THE ROTATOR - Issue 03

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Your Rotator Team 2025–26

Rotary Club of Bangalore hosts its first RCB Club Connect

On Wednesday, 16th July 2025, Rotary Club of Bangalore hosted its inaugural edition of “RCB Club Connect” – an initiative by International Service that resonates deeply with this year’s Rotary theme, “Unite for Good”. The objective is to celebrate global Rotary impact, foster idea exchange, and build meaningful international connections.

In this first edition, we hosted an inspiring line-up of speakers from:

• Rotary Club of Shanghai (China)
• Rotary Club of Colombo Port City (Sri Lanka)
• Rotary Club of Kensington & Chelsea (UK)
• Rotary Club of Bangalore (India)

The session was well attended by members from participating clubs & other overseas partners, including Guernesiais (UK), Auray (France), and Haute Rive (Mauritius).

Highlights from Club Presentations:

Rotary Club of Shanghai (China)

Speaker: Rtn. Tomas (President)

Established in 1919 and re-chartered in 2006, RC Shanghai today brings together 53 members from 21 regions. Rtn. Tomas highlighted impactful projects such as Gift of Life (heart surgeries for children), the Yodao Volunteers team supporting migrant workers, the KBD nutrition project, the 1 Million Trees Initiative, and the Inclusion Factory for individuals with intellectual disabilities. His presentation also covered projects like the Tanga painting school, Christmas Cheers for leukemia patients, and library establishment. Notably, RC Shanghai is the first in China to establish a Peace Building Committee.

Rotary Club of Colombo Port City (Sri Lanka)

Speaker: Rtn. Michael Jayawardana (Immediate Past President) Rtn.

Rtn. Michael reflected on a successful year marked by numerous impactful projects.

These included the “Healing Minds Matter” initiative, which provided mental health awareness programs across Sri Lanka, and the installation of the world’s first Interact Club for the blind, among others. The club received multiple awards for its community service projects, particularly in maternal and child health, basic education, and literacy. They also invited clubs to their first black-tie dinner dance at a 7-star hotel in Colombo on October 17th, with proceeds benefiting Rotary for Little Hearts, which is one of the flagship projects!

Rotary Club of Kensington & Chelsea UK)

Speaker: Rtn. Graeme Thomas (International Secretary and Executive Chairman)

Rtn. Graeme, representing the Rotary Club of Kensington and Chelsea in London, shared updates about their club’s challenges and recent projects, including support for tiger widows in Bangladesh and school materials for orphans in Morocco. The club has been working to revitalize itself by attracting younger members and adapting to changing 6:27 PMcircumstances, with ongoing fundraising efforts for the London Art Biennale — a blannual fundraiser.

Rotary Club of Bangalore (India)

Speaker: Rtn. Aria Ohri (International Service Chair)

Rtn. Aria presented an overview of the club’s 91-year history, highlighting their impact with over 330 members and projects benefiting 4 million people. She detailed several key initiatives, including the Rotary Bangalore Vidyalaya School, the renovation of 118 Happy Schools, the Home of Hope project supporting termin Ily ill and abandoned people through vocational training. She also discussed medical projects, including the Rotary TTK Blood Bank, which processes 40,000 units annually, upgradations of Primary Health Care Centres and highlighted two major Global Grants (100 Heart Surgeries & Screening of patients for Diabetic Retinopathy and Glaucoma in Rural Karnata ka). The session concluded with open discussions. Rtn. Sandeep Ohri emphasized the importance of sharing best practices and learning from each other’s experiences, particularly regarding funding and membership engagement. Other Club members discussed strategies for attracting younger members.

Wellness Wednesday – 16th July, 2025, @RHF.

Wellness Wednesdays are a Vocational Services Initiative, Curated and Championed by Rtn. Minku Buttar, for an “Experience for overall Enhanced Physical, Mental, and Emotional Well-Being”.

Theme for July: “You Are Here to Enrich the World” – An enlightening talk on Personal Refinement and learning to live a life of distinction! Guest Speaker, Behram Ghista, A.K.A. “Master B”, is a Buddhist meditation teacher & Spiritual Director of the Inner Mastery Centre in India, with 36 years of experience in inspiring people to be the best they can be, in India, Europe, and Australia.

Certain laws govern our flourishing in this world. By learningto pl ace ourselves in harmony with these laws, the rest of our lives can be incrediblyenriching.

About 40 of us Rotarians gathered around him to im merse ourselves in his mastery, wisdom in universal and relevant teachings. We all relished attentively to his interactive, engaging, humorous, and animated teaching style and thoroughly enjoyed the many stories and examples that he illustrated.

He led us to “Discovering our own callings” by asking leading questions like: What is your topmost priority? What do you really and truly want out of life? He also encouraged us to maintain a steady focus on the immense power we are all endowed with for crafting an exceptional life when we are deeply committed to being the best we can be, and that we all exist as an intrinsic part of an indivisible whole, and that each and every aspect of life merits our deepest love and respect.

Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future… – RCB Charter Nite 2025-26

The Rotary Club of Bangalore (RCB) ushered in its 91st year with grandeur and gratitude at the third meeting of the year, celebrated as Charter Nite 2025—26. The evening was a tribute to enduring commitment, as Rotarians with over 25 years of dedicated service were felicitated for their invaluable contributions to the club’s legacy. RCB President Rtn Sukhen Padmanabha, addressing the gathering, reflected on the institution’s remarkable journey:

“We can say with pride that we are from the Rotary Club of Bangalore on account of the plethora of projects and the sacrifice of so many Rotarians over the years, from whom we can learn. “The atmosphere was set with the inspiring rendition of the RCB anthem, composed by Grammy Award-winning musician Ricky Kej, evoking a sense of pride and unity.

A highlight of the evening was a nostalgic presentation by Rtn. Riaz Basha, who chronicled the contributions of RCB’s stalwarts through three defining eras — the 1970s, 1981—1990, and 1991—2000. Each period was not only a marker of national and global change, but also a testament to RCB’s proactive role in community development.

In the 1970s, while India celebrated the launch of its first satellite and joined global efforts to eradicate smallpox, RCB was making quiet revolutions of its own. The Interact Club was launched, fostering leadership in young minds. A drinking water project under Rotary International’s Community Service Programme brought relief to a rural village. In 1977, Rtn G Ramanathan envisioned and initiated a Centre for Human Development in Yelahanka on a sprawling 30-acre plot. By 1979—80, the club had donated 15 Janata Awas (low-cost homes) to the poor in two villages — a striking gesture of empathy and outreach.

In the 1980s, as India lifted the Cricket World Cup in 1983 and the world witnessed the rise of personal computing, MTV, and the fall of the Berlin Wall, RCB made its mark with meaningful impact. A significant contribution to the Pulse Polio Programme underlined its commitment to public health. The decade also saw the establishment of the Rotary TTK Blood Bank and the introduction of a mobile science van, extending the reach of education to underserved areas.

In the 1991-2000 era, with India embracing globalisation and the world being transformed by the internet, RCB intensified its service. Health camps, women’s health initiatives, and environmental conservation took centre stage. Indiranagar Blood Bank, which was inaugurated in 1992, and the Muthappa Attavar Hospital,l which is in Uttarahalli (opened in 1993—94), bore testimony to the club’s medical mission. The jewel in the crown was the establishment of the Rotary Vidyalaya — a flagship educational initiative that continues to impact over 500 lives each year.

Several stalwarts took the stage to share reflections. They remarked on how RCB evolved from what was once perceived as an elitist enclave into a more inclusive, grounded, and responsive institution.

The increasing participation and leadership of women Rotarians was. celebrated. Fundraising in earlier decades even included humble yet heartfelt efforts like collecting old newspapers door to door — a nod to the resilience and creativity of the club’s members.

As an interlude, Riaz posed general quiz questions relating to the three different eras, eliciting enthusiastic responses from the Rotarians. As the club moved forward into its 91st year, the evening stood not just as a commemoration, but as a reminder: of roots, of renewal, and of responsibility.

ShieldHer: United Against Cervical Cancer Sessions at Syngene and BBRC: Promoting Cervical Cancer Awareness Through Science

Two awareness sessions were conducted on July 15, 2025, at Syngene International Pvt. Ltd. and the Biocon—Bristol Myers Squibb Research Center (BBRC) in Biocon Park, Bengaluru. These sessions, as part of the ongoing ShieldHer: United Against Cervical Cancer campaign, aimed to strengthen cervical cancer awareness amongst the scientific workforce through expert-led and evidence-based education.

Both sessions featured Dr. Premalatha (Professor & Head, Gynaecologic Oncology) and Dr. Kiran Kulkarni (Associate Professor), from St. John’s Medical College Hospital, who offered a deep dive into the biology of cervical cancer, key risk factors, and the vital importance of screening and HPV vaccination. Their presentations were not only informative but highly relevant to a scientific audience, blending clinical rigor with public health relevance.

The BBRC session was further enriched by Dr. Vidyamani, a senior gynecologist with over 50 years of experience, whose practical insights added depth, especially during the interactive Q&A. Between the two sessions, over 445 employees (160 in-person and 285 online) participated with enthusiasm, asking meaningful questions around screening protocols, vaccine accessibility, and treatment options— demonstrating a high level of engagement and scientific cu riosity. Special thanks go to the Syngene management team (Karthik Sekar, Amogha TN, Sushma Madhukar) and the BBRC management team (Dr. Diprabhanu Bakshi, Shalini Chinnam, Niharika Dash, Kaushik Debnath) for their seamless coordination and amazing hospitality. Their commitment played a pivotal role in making these sessions successful and reflects a shared vision of advancing health literacy, preventive care, and women’s wellness within scientific organizations.

– Rtn. Dr. Sowmya PR & Rtn. Dr. Nita Roy