Extracts
from the article in “Rotary News” - 1000 days
- A Labour of Love
As narrated by Krishnan V. Chari to Vidya Sigamany and Sukadha
Parthasarathy
Rotary News has covered many Rotary projects and events over
the 50 years of publication, but the coverage was primarily
based on reports from the Rotarians. Venturing out for the
first time, Editor Krishnan V. Chari visited one of Rotary’s
successful projects in India, undertaking a busman’s
holiday as it were, and found himself overwhelmed by the effort
of Rotarians.
 |
Past RI Director and Rotary Foundation Trustee Rtn Kalyan
Banerjee of the Rotary Club of Vapi at a rebuilding site on
one of his hundreds of trips to help the earthquake affected. |
This was a three-day journey over 1,000 kms in Kutch and Saurashtra
regions of Gujarat, taking in the sorrows inflicted by nature’s
fury and the human response in rebuilding the lives of the
people, a classic case of Rescue, Relief, Rebuild and Rehabilitate.
There are many examples of heroic deeds of Rotarians but it
would not do justice to single out a few for recognition.
In Chari’s words: “This rebuilding endeavour will
easily rank as second only to PolioPlus in the history of
Rotary in South Asia, in the first hundred years of Rotary.”
The contribution of the leader of this mammoth effort Rtn.
Kalyan Banerjee, Past RI Director and Trustee of The Rotary
Foundation, who leads by example, will be etched in the annals
of history.
The rebuilding activity by District 3060 led to reconstruction
of 700 plus school rooms and more than 800 homes.
A Commendable Effort
The rebuilding of Gujarat by Rotary is a mind-boggling achievement
and shows what can be achieved if the country was run along
the same lines! A look back at our efforts nearly 1000 days
later is satisfying but there are miles to go before the project
is completed ahead of the Rotary Centennial in 2005.
Undoubtedly, next only to the PolioPlus programme, this is
one of the biggest feathers in the Rotary cap. It also draws
attention to just how much more Rotary can accomplish.
Do we need to wait for calamity to strike before we prove
ourselves again?
