THE ROTATOR - Issue 15

Happy reading!
Your Rotator Team 2025–26

Kala For Vidya 2025: From Event to Legacy Platform.

This year’s Kala For Vidya wasn’t just bigger, it was fundamentally different.
We started off by thinking about how we could increase and improve our 2-fold objective: Promoting Art/Artists and Raising funds for RBV School.
We stopped thinking about an annual fundraising event and started building sustainable infrastructure. The transformation tells the story:
The venue was the Bangalore International Centre (professional art gallery). The timeline was 2½ days → 2½ months (physical exhibition Oct 11-12, online through Dec 31) The artists were 155 creators, including print-makers, emerging talent and established masters.
We received 450 plus artworks out of which 222 were displayed and the rest of the collection is available online. The Revenue Streams included application fees, donor raffle, preview auction, physical sales and online platform sales. We had a basic display of the artworks plus an e-commerce portal with Razorpay integration.
Each evolution served a strategic purpose. The extended timeline gives art buyers the deliberation time they need. The online platform makes art accessible beyond Bangalore. The diversified revenue model creates resilience, if one stream underperforms, others compensate.
Price points ranged from ₹7,000 to ₹13.7 lakhs, ensuring accessibility across all budgets. Every purchase funds education for children at Rotary Bangalore Vidyalaya – approximately ₹10,000 covers one year of schooling.
We departed from the celebrity chief guest tradition, instead honouring four veteran Rotarians – Sitalakshmi Chinappa, Meera Shankar, Shanti Baliga, and
Srichand Rajpal representing nearly 200 years of community service. DG Dr.
Elizabeth Cherian and DGE Ravishankar Dakoju graced the inauguration.
Deccan Herald and YourStory covering our approach validated that substance resonates more than spectacle.
We’ve built more than an exhibition. The technology platform – with 300+ professional photographs, 30+ artist video testimonials, secure payment processing, and inventory management can serve any future RCB fundraising initiative.
The artist relationships we’ve developed, the operational systems we’ve refined, and the content library we’ve created are assets that future International Services teams can leverage and expand. The Year-Round Vision Based on this year’s success, we’re exploring making Kala For Vidya a permanent platform where artists have continuous visibility and RCB has ongoing fundraising capability. Imagine quarterly artwork additions, seasonal campaigns, corporate art partnerships – all generating sustained support for children’s education.
This transformation required collective effort: curator Rtn. Jyoti’s artistic vision, Rtn. Aria’s meticulous attention to detail, Rtn. Pragya and Rtn. Sneh’s execution, Rtn. Nilesh’s precise logistics, Rtn. Vineet’s rock solid tech platform support, Rtn. Kamalacharan’s transportation support, Rtn. Kartikka’s videos, Rtn. Vanita’s media coordination, RCB Staff’s (Hamsini, Ramesh, Satya, Subhash) above and beyond duty, 155 artists’ trust, President Sukhen and the Board’s backing, BIC’s partnership, and every member who supported through donor passes, auction bids, and social sharing.
To our members and corporate partners: browse www.rcb1934.in/kalaforvidya through December 31st. Every purchase transforms a child’s life. Every share amplifies an artist’s voice.
We didn’t just run an exhibition. We built a legacy platform and that’s work that outlasts any single Rotary year.
-Rtn. Sandeep Ohri, Director – International Service.

Planning beyond life: Mr Kartik Ganapathy demystifies wills and inheritance

At the 15th meeting of the Rotary Club of Bangalore, members were treated to an insightful and thought-provoking session on “Wills and Inheritance — A Legal Perspective.” The talk, delivered by Mr Kartik Ganapathy, Senior and Founding Partner of Induslaw, shed light on an aspect of life that most people prefer not to think about, yet which remains vital for ensuring peace and clarity after one’s lifetime.

Mr Ganapathy began by addressing a common question: “Do I need a will if I have a single heir?” His answer was rooted in practicality. Even when there is only one heir, a will is necessary because it simplifies the process of dealing with banks, government departments and legal formalities. “It makes things much easier,” he explained.
He defined a will as a declaration of a person’s intent regarding the distribution of their assets after death. There are several types of wills, he noted, each serving a distinct purpose. The unprivileged will is the standard form that anyone can write and sign in the presence of two witnesses. It does not require a lawyer or complex
legal language and can be written in plain English. The privileged will, on the other hand, applies to members of the armed forces.
Such a will can be written informally, even without witnesses, and remains legally valid owing to the nature of their service. The conditional will comes into effect only when specific conditions are met—such as a child completing education or taking over a family business. If these conditions are not fulfilled, the estate passes according to the rules of intestate succession.
He went on to clarify that a living will is not, in fact, a will in the legal sense. It does not concern property or inheritance but instead records an individual’s medical preferences in the event of terminal illness or incapacity, when they may no longer be able to communicate consent.

Mr Ganapathy elaborated on the two modes of succession—testamentary and intestate. Testamentary succession occurs when a person leaves a written will specifying how their assets should be distributed. Intestate succession, by contrast, comes into play when no such document exists, in which case the distribution is governed by personal or religious laws. “The right age to write a will,” he remarked with a smile, “is whenever you wish to.”
Expanding on the idea of succession planning, he described it as a process of thoughtful foresight,one that involves deciding how wealth and responsibility should pass to the next generation. “It is really about what you want your future generation to do,” he said.
“A will gives you the freedom and flexibility to pre-think how, where and under what conditions your assets should go.” Creating a will, he stressed, not only prevents future disputes over money and property but also preserves family harmony.
He advised individuals to begin by identifying their assets and determining who should inherit them, in what proportion and over what timeframe. Property may be left to anyone,a relative, a friend, a trust, a school, or even an unborn child. However, he cautioned that ancestral property cannot be disinherited.
He also described the three principal figures in a will: the testator, who makes the will; the executor, who ensures that the testator’s wishes are carried out; and the witnesses, who confirm that the document was signed when the testator was of sound mind and body. The executor, he said, could be a person, a trust, or even an
organisation, and is responsible for complying with the testator’s directions and handling any taxes or debts.
Religion and customary practices, he observed, have a bearing on wills. For instance, Hindus cannot bequeath ancestral property, while Muslims can will only up to a prescribed portion of their estate. A will does not have to be written on stamp paper, nor does it have to be registered though registration lends authenticity and can be done at anytime. He also pointed out that foreign exchange laws apply when property in India is left to heirs residing abroad.
Concluding his address, Mr Ganapathy described making a will as “a thoughtful exercise in foresight, a means of ensuring order, protecting loved ones, and maintaining peace long after one’s lifetime.” His talk served as both a legal primer and a reminder that while death is inevitable, confusion and conflict need not be.

The New members included:

Dr. Vimuktha Avinash – Classification: Educationist-Early childhood
Proposer: Rtn. Sunil Kumar.
Mrs. Meret Philip – Classification: Environment – Climate Mitigation
Proposer: Rtn. Kavita Muthappa
Mr. Eric Robert D silva – Classification: Real Estate – Finance Consultant
Proposer: Rtn. Dr. Anil Agadi
Mr. Srikanth Gururaja – Classification: Banking-Wealth management
Proposer: PDG Rtn. Prabhashankar K N
Mr. Shhyam Arjun Kalra – Classification: Merchant-food exports
Proposer: Rtn. Jigisha Rajguru

PNATIONAL HERITAGE QUIZ organised by INTACH in association with Rotary Club of Bangalore

Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage conducts a Quiz programmes for high school children all over the country to bring about awareness of Indian history and heritage.
This year, in collaboration with RCB, the preliminaries for Bangalore and finals for the state was conducted at RHF on 9th October 2025.
The event was championed by Rtn. Pooja Srinivasmurthy and Rtr.Akila.
In the prelims, 100 children from 50 schools participated and the finalists were
1. DPS North
2. Vyasa International School
3. Mithra Academy Arekere
4. Devin National School

The State Finals was conducted thereafter and the results are –
Dharwad – 5th Belagavi – 4th
Vijaypur – 3rd Gulbarga – 2nd
Bangalore – 1st
DPS NORTH (Bangalore) WON THE FINALS.
This was an extremely interesting and captivating program enjoyed by all and we plan to make this another annual event of RCB.
We are grateful to Rtn. Vishwanath for introducing Intach and the program to RCB.

– Rtn. Dr. Anil Agadi

The Neuroscience of Gratitude: With Dr. Melissa Hughes.

As part of the Rotary Club of Bangalore and RD.3192 Health and Wellness Fellowship’s Wednesday Wisdom series, a powerful online fireside chat was hosted on October 8, 2025, with Dr. Melissa Hughes, an expert in applied neuroscience and learning. Anchored by Rtn. Shivalik Roy, and moderated by Rtn.Minku Buttar, the conversation delved into how gratitude can rewire our brains, reshape behavior, and unlock human potential.
Dr. Hughes emphasized that gratitude isn’t just a warm feeling, it’s a scientifically proven tool that boosts wellbeing, creativity, and collaboration.
A few minutes of mindful gratitude daily can lead to powerful mental and emotional transformation.
Almost 65 participants from around the world joined this dynamic session, asking introspective and thought-provoking questions around human potential, emotional intelligence, mindset, and the science of thankfulness.
Key takeaways included –
Gratitude strengthens neural pathways and improves activity in the prefrontal cortex, which helps reinforce positive thinking and build resilience. It activates the brain’s reward system, promoting pleasure, mood, motivation, empathy, better sleep by lowering cortisol, and helps with social bonding by increasing oxytocin.
Rtn. Minku Buttar then invited everyone to join the 28 day Daily Journaling Practice that is presently running successfully with 80 participants.
Gratitude isn’t just a feeling—it’s a brain-changing practice. Start small. The results are BIG.
This is a Rotary Club of Bangalore and RD.3192 Health and Wellness initiative run by RCB member Team.

-Rtn. Minku Buttar