ROTARY :  INDIA SHINING

 Last Thursday, on 14th May 2026, RCPD welcomed a rare personality known for his remarkable ability to inspire and build people — none other than PDG Rtn. Mohan Hirachand Palesha.

Known as a polyglot and celebrated for his sher-o-shayari, PDG Palesha has the rare gift of influencing minds and hearts with equal ease. His topic for the evening was “Rotary: India Shining.” Having been a Rotarian for the past 38 years, he traced Rotary’s growth trajectory since the early 1980s, recalling what he described as a golden period that lasted until 1995.

Reflecting on Rotary International’s current membership strength of 1.2 million members worldwide, he pointed out that not only has the organization remained stagnant at this figure for years, but it also now faces the reality of an average member age of nearly 60 years.

He informed the audience that India is presently the second-highest contributor to TRF, contributing nearly 30 million dollars last year, with District 3131 consistently ranking among the highest contributors in the country. However, he also highlighted that many of the issues discussed, and consequently addressed at international conferences are largely “Western” in nature, making the proposed solutions less relevant to challenges faced by Rotary in India.

For instance, he explained that certain districts in the West have memberships of barely 1100 members, making district mergers an ideal solution there. In contrast, India has districts with memberships exceeding 5000, where bifurcation would be a far more practical approach. He also observed that staff salaries within Rotary International are often comparable to corporate structures, raising questions about the necessity of such expenditure within a non-governmental organization.

He encouraged the audience to think deeply about how these realities could be addressed and how meaningful change could be initiated.

Another important and thought-provoking point raised by PDG Palesha was the gradual dilution of the true essence of being a Rotarian. He shared his belief that a Rotarian is someone who is qualified, blessed by a higher power, and accepted by society; and therefore carries the responsibility of giving back to society.

Drawing from several personal experiences, he spoke about the immense joy that comes from selfless giving. Pointing towards many of his friends and senior members present in the audience, he urged them to mentor newer and prospective Rotarians, encouraging them to create and experience such moments of fulfilment in their own lives.

As always, his address was elevated by his timely and beautifully chosen poetic references and quotations. I take the liberty of including one of the poems he quoted — a personal favourite of mine.

What Will Matter!

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.

Your wealth, fame and power will shrivel to irrelevance.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It will not matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It will not matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin colour will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured? 

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built,
not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example. 

What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.
What will matter is not your memories but the memories of those who loved you. 

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.”

– Michael Josephson

Compiled by :- Rtn. Aashima Agashe.

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Inauguration of Dhoka Hearing Impaired School Building

By Rotary Club of Poona Downtown.

 

 

The Rotary Club of Poona Downtown, in collaboration with M/s Chemetall India Ltd., successfully completed and inaugurated a major infrastructure development project at the Dhoka Hearing Impaired School, operated by Jai Shriram Shikshan Sanstha at Koregaon Bhima, Taluka Shirur, District Pune.

The foundation slab had been completed and column work was in progress by July 2025.The project involved the construction of a two-storey school building with a total built-up area of approximately 1,133 square metres. The new facility includes separate wings and hostel accommodation for boys and girls, significantly enhancing the school's capacity and infrastructure for hearing-impaired students. The project is expected to benefit approximately 200 children, while the residential hostel will accommodate 40–50 students.

The School Management, sought CSR support of ₹96 lakhs from M/s Chemetall India Ltd., this amount was used towards the hostel construction, beds, benches, furniture and other related requirements. Subsequently, a Donation Agreement was executed in March 2025 between M/s Chemetall India Ltd. and the Rotary Club of Poona Downtown to support the project.

 

 

 

Hearing impairment remains a significant concern in India, with severe-to-profound hearing loss affecting an estimated 4 out of every 1,000 new born. The creation of a modern educational and residential facility for hearing-impaired children is therefore a meaningful step towards providing quality education, care and opportunities for this underserved segment of society.

The newly constructed school features separate hostels for boys and girls and state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to support learning, development and overall well-being. The facility will be a valuable resource for children from economically disadvantaged families, helping them build brighter futures and become productive members of society.

The initiative was conceptualized by Rtn. Anil Chaddha and Rtn. Zimra Israel and was subsequently managed by the Club Committee under the leadership of PDG Dr. Madhav Borate.

On Friday, 19 June 2026, the School Management organized the inauguration ceremony of the completed school building. Remarkably, the entire project was completed in a record time of just 14 months. The School Management ensured that all applicable norms and regulations were followed during the construction process.

The inauguration was attended by Mr. Prakash Dhoka, Mr. Santosh Kulthe, Plant HR & Admin Head, Chemetall India Ltd., along with his team, and members of the Rotary Club of Poona Downtown, including President Aditi Bhende, PDG Dr. Madhav Borate, PP Biman Mookerji, PP Vikram Nabar, PP Pallavi Sable, PP Asis Ray and spouse Ipsita Ray, Rtn. Richard Lobo, Rtn. Gautam Idnani, and Secretary Rtn. Pervin Sadekar.

The Rotary Club of Poona Downtown and M/s Chemetall India Ltd. congratulate the School Management on this significant achievement and extend their best wishes to the students, staff and management for continued success in the years ahead