Rotary Open Hearts

In 2005-06, thanks to our twin city partner, Rotary Club of Lake Success Gold Coast, New York, USA, and especially Rotarian Ravishankar Bhooplapur, our Club started a project under the Rotary Foundation's Matching Grants, the Rotary Open Hearts to provide free surgery to 18 children from Pakistan.
Over these past years, the children have come and have been successfully treated at our partner hospitals, PGI, Chandigarh, and the Fortis Hospital Mohali.
On 16th September 2008, the eighteenth child, a fourteen year old boy, Neelkanth, son of Shri Das Pitambar of Sanghar, Pakistan, was operated by Dr. T.S. Mahant, at Fortis Hospital.
As these children have returned home with their parents to start life afresh, a unique bond of friendship and affection has been created between these families and Rotarians across the border, that would, insha allah, further strengthen the bonding between the two countries.
The words of one of the children from Pakistan, that "Pakistan gave them birth, and India has given them life", still rings loud and clear that speaks volume for the success of the bridges of goodwill, understanding, and friendship that have been created.