ROTARY CLUB OF PATNA has completed seventy-five years of its formation about a year back. It is not easy to compile and summarize the core activities of an organization. However, we have tried to be modest; listing of even the major activities during over seven decades would run into volumes. An attempt has, however, been made, in the following paragraphs, to take a quick journey through the glorious past, its involvements in following the ideals of Rotary in recent years and its ambitious goals during years to come. Known for a disciplined Club Management, meticulous time keeping and near perfection in procedural compliances, Rotary Club of Patna has carved a special place for itself in the Rotary World and many clubs try to follow some of these traits. Chartered on 8th November, 1943, as Rotary Club of Patna, this club is the oldest Rotary outfit in Bihar State and second oldest in R. I. District 3250, only next to Rotary Club of Jamshedpur in the undivided Bihar.
It was the initiatives of Mr Lawly Sen, who had an opportunity to visit his father-in-law, Rtn J. K. Biswas, at Kolkata, which paved the way for formation of Rotary Club of Patna. Rtn A. C. Ukil, Rtn N. C.Ghosh and Rtn J. K. Biswas from Rotary Club of Calcutta (Kolkata of today) played key roles in formation of this new Rotary Club in Patna, under the name and style of Rotary Club of Patna. The grant of our Charter was received from Governor Rtn Walter Buchan, via telegram, congratulating on Rotary Patna`s admission to Rotary International on 8th November, 1943. Charter no. 5688 and the Club ID 16052 were allotted to us. Our Charter President was Justice C. M. Agrawala and Charter Secretary was Mr Lawly Sen. Later, both of them became District Governors of the then RI District 91 and RI District 53, in the years 1947-48 and 1954-55 respectively.
In absence of any permanent place, the venue of the club meetings kept shifting; from Bihar Flying Club, to Hotel Maurya, to Bankipore Club, to Scada Centre. In late nineties, we shifted to the present Rotary Bhawan, Birchand Patel Path (erstwhile-Gardener Road) when it was reasonably equipped to host club meetings. The present members of Rotary Club of Patna owe a lot to the initiatives and drives of the respected members of the yester-years, who could make the dreams of a Rotary Bhawan a reality. Late, Dr Vishnu Jain and Rtn.Lok Nath Jhunjhunwala deserves a special mention for getting the plot of land allotted. Even if the facilities at Rotary Bhawan need much to be done to keep pace with modern days` needs, the fact that we did get this place under the given circumstances and the constraints, decades back, defines the course of action required by the present generation.
The construction of boundary wall for the Rotary Bhawan was completed by the then President Rtn T. K. Sinha, with support of local MLA-fund.
Approval for major modification of Rotary Bhawan was initiated during 2011-12 by the then President Rtn B. C. Srivastava, with support from MP`s Fund from Shri Shatrughan Sinha, and was completed in 2013-14 by the then President, Dr.Saroj Kumari. The false ceiling was financed by PP Rtn B. C. Srivastava and execution was overseen by Rtn Ajay Jhunjhunwala.
The next major modification has been completed during 2019-20, with the initiatives and complete financial supports by President Dr.Neena Kumar. This modification has carved out a much needed and an exclusive space, at the first floor, for our Rotary Patna Saheli Centre activities, particularly for sewing, stitching and beauty care classes.
Facilities were added to Rotary Bhawan in 2019-20. A new sewage line was laid. The ladies and gent toilets were re-built, with more facilities. Vending-machine for sanitary-napkins, for the use of Saheli Centre students has been installed. The kitchen area has been given a facelift. The buildings, boundary-walls has got a fresh coat of paint. The hall was renovated. The backroom has been re-built. A badminton court has been added for the use of our members. The club-office was lying unused. It was renovated, furnished and has started functioning.
It all started even before the formal Charter was received. Rotary Club of Patna was involved, in August 1943, in assisting the victims of great famine of Bengal. A contribution of Rs1000/- was made by Rtn.Lawly Sen and this was followed by several others, totalling Rs.15000/-. This was followed by Rotary Patna`s involvements in relief work during the Cholera Epidemic in North Bihar. Rotary Club of Patna continued its efforts to serve the society on different fronts, year after year. Amongst them, a few notables are floods-relief in 1947/ 1955/ 1975/1983, train disaster of Punjab Mail in 1960, draught relief in Dhanarua Blok (1966/ 1968), earthquake disaster in 1988 in North Bihar. During the Air Crash near Patna Airport, members of Rotary Patna were amongst the first to reach the site for giving a helping hand. Rotary Club of Patna has been one of the forerunners in strengthening the hands of Rotary International in the ambitious plans for Polio eradication. Some of other notable community service work undertaken by Rotary Patna are: (i) Adoption of villages such as Nagwan/ Motipur/ Sarai/ Jamshout/ Beur/ Kothia/ NayaTola, (ii) 100 drinking water pumps in Dhanarua Block/ Hand Pumps and Adult literacy school in village Bauria/ Free Cataract surgery/ A school with five class rooms in village Choutwan/ supports to physically challenged/ Blood donation camps.
Rotary Patna was adjudged as the Best Club of the District for its Best performance in all Avenues of Service and a cluster of Rotary Flags was presented by Rotary International. · Rotary Patna has the distinction of fielding fifteen of its Members as District Governors. · PDG Dr.Mahadev Chand served as RI President`s personal representative to District Conference o RI District 386 (Ceba, Phillipines), RI District 386 (Guntur, Andhra Pradesh) and RI District 322 (Colombo, Sri Lanka). · PDG Dr C Khandelwal as member COL. · Club Leaders from Rotary Patna have always played key roles in the District Teams (as Members or District Chairs or Assistant Governors) every year, including the position of District Secretary General. · Rotary Patna had the honor of celebrating Golden Jubilee in 1993 and again Diamond Jubilee in 2003 on completion of 50 years and 60 years, respectively. A memorable moment for Rotary Club of Patna was the celebration of its Platinum Jubilee, after completion of 75 years of Charter presentation. This was a gala celebration, which spread over to one year, that is, from start to completion of 75th year. A number of Community Service and Social events were organized.
- Rotary Patna Education Trust.
- Medical Grade Oxygen Cylinder Bank.
- Establishing Saheli Centre for Vocational Training for Women.
- Rotary Patna Homoeopathic Clinic.
- Bi-weekly Dental Clinic at Rotary Bhawan.
- Shed near Public Park in Sri Krishnapuri.
- RCC at Madurapur and Masauri.
- Cataract Surgery for underprivileged persons.
- Telephone Booth at PMCH.
- RCC Lohanipur (Mobile Theatre).
- Enquiry Counter at IGMS.
- Dental Clinic at Red Cross Building.
- Pace Maker Bank.
- Adoption of Blind School at KadamKuan.
- Leading Rotary Youth Exchange Program.
- Leading Rotary Friendship Exchange Program.
- Hosting Overseas Rotary Guests.
- Adoption of Village BalwaKwary and providing logistic supports.
- Promoting Environment Protection by organizing movements like “Say no to Plastic” and “Say no to Tobacco”.
- Continued supports to relief measures during natural calamities, be it flood, Tsunami, Earthquake.
- Active supports to fight against Tuberculosis.
On any given time, frame, Rotary Club of Patna has always been implementing various types and sizes of Community Service Projects, some of which have been mentioned above. However, there are a few Projects which are close to our heart and Rotary Patna has been nurturing these Projects year after year.
Rotary Patna Education Trust, jointly operated in co-operation with OP Kochhar Memorial Trust, was established way back in 1975, is perhaps one of the oldest surviving Rotary Initiatives of the District. Constant efforts are being made to increase the corpus for the Trust and every year selected school students on merit-cum-means basis are provided with financial assistance.
Dental Clinic was started at Red Cross Bhawan. It was equipped by us and is run at Red Cross Bhawan. This year, in March 2020, the whole set-up was refurbished. New, latest Dental Chair, instruments have been procured under a District Grant. The clinic has got anew coat of paint.
Pacemaker Bank Project was a unique project of our club. It functioned for more than a decade in nineties. Pacemaker is a lifesaving medical device. It is expensive and beyond the reach of a poor person. We tied up with an international organization and procured the devices as a gift from manufacturers. We bore the cost of transportation, etc. hundreds of poor, needy patients benefited from this project. This project was managed by PP Dr.Vishnu Jain and PP. Dr.Arvind Kumar.
Rotary Patna Homoeopathic Clinic is operating for nearly fourteen years, providing free health counselling and medicines to all. Under this Project, Rotary Patna has also extended its services to schools and public places and in each of such campaigns hundreds of students/ adults have benefitted.
Rotary Patna Saheli Centre is another Signature Project of Rotary Patna. It was the first time that our club received a Global Grant in its history.RtnDr. Arvind Kumar, President, 2005-06, was instrumental in getting it. More than 2000 women trainees have completed their training in the four training streams and many of them have taken up jobs whereas quite a few have become entrepreneurs themselves. At any given time 50-60 female participants undergo training in one vocation or the other. At regular intervals, efforts are made to market the products manufactured by our Trainees and this includes opening of stalls at Mahila Udyog Bazaar at Patna and Literacy Seminar at Kolkata. Recently, during the Lock Down due to COVID-19, the Saheli Centre Trainees and the Instructor have produced over 2500 general purpose masks and these have been gifted to Personnel from Police Stations, Fire Brigade Stations an Nagar Nigam staff. An additional feature as English Language Course has been added, which would enhance the communication skills of these trainees.
During the year 2014-15, Rotary Club of Patna has provided complete water system, including overhead Tank, for a Government School near Patna Bye-pass. During recent years, Rotary Club of Patna has been working in close co-operation with local schools and has been providing need-based knowledge and facilities, including installation of Sanitary Pad Vending Machines.
During 2019-20, Rotary Club of Patna has successfully completed renovationof a Government Primary School at Faridpurby adding a set of four toilets, handwash- station, hand pump, submersible-pump, overhead water tank, soak pit and sewage pipe.
We have completed a Global Grant Project for converting a Government Upper Primary School to a Happy School, with the supports from Rotary Club of Milton Keynes (UK). PP.Rtn. B.C. Shrivastav is the prime contact for it.
In addition, the Club has also completed a District Grant Project for Up-gradation of Rotary Patna Dental Clinic.
Rotary Club of Patna has been maintaining the membership strength of 100+/- 10 for past few years. We have already updated our Bylaws recently and have also received dedicated PAN Card. We are proceeding to get our club registered with Income-tax department under Section-12, so that we can receive donations and get other benefits. Looking back at the rich heritage of Rotary Club of Patna, there is ambitious plan to take it to next level of excellence. Some of these could be mentioned below but these have to be constantly monitored and updated:
- Renewal of Land Lease for Rotary Bhawan.
- Construction of a multi-storied and multifunctional building on this land, as a replacement of the existing Rotary Bhawan.
- Expanding scope of work for Saheli Centre.
- Starting a new Poly Clinic-cum-Immunization Centre.
- Increasing the Membership Strength @10% per year.
- Reducing the Average age of Club Members by inducting young and competent young professionals as Members.
- Increasing the strength of Female Members in the range of 40-50%.
- Registration of Rotary Club of Patna under Society Act with necessary initiatives on Tax exemptions so as to attract donations for strategic Projects.
- Increased focus on nurturing Rotaract & Interact Clubs and their effective utilization.
- Promoting the knowledge base of experienced & senior Members for District Assignments and beyond.
- Undertake new Global Grant Projects, each year. One such Project for SKIN BANK at Patna is already been conceived.
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