pranav

Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Sent from my iPhone

Ashok Mahajan
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Sent from my iPhone

Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Ashok Mahajan
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Have you ever observed that it only takes a spark to light a fire , and soon all those around are warmed up in its flame ? If so , how much good you can do to others by living a significant life . 

A life of significance requires nothing external. You can be significant with or without material landmarks . A life of significance is far more concerned with what you give to others, than what you gather for yourself. People may forget what you say and do to them , but they will always remember how you made them feel. Your true significance calls for an answer “Am I making a difference in the lives of others “. 

Remember that it does not take more than a spark in you that can inspire hundreds and thousands to face the challenging world with enthusiasm, hope and courage. It’s always good to make a conscious effort to inspire the people around you. if your words and actions inspire others to dream more , learn more , do more and become better person, you are not less than any great and significant people in the history.

“I expect to pass through this world but once , any good thing therefore that I can do to any fellow creature, let me do it now , let me not neglect it , for I shall not pass this way again “ let this be your motto in your life .

May your life spark be tiny glimpses of a larger flame .

Ashok Mahajan
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At a time when membership in voluntary service organisation is under threat worldwide, what gives me hope is the promise and potential of the next generation of leaders.

These young people are deeply engaged in revitalizing the institutions that support a healthy democratic service opportunity and modeling the values that have always defined Rotary at our best. That’s why I am requesting all Rotarians to invest very much in young leaders.  I am excited to see Rotary Leaders around the globe convening forums that are focused on the ideas that are essential to our growth. This is what makes us great.

Your journey towards greatness begins when you humbly accept your weaknesses and try to improve upon them to convert your weaknesses into your strength. Humility is the prime quality that makes you great. True greatness makes you humble.

We must explore a range of issues, from strengthening our institutions and fighting disinformation, to promoting inclusive leadership and expanding pluralism that will shape Rotary for generations to come. We must showcase Rotary in action around the world and approaches that are working. We must discuss and debate ideas for how we can adapt our organisation for a new age. 

We hope that such a debate will  give everyone who believes in service the confidence that they can help make Rotary stronger. Because if we want Rotary to flourish, we will have to fight for it, we will have to nurture it, and we will have to demonstrate its value, again and again.

Every great action is always taxing when it is undertaken and every great venture is daunting when embarked upon. Your greatness gets reflected when you make use of all the opportunities and resources available. To achieve greatness, you must put extra efforts in doing ordinary things in an extraordinary manner.

Great people don’t spend their lives in doing small things but they spend their lives for doing something great, something that outlasts their own life. Rotary is such a great organisation which expects great things to happen to make the community know the importance of this fine organisation which is involved in the noble act of service.

Once we realise that the way we exist right now is not enough, that there is something more, your journey towards greatness has already begun.

Service through Rotary has immeasurable transformative power. Selfless service aligns your entire system so that your body, mind, emotions and energies function in harmony. This, in turn, establishes a chemistry of blissfulness within you and empowers you to create your life the way you want it. 

Ashok Mahajan
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Communication, communing, communion and community are essential tools for health, happiness, relationships, families and life. Our existence was never meant to live in isolation and alone. We were made for intimacy, friendship, connection and relationships. We are meant to grow and thrive in community. 

So as you think about your family, friends, and your near and dear think about how you can communicate in such a way that builds community. Communicate to connect and unite, not divide, and connect in such a way that you build a community that supports and nourishes each other, making each individual feel more whole and the collective whole stronger. 

With effective , honest and improved communication we communicate “with” each other, enhance our relationships and build stronger, “united” families ,communities and nations “together.”

Let’s communicate and Build a Stronger, More United and Connected Communities.

Ashok Mahajan
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Philanthropist and businesswoman Rajashree ji , through her group, Aditya Birla Group, has just in the past made yet another gift of USS1 million to Rotary to help eradicate polio.

The gift brings her total contributions to the Rotary’s  effort to more than US $16 Million .

This gift will be matched two-for-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, resulting in $3 million in new funding for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Rotary is a leading partner in the GPEI, especially in advocating government and donor support, fundraising, and building awareness.

RajashreeJi’s generous gift is deeply appreciated and could not have come at a more opportune time in our fight to end polio once and for all. Her generosity no doubt will inspire other private donors to step up and help Rotary take full advantage of our innovative partnership with the Gates Foundation.

Birla’s gift underscores India’s commitment to remain polio free. India –which some experts believed would be the last nation to beat polio – hasn’t recorded a case of the disease since January 2011.

“Now we owe it to humanity to see that Afghanistan, and Pakistan also become polio free in near future,” says RajashreeJi.

Life is a mystery that unfolds gradually. There are times we are confused and puzzled. All the same there are also definite moments of brightness and enlightenment. The mystery of life cannot be fully understood in isolation. Hence each of us needs to be assisted by those around us to understand and appreciate the mystery of life .

Living your life to the fullest doesn’t mean to be reckless, insanely courageous, or on the edge of existing.

Endowed with unique features and talents every one of us has a definite role to play in the lives of others. Each of us definitely make a difference in the world with our uniqueness. Comparisons and unhealthy competition may fill people with the feelings of worthlessness. But all the same when we rise above these unhealthy traits one will be able to recognise one’s own uniqueness and the distinct role that he/she can play in the lives of people around.

Life gives us a lot of opportunities to be the change that we want to be in our lives . The problem is that these opportunities are often disguised. Many miss the opportunity to be good friend just because he/she has failed to notice a drop of tear in the eyes of another or has failed to give a nod of appreciation when the other needed it most. These things do make a difference in the lives of others. Act as if these things make a difference. They do . 

Life is a one time gift. Use it in the best possible manner. So love, laugh, live, be yourself, be happy and have trust in those who love you most .

You only live when you fulfil your purpose in life and you only live when you achieve greatness. Anything short of that is simply a wasted life, an unproductive life, and a dead life.

Great people are the ones who have maximised their potential by their sheer hard work and dedication. They were not born with a silver or golden  spoon in their mouth but transformed the world by their humongous contribution. They could make lasting contribution to the lives of others because they were willing to put in hours of toil transforming their dreams into realities.

you have the potential to keep building on your progress. Never stop challenging your limits so that you will never cease the process of laying the foundation for your best self. 

Even if you’ve already achieved some of your goals, you can always challenge yourself to do more and better. Believe strongly that the best

is yet to come. Have a complete detour

in your life to maximise your potential, because fully actualise individuals are needed for a transformed world.

You only live when you maximise your potentials, you only live when you fulfil your purpose and you only live when you achieve greatness. Anything short of that is simply a wasted life, an unproductive life, and a dead life.

Start maximising what you have, instead of worrying what you don’t have.

I’ve been very fortunate over the last five decades to work with many of the best leaders and organizations in business, service. and education. I’ve found that the best in these different fields implement the same principle.

They have clarity that drives their actions. When you are on a mission with a vision you won’t give up when faced with challenges. It’s essential that everyone in the organization is clear on the vision and mission and knows how they can contribute to it.

Their Culture drives expectations and beliefs. Expectation and beliefs drive behaviors. Behaviors drive habits. Habits create the future. If you want the fruit you must invest in the root. Culture is the root. Culture creates sustained success.

They do ordinary things better than everyone else. Success is all about the fundamentals. 

They are mentally stronger. Through  adversity their belief is greater than their circumstance. They take the actions necessary to create positive results.

They overcome their fear of failure. Everyone has fear but the best thing is to overcome it. They don’t allow it to control, limit or paralyse them from taking action. The greatest success strategy is to focus on the love of what you are doing instead of fearing the outcome.

They  build great relationships and teams. No one creates success alone. We all need a team to accomplish something great. The best leaders and team utilise the 4 Cs . They communicate, connect, commit and care.

They transform negativity . They feed positive and weed the negative. One person can’t make a team but one person can break a team.

They think like rookies and overcome the curse of experience. They don’t expect a bad outcome because it happened before. They don’t long for the good ole days. They work hard, believe anything is possible and create the good old days right now. They innovate, adapt and turn challenges into growth opportunities.

They  care more. In a world where most don’t care those who care stand out and perform better. They put more time and energy into their product, design, service, and/or craft. 

Let’s make the organisation we represent as one of the best and enjoy its positive results.

Kindness is an interior disposition that makes a person place others before self. It is not a fancy luxury we allow ourselves to have but a fundamental responsibility as humans. In a world torn apart due to conflicts of various nature and intensity, an act of kindness that you can show to others can make a world of difference because there is no tranquilizer in the world more effective than a few kind words and deeds. You may not be able to make a difference to the whole world in your lifetime; but an act of kindness can definitely make a difference to the person it is shown.

One of the strange things about kindness is that it compels the beneficiary to show forth kindness in his/her life!  Its true that Nothing multiplies so much as kindness, Therefore, it is up to you to make a decision that no one ever comes to you without getting away better and happier. Always remember that the best portion of a good life is little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.Be kinder and make the world a better place to live in.

Marathon runners are rugged athletes. But usually they are not leaders; they compete alone. 

Leadership is a team work . It means getting everyone involved in reaching the goal. 

Leaders do more than direct individuals. They build a team. They gather the separate strengths and abilities of individuals and incorporate them into a working unit. 

Leaders have both personal goals and the organisational goals. They strive to excel individually, but their greatest delight is helping the whole team achieve. 

Leaders understand the importance of good communication. They know that the purpose of the team is mere paper until the team members objectify  it. They know that without the team members’ interaction, communication  the work will be disjointed and the team mates will be divided. 

Leaders build morale and create community. They keep the mood positive. They never discourage the teammates. They complement and praise individual and team efforts. They celebrate victories and share setbacks. Good leaders take a little more than their share of the blame, a little less than their share of the credit. They recognize outstanding achievements because they know that propelling one of the team members forward will push the rest of the team to achieve more.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say we did it ourselves. 

Leadership is 1% of leader and 99% of team work .

Ashok Mahajan

Director, Rotary international (2007-09) 

Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009-13) 

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Rotary claims to stand upright for HONESTY. Do we? It is ironic that in the age of great advances, we are traveling the other way as far as ETHICS are concerned. No development can survive if HONESTY starts disappearing. Rotary works for PEACE and PEACE is at stake as we tend to overlook HONESTY. Why is it so difficult ? Because HONESTY begins with us. ETHICS depend on us. Individuals can only promise ETHICS. There is no path to HONESTY. HONESTY is the path.

“Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people.” Warren Buffett

Ashok Mahajan 

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To achieve some thing extraordinary you have to have the company of right people . Surround yourself with ambitious people When you surround yourself with ambitious people, you may feel more inspired to be motivated yourself. Seek support by finding a mentor. When choosing a mentor, find someone who is where you want to be. They can help you start working toward this place. Surrounding with mediocre or mean minded people will never allow you to get where you wish to be . They will always there to misguide and discourage you .
Always remember an average person with average talents and ambition and average education, can outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clear, focused goal .
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO: Empower you Believe in you Support you Uplift you Motivate you Appreciate you

Ashok Mahajan
SMILE- SERVE-SACRIFICE-SATISFY

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Being hopeful means that you believe there will be an end to your adversity, and you will see better days. 

Sometimes we face difficulty in many fronts  of our life. These challenging times in life can be very distressing, and that too if they are coupled with huge losses. It may appear as an end of everything, but we must remember everything that begins also ends. We must never give up hope. 

You must remember that you are not here merely to make a living, you are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.

If you are feeling hopeless, hold on to your faith and don’t lose trust in life. Try your best to do what you can and if you don’t feel things are under your control, just wait for the new season, it may take time, but will surely come. There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope .

Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future. 

Love Yourself 

Enjoy Every Movement Of Life…

Life Is Beautiful.

Ashok Mahajan 

SMILE- SERVE – SACRIFICE -SATISFY

To achieve some thing extraordinary you have to have the company of right people . Surround yourself with ambitious people. When you surround yourself with ambitious people, you may feel more inspired to be motivated yourself. Seek support by finding a mentor. When choosing a mentor, find someone who is where you want to be. They can help you start working toward this place. Surrounding with mediocre or mean minded or failure people will never allow you to get where you wish to be . They will always there to misguide , discourage and disheartened you . 

Always remember an average person with average talents and ambition and average education, can outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clear, focused goal.

Ashok 

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It is so easy to get caught in our busy lives. Life moves quickly with the seasons. it is on our birthdays that we get the time to pause and be thankful for the blessings and wishes we receive in our lives from friends . How could I achieve my desire to do all what I was able to do? You, my friends, helped me to unlock my full potential. Your friendship is valuable to me and when I started to count the blessings, my whole life turned around.  Thank you for your wonderful wishes on my birthday on July 23rd . I know that this thank you is never meant to be for one single day. I realise that the true measure of me saying thank you for your wishes is how I use it to lead a more purposeful and fulfilling life.

Regards.
Ashok.

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Always remember that Life is a gift, not an obligation.

Three things you control every day are your ATTITUDE, your EFFORT and your ACTIONS. It doesn’t matter what others are doing or who you think is being unfair. Every day you can focus on being positive, working hard and making others around you better.

SUCCESS is often measured by comparison to others. EXCELLENCE, on the other hand, is all about being the best we can be and maximizing our gifts, talents and abilities to perform at our highest potential. Pursue excellence today.

 Failure is not meant to define you. It’s meant to refine you to be all you are meant to be. Don’t let your failures be a part of your identity. Move forward and create your future.

Don’t let negativity win today. Remember it starts with you. If you are complaining you’re not leading. If you are leading you’re not complaining. One person can’t make a team but one person can break a team. Stay positive! No energy vampires allowed.

One person in pursuit of excellence raises the standards of everyone around them. And as they strive for greatness they bring out the greatness in others. Be that one person today.

If they praise you, show up and do the work. If they criticize you, show up and do the work. If no one even notices you, just show up and do the work. Just keep showing up, doing the work, and leading the way.

Where there is a void, Negativity will fill it. Fill the void with positive, proactive communication and you’ll help neutralize the negativity before it starts. This applies at home, at work and every relationship in your life.

Expect to Win Today. Champions expect success and their positive beliefs often lead to positive actions and outcomes. They win in their mind first.

Remember Your WHY! We don’t get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.  

Let your unique awesomeness and positive energy inspire confidence in others.

Ashok Mahajan 

SMILE- SERVE- SACRIFICE-SATISFY 

Service is of paramount importance to Rotarians. However, equally important, if not more, is compassion. Small steps of service suffused with compassion make Rotary an organisation of men and women steeped in love and tenderness. Acts of loving help have impressive manifestations of our tenderness and our desire to be present for others – to be available to others- makes Rotary an organisation acceptable, dependable and amenable. 
Loving kindness lights up the life of the needy and this gentle, glowing, non-flickering light expels some of the darkness that pervades the lives of the un-fortunates.
If we, therefore, approach service with kindness, love and sincerity, even failures will be accepted and not resented. When we succeed we produce reverence and gratitude. We don’t have to seek God for bestowing His grace. We can create it by our service acts. Our acts of service reverberate all around and spread by virtue of being connected with the needy.
A satisfied section of our community can echo its happiness to others around. We are recognized as custodians of the well being of the needy. We then, do not need any public relations. Our services become our public relations.
Remember, The life of a flower is short but well lived. it beautifies our garden. Let us live a life of value, a life of service , a life of giving ..Let us be a small flower in the garden of Gods creation & spread our inner beauty & fragrance to fill the world around us with joy and happiness.

Do What You Believe in …One of the reasons why you fail is because you pursue something which does not resonate with your deepest self. R I President( 1993-94), Robert Barth gave message to the Rotarians “Believe in what you do and do what you believe in.” If you  don’t believe in something , you’ll fail.  No other decision can have a greater impact on your life than deciding to do what you believe in . When you believe in  what you do, all the energy, focus, motivation, and discipline you’ll ever need to take action will be infinitely yours through the genuineness of your enthusiasm, passion , faith and drive. Doing what you believe in  will free you from the burden of having to do it, and you will devote more time and energy to it. You will never encounter such things as laziness or ‘not in a mood of doing it.
You are bound to produce far more quality results when you do what you believe in. Therefore, do not become the rabbit chasing the carrot – unless you want the chase to last your whole life. Instead, follow your heart and start doing what you believe in . Until you begin moving towards doing that which you actually believe in , nothing is going to feel right for you.
“Don’t let others tell you what you should do. Don’t let the limitations of others limit your vision. If you do what you believe in you can achieve what you never thought possible. If you don’t give up on something you truly believe in, you will find a way.

It’s true there is a correlation between the way people look at the things of this world and their relationships with others . If you think you’re moving and developing the idea that everything can be replaced, you will never ever  develop some strong and deep relationship . Such attitudes will certainly affect the overall quality of our individual lives and society at large .
Always remember that only deeper, high quality, durable ties can provide us with the kind of support we are always in need of,  like love, care, understanding, gratitude, Co operation, respect, etc. You need these very close ties to feel safe and secure and function properly.
 If social relationships  are seen as temporary there is every possibility that you are less likely to get what you need from your relationships, which can negatively affect your physical and mental health. Are you ready to live a life of commitment, to God, to your own self, to people around you? Are you truly committed to your career, to your organisation, and to the various resources at your disposal? Or, you wish to live a superficial life and just go on drifting, ‘getting and spending’, always looking for something new? The choice is yours! You need to decide! But always remember Commitment is an Act and not a Word .

Peace starts with you – your family – your community and ultimately reaches the world. If Peace starts with us, individually, we can certainly take a step towards our goal and if this be so why do we not take that step today? Isn’t it sad that most families lack Peace in their household – in their families – in their businesses – in their communities?

We are all leaders and leadership is not a trend or an asset. It is a habit and we must use this habit of leadership to show the way towards our goal.

Service to the community should start with our families – but should not be limited to ourselves. We must promote love, respect, friendliness and happiness and spread these assets within the community we touch.

A hungry body, a sick body an illiterate body, a depressed body can never think of Peace, unless it is relieved of these impediments.

Here our service to the needy comes into focus. After achieving a comfortable level of some security, we can march together towards our objective. If we can maximize the happiness of others, we should be able to minimize unrest and strife.

This is one step towards Peace.

ASHOK MAHAJAN

TRUSTEE – THE ROTARY FOUNDATION (2009-13)

DIRECTOR – ROTARY INTERNATIONAL (2007-09)

Rotary has a never ending romance with the youth. For over four decades , Rotary has pledged its strength to serve the youth. Every Rotarian is an example to youth. Rotary expects Rotarians to work with youth rather to work for youth. I am reminded of the words of Daniel Webster, “If we work upon marble it will perish, if we work upon brass, time will efface it, if we rear temples, they will crumble in to dust, But if we work upon immortal young souls ,if we imbues them with high principles–the just fear of God and love of fellow men, then we engrave on these tablets something that will brighten all eternity. LET US  SHARE OUR DREAMS WITH THE YOUTH AND MAKE A BETTER WORLD.

It’s true If we really live in the present moment, our worries and hardships will disappear and we will  experience  life with many miracles.Real life can only be found and touched in the present . It is because the present moment is the only moment we can actually influence. The past is over and the future has not yet arrived. Since the present moment is the only real moment for us, we can enjoy the wonders of life.Living in the present  is the key requirement for one’s own freedom. Unless we forget our problems, distress, regrets about the past or constant worries about the future we cannot be at peace . Therefore to enjoy life forget the past and remain in the present.

In our journey of life  we all have days where we don’t know how we will go on. Loved ones hurt us. Friends cheat us . Finances worry us. Sicknesses may overtake us. Our failure bothers us. We lose people we love most . The darkness surrounds us. But God is always there to guide us , to save us through difficult  times. We always have to Keep the faith and pray to Him.
God is our Father, our saviour, our protector, our ultimate who is always there to give us the most beautiful, the greatest, the most precious gift that we need to have in our lives.
My prayers to my Saviour, the ultimate, the God…When I am sick, Oh my God please touch me with your blessed hands and heal me.
When I feel sad, please comfort me and give me your unending Joy.
When I feel weak, give me the required strength..
When I am all alone please send your angels  to accompany me . 
When I feel downcast, please lift me with your gentle hands and show me the path of victory.
When I am in darkness,  show me your lights.
When I need love, give me your Heart.
When I am in financial difficulties please give me your Grace.
Oh God , my Saviour , for all my requests, for all my needs, answer me with your loving presence in my life . You are the only ultimate. You are the only who can show me the path and bring peace in my life .Yes my God in your absence I am all alone please lift me and bring happiness in my life .

The high road is always respected. Honesty and integrity are always rewarded. When you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity – regardless of what others may do – you are destined for greatness. Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. Rotary claims to stand upright for HONESTY. Do we?  It is ironic that in the age of great advances, we are travelling the other way as far as ETHICS are concerned. No development can survive if HONESTY starts disappearing. Rotary works for PEACE and PEACE is at stake as we tend to overlook HONESTY. Why is it so difficult?  Because HONESTY begins with us. ETHICS depend on us. Individuals can only promise ETHICS. There is no path to HONESTY. HONESTY is the path.

Ashok Mahajan
Director, Rotary International (2007-09)
Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)
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Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most prominent festivals in our country.The term ‘Diwali’ has derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepavali’ which means “row of lights’. It is celebrated by more than a billion people, going beyond the limits of religion, caste, class, creed, language, etc. 
During Diwali people take delight in placing brightly burning clay lamps outside their homes. The whole atmosphere is filled with light and glow, making it a truly delightful sight to behold. It is also marked by various other festivities, fireworks, prayers, family gatherings, visits to friends and families, works of charity, etc.
Diwali is so popular not only because of these external factors but also because it symbolizes the victory of good over evil, of light over darkness, of knowledge over ignorance. It is considered also as a cleansing ritual, getting rid of all worries, fears, anxieties, troubles, etc. 
Diwali fills the lives of human beings with love, peace, hope, freedom, friendliness, unity, kindness, purity and joy. Most likely, it began as a harvest festival even though there are many legends pointing to the origins of Diwali. It is also a common practice during Diwali to forgive and forget all past injustices and grudges, with a rejuvenated mind and spirit.
Diwali is also a festival that brings together people from different walks of life, to celebrate life and prosperity. It invites human beings to go ahead with renewed zeal and strength in working for the welfare of the whole human race. Above all, it reminds us of our duty to light up the world. Buddha is called ‘the Light of Asia’ because he was a truly enlightened person whoselife lighted up the lives of billions of human beings. As we celebrate Diwali let us resolve to live enlightened livesso that we may be able to light up the lives of the people with whom we live. 

One of the best ways to shape the future is to shape the mind of a child . Children with Positive attitude are more likely to become positive adults and that’s why Rotary Clubs are so passionate about helping schools create and sustain a positive school culture that creates positive results.  It’s critical now more than ever that we the Rotarians inspire and equip principals, teachers , staff and students with the rules and tools to neutralize negativity, overcome challenges, and create a positive culture that fosters unity and strength while boosting teacher efficacy and morale. Let every Rotary Clubs  take up projects to increase the positivity amongst the children and help in developing a strong nation.

I have learnt simple lessons and have strived to live a simple life.My life of almost 50 years in Rotary has put me across to people who have taught me to look beyond  myself and I have been blessed to be associated with visionaries who have a true purpose ,a calling,higher than just trying to fill up their savings in the bank. I know how they feel and with their guidance I have tried to climb above conflict and the pursuit of material success. Now I know the true meaning of *SERVICE ABOVE SELF* and the true satisfaction in *DOING GOOD IN THE WORLD…*I WISH ALL MY FRIENDS EVERY SUCCESS IN THEIR LIVES.

*Ashok Mahajan* 

Director, Rotary Internatioal (2007-09)Trustee,

The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)

www.ashokmahajan.in

*Smile – Serve – sacrifice- Satisfy* 

When faced with a towering challenge, it is natural to think that it is too big to overcome. You are overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the problem and feel helpless. However, a problem remains a hurdle only until the moment you decide to face it head on. 
This decision brings out your innate but hidden capabilities. You replace your old panic with new patience, your old doubts with new self-belief and courage.
For every old door that shuts, a new door opens.  “Impossible is just a word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they have been given than to explore the power they have to change it,” says Muhammad Ali. 
Rotary teaches us live a life of action, to take on challenges and surmount them,  leaving our footprints on the sands of time

For the last over 18 months the entire world is under the clutches of Covid Pandemic. The uncertainty is all around. Economy in doldrums. People are losing their jobs. Millions have lost their lives . Most of us are locked down. Children are unable to attend schools . Everyone is facing hardship. Now  more than ever before, leaders all over the world are facing change and complexity. 
The Covid  pandemic has presented us all with new challenges, new circumstances, and new uncertainties. Jobs have been morphing, expanding, shrinking, and disappearing; co-workers, teammates, and technology are changing rapidly. And as we seem to be turning a corner with vaccines and organizations are gradually shifting back to in-person work, there will be a new set of norms to adapt to and challenges to overcome. Adaptability is a requirement. Because change is constant and inevitable, leaders must be flexible to succeed. Adaptability is about having ready access to a range of behaviours that enable leaders to shift and experiment as things change.
Always remember that the most successful people are those who accept, and adapt to constant change. This adaptability requires a degree of flexibility and humility most people can’t manage. 
LET US BE MORE FLEXIBLE LEADERS 

Ashok Mahajan 

www.ashokmahajan.in

SMILE  SERVE  SACRIFICE  SATISFY

By and large people can be classified into two categories: achievers and blamers. Achievers think positively and take concrete steps to realize their dreams while blamers remain grumbling about their shortcomings or circumstances. Achievers try to define their life on their terms and overcome the obstacles that come on their way while blamers passively allow others and the circumstances to control them and shape their destiny. May Your thinking help you to understand your real worth and unleash the tremendous potential within you!

Relationship makes life meaningful and enriching. No one is ever happy and satisfied living all alone , sharing once talents with none and without having any social concern. Living in and as a part of family and society , everyone experiences love , care , concern and forgiveness. These experiences keep us going in spite of all the understandings and differences that personal inclinations and interests bring along .

A rational beings humans are not confined to a particular family, class or society. He/she belongs to the whole universe, to the cosmos. Hence , human beings are obliged to extend care , love and concern not merely to those who are close to them and those from whom they benefit but to the entire universe resonates the joy that one feels in his/her heart.

Rotary teaches us that everyone  and everything deserves our care , because they are precious and beautiful in a unique and particular way. Care is the attitude of unconditional benevolence and respect irrespective of all distinctions. Only such an attitude of care and reverence can make life truly significant and meaningful.Always  remember, people who care about each other enjoy doing things for one another. They don’t consider it servitude. Let our care be to promote justice. 

Rotary is a continuous process of learning, a continuous procee of evolution, a never ending process of betterment. Let us all become significantly more effective and more committed to take Rotary to the heights it deserves.

Remember that it only takes a spark in you that can inspire many to face the challenging world with enthusiasm , hope and courage. Make a conscious effort to inspire the people around you. If your words and actions inspire others to dream more , learn more and become better persons, you are not less than any great and significant people in history.

True friendship is one of my  greatest treasures and I pray that everyone may possess it.
I believe I am a good friend to those I find a connection with.
In my mind’s eye, I always imagine myself surrounded by good  friends , who are there to help, support, guide and encourage me . I always feel the love and care my friends have for me. I allow my whole being to accept these gifts of love , happiness, encouragement and advice. . 
As I imbibe this nectar of friendship, I feel lighter, brighter and stronger than ever. I then offer this love , happiness and light to others.
I know that this will help create all the good that I visualise.
There is no greater wealth than true friendship

If you can remove your self-doubt and believe in yourself, you can succeed in achieving what you never thought possible.” 
The prerequisite for success is unwavering faith in oneself and in one’s abilities. At the core of self-belief is the realization that you – and only you – are the engineer of your own success, the captain of your ship.
Self-belief gives you the needed power not to dwell on the disappointments of the past, but to move quickly from failure to success  Self- belief gives you the impetus to get up when you  stumble and march toward your dreams and goals.Always remember. You must believe you can. Yes, you can! 
What a difference it would make if you had an unshakable confidence in your ability to achieve anything that you really aspire to!
By believing in yourself, you will find the courage to take immediate action that will lead you to your goals. And this is the key to success! Yes, the ability to believe in yourself can change your life!It’s true that you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Therefore to achieve success in life you have to take on your challenges, look deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going and succeed in life .

Sometimes, we need to wage war, to achieve peace. World peace is not just the absence of war. There can be peace across the world, only when there is no poverty, no hunger, no illiteracy and no disease.

Rotarians have been great warriors against disease. The Polio Eradication campaign started as a ripple in Philippines that gathered momentum across the oceans and became a juggernaut that could not be stopped. It harnessed the forces of the United Nations, W.H.O, national governments and corporates to eradicate a disease that had crippled millions of children over several generations.

My own experience as a spearhead of the Polio Eradication campaign is that we can never let our guard down. The End Polio campaign faced many challenges including resistance from the Muslim community to the use of the vaccine. Misconceptions abounded regarding the side effects. We co-opted religious leaders to form the Ulema Committee and convinced them to encourage their community to take the vaccine without fear. W.H.O accepts that this was a tipping point in the battle. Bill and Melinda Gates came on board with the $200 million challenge and Rotarians rose as one to meet the challenge. We crossed the finish line in 2012-13 and India was declared Polio-free on 27th March 2014 .

Today, Rotary can be justifiably proud to have almost eradicated Polio from the face of the earth. But … almost is not good enough. 99 % success can be 100% failure. The few cases that crop up in our neighboring nations can make the Polio virus bounce back and threaten the next generation. It is therefore important to remember that until the world is completely and permanently rid of Polio, we must keep Polio Eradication as our topmost priority.

It is often said that God gives burdens only to the strongestshoulders. 

The Covid-19 pandemic was a huge blow to the entire world. Here was a modern-day enemy that attacked us from all sides without warning, with no concern for combatant or civilian casualties. Corona showed us that disease has no nationality, race, religion or socio-economic status. 

Even as Rotarians reeled from the economic fallout and the threat to their own health, we stepped up to fight this new enemy. Rotary India’s Covid Task Force was established to support the Govt. of India in the vaccination drive. Immense contributions have been made by Rotary clubs across the country. Apart from actively promoting the use of the newly-arrived Covid vaccine, we provided refrigerated trucks for transporting the vaccine, augmented the capacity of CovidHospitals, and arranged oxygen concentrators. Rotary clubs also created call centres and information desks to help those affected by Covid. Thousands have been immunized at the free vaccination centres organized by Rotary clubs.

Once again, 99% can be 100 % failure. The disease is far from defeated. Our population suffers from 2 divergent problems. People live either in remote locations or inside densely crowded cities. Those in far-off places need to be vaccinated. Those in crowded places need to maintain sanitation and physical distancing. 

As Chairman of Rotary India’s Covid Task Force and Member of Rotary International’s Covid Task Force, I appeal to all Rotarians to ensure that they, their family members, and their communities get fully vaccinated. Let us work hard to ensure that all Indians can walk free from this disease, forever.

Imagine what a beautiful world we would live in if we all just did the best we could in love and light and trusted God to do the rest . I believe Love heals and protects you.I allow love into my life and I AM safe and secure.

I close my eyes and see myself wrapped in a soft blanket of God’s loving energy. I feel my mind and body relax as I allow this loving energy to comfort, heal, and protect me. I see myself going through my day with confidence.  I imagine myself acting and responding from a place of inner peace.  I feel safe and secure in my world.  In my mind’s eye, I see myself and others experiencing the healing power of God’s love. As I quietly exhale, I let these images go.

MY BIRTHDAY LESSON
On my birthday I realised that the blessings of God that you seek have already been given to you. It lies in the primal substance waiting for you to call it forth in faith and thanksgiving . Just because you don’t see it does not mean it is not already there! True Life is full of blessings, not all are seen.
On my birthday receiving so many good wishes from every nook and corner of the globe I fully experienced  the blessings that were all around me. In my mind’s eye I saw myself surrounded by the blessings of God. I felt and sensed those blessings even though I may not recognise them overtly. I imagined myself opening my heart to receive all of the blessings sent to me. As I took a deep breath, I imagined myself allowing my blessings to fill my whole body, giving me strength, courage, and understanding. I said a prayer of gratitude for all the blessings and the special gifts given to me. 
I combined those images with joy and let them go, knowing that they would create the good things I was visualizing and thinking.
I thank God for All His Blessings..


Everyone on this planet is given the same resource called time. We all have 86400 seconds in a day. How effectively one manages this God-gifted resource is critical to succeed and flourish in life.
Time is a gift that most of us take for granted. We get so caught up in the humdrums of our daily lives that we rarely pause and take a serious look at how we’re spending this gift.
Many persons have achieved their greatness by using their time productively. They never wasted their time in idleness due to their awareness of the brevity of life and the sheer magnitude of their responsibilities.

Many people fall well short of their true potential due to their failure to manage time well. They set wrong priorities and chase after things that are less important in life.
“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four-hour days” says Zig Ziglar. It is important to realize that your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that you set your priorities right, recognize the time-wasters in your life and spend quality time on things that really matter in order to have a flourish in life.