was gaining weight with such a royal menu.
One morning Saumenda called me up and told me that I have to take responsibility of organizing the Grand Hotel Program on 1st January, 2020. But what to do? The seniors wanted me to perform. Again started the evening meetings with rolls from Karco and “singharas”. Design, concept making all went off well. But my experience was a little different…. All the other Committee Chairs trusted me to deliver the designs for the different programmes for the Centenary Year and I am really thankful to all from the bottom of my heart.
The Grand Hotel programme made me nervous but I thought why don’t I hold the hands of senior Rotarians… Then came my savior Rtn. Ritwick Uncle and Rtn. Nilmadi. They stood like pillars and helped me. The programme was mind blowing. All the other members supported me like pillars and I am really thankful to all of them for their support.
Then I was taken in the committee of the Centennial Summit Where I was given the responsibility of the Vice President’s programme and it was indeed a tough job to maintain the protocols and keep liaison with 10 departments To make up the stall with the help of our President, all the pain in the legs at the end of the day vanished.
The pandemic was really an opportunity for me. I had been wondering that a club of 100 years didn’t have a digital platform. I shared the idea, and it worked. The Face Book platform was created and all the centenary programmes and projects were published with individual slides. The president gave me the project slides and his confirmation, and it was a memorable time that we both had during the pandemic. Ashokda [AB4J was an enormous help for giving me project feedback along with our Secretary Anusuadi, which helped greatly in doing some good work at home.
This one year after induction has really been a memorable time in becoming a family member of Rotary Club of Calcutta and also in learning a lot of things which I missed as an artist and a photographer for years. It touched me so much that I personally decided to become a PHF in the Centenary Year itself. A lot of things will be there to do in the upcoming years and I need all your blessings which will allow me to perform well in the field of Rotary.
Rtn. Shampa Ghosh writes:
I slept and dreamt that life was joy
I awoke and saw that life was service
I acted and behold service was joy
-Rabindranath Tagore
Another year in Rotary has come to an end. What a year it was, the Centenary Year, where new friendships were forged across the globe and greater heights were achieved with the culmination of mammoth projects which were initiated many years back. It was an electrifying atmosphere in the club with yearlong festivities. The President, Secretary and the whole team worked relentlessly to make the 100th year a success story. The Rotary Club of Calcutta not only won accolades from the RI President, who was warmly hosted by the club but members of other Rotary clubs were in awe of the warmth, the camaraderie and the team work displayed. The motto of ‘service above self’ was evident through action and not mere words. As for me I was proud to be a part, in my own small capacity, of the projects and events of the club. It was a truly learning experience for me as in each and every point the stalwarts of the club proved only one point everything is possible with hard work and dedication.
Kudos to the Old Number One. May you grow from strength to strength, paving the way for the next hundred years.
