BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], November 20: Rotary members in India and across South Asia gathered to reassess regional priorities and pathways to sustainable community impact while highlighting the membership service organization’s work across global health, peacebuilding, education, and climate resilience.
The three-day event was attended by distinguished guests like Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo, the Hon’ble Vice President of India, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Dr. C.N. Manjunath, and Hon’ble Member of Rajya Sabha, Shri Sudhanshu Trivedi. One of the key highlights of the event was the recognition of five young Indians as Rotary Young Achievers, each receiving an award of INR 1 Lakh:
* Akarshana Sathish, from Hyderabad for championing literacy as the founder of ‘The Open Libraries,’ that established 24 libraries and donated over 16,375 books to make education accessible to underserved communities.
* Aneesha Narain, from Delhi for multifaceted humanitarian service including Project OGAAN, which helped 7000 individuals with warm clothing during harsh winter conditions. She has also inspired more than 250 schools and Rotarians to adopt sustainable giving practices – creating a movement of responsible social intervention.
* Bhavini Bhargava, a young cricketer and badminton player from Jaipur who has been inspiring village girls to take up sports, as part of her project ‘Aao Gaon Se Jadhein’ with Vasudha Jan Vikas Sansthan NGO in Rajasthan. She highlighted the potential for exploring new career opportunities in sports and sparked interest among girls from Thanagaji in Alwar and neighboring villages.
* Nidhi Rana, from Chandigarh for experiential learning to transform waste into eco-friendly furniture. Through her initiative EcoFlow, she has addressed water conservation challenges by repurposing greywater systems for community irrigation, blending ecological awareness with practical engineering. She has also led impactful campaigns like Blood Donation drives and ‘Say Boom to Cancer’, fostering a culture of empathy, awareness and youth-led change.
* Suhana Saini, a world-ranked Table Tennis prodigy, with multiple World Championship medals for achieving World No. 1 in U19 Girls Doubles. She aims to represent India in the 2028 Olympics. Coached and inspired by her parents who were both National level table tennis players, Suhana picked up the sport at the young age of 6. Hailing from Rohtak, Haryana, Suhana is seeded at India’s top spot in the U-15 category and has a world ranking of 22. Suhana has won medals at over 50 international and national competitions including multiple ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) tournaments.
Three additional individuals were recognized as Inspiring Change Makers:
* Pushpa Priya — an IT professional from Bengaluru who has served as a compassionate scribe for 1500+ visually impaired students,
* Dr. Aparna Deshmukh — founder of Abhamaya Old Age Home in Pune, who for more than 15 years has created a sanctuary of dignity and care for more than 70 abandoned elders, and
* Rudra Prasad Mohapatra — former Junior Warrant Officer of the Indian Air Force for his continued service through veteran welfare, disaster relief, healthcare support, environmental conservation, and community empowerment.
Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, Hon’ble Vice President of India, said, “I was a part of Rotary when I was a student, as a Rotaractor. Rotary is an organisation that serves humanity from birth to death–protecting every child, uplifting every community, and standing with people in their moments of greatest need. Its spirit of seva and its alignment with national priorities make Rotary one of India’s strongest partners in progress. I salute every Rotarian for carrying forward a legacy of compassion, integrity, and action that continues to transform lives across the world.”
“In a world that is changing faster than ever, Rotary must serve as an anchor — a place where individuals are welcomed and empowered to act. Service creates freedom from disease, poverty, division, and fear. I call upon Rotary members across the world to recommit to unity, continuity, and impact driven service as we prepare for the future of global humanitarian leadership,” Rotary International President Arezzo said during his address to Rotary members across Asia and beyond.
Reinforcing the organisation’s strategic priorities, Rotary International Director, K.P. Nagesh, highlighted the evolving expectations of communities and the need for Rotary to respond with agility and purpose. “Today’s world demands new thinking and bold action. Whether it is eradicating polio, expanding access to clean water, or enabling young people to lead, Rotary’s role is to bring solutions that are scalable, sustainable, and centered on dignity. The Institute has renewed our resolve to work smarter and serve deeper,” he noted.
Rotary International Director, M. Muruganandam, emphasized the importance of shared leadership and long-term programme continuity. “The Institute is a reminder that Rotary’s strength lies in collaboration across generations and regions. Our commitment to continuity ensures that each leader builds on the foundation laid by others.”
Rotary members–including those in nearly 4600 clubs in India, as well as throughout the world–develop and implement sustainable, community-driven projects that fight disease, promote peace, provide clean water, support education, save mothers and children, grow local economies and protect the environment. More than US$5.5 billion has been awarded through The Rotary Foundation – Rotary’s charitable arm that helps clubs work together to perform meaningful, impactful service–to support these initiatives over the last 100 years.
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