History

 

John Kenny, Grangemouth, Scotland 2009-10 Rotary International President

Governer 2009-2010 RTN Governor Major Donor Koshy Panicker

History of Rotary

It was an evening in Chicago .The year was 1905. A young advocate Paul P.Harris who had recently started his practice in Chicago was strolling down the streets as the merchants and other tradesmen started pulling down the shutters as the business for the day had come to an end. The young lawyer was feeling lonely when he heard the merchants greeting each other calling their pet names. Suddenly as if from void an idea flashed through his mind.
> ‘’why not form a club where members of different trades and professions join together so that each one can help others using the expertise they possess in his respective field. That was the moment Rotary was born. Paul Harris invited two other friends for a dinner meeting at room no 711, in Unity buildings downtown, Chicago, that was Gus Loehr’s office. Gus was a mining engineer, a friend of Paul. The other two friends were, Sylvester Schiele, a coal dealer, and Hiram Shorey a merchant tailor. That was the first meeting of the first Rotary club.

‘’The gang of four’’ who formed the first Rotary club

Every one will be tempted to believe that Paul Harris might have become the first president of the first club. No it was Sylvester Schiele who became the first president. One representative from one trade or profession was the condition for admission to the new club.


Sylvester schiele

The new club was named ‘Rotary’ as during the initial stage the meetings were. Conducted by turn in the offices or business places of the members. In 1905 the Chicago club roster showed 30 members. The second club was formed in Sanfrancisco in 1908.Sixteen clubs were formed in 1910The first club outside USA was in Winnipeg, Canada. and with the chartering of that club in1912 Rotary became International.
 

Rotary in India

Calcutta was the home town for the first Rotary club in the mainland of Asia. The new club was chartered just after three months of the first meeting, on the New Year day of 1920 to be exact. All the twenty charter members were non-Indians.



Rtn Nitish C Laharry the first Indian to become R.I.President

The first Indian member was S.C.Rudra who was inducted in 1921. The first Indian to become the club secretary was Nitish C. Laharry (1926) who climbed all steps to reach Rotary's top slot viz. R.I. presidentship in 1962-'63. Mahatma Gandhi had once addressed the Rotary Club of Calcutta which had only non-Indians on the rolls . Three clubs were chartered in 1937, Lucknow, Surat and Cochin. R. C. of Cochin had 22 charter members of whom 10 were non-Indians and Sir R. K. Shanmugam Chetty was the charter president. (Chartered on 23 August 1937) This club had the unique privilege of meeting at an Island (Wellington Island) which was built by one of its own members (Sir Robert Bristow).. Tirunelveli club was also chartered in 1943 with 45 charter members and District Collector Viswanatha Rao as the charter president. Rotary clubs of Trivandrum and Quilon were chartered in 1949.

> By the time India became independent, there were 71 Rotary clubs (14 in Gujarat, 10 in Maharashtra, 10 in UP, seven in Tamil Nadu, seven in Karnataka and 23 in another 10 states) with a total membership of 3121 members. As on 2nd April 2007 there are in India now 2162 clubs and 89764 members in 28 districts, where as world wide there are 32,581 clubs and 1,211,744 members. The second Indian to become R.I President was Rtn Rajendra K.Saboo of Chandigargh, in the year 1991-92.
 

A view of some of our Charter  members attending the Silver Jublee Celebration

Rotary club of Mavelikara

On February 13th  the  In the year 1976  our club was admitted to Rotary international  On February 13^th  the  In the year 1976  our club was admitted to Rotary international. The First organizational meeting was held on 1^st October 1975  Late PP PHF NJMathew of Alleppey club as Governers special representitive was in charge of the formation of our club Rtn TD Arunachalam was the District Governor of the then district 321.(present District 3210). 23 members were inducted on that.Rtn Roney T Daniel became the charter President and Rtn PTThomas was the charter Secretary.Later in yearRtn Prof KMVarghese became secretorywhen PT Thomas left the club.Of the charyter members when we celebrate the Silver Jubilee two members who joined in 1976 remain with us. They are charter President Roney T Daniel and Rtn PP MB Philip.For more than 22 years our meetings were conducted in a small Hall belonging to the Charter President. For one year the Venue shifted to the Building belonging to the then President Rtn Mathew Varghese.By 1997 when Rtn Dr Satishchandran was the President Fund efforts for the construction of a community center gathered momentum and we could complete the Building in 1999 July. Our meetings are held in the community center ever since.

Gov.Prof.Udayakumar inagurating Silver Jublee Celebrations

  During the span of 25 years since our charter was presented we could contribute several projects useful to the community around us. Notable among them are constructio of 10 Houses for the poor. Rotary club of Mavelikara has completed several projects successfully, the public address system in Mavelikara Railway station, the waiting shed at Kunnom, the traffic signal system at Mitchel junction, the water supply and sanitation projects at Sanskrit UPS Thazhakara, Govt UPS-Anjilipra, Govt Girls’High School, Mavelikara and M.S.S High School Vazhivadi are the most important among them.
 

Geriatric clinic

The prestigious ongoing project of the club is the Weekly free Geriatric clinic which has been functioning every Saturday afternoon since its inauguration in 2000, August.In this clinic which is meant for the elderly belonging to the underprivileged sections of the society and cater to the health needs of about 50to 60 patients every week .Majority of these poor patients are diabetics and hypertensives who cannot afford to buy medicines. .We examine them ,check their blood sugar and regularly supply them with necessary medicines, all free of cost. In 2007 Rtn President Simon Francis took keen interest to construct a separate spacious room for conducting the Geriatric clinic.
 

Rtn  Jimmy Chacko George  President 2009-2010	Rtn.Stephen Varghese   Secretary 2009-2010	Rtn.PP Dr.S.Ramdas Webmaster

Innerwheel club of Mavelikara  was chartered in the year on 9th january 1981

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Members of the Innerwheel club along with chief guest
H.H.Princess Gouri Parvathy Bayi on the occassion of the Inaguartion of Rotary Community Center

Lighting the Lamp Installation Ceremony 2009-2010.

Installing Rtn. Jimmy Chacko George as President.