Rotary Club of Shimoga Karnataka - Rotary India

The Rotary Club Of Shimoga

12-03-1958 – Rotary came to Shimoga in Royal style, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bangalore. His Highness Sri Jayachamaraja Wodeyar – of revered memory – the then Governor of Mysore state – inaugurated the Rotary Club with the words . . . .

"Through its social service activities the Rotary reaches people who need guidance and succor. I feel confident through your endeavor you will make Shimoga a happier and healthier place for its citizens”.

Prophetic Words Indeed !

Acceptance by Rotary International and Charter presentation came off in May 1958 – thanks to the efforts of Rtn. PDG B.S.Sidhwa from the Rotary Club of Bangalore and a few enlightened citizens of Shimoga under the leadership of the then Deputy Commissioner of Shimoga Late sri Bharanaiah as the charter President and Sri N.D.Venkatesh [who later became the High Court Judge] as charter secretary.

All these Fifty Years :

Rotary Club Shimoga has grown and contributed significantly in all avenues of service.

Four District governors: Late T. Venkatarama Shastry [1965-66], Sri K.G.Subrahmanya [1979-80], Dr.R.D.Prabhu [1986-87] and Dr.P.Narayana [1996-97]. [Also District Representative for COL, Rotary's parliament] have made positive contributions to Rotary District administration and growth of Rotary beyond Club level.

Dr.P. Narayana as member of the India national Polio plus Committee for the sixteen years and the Vice-Chairman for ten years led the Polio Eradication programme in the country.

Club has sponsored five leaders of GSE teams: Dr.R.D.Prabhu, Dr.P.Narayana, Dr.Ashok Pai, M.Shankara Rao & Srimathi S.Rao and Umesh Aradhya H.R.

Seven new Rotary Clubs have been sponsored: Sagar [1959], Thirthahalli [1967], Shimoga East [1978], Shimoga Midtown [1983], Shimoga Central [1990] Shimoga Jubilee [2008] and Honnali [1978] [now not functining].

Club has hosted almost every Rotary district event with distinction: Four District conferences, five District Assemblies, Presidents elect seminars [PETS], District Seminars and workshops, intercity meets, Public relation conferences, Management seminars  and the  first Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Seminar [RYLA] of the District.

Shimoga has been recognized as the best Club in the Rotary District award twice and many occasions the Club opted out of the awards bidding to encourage other Clubs.

Vishwamitra – one of the best Club bulletins in the District has a history of 45 years.

1. ·    Silver Jubilee was celebrated in 1983, with Rtn. Rajendra Kumar Saboo the then R.I.Director [who later became the President of Rotary International] as the chief guest.
2. ·    Golden Jubilee was celebrated in a befitting way in 2008 with PRIP Rajendra Kumar Saboo as the Chief Guest.
3. ·    Diamond Jubilee was clelbrated in the year 2018.

CATALOGUE OF SERVICE ACTIVITIES ALL THESE 60 YEARS

Community Service:

Rotary Club Shimoga has indeed touched the hearts of the people of Shimoga by its phenomenal community service activities:

·           Construction ofTwo wards in the Mcgann Hospital [Eye ward and Children's ward]

·           Sophisticated equipments to the District hospital

·           Mass eye camps. Deafness relief camps, handicamps. and Surgical Camps

·           Sports meet for the Handicapped.

·           Old Age Pension camps.

·           Record family welfare camps and health camps

·           Immunization: DPT,Typhoid and Polio. Shimoga has been polio free since 1998.

·           Village adoption: Byadarahosahalli and Gopi ShettiKoppa.

·           Slum development inTank Mohalla

·           Flood relief, Disaster relief

·           School Health Programme including LAMP project.

·           Construction of Green Room for Karnataka Sangha.

·           Rural drinking water supply through Matching Grant projects

·           School support: 150 schools provided furniture, drinking water, library and toilets, Computers thru multiple Matching Grant projects.

·           Drishti Jagriti, Eye checkup and Treatment covering 50000 students in all the schools of Shimoga Taluk.

·           Support to Shankara Eye Hospital by providing sophisticated equipments under matching Grants.

·           Facilities for Ashakirana, Residential School for Mentally Retarded Children and the Happy Home for the Handicapped under different Matching Grants.

·           Supply of birthing kits to rural health units to promote safe delivery.

·           Facilities to Hoysala Dialysis Centre

·           Facilities to Sharanya, the Hospice.

·           Smart Classes andWash in facilities for four schools in Shivamogga

·           Ambulances to different rural health centres in Karnataka run by KarunaTrust of Dr.Sudarshan.

·           Upgraded facilities for the rural health centre at Aralagodu [Sagar Taluk] by providing Ambulance and labor ward.

Service to youth :

·           Support to Scouts and guides. Financial help to Scout Bhavan for its expansion.

·           Children's library.

·           Youth festivals.

·           Interact clubs in most of the high Schools.

·           Mid day meals in Government High Schools. In fact Shimoga Rotary was the pioneer in this.

·           Support to education: Scholarships and awards to meritorious students.

·           Book Bank in Sahyadri College.

·           Career Guidance seminars.