Rotary's Biggest Smile enters into Ripley's Believe it Or Not

It was a memorable four days at the grand Impact Convention Centre that hosted the 103rd Rotary International Convention.  There was a large contingent from India to cheer their RI President Kalyan Banerjee, and reaffirm their commitment to Rotary's mission of 'Service Above Self'.
On Monday, the 7th May 2012, exactly 2,012 Rotarians put on yellow and blue hooded jackets and formed biggest smiley at the convention centre, which qualified it to get into Ripley's Believe It Or Not.  The number of participants, 2,012 in forming this human smiley was to celebrate the year 2012 when Rotarians have been able to exceed the Rotary's US$ 200 million challenge for eradicating polio. 
The event was splashed across various newspapers published in Thailand the next day giving Rotary's image a great boost. 

Magazine Month Gift for our Rotary Club

Just yesterday, we had our Monday meeting dedicated to the Rotary Magazine Month, that brought to the fore how Rotary magazine is changing life, and filling us all with information and inspiration to do more.  Our Rotarians, including PDG Kawal Bedi, IPDG Madhukar Malhotra, Director Club Service PP Manmohan Singh Kohli, Director Community Service AP Singh, and co-editor of our club bulletin 'Rotary Open Hand' Desh Deepak Khanna shared their insights.  It was enriching and refreshing.
And just today morning when I glanced through the April issue of THE ROTARIAN which had arrived in mail just yesterday, page 15 had a surprise under the 'Woirld roundup'.  It features the story of 'Hamari Beti' and the tieup our club had made with the School of Communication Studies, Panjab University, for producing radio programmes on community radio Jyotigamaya 91.2fm.
You can also read it on the Rotary's online edition.  Just Click Here.
Congratulations to all.

Keeping the Hearts Beating

The Pacemaker Bank of our Club keeps many hearts beating, helping numerous lives to continue to have a healthy life.

Every year a number of pacemakers are fitted free of cost on the patients in PGI, thanks to the project that was conceived way back in 1990-91, and continues to run even today.

It was in 1990-91, our Club provided pacemaker to a patient in PGI.

In 1991-92, the Club entered into collaboration with Heart Beat International, USA, for providing free pacemakers to poor patients in PGI.  Rtn Abhilash Kapoor was the then president of the Club, and he continues to be the Project Incharge for this. 

The process involves PGI recommending poor patients for pacemakers, and through Heartbeat International, the pacemakers are arranged.

In 2004, the most touching  scenario was when PGI requested a tiny pacemaker for a two years old child.  It was an emergency.  The team of Rotarians got active immediately and was able to get from USA the required pacemaker within 7 days.  It was collaboration at its best in which Rotarians and Heartbeat International, as well as the government of India worked at tandem to save the life of the little soul.

In 2004-05, however, it became essential to bear the cost of importing and handling charges, and the Club raised US$ 2,500 and remitted to Heartbeat International in order to get 30 pacemakers for the Pacemaker Bank.

During 2011-12, under the leadership of Rtn Madhukar Malhotra, District Governor, the project was extended to other areas in the District, especially Shimla and Dehradun. 

The video shows how Rotary and Heartbeat International is saving lives.