Mid-TownBulletinDISTRICT 3140 | Club 15496

For Private Circulation

Vol 47 • Issue 11 • MAY 2015

R. I. President | GaRy C K HuanG

Club President | MoHan lalvanI

District Governor | ajay GupTa

Tilak MehtaPast President

Membership Development, bombay Mid-Town

MAY 2015 2 Mid-Town Bulletin

Why The Rotary Year Begins July 1Ever wonder why the Rotary year begins 1 July? The Rotary International Convention initially played a key role in determining the start date of our fiscal and administrative year. Rotary’s first fiscal year began the day after the first convention ended, on 18 August 1910. The 1911-12 fiscal year also related to the convention, beginning with the first day of the 1911 convention on 21 August. At its August 1912 meeting, the Board of Directors ordered an audit of the International Association of Rotary Clubs’ finances. The auditors recommended that the organization end its fiscal year on 30 June to give the secretary and treasurer time to prepare a financial statement for the convention and board, and determine the proper number of club delegates to the convention. The executive committee concurred, and at its April 1913 meeting, designated 30 June as the end of the fiscal year. This also allowed for changes to the schedule for reporting club membership and payments. Even The Rotarian changed its volume numbering system to correspond to the fiscal year (beginning with vol. 5, July 1914). Rotary continued to hold its annual conventions in July or August until 1917. Delegates to the 1916 event in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, approved a resolution to hold future conventions in June, mainly because of the heat in cities where most of them occurred. The next one was held 17-21 June in Atlanta, Georgia. The term “Rotary year” has been used to signify Rotary’s annual administrative period since at least 1913. An article in The Rotarian that July noted, “The Rotary year that is rapidly drawing to a close has been signalized by several highly successful joint meetings of Clubs that are so situated as to assemble together easily and conveniently.” Since the executive committee’s decision in 1913, the end of the Rotary year has remained 30 June.

- R.I.News

president’s address

Generation Gap

conte

nts

coveR pRofile: Rtn Tilak Mehta.........03

NeWS: Parag Parikh........ 04 Rotary International Earthquake Relief........ 04

pRoJecTS: Nepal Earthquake Relief............ 06 Dadar School for the blind..........06

phoTo feaTuRe: Meet, Greet Eat & Retreat............ 08 Speakers R Jhunjhunwala and Dr S Bhatia..........09

TiTBiTS: How To Recruit New Members And Strengthen Your Club.........10 The Functions of a Rotary Club President..........11

mileSoTNeS: June 2015.........12

A college student challenged a senior citizen saying it was impossible for their generation to understand his.

“You grew up in a different world,” he said.

“Today we have TVs, jet planes, space travel and computers...”

Taking advantage of a pause in the young man’s speech, the senior citizen said,

“You’re right. We didn’t have any of those things when we were young.

That’s why we invented them for you to enjoy.”

– Rtn Gaurav Kapadia

MAY 2015 3 Mid-Town Bulletin

cover profile

Tilak mehta: Membership Development, Bombay Mid-Town

Tilak Mehta joined Rotary in 1982 and has been very active

throughout. He has worked in all avenues of our club and district. He served as President of the Club during the period 1998-99 and has chaired practically every committee in the district. He enjoys being a part of Rotary and the good people, the values and the good work that Rotary is doing.

Hailing from Punjab, Tilak was born in Kasur, a part of Pakistan now. His family was displaced from Kasur during Partition and after a lot of struggle, his family settled down in Delhi. Tilak’s father, a lawyer with the CBI was his role model. A recipient of the Padma Shree Award, Tilak’s father was an image of honesty, discipline and simple living.

After completing his degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, Tilak joined a multinational company in Mumbai. He acquired vast experience in manufacturing and held senior

positions at Metal Box and Colour Carton. He later started his own software company.

His wife Ashok Mehta holds a Master’s degree in Statistics and a post-graduate diploma in personnel management. She has held senior positions at the Navratna Oil Company and Hindustan Petroleum. She is an active member of the Inner Wheel and has been president twice.

Their daughter Sonal is an eye surgeon and is the Chairperson of the Ophthalmology Department in the University of Florida. Their son

Amit is a graduated from IIT Bombay and is also an MBA and a CFA. He is the Senior Managing Partner in a large hedge fund company in New York. Their son-in-law Sanjeev is a well-known paediatrician and their daughter-in-law Ruchi is a PhD in Molecular Biology. Tilak and Ashok Mehta have four charming grandchildren.

“Tilak loves Indian light music and is deeply

interested in spirituality”

Tilak loves Indian light music and is deeply interested in spirituality. He loves reading books on philosophy and his favourites include J Krishnamurti and Eckhart Tolle. He was highly influenced by a training programme on self actualisation which helped him connect with his internal strengths and weaknesses. He believes it has played a major role in his acceptance of life and its uncertainties.

His quest for spirituality has led him to participate actively in a non-profit project called Navadarshan with his college friends. Located near Bengaluru, Navadarshan is a community that strives to cause least damage to the environment. Practising organic farming and powered by renewable energy, they are also heavily involved in afforestation. All their activities lead towards a journey of self-actualisation. It’s amazing that over 100 acres of barren land has been converted into a lush, green forest. The forest is home to over 100 sandalwood trees, none of which were planted by them. This goes to show that nature gives back in abundance if you protect it. Today, Navadarshan not only supports a thriving community, but also supports a large variety of flora and fauna.

MAY 2015 4 Mid-Town Bulletin

news

rtn paraG parikh

RoTaRy international

Our Rotarian, Parag Parikh, CEO of PPFAS Asset Management

Pvt Ltd, died in a car crash in the city of Omaha, Nebraska in the US on May 3, 2015. It was ironic indeed that Parikh breathed his last in a town where Warren Buffet, who is known to be the world’s leading authority on value investing, was born and still lives, works and holds his annual conference that’s attended by hundreds of followers worldwide.

Parikh had a big heart. In the ‘90s, when Parikh was still in the

stockbroking business, one of his junior employees hesitatingly walked into his office and wondered if he could borrow about R2.5 lakh from the firm. He had to buy a house worth R4.5 lakh and managed to get a housing loan of about R2 lakh. The balance was the shortfall he needed to borrow but wasn’t sure if he could amass the money then and there because he was hesitant to borrow. Parikh immediately issued a cheque of R2.5 lakh.

Rtn Parikh was Chairman of the FOF committee which had 80 members,

mostly from RCBMT. He joined the club in September of 2002. May God grant strength to R/Ann Geeta and the rest of his family members to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude. May God grant Rtn Parag Parikh everlasting peace in his heavenly abode.

Dear Rotarians, We express our profound sadness and extend our sympathies to all those affected by the devastation resulting from the April 25 deadly earthquake in Nepal. Rescue missions and emergency aid continue to arrive in Nepal for the 8 million people impacted by the massive 7.8 magnitude quake. As we mourn the thousands of lost lives, Rotary joins many international agencies in providing immediate relief to survivors and mobilizing our expertise to support long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts. How to help: • District 3292, Nepal, has

established a disaster relief fund to provide needed equipment and supplies to affected communities. Contact District Governor Kumar Piya for information about contributing to the fund.

• Rotary’sservicepartnerShelterBoxis working closely with Nepali Rotarians to coordinate immediate

relief efforts. On Monday, April 27, and Wednesday, April 29, Rotarians greeted ShelterBox response teams in Nepal who will mobilize temporary housing and relief efforts. An initial 1,000 housing tents and 1,000 shelter kits will be distributed throughout affected communities. Two more ShelterBox relief teams and additional kits are ready to be deployed once further assessments are complete. Learn more about supporting ShelterBox’s relief efforts.

• Aswith all disasters, theRotaryfamily may apply for global grants to support long-term recovery efforts in Nepal. Once immediate health, safety, and relief efforts have been addressed, work with local Nepali Rotary members and their international partners to develop projects within Rotary’s six areas of focus.

Monitor the announcements section of My Rotary for

more information as it becomes available and do not hesitate to contact relief@rotary.org with any questions.

Our thoughts are with our Nepali neighbours during this difficult time. Thank you for continuing to Light Up Rotary through your compassion and generosity. Yours in Rotary,

Gary C.k. huangpresident,

rotary international

2014-15

project

5 Steps and R50 to make

an Adult Literate

Identify student volunteer (it could also be you) to be a trainer.

Order the toolkit (One or more kits) @R50/- each.

Go to the website, read and follow the instructions for teaching.

In 40-45 days you can make an adult literate, by teaching for

only 30 minutes a day!

Report progress at every step on website

Apple

www.rotaryleach.org rotaryindialiteracyMissionrotary teach rotaryteach

MAY 2015 6 Mid-Town Bulletin

projects

The earthquake that hit Nepal, our neighbouring country has left thousands homeless, many other have lost their lives and they need our help.

President Mohan Lalvani made a special appeal to all members at the Rotary Club meeting on April 29 to contribute their might towards this project. It has been initiated by the District Governor and requests have been made to all the clubs

kaMla Mehta DaDar SChool for the BlinDA visit was planned to the Dadar School for the Blind on April 24, 2015. The objective was to give a donation on behalf of the Rotary Club of Bombay Mid-Town and its members. The Chairman of the Child Welfare Committee, along with Rtn Gaurav Kapadia were present. The cheque was presented by Rtn Anil Ambo to Ms Uma Mumbaikar, the principal of the school. The total donation amounted to R1,80,000. We hope to contribute more in the near future.

Dadar School for the Blindname amountAshwin Shah 1,00,000Gaurav Kapadia 10,000Kersi Hilloo 10,000KK Khemka 50,000Naren Mohatta 10,000 --------------Total 1,80,000

– By Rtn Gaurav Kapadia and Rtn Naren Mohatta

an appeal—nepal earthquake reliefin the district. Members can contribute cash, donate water bottles, clothes, food items, etc.

The ball was set rolling by Rtn Naren Mohatta who immediately donated R10,000 and clothes. It is fervently hoped that other members would join in and help alleviate the misery of those affected in Nepal.

Donation cheques may be issued in favour of Rotary Club of Bombay Mid-Town.

MAY 2015 8 Mid-Town Bulletin

photo feature

Meet, Greet, eat & retreat - @ WoDehouse GyMkhana

Speaker nikhil aGrawal of all ThinGs nice

the late rtn parag parikh (right)

4th CluB aSSeMBly MeetinG

MAY 2015 9 Mid-Town Bulletin

photo feature

Dr Gowhar Shafi fRoM PosiTive Bioscience, May 22

the late rtn parag parikh (right)

induction of Swiss Consul General, Mr XXX

Dr Sweta Bhatia - @ Taj Mahal hoTel, May 29

MAY 2015 10 Mid-Town Bulletin

tidbits

how To Recruit new Members and strengthen your club— A MeMbership MAtters! Webinar on 6 May 2015Join us on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 10:00am CDT/Chicago time (UTC-5) for the fifth and final installment of the Membership Matters! webinar series. This webinar, How to Recruit New Members and Strengthen Your Club, will share some of the exciting ways clubs around the world are growing and strengthening their membership using creative strategies for attracting new members.

Space is limited so please register now and plan to attend the webinar.About the panellists:

Rotary International Director-elect Jennifer Jones – Jennifer Jones is

a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Canada and has been a Rotarian since she was 27 years old. A popular speaker and trainer at Rotary events, Jones has served as Club President, District Governor, a multiple-time District Conference Presidential Representative, and a leader for several Rotary Committees. She will continue her commitment to strengthening Rotary’s membership during her term on the 2015-16 RI Board of Directors.

Rotary Coordinator & RIBI Membership Chairman Robin Brown – Robin Brown is a member of the Rotary Club of Crewkerne District in England and has been

a Rotarian for almost 25 years. He has previously served Rotary as an Assistant Rotary Coordinator, Chairman of the RIBI Leadership, Development and Training Committee and as District Governor, where he successfully oversaw net membership growth during his term. Brown was selected by RI President Gary Huang as one of his District Conference Presidential Representatives.

This message was sent to all Rotary Club Presidents, Presidents-elect, District Governors, District Governors-elect, and District Membership Chairs. Please share this information and forward to your fellow Rotarians!

MAY 2015 11 Mid-Town Bulletin

The functions of a Rotary club president

tidbits

What exactly does a Club President do during his tenure? Here are a list of responsibilities.

1. preside over rotary meetingsa) Preside over weekly Club meetings.b) Preside over board meetingsevery monthc) Preside over Club Assemblies every quarter

2. Develop Club Goals in harmony with rotary international and District goals.

3. prepare a Committee plana) Appoint a chairperson for each committeeb) Approve the meeting schedules of each committeec) Approve committee goalsd) Supervise action stepse) Reviews

4. finance Management

5. Communication with members and others

6. participate in District meetings pre-petS, petS, District assembly and District Conference

7. review and reporta) Semi-annual Reportsb) Annual Reports

8. promote international meetings

9. Contribute to the role of his or her successor by:

a) Sharing information, conducting joint board meetings

b) Giving a comprehensive handover

c) Being a part of the installation ceremony.

MAY 2015 12 Mid-Town Bulletin

rotary CluB of BoMBay MiD-town

OFFICE BEARERS 2014-15President: Mohan LalvaniImmediate Past President: James Brunner Hon Secretary: Sucharita R HegdeHon. Jt Secretary: Gaurav G KapadiaHon. Treasurer: PP Anil KamathSergeant at Arms: Munna MithaAddl. Sergeant at Arms: Jamsheed N Patel CoMMitteeS for rotary year 2014-15 avenue Director Club admin: Manoj Jalan Programmes: Deepak MehtaFellowship: Ajit KamlaniFinance: Bipin Jain Chairman Emeritus: PP V B HaribhaktiAttendance: Dr Deepak GargBye laws: Yog ShankardasFund Raising: Rajendra ManeCo Chair: Deepak M MehtaClassification: Yog ShankardasMembership & Membership Development: Tilak MehtaRotary Information: Ashok SharmaClub Bulletin & Magazine: Gargi Mukherjee Co Chair: Anil KejriwalPublic Relations: Sunil Gautam

avenue Director Vocational Service: anil kejriwalCareer Guidance: Krishan KhannaVocational & Scholarship Awards: Craig JohnsonCo Chair: Prasanna Bhagat4 Way Test & Club Website: Rajeev ThakkarSenior Citizens Welfare: Dr G P KasbekarFinancial Opportunities Forum: Parag Parikh

avenue Director Community Service: arvind Doshi(Medical and non Medical projects)Child Welfare: Anil AmboNere-Vaje Village Development Project: Nirbhay JainPolio & Care of Physically Challenged: Kersi HillooMedical-Plastic Surgery Camp: Dr Anil Tibrewala Rotary District Relations: Anil Kamath

avenue Director: new Generation: Sunil Gautam(partners in Service)Interact: Jamsheed PatelRotaract: Vicky PunjabiSports: Harshad VoraInner Wheel: Deepak Mehta

avenue Director: international projects: ashwin ShahInternational Grants Projects: Yogesh PandyaCo Chair: Anil KamathInternational Family Exchange: Santosh KejriwalCo Chair: Anil KejriwalInternational Youth Exchange: Manoj JalanThe Rotary Foundation (TRF): R P Anand District Governor: Ajay Gupta Assistant Governor: Saurabh Sonawala Group Coordinator: Rajesh Shroff District Secretary: Jayesh Vidhani

milestones

Edited and published for Rotary Club of Bombay Mid-Town, Navjivan III Commercial Society Premises Ltd, 10th Floor, Room No. 10 (R), Lamington Road,

Mumbai – 400 008. •Tel:02223076265Tel/Fax:02223082279•Mobile:+919833685849

•Email:bbymidtown@vsnl.net

Designed and Printed at Spenta Multimedia, Editors: Gaurav Kapadia, Anil Kejriwal, Naren MohattaEditorialConsultant:NiranjanR•Design:PrachiBhide

Peninsula Spenta, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400 013.

Page coordinated by Allan Chenyen. For previous issues, please visit www.bombaymidtown.in

the paper for this Bulletin is donated by rtn Bimal Shroff for which the Club is extremely grateful.

please send your articles and news for the Bulletin to allan Chenyen (bbymidtown@vsnl.net) preferably by the 10th of every month.

01 Jyotika Premnarayan04 Nazneen Patel05 Dr. Pratibha Doshi10 Sonali Jalan13 Hernangini Thakker14 Purnima Kapadia19 Ashok Mehta21 Pragati Gupta27 Siddharth Mukherjee

Spouse’s Birthdays in June 2015

wedding anniversaries in June 2015

01 Sudha & Arun Mehta02 Bindu & Rahul Mehta05 Uttara & Ajoy Bhandare15 Dr. Pratibha & Arvind

Doshi18 Snehlata & Shashikant

Bhartia22 Ila & Kamlesh Sonawala27 Dr. Vimal & Dr. Arvind kasbekar

Birthdays in June 2015 ❧

events in June 2015 ❧

events in July 2015 ❧

01 June ashwin Shah

29 June Bernhard Steinruecke

25 JuneDinyar Jamshedji

rotary fellowShip Month

weDneSDay, 03Speaker : TBA

Taj Mahal Hotel @ 12.30 pm

weDneSDay, 10 Speaker : TBA

Taj Mahal Hotel @ 12.30 pm

weDneSDay, 17 Speaker : TBA

Venue Rendezvous-Rooftop of Taj Mahal Hotel @ 12.30 pm

(Mrs Asha Singh to host a Lunch in memory of late Amulya Singh)

12th BoD - Joint Meeting @2.30 pm @Taj

weDneSDay, 24 Annual Awards & Fellowship Dinner Venue: Sunville Banquet Hall, Worli

Time: 7.30 pm

inStallation MeetinG

weDneSDay, 01Installatiion of Rtn RP Anand as Rotary President, Chief Guest: IPDG Ajay Gupta

Venue: Mayfair Banquet Rooms, Worli at 7.30 pm

26 Junerohit patel

27 Junenitin Mukesh