ROTARY DISTRICT 3140 JULY 2015

DG’s Message

My Dear PEAK 15 President Kunal Todarwal, heartiest congratulations on your taking up the leadership of your club, The Rotary Club of Bombay Bayview, in an absolutely historic year 2015-16, the final year of our RI District 3140. Rotary Club of Bombay Bayview has been one of the vibrant and leading

Rotary clubs in our district… and has strongly continued to pursue Rotary philosophy and ideals all along. Your assuming the leadership of the club is a great opportunity indeed to take Rotary further in this milestone year.

With virtually all the learning sessions now complete, all the PEAK 15 Presidents are now fully enlightened and empowered to focus on the goals and priorities of 2015-16. I would urge you to focus your efforts on important areas like Membership Development, Club Strengthening, Public Image & PR, Thrust areas like TB Eradication, SUKHADA – WinS, SERVICE 15, The Rotary Foundation Programs & Support, Literacy India Mission TEACH Program… along with participation in Rotary’s all avenues of service.

My dream and vision for 1516 is clear and simple…. To produce PEAK records, to set new benchmarks on all important and measurable goals, and to have some outstanding fellowship for all of us during the year.

I look forward for you to leave no stone unturned in achieving our endeavour to see that in 15-16… RID 3140 will achieve its highest peak of performance… PEAK 15.

Warm Regards & Best Wishes

Subhash Kulkarni District Governor 2015-16 Rotary International District 3140

www.rotarybayview.com �1

BAY VIEWS A ROTARY CLUB OF BOMBAY BAYVIEW NEWSLETTER

Club President Kunal Todarwal~ kunal@todarwal.com | Club Secretary Nayan Maskai ~ nayanmaskai@gmail.com

contact: rtnanandmane@gmail.com

ROTARY DISTRICT 3140 JULY 2015

Club President Kunal Todarwal on the year ahead…..

My Dear Bayview Friends,

First and foremost I would like to thank you all for considering me worthy enough to take up the post of club president for the year 2015 – 2016. I am extremely overwhelmed to know that all of you have entrusted your faith and trust in me to take this club forward. I assure you that I will try my very best to live upto your expectations.

The planning in various avenues like projects, fellowship, sports activities etc. are more or less ready. Same will be communicated to members during the first few weeks of the month of July. To execute the plans I have a very strong support or should I say my back bone in the form of my Board of Directors. Rest assured they are motivated, working very hard right from the word go. We have tagged the name of our board as “Friends on Board” because we firmly believe that we are friends first and then Rotarians and then Board members.

I have a small request to my members to support me in exactly the same way as you have lent your support to all the Past Presidents. I am very confident that if all of us work together towards a greater cause we will be able to take our club to even newer heights.

I want to make this year as one of the most memorable years of our club for all of you and for me.

Thank You.

YIR,

Rtn. Kunal Todarwal President (2015-16)

www.rotarybayview.com �2

Upcoming Projects

Standing Left to Right : Darshan Mehta - Director - TRF  Nimish Shroff - Club Treasurer  Kalpesh Vora - Director - Literacy Sameer Shah - Director - Fund Raiser Ketan Shah - Director - International Manish Sariya - Sergeant at Arms Rohit Malhotra - Director - PR Nayan Maskai - Club Secretary Kunal Todarwal - Club President 

Rajni Barasia - Director - Community Service (Non-Medical) Nehal Javeri - Director - Sports Sanjay Jalan - President Elect and Director - Admin Samina Khorakiwala - Director Community Service ( Medical) Ketan Kapasi - Director - Thrust Area Apurva Shah - Director - New Generations

Samir Javeri - Director - Club Training Jay Sheth - Club Jt. Secretary

Sitting Left to Right: Urvi Modi - Director - Vocational Anand Mane - Vice President and Director -Membership Hemang Engineer - IPP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015-2016

• Renovation of existing general ward consisting of 40 beds at KJ Somiaya Hospital

• Construction of 10 toilet blocks• Construction and renovation of girls hostel

in Shiv Bhakt Adivasi Ashramshala• Water Harvesting projects in villages in

association with Amada Trust• Providing of special furniture for differently

abled people at Sangopita School• Teaching 40 street children at Mahim for a

year in association with Dev Kripa Mandal• Continue with Annapurna day celebrations• Continue with ongoing teaching project at

Geeta Nagar• Milk and breakfast for 140 school kids for

full year at Geeta Nagar• Diwali party at Geeta Nagar• Continue with the ongoing teaching project

at Umerkhadi• 5 to 10 E – Learning Centers for the year• Monthly medical camps throughout the year

ROTARY DISTRICT 3140 JULY 2015

www.rotarybayview.com �3

A perfect lazy, rain drenched Friday - a Gulzar style flashback - pulling out some random warm moments -

It’s been 13 years now – and such rich and fulfilling ones – the journey from being a toddler who still held its head high even while soaking in newer skills to becoming a ‘neighbours envy owners pride’ movement, glad of whatever I learnt and achieved and still filled with dreams and aspirations… still sensitive and aware of the ‘miles to go’ and the umpteen ‘ promises to keep’ – promises that I made to myself and to my supporters.

1st May 2002 – what they now celebrate as “Charter Night’’– such a wonderful occasion. I still recollect the ambitious joy of Charter President Rtn. Jayesh Vidhani and his first Board – the coming together of 38 people who were earlier bound only as parents of children who did school together – now coming together with a mission – to meet in an organised manner, to pool in resources and commit to be socially responsible. I just love the way they always remember this day and celebrate it every year.

We were such a wonderful closely knit group of 48, held together in thick and thin, visiting the Geeta Nagar Slums at Colaba, our first regular community service initiative; we’ve always done this thereafter – every year we still visit them for flag hoisting – and support them with funds, opportunities, education…our first Khel Khel Mein support centre under the auspices of Wockhardt and yes, also Umerkhadi wherein we provide tuitions for 80 plus students every year so that they don’t drop out of school.

I love the way our Charter members associate themselves with these projects – and new members also adopt these projects with the same zeal and commitment. ‘Charter members’ – such a lovely word to describe them who signed the Charter when I was born – Rotary Club of “Bombay Bayview” – so fondly referred to as “Bayview”, with an immediate recall of – ‘the young club’ – young not just because I’m just 14 – young because the average age of members is around 42. And also “RCBB” – a nice acronym now used in WhatsApp groups. The efforts of the Past Presidents, “PP”s as they are revered and called fondly – PP’s all – Pawan Barasia, Sandeep Goenka, Darshan Mehta, Ketan Sanghvi, Yasser Fatehi and Rajnish Gupta.

And then our first lady President – Anita Shantaram – wow, the moment when 24 new members joined in – moving us to a strength of 54. Fresher ideas, newer aspirations.

And then the memory of the Bangkok Convention in May 2012 – PP Samir Javeri making the moment happen - ‘Rotary International is pleased to award Rotary Bombay Bayview the RI Presidential Citation Award for being one of the best 15 clubs worldwide and 3rd in Membership Development and in The Rotary Foundation contribution.’ These words still reverberate in my ears and warm my heart even today.

And the consolidation exercises – PP Pradip Kabra's ‘“Empowerment of the Girl Child”; PP Rajesh Sheth’s “Energizing Lives”…. The colourful years of PP Vineet Agarwal and IPP Hemang Engineer – each year rich – each year filled with some awesome fellowships – antaksharis, overnighter picnics, brunches, treasure hunts,

stand up comedy acts, annual Diwali parties, Valentines evenings, garba raas fervour – and my members got closer and closer – the laughter, the warmth, the feeling of one big but happy family – I simply adore it.

The TGIF feeling at RCBB –Malabar Hill

Club Fridays – outstanding speaker meetings– encouraging achievers, artistes, people who speak with passion and give you a slice of life- speakers who came, interacted, and stayed back as Honorary Members of RCBB.

Bulletins – colourful spreads – giving people a chance to express and communicate – email reports of projects and events – what I love about us is this desire to communicate – the commitment to keep everyone informed – emails, Facebook, whatever – I love it when RCBB comes up in all their conversation – just as families speak of themselves, about themselves, what they do, what they dream.

And then the mind wanders into the socially responsible acts for the Community – munificent members with loose purse strings – the speed with which funds get collected for any deserving cause – just one appeal and the cheques come in. With us today are the blessings of all the people who gave us a chance to serve.

It’s been 13 years now – and such rich and fulfilling ones – the journey from being a toddler who still held its head high even while soaking in newer skills to becoming a ‘neighbours envy owners pride’ movement.

Karogey Yaad toh – har baat yaad aayegi…….

ROTARY DISTRICT 3140 JULY 2015

www.rotarybayview.com �4

Kunal TodarwalRohit MalhotraKetan ShethApurva ShahNayan MaskaiUrvi ModyManish BhayaniArbaysis AshleyManish Sariya

CONTACT US:www.rotarybayview.comkunal@todarwal.com

ROTARY CLUB OF BOMBAY BAYVIEW

WAS CHARTERED ON MAY 1, 2002

I felt fulfilled when my ‘Inner Wheel Club of Bombay Bayview’ was born on 6th November 2011 – by 50 lady members determined to lead-and to serve - and today, after winning loads of awards and recognition for their performance in various fields, going stronger than ever. And a Rotaract Club formed for youth in 2014 and climbing. And my dear Interact club for school children – making me feel complete.

District 3140 – soon to be 314 – Us having sent members to take on positions on the District and lead larger groups – a record 19 members on the District in 1 year from Bayview. And then I smile again – such a young President Kunal taking over the baton – committed to run it faster – make it more enriching – more entertaining – and the enthusiasm always alive. Beyond the applause which fills my ears with fulfilment, beyond the smile and sparkle

that is associated with the mere mention of “Bayview”.. It is you members who make me, who keep me alive, it is YOU who matter –Just that feeling of belonging – the feeling of being a family.

Thanks yet again.

Karoge yaad toh har baat yaad aayegi…

And yes, the depth of the commitment when they sign as YIR – Yours in Rotary!!

(A 1st person narrative curated and written by Rtn. Apurva Shah as someone who is remembering the past)