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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)
 SMILE-SERVE-SACRIFICE-SATISFY

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.

HAPPINESS COMES FROM WITHIN …
It has been my experience that you can always enjoy life and be happy  if you make up your mind firmly that you will . 
 Happiness is not about what is currently happening in your outer life…True happiness comes for knowing that God has already blessed you and when your faith is connected to those blessings you will soon see them manifested into your life.I trust that God  has always blessed me with so many good things in life and connected with many good friends that makes me feel that He wants me to be happy alway. I am a happy and trusting person. I enjoy my happiness every moment in my life .
In my mind’s eye I always imagine myself filled with great joy and happiness. I feel the warmth of joy and happiness in my whole body. I imagine myself going through my day with a light heart, smiling, and enjoying being present with happiness.
I am always grateful to God for the joy and happiness in my life and trust that God always wants me to be happy every moment in my life. I combine these images with joy and let them go, knowing that they will create the good things I am visualizing and thinking.
I believe that Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within , in our way of thinking. FIND HAPPINESS WITHIN 

Life is not an easy journey but is coupled with many difficulties. For such difficulties we need to thank God. If it was all soft and easy, we wouldn’t be tested, tried, forged in the fire of life. We wouldn’t grow or learn or change or have a chance to rise above ourselves. But for the challenges we face, we would never become stronger. Only dead fish swim with the stream. If you are truly alive, you need to swim against the tide, much like the salmon that swims 200 miles upstream to its breeding grounds. For its next generation to take birth, the salmon must defy the river’s current. Each surge of your fins makes you stronger and fitter, leaner and happier. We get burdened with only much as we can carry. Of course, there are lulls in between, when we can rest for a while and enjoy the moment before the next obstacle gets thrown our way. That’s what life is all about. So what are you … dead fish or healthy salmon?

The secret of living your life purposefully and joyfully lies in celebrating your gift of uniqueness. No one before, no one to come; you are absolutely unique. Life’s true gift lies in your freedom to design it beautifully. With each rise of the sun, you get to chase the opportunity to fill your days with meaning—to live your life the way you choose.

Do not spend your precious time and energy in trying to become someone else. You do not have to pretend in order to look like somebody else because you aren’t meant to be like someone else.

You are designed to be different; if you do not exist uniquely there would be a hole in creation, a gap in history, something missing from the plan for the humankind. 
It is high time that you treasure your uniqueness and exhibit your difference courageously. Your inherent power lies in knowing that there is no one who can smile your smile, speak your words, convey your meanings, love the way you love and bring light and life to others the way you do. The gift of yourself is given to you to enjoy and share. Therefore, do not be afraid to give yourself away in your own unique way to your family, friends and everyone you meet on the path of life.

The best and most beautiful things in life cannot be seen or even heard, but are felt with the heart. Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit. The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. It’s always better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. No One Is YOU and That Is Your Power! Treasure your unique power and enjoy life the way you wish .

Inner beauty can be described as a combination of our personality, intelligence, integrity, elegance, and politeness. It says who we are without any layers of makeup or false presumptions. Remember, if our soul is pure, then our inner beauty radiates and outshines the physical constraints. We should be embracing this inner beauty.
Recognising who we TRULY are is the first step towards manifesting our True Identity! Our inner beauty is beyond measure.
In our mind’s eye We should imagine ourself filled with beauty, light and love. We need to imagine ourself going through our day radiating love, light, and beauty with every thought, word, and deed.
We need to imagine others telling us they can see and feel our inner beauty. We should combine these images with joy and let them go, knowing that they will create the good things We are visualising and thinking.
Let’s Create a beautiful inside and we will look beautiful on the outside

Dear Rotary Leaders
Beauty Of Life 
Life is a consequence of the times we live in. Life is the real thing. Many people spend their life worrying about everything. Even the smallest obstacle is branded as a problem. If problems can be solved, why worry? If problems cannot be solved, then worrying will do no good. If you consider your life as a blessing enjoy it and do what interests you, at least one person will be happy.
Have a Guru (teacher) in your life. A good coach can change a game. A great Guru can change a life. In this life, Rotary has become a guru to many of us in more ways than one. It has taught us, guided us and helped us to do good to others even when you know that they cannot return your kindness except to say, “Thank you,” from some corner of the world. Rotary has enriched our life by making us realise that even the smallest act of caring for others is like a drop of water – it can make ripples throughout the entire pond.
In this life, Rotary has shown us that it is much more than a movement that has given a space for us to gather and share some fun-filled moments. It has given us an opportunity to heal the wounds of people, create jobs, develop economic activities, eradicate diseases, hunger, illiteracy and more importantly sow the seeds of love and peace in the community. Rotary has shown that for our projects to be successful, the activity must not be just for the community, it must be built in partnership with the community. That is why day after day, life has to be a constant process of learning and Rotary gives us the opportunity to hear from people about their hopes for a better life and what they expect from Rotarians. 
One of the secrets of fruitful living is to understand that life is the most beautiful and gratuitous gift. We have to work hand-in-hand with our neighbours to ensure that our life goes on without much hiccups. We must use Rotary as an economic engine to bring hope to thousands of people during these trying times. This will make your life beautiful.
If you are looking for a source of inspiration lately, for a reason to be optimistic about the direction in which your life should move forward, look within yourself. Spend time today, tomorrow and every day visualizing good life for millions of people in this planet. You will be inspired and this is the promise of nature. This will make your life beautiful.
You will wake up every morning with a happy thought of life and will be motivated to engage with your community. You will see a recurring tension between your own ambitions and your duties to your family and society around you. But, it is a tension that anyone working for the welfare of the community and change needed knows very well. This is the beauty of life.

Life is a beautiful journey that is meant to be embraced to the fullest every day . However, that doesn’t mean you always wake up in the morning and get ready to conquer  the day, but sometimes need a reminder that life is a great gift .Therefore we need to put extra efforts to  make good use of all our potentialities before we finally say goodbye to this world by engaging in selfless service to mankind. 
One of the secrets of fruitful living is to understand life as the most beautiful gift. Unfortunately, many individuals are so engaged with the humdrums of daily living that they rarely sit back and enjoy the beauty of life. 
Individuals who live their lives selflessly will discover the beauty of life at every turn of event. For them life is not merely earthbound but heaven bound, not a rat race for superiority but an act of service. 
They are not hoarders but generous with their resources determined to make the world a transformed place. It is said “If you make each minute of your life fruitful, you will have nothing but a fruitful life”.
Be courageous to lead a purposeful life and thus discover the beauty of life. Remember, we make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give! 

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Keep your words positive, because words become behavior. Keep your behavior positive because behavior becomes your habit. Keep your habits positive because habits become your values. Keep your values positive, because values become your destiny.” 

Happiness is the ultimate goal and the deepest longing of every human being. Life is meant to be happy and in every person, there are enough resources to lead a life of contentment. It is said “Your life is determined not so much by what life brings to you, but by the attitude you bring to life.”

Look for something positive in every day, even if some days you have to try a little harder to find something good in it. 

Being a positive thinker doesn’t mean you always have to walk around with a forced smile. Positive thinkers aren’t weak-minded people. Being a positive thinker doesn’t mean that you can’t be demanding. It doesn’t mean that you can’t be a disciplinarian with high standards. Being a positive thinker means that you are relentless. It means that you never give up because you believe you can always find a way to get better and to move forward.

Bad circumstances are not excuses for making bad choices. Two people can look at the same object and see different things. It is your particular attitude that makes all the difference. You can push yourself into happiness or unhappiness. We mold our lives with our thoughts. We are as small as our petty thoughts or as great as our noble thoughts. Good thoughts make a happy life.

Never let a bad situation bring out the worst in you. Choose to stay positive and be the strong person that God created you to be.

FAILURE IS THE PATH TO SUCCESS 
Success can follow after many bad experiences in life. The path to success is filled with difficulties and hurdles. Bad experiences in life teach many valuable lessons and to be successful, it is imperative to learn from the mistakes and avoid them in the future. The most celebrated personalities in the world have failed multiple times. For example what might be at once the most discouraging statement and worst teaching practice of all time, Thomas Edison was told by his teachers he was ‘too stupid to learn anything’.Edison went on to hold more than 1,000 patents, including the phonograph and practical electric lamp. 
Lincoln’s failures were broad and numerous. He achieved the unique feat of leaving for a war a captain and returning with the lowest military rank. 
He next took failure in his stride during multiple failed business attempts. Undeterred, Lincoln marched into the political realm, where he launched several failed runs at political office before his ascendance to President of America .
Today, if you’ve suffered through failures in the past, or you’re going through the torrent of a failure right now, know this — failure will make you better. Failure will improve your life. It will allow you to reach new understandings and inspiration on life, love, business and the people all around you.
Therefore, failure is an essential part of an individual’s life.

TO GET JOY OF LOVE WE MUST GIVE IT 
Let’s Experience the joy of love within ourselves every moment…
It’s true that I am experiencing joy of love in all that I see , listen and do today.. 
As I take an even breath and imagine myself filled with joy of love In my mind’s eye . I see myself surrounded by a blanket of light reflecting love all around which only allows joyful thoughts into my consciousness. 
I imagine myself going through my day thinking positive thoughts and experiencing the joy of love that is all around me. I see the joy in others as they respond to the joy in me. 
I combine these images with joy and let them go, knowing that they will create the good things I am visualizing and thinking.
I feel the joy of love comes from spiritual wealth coupled with love and  not material wealth… Happiness comes from giving love . If we try hard to bring happiness to others, we cannot stop it from coming to us in plenty . To get joy of love  we must give it . To keep it we must scatter it . 

Self-realized people establish meaningful relationships: They are mindful of the fact that they are dealing with human beings and hence always allow the benefit of doubt to them. They are comfortable with those who are different in colour, race, religion or language. 
Self-realized individuals take the time to mingle with others as they consider it important for learning and self-improvement.They have a cosmic view and a universal mind. They consider the world as a miracle; wonderful and truly magical.

These days we all tend to to notice differences more than similarities. Perhaps it’s the increasing influence of social media that highlights difference and conflict between people.
The secret of living purposefully and joyfully lies in celebrating your gift of uniqueness. No one before, no one to come; is like you. You are truly unique. Do not spend your precious time and energy in trying to become someone else. 
You are designed to be different; if you do not exist uniquely there would be a hole in creation, a gap in history, something missing from the plan for humankind. 
Treasure your uniqueness and exhibit this gift courageously.. Your inherent power lies in knowing that there is no one who can smile your smile, speak your words, convey your meanings, love the way you love and bring light to others the way you do.
The gift of uniqueness is given you to enjoy and share. Therefore, do not be afraid to give yourself away in your own unique way to your family, friends and everyone you meet on the path of life.
“The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever seen before.” – Says Albert Einstein

 Overcoming the challenges in lifeWhen faced with a towering challenge in front of you, it is natural for you to think that you are too small to overcome. You feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the problem and feel helpless.
However, it is a fleeting feeling in the sense that a problem remains as a challenge only till the moment you decide to face it head on using all your faculties. In other words, a problem serves as an impetus to discover your innate but hidden capabilities and bring them to the fore.
It is time to replace your sense of bewilderment in the face of challenges in life with strong self-belief, to replace impossibility with possibility, fear with indomitable courage, self-doubt with brimming confidence and negativity with infectious positivity.
It’s true Success is determined not by whether or not you face challenges , but by your reaction to them. And if you look at these challenges as a containing fence, they become your excuse for failure. If you look at them as a challenges , each one strengthens you for the next.
Your destiny is not to go through life passively without leaving your footprints on the sands of time, but to be impactful and irreplaceable with your uniqueness and insurmountable spirit.Always remember The greater the challenge, the more glory in overcoming it.

LIFE IS ALL ABOUT SERVICE
Service is an act of personal involvement . It is the result of an innate desire to give a little back to the society that has supported us- that has given us what we possese.Service is not due to what happens to us. It is due to what happens with us. The riches we enjoy are due to others who have made it possible. Returning a part of what we have to the community is not only our duty but our obligation
There seems to be some value to Rotarians to observe the needy at close quarters.The pain of others should generate pain in us-pain which is painful enough to stimulate compassion.
”  Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” says John Cassis. 
Remember ‘the measure of life is not in it’s duration , but in its donation.Everyone can be great because every one can serve.’ reminds Peter Marshall.No one achieves greatness without being of service. never reach out your hands unless you are willing to extend an arm and your hear. YES FRIENDS, LIFE IS ALL ABOUT SERVICE. 

LEARN TO BLOOM AMIDST THORNS
The roses is the king of flowers. We all appreciate its beauty.  Roses speak of love, give a heavenly scent, and have breathtaking colors.
But beyond their pristine beauty, roses impart wisdom to us. Just like a rose blossoms amidst sharp thorns, we should also seek to overcome conditions that suppress our potential.
For many, life is hardly a bed of roses. It is easy to get cowed down by the negativity around us since positive thinking requires effort. However, the great achievers are those who make a  conscious effort to turn negative forces into positive ones.You may be surrounded with nay-sayers,  but you can choose ignore them and become what you really want to be .  
If you believe that you are going to fail, you might unconsciously sabotage every opportunity to succeed. If you crowd your mind with pessimism, you might well radiate negative energy into the universe, resulting in failures and disasters. It is important to understand these mental dynamics.  Become someone who fought the odds and influence the lives of others who may be going through the same struggles. The next time you admire a rose, learn from it the art of thriving amongst the thorns.

TRY TO BE KINDER 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 .

Leave a Little Sparkle wherever You Go!
Once, a friend of Dr Albert Schweitdlzer hosted a party in honour of him at a posh restaurant. When it was time to cut the cake, Dr Schweitzer poised the knife and counted the people. There were nine of them, but he cut the cake into ten pieces. Handing the tenth piece to the waitress at the restaurant he explained, “One piece for the young lady who so graciously served us.”
Dr Schweitzer is a fine example of persons who leave an indelible mark on people with their simplicity, integrity and dignity. When you look back, you will recognize the tremendous impact that some individuals have on your life. The presence of such beautiful souls is an inspiration to bring smiles to the faces of those around you. 
A meaningful life is not about being rich, popular or highly educated. It is about being genuine, humble and sensitive to the needs of others.
If you wish to leave your foot prints on the sands of time, remember the words of Brandon Lee: “Immortality is to live your life doing good things, and leaving your mark behind,”

Attitude can have Control Over Life

The longer I live, the more I realise the importance  of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people say or do.

It is more important than appearance . It can  make or break a company, a home, a family , an organisation or friendship. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have control over and that is our attitude. I am convinced with what someone said that life is 1 % what happens to me and 99 % how I react to it.

NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF

There seems to be a self uncertainty that builds up in the mind every time one makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a task, and with every successive blunder the uncertainty grows stronger until one doubts one’s ability to do anything right.

Being human we are host to a number of frailties, each one of which disturbs and depresses us, and makes us doubt our worth. We are not a mechanically precise machine, we are a-bundle of nerves which often tangle and get jangled, but we are capable of amazing performance.

Live life to the fullest. Be true and honest beginning with yourself and extend it to others. Use your words wisely. Words have power and create influence, do not spread them carelessly. Negative words create negative energy and repel those around you.

Live in the positive. Leave your ‘stamp’ on everything you do. Make yourself an icon to be admired and respected. Become an inspiration to others, so think carefully before you speak and act.

Every action, every word carries a consequence. Create a genuineness about you that is addictive to all those who meet you. And finally, leave a mark on those you meet that couldn’t have been left if you weren’t in their lives.

We have more strength than we believe, there is more fight within us than we know, and far more potential than we could ever call forth or even dream of being possible.

Believe in yourself despite setbacks, despite the seemingly immovable obstacles, despite the cold and dark, despite the woe and pain, andeventually your faith will come to fruition, and you will find all those troubles behind you. NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF…

There will always be someone willing to hurt you, put you down, and belittle your achievements. However, if you realize that God is beside you when others cast stones you will never be afraid, never feel worthless and never feel alone. God’s love will always make you feel strong and worthy.
Love is the secret ingredient which can be used at all times  Let’s focus on love which will activate the power of God in our life. 
Every thought, word and deed of mine will always reflect only love and I know for certain that through this love God will heal and prosper not only me but everyone around me. 
Whenever I am quiet, and I think of God  I feel the power of divine love surging up from within me. I imagine this love as a beautiful light filling my body, mind, and emotions.
The more I think about this love the greater is its flow. Wherever I look, whatever I think, whatever I say or do is laced with this beautiful power of love. I know for certain that God’s power gets activated by love.
As this love flows through me i get the feelings that it dissolves my fears and the fears of others. In place of fear is now hope and faith. Wherever this love flows healing and prosperity occur. Where there was lack now there is abundance.
With such a love I feel that health has replaced illness. Joy has overcome despair.. I combine these images with the feelings of joy and let them go, knowing that they will create the good things I am visualizing and thinking.Yes I know God Loves me . He wants me to succeed. He wants the best for me . He will always protect me . I now believe and trust that God gives us life as an expression of love and that the purpose of life is to grow in love. 

The power to improve the lives of others is a privilege, one that comes with its own sense of obligation. Acting on this sense of responsibility is a great way to reinforce our own personal values, and live true to our own ethics.
In my thoughts, I release myself from fear and affirm my worthiness to receive from God. In my mind’s eye, I imagine an abundance of money, love, peace, harmony, health, joy and success flooding my world. I see myself with more than enough to meet my needs. I imagine my circumstances improving in wonderful ways. I affirm that the more I receive the more I have to give. I see myself  becoming an open flow of abundance to others, giving freely to those in need. It appears that as I give I receive even more and the cycle of prosperity increases all over the world. I combine these images with the feelings of joy, knowing that they will create the good things I visualize and imaginea.
Thankfully there are ways to make the most of every donation to charity. Rotary is the best organisation through which I get hundreds of opportunities to help and serve others.

Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper company because the management thought that he lacked creativity. Unaffected by the apparent humiliation, he gave wings to his creativity and went on to found an animation studio that made him a household name. Steve Jobs was fired from Apple before returning as the face of the company for many years. If Disney and Jobs had believed that failure was permanent, they would not have scripted success stories that made them legends.

We live in a society that overestimates success but belittles failure. Today’s failures contain the seeds of tomorrow’s greatest successes. Winston Churchill once  said,“ Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”. When you fail and recover, you become stronger and more resilient.

Many of us allow our fear of failure to stop us from doing those things that move us forward toward our goals. The first step to mastering the art of failing successfully is to see failure and success as two sides of the same coin. Instead of being obsessed with perfection, have the courage to face failures. This will enable you to see your weaknesses, work on them and emerge victorious.

Always remember “Failure is a delay, not defeat. It is a detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing”, says
Denis Waitley.

Therefore, embrace failures and
learn to persevere in spite of them, for it is the hard and sure way to success.
Let’s learn to celebrate failure and achieve success in life

BE LIKE A DUCK:CALM AND UNRUFFLED ON THE SURFACE,BUT PEDDLING LIKE HELL UNDER WATER.
The ability to stay calm and quite yet focused is the HALLMARK of a truly successful person.When you look at some of the very successful SPORTS PERSONS like Rahul Dravid,Sachin Tendulkar, Vishwanathan Anand, Saina Nehwal,and many others,you realise that Inspite of the temporary setbacks they always stood calm and focused and sour higher.It does not mean that they were unaffected by their failures But they knew how to learn from their mistakes and move ahead with confidence ,trying even harder.SURGE AHEAD WITH SERENITY.

DREAM BIG AND ACHIEVE Keep your goals always big because high thinking leads to success. In the close rooms, your thinking stays closed. If you want to reach the peak of success, you also have to take your thinking and thoughts to the summit. And then only, you will be able to reach your destination.Friends who dream, they work hard to fulfill them. They struggle and they get suffused by fulfilling them 
Dreams are enough for those who have dreams in their dreams, nothing happens with wings, a person flies due to their morale. If you do not dream big then how will you fulfill them. Keep your thinking big, frivolous thinking and sprain in the foot do not allow a person to go further.
So keep your thinking big, positive and always remember that no goal is hard if you have the desire and ability to achieve it. Your success does not only depends on your ability, it also depends on passion, confidence, and patience.
Every person dreams and makes every effort to fulfill them. But there are few who are able to fulfill their dreams because most people quit when troubles and difficulties occur.
Changing the goals when hurdles and difficulties occur, is the only way an unsuccessful person escapes.
‘When you have hard times, troubles and difficulties, you need to change the path not the goal’. Determination and strong intentions are needed to reach the goal. A winner does not accept defeat until he picks his flag by reaching his goal. There is no other option in the life of a winner.

I believe one of the strongest  strengths of any happy person is the ability to keep negative thoughts out and produce positive thoughts even when the odds are against.
Happiness is the deepest desire of every human heart. We are ready to put all efforts to keep ourselves happy.
 In search of happiness we mistake our pleasure for happiness. True life is meant to be happy and in everyone there are plenty of resources to lead a life of contentment. 
Always remember our living is determined not so much by what life brings to us as by the attitude we bring to life . Difficult circumstances are not excuses for making wrong choice. Different people can look at the same garden in different ways . It is our attitude that makes all the difference. We can think ourselves into happiness or unhappiness. We mould our life with our own thoughts. We are as small as our petty thoughts or as great as our sublime thoughts. Happy thoughts make happy life .
Let the expectations and opinions of other people not affect our decisions. It’s our life, not theirs. We need to do what matters most to us and what makes us feel alive and happy. Let not the expectations and ideas of others limit who we are. If we let others tell us who we are, we are living their reality — not ours . 
There is more to life than pleasing people. There is much more to life than following others’ prescribed path. There is so much more to life than what we experience right now. We need to decide who we are for ourselves . Let’s become  a whole being. Adventure . Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.” –

A smile with love behind it has so many positive effects on us: It stimulates the brain, makes you come across as friendly, and brings joy to the people around you. Whether you say hello to a stranger you pass in the grocery store or wave to your neighbor while you’re on a run, adding a smile to these simple acts of kindness can make someone’s day go from drab to fab.
If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours . You may be surprised by how good you feel when you bring a little brightness to someone else’s day . Concentrate on your life . Only do what you can . Give yourself freely . Do something for someone with a generous heart without expecting anything in return. Always be careful how you measure happiness. Ask yourself what gives you real joy .

When we are young, we have lots of dreams and expectations. We keep thinking about what we want to be, what career we should choose, what we want to do and what we will become. Then as we grow up and things seem like having their own way, we accept our success or failures and we move on.

The rapid change, the need to do urgent things, the pressure of work, all serve to kill our dreams . Things and circumstances may have changed but we still have to dream on, to visualize our desires, our wants and our vision of the future.

The main thing is not your age, whether being too old or too young . You are never too old to set another goal or to dream new dream. It is the desire to dream on and have the courage to nurture and realize them.

Taking it to sleep, thinking constantly about it, talking about it and planning for it, adds all the spices to our dreams that will help take us closer to their realization.

The ability to dream on is one of the finest qualities of the human race . So, dream on and set a deadline on achieving them — be it a giant one or a tiny one, just continue to dream on !

Don’t be scared! Don’t listen to people that tell you , you can’t do it. And don’t listen to the voice in your head that tells you your dreams are impossible to achieve. Don’t let fear stop you.

Think big, never ever limit yourself. Once you have your dreams written down, you can worry about how to make them a reality. But first, dream!

I can only say one thing: there is no secret to achieve your dreams. You just need to put in the hard work, one step at the time.

 Always remember “Without dreams, there can be no courage. And without courage, there can be no action.”

All of us have the potential to be what ever we wish to be . All of us have the energy to achieve whatever we wish to achieve. Imagine as you would like to become , keep doing  all what you want to achieve, and each day put some efforts towards your goal . Many a times you may face some challenges and difficulties which may seem a difficult task to continue , hold on to the set goal. A day will come when you will find that you have accomplished your dream goal. It is simply because you wanted to achieve and you showed courage to believe in your potential and to hold on to your desire goal .Always remember you measure the size of the accomplishment by the challenges and difficulties you have overcome to reach your goal.

Spirituality can mean different things to different people. Traditions, religions, and beliefs might differ from one another in many ways. However, there is one common thread that can be found in all of them, and that’s is the belief and conviction in the existence of something higher, some super power that is everywhere and within everyone, and which is the life force and creator of the Universe.
All things work together for our good when our heart is filled with love . When Our heart is filled with love we expect everything in our life to work together to create wondrous blessings for us every day. We experience the divine love that dwells within our heart . We imagine that this love grows larger and larger until it overflows into our body , mind and world. We see this love growing before us that creates joy , peace, prosperity, happiness, health and success in our life . We see ourselves going throughout our day radiating love to all we meet.  “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”  – Swami Vivekananda

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: “I am blind, please help.” There were only a few coins in the hat. A man walking by, changed some words and put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.Soon the hat began to fill up with coins. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed that sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?”The man said. “I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way. I wrote: Today is a beautiful day; but I cannot see it.”Both signs told the people that the boy was blind. The second sign reminded how fortunate they were to have their sight. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective? Be creative and innovative. Think differently and positively. I bet you will always have better results which will certainly help you in achieving success in every endeavour in your life .Let negativity never bring you down . When faced with challenges,  overcome them. Rise above the  drama, eliminate fear & doubt. Choose to be a positive influence on others. Remember positive thinkers are never defeated. They know how to convert problems into solutions . Be one of those positive thinker and achieve success in life .

As you offer your prayers and take an even breath you will experience the Divine spirit within you which will affirm that God has only good in mind for you. It will give you the feelings that every change in your life is but a step towards God’s ultimate good for you. 

In your mind’s eye you will see yourself accepting the beautiful gifts that change brings to you .You will imagine that as You open each gift You are pleasantly surprised at how perfect it is for you . You will see joyously, awaiting each and every change that comes your way. 

For the next moment You will imagine all the goodness of God manifesting into your life. You will feel healthy, happy, prosperous, and safe. It will certainly bring good fortune in your life . Let everyone offer prayers every day to bring peace in life .

As the Indian government’s Covid vaccination drive notches up impressive numbers all over the country, there is also an accompanying chorus of voices that is questioning the efficacy of the vaccine.

One of the principal concerns seems to be that the Covid vaccine was developed within a year since the first outbreak of the virus. Given the considerable lengths of time that development of previous vaccines like Polio, Measles etc. took, the CovidVaccine has been developed in record time. 

Many have mistakenly assumed that this development is driven more by commercial considerations, giving short shrift to standard testing protocols. They forget that technology has taken such immense strides in the last 10 years, allowing institutions to collaborate across borders like never before in the history of mankind. Besides, the scale of the Covid contagion was immense, spreading across the world within days, leaving international agencies and governments with no option but to pool their resources and fight back.

Science, technology and governments have worked together to develop the vaccine, and it is unthinkable that they would cut corners and take chances withpublic health. Let us have faith in mankind and avail of the vaccine as and when we become eligible for it. While doing so, let us follow all safety protocols and manage any individual cases of side effects or complications, without setting off any undue panic.

Rotary India’s Covid Task Force is committed to supporting the government’s efforts through all possible means to ensure that all Indians can walk free of Covid, and return to lead lives of productivity and harmony.

Ashok Mahajan 

Chairman, Rotary India‘s Covid Task Force

Diving into my memory brought a good story back to my mind – one that says that it is possible for human beings to change for the better when they want to change their lives and be a part of civilization. 

The small village rowdy turned thief Ranjit, was spurned by everyone and he became a vagabond and a menace to the community. One day he went to the riverside and saw some ducks and decided to catch one for his dinner. He plunged into the river and instantly every duck swam away to safety and he could not catch even one. 

The next day he went there again and saw a group of monks taking bath in the river and a swarm of ducks were swimming around them without fear. So he donned the robe of the monks and went to the river next day and jumped into the river and to his surprise he found that the ducks did not swim away but accepted him and stayed close to him. 

He realised  that by merely wearing the robes of the monks he was being accepted by as a good person and wondered how it would be if he really became a monk. He became the follower of the monks and they molded him into a fine human being who was now accepted by everyone and even respected. This new found acceptance by the society was much better than his wayward life and he soon became a preacher himself.

This story is really inspiring and when people are shown how they can become better and be more useful to the community and elevate themselves, they will do it. We, as Rotarians, have many things in common. We have been asked to build a better world and serve those in need and we have said yes.

If you are able, get started right now. We have work to do. We have to establish a chain of peace loving people who can change the world. Rotary is a product of our ideas and we have to work together and experiment together. We will try new things to unite people, bring peace into their daily life and make them eliminate anger and hatred. We may fail in few instances but succeed in many. But the constant will to bring about the much needed change in the way people see and treat each others will be our fundamental commitment to progress. 

A lot of things have changed in the lifestyle of people, but one important thing hasn’t. Their willingness to accept ways to change for the better at some point of time in their life is still there. They need to hear the voice that can guide them. They don’t need a new year or a new day to start a new life. They only need a new mindset. Your voice can kindle a new mindset and change a room full of people.

The kind of people that every team needs is the people who are humble, hungry , honest , and people of integrity . Great teams have great teammates. The elements to being a great teammate, are core values , knowing your role , a good communicator, and positive attitude.

Your vision is always greater than your circumstances and your purpose is always greater than your challenges. Stop looking backwards. You can’t change the past, but you can find focus, optimism and peace in the present to create your future. Stop looking at the negativity on the screen and look up to the heavens. Then look out into your future and think about what you truly want to create. If you can see it you can create it. If you have a vision you also have the power to make it .
Remember to encourage and put courage into yourself and others each day. Don’t worry about the future. Just encourage yourself daily and give your soul the oxygen it needs to be fully alive and thrive.  
Always Stay Positive,

In a street accident, a woman tried to help the victims. Suddenly a nurse came forward and said, ‘’Miss, excuse me! I am a nurse and I can do it better. Please step back. I have had a course in first aid and I’m trained in giving first aid and CPR.’’

The woman stepped aside and watched the procedure and said, “If you need a doctor, I’m just behind you.’’

How deeply you touch another life is how rich your life is. Invitation to join Rotary came to us not because of our titles or financial strengths. It came because of our behaviour in the community. 
When you walked into the lives of underprivileged people as a Rotarian, you promised to make it better for them. Rotarians can lie down at night knowing in their heart that they have made someone’s day just a little better. When they touch another life deeply and make it better, they know they had a good day. 
No one was born as a philanthropist. Everyone who became a big donor to some cause or other learnt how to give. These magnificent people learnt how to love others first before they learnt how to give or how much to give. They learned to listen to the needs of the community. They were touched by others who were serving humanity in several ways. This was the first step to becoming a big philanthropist.
The most valuable real estate is the space Rotarians occupy in other people’s hearts. When this is achieved everything else is possible. One hundred and sixteen years of Rotary Movement – the onus is on us to increase the contributions, strengthen the infrastructure and create the future we want for our Rotary. Today, the scenario needs us to contribute towards fighting Covid 19. Let us remember those illustrious Rotarians who nurtured the PolioPlus cause to enable many children to breathe freely. It is vital for us now to stand and act in unison to take our fight against Covid 19 to higher level to save every citizen everywhere.

It is time to remember and celebrate the beginning of the Rotary movement in February 1905 and during all these 116 years every Rotarian has been making the Rotary Flag fly high all over the world.
 It is time once again to enter a new chapter of service now that the vaccination drive against the pandemic Covid 19 is in full swing everywhere. Something as simple as checking with the elderly people in the neighbourhood if they have registered for the vaccination programme when the Government throws open the programme for everyone will make a major difference in the lives of people in your community.
 Although the Covid 19 pandemic has made serving tougher than usual, there are still safe ways to serve the community. To help you get started the Rotary Team set up for promoting the vaccination drive has gathered some easy ways you can help your community. 
Take your pick and pledge action today. Together we can make a huge collective difference during this period, so begin by making a plan to serve today.

Rotary will continue to be present for many generations.It will disappear only when the needs of all the communities are met.Such a time,perhaps, will never come and so Rotary is entrenched in this world with many more years of service. let our service be timely,productive,satisfying and compassionate. Rotary, will , then, live forever in the hearts of all those that are touched by our love.Viva La Rotary.

Ashok Mahajan
Director, Rotary International (2007-09)
Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)
www.ashokmahajan.in
SMILE- SERVE – SACRIFICE- SATISFY

In a year of tremendous hardship, one of the most inspiring trends has been the arrival of a vaccine to fight Covid 19. The emergence of volunteers, healthcare workers and various agencies connected with preventing the spread of the covid 19 virus has been reassuring sign that the Government of India and all the Governments around the world have put their best efforts to contain this pandemic. In India the roll out of vaccination on day one has been very successful and this goes to show that the Government was ready to combat any unforeseen hurdles. Of course, the initial beneficiaries have been groups identified by the Government and when the general public is asked to take the shots there may be few pockets from where some ill-informed people may raise some doubts. This is where the advocacy skills of Rotary will come into play and our team must be ready in every District. I urge the leaders in every Rotary District to keep a team of dedicated volunteers ready to take the message of the importance of vaccination to the people and support our Government in making India free from Covid 19.

Ashok Mahajan
Chairman, Rotary India’s Covid Vaccination Task Force.
www.ashokmahajan.in
SMILE SERVE SACRIFICE SATISFY

Passion is the ability to focus on your aim, the capacity to direct yourself relentlessly, toward your goal and be creative in achieving them. It is the energy that keeps you going, a powerful force pushing you to accomplish anything you set your mind to. It provides you with a far-reaching vision and the courage to pursue it.

Passion makes you experience life to the fullest, making it bright and meaningful. Let service become your passion, you will find great things happen for you, to you and because of you.

As it is said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something for others. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.

Ashok Mahajan
Director, Rotary International (2007-09)
Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)
www.ashokmahajan.in
SMILE – SERVE- SACRIFICE – SATISFY

In January 2020, when the first reports of the Corona virus began trickling in, little did we imagine that the entire world would be turned topsy turvy. One tiny virus has managed to change our way of life, our relationships with people, our livelihood and our priorities. 

In March, 2020, the Govt. of India imposed a strict lockdown. It was a painful but necessary move to protect the lives of all Indians, and all of us have had to pay a price for it. As Prime Minister NarendraModi rightly said,” Jaan hai to Jahaan hai.”

One year later, mankind has bounced back with the development of the Covid Vaccine. This historical achievement shows what human beings can achieve when they work together for a common cause.

The Govt. of India is now faced with the monumental task of vaccinating over 1.3 billon people. It is a daunting task, unlike other vaccines which have been administered to specific segments of the population like children below 5 years. No government exercise, except the National Census, comes anywhere close to the scale of this imminent Covid Vaccination. 

It was only fitting that Rotary’s leadership in India took the first step and offered its hand of partnership to the Government of India. I was then invited to take charge as Chairman, Rotary India’s Covid Vaccination Task Force. Further to meetings with officials from the Union Health Ministry and the Niti Aayog, we have now set up the Task Force, under the mentorship of RIPE Shekhar Mehta and PRIPs Raja Saboo and Kalyan Banerjee as advisor  with 13 Zonal Coordinators covering Rotary Districts all over India.

The task ahead of us is threefold: 1) Create awareness of the Covid  Vaccine 2) Overcome pockets of public resistance caused by misinformation 3) Provide logistical support where required.

I have written to all District Governors to nominate a District Coordinator- Covid Vaccination each, who will commit himself to working for this effort over 3 Rotary Years. I have also requested for information regarding Hospitals and Blood Banks run by Rotary Clubs, which could offer infrastructural support to the vaccination drive.

In the meanwhile I request all Rotary Clubs to reach out to the community through social media to promote the government’s efforts and also counter any misinformation or negative reports.

Let us all work together to ensure that every Indian can avail of the Covid vaccine, without fear or favour. 

-PRID ASHOK MAHAJAN

Chairman, Rotary India’s Covid Vaccination Task Force

As Rotary members we know who we are. Our mission is clear. Help in delivering good health to citizens. Everyone of us burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will to serve humanity. No cold can touch our heart. No deluge can dampen our purpose because we know we are alive every moment for a purpose that is bigger than ourselves.

Covid vaccination programme by the Government will start shortly and we have had initial discussions on how Rotary can partner in taking the programme to every citizen everywhere in India. Our expertise and network in handling polio immunisation programme will be of immense value to the Government, especially when it comes to countering some wrong perceptions that will arise from certain misinformed sections in the society. 

Our advocacy skills were proved in breaking down the resistance from certain section of the community while the polio eradication programme was taking place. This will be of immense use to the Government since the people who resist administering the vaccine will know that Rotary has no mileage to gain from this except to save the precious lives of people in every household.

Senior Rotary leaders in India have formed a task force for assisting the Government during the vaccination programme and we are ready to move in when the partnership is in place. Initially, it will be necessary for every District Governor to lead a team of volunteers and create the awareness about the vaccine with those who need it most. All sections of the society must be made aware that vaccination can surely help in preventing covid 19 from spreading and wherever there is a resistance proper information must be disseminated about the efficacy of vaccination.

We will work together and show that no pandemic is too big for Rotarians in India to handle.

Most of us make excuses to defend our conduct and live with the wrong notion that making excuses is something that everybody does ..so it’s O K . Over the years we have cultivated the art of making excuses with creative ways to avoid doing something that needs to be done . We think that with excuses we do not have to be accountable for our words and deeds . Is it too much to say that we are addicted to EXCUSES ? 
When we make excuses and repeat them often enough, they become a belief. The belief then becomes a self fulfilling habit which makes sure of failure. Excuses set limits on our will and block the road to our purpose and passion. It’s only when we accept responsibility, we can evaluate our actions and take corrective measures to find solutions to our problems.
We need to learn to eliminate the habit of making excuses and take responsibility for everything in our lives. In accepting responsibility, we are showing a willingness to develop our character and in doing so , the stronger our character will become and as a consequence the quality of our life will be enhanced.
Let’s remember that life is too short for us to entertain the negative habit of making excuses. If we want to achieve something great in life , there is no doubt that we will find a way. If on the other hand we don’t want to do something big , and scared of difficulties and challenges, we can always find an excuse.Therefore don’t let excuses hold us back from developing our full potential. When the door is closed, why don’t we look through the open window ? 
Stop making excuses and dare to be what you want to be  ! 

As Rotary members we know who we are. Our mission is clear. Help in delivering good health to citizens. Everyone of us burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will to serve humanity. No cold can touch our heart. No deluge can dampen our purpose because we know we are alive every moment for a purpose that is bigger than ourselves.

Covid vaccination programme by the Government will start shortly and we have had initial discussions on how Rotary can partner in taking the programme to every citizen everywhere in India. Our expertise and network in handling polio immunisation programme will be of immense value to the Government, especially when it comes to countering some wrong perceptions that will arise from certain misinformed sections in the society. 

Our advocacy skills were proved in breaking down the resistance from certain section of the community while the polio eradication programme was taking place. This will be of immense use to the Government since the people who resist administering the vaccine will know that Rotary has no mileage to gain from this except to save the precious lives of people in every household.

Senior Rotary leaders in India have formed a task force for assisting the Government during the vaccination programme and we are ready to move in when the partnership is in place. Initially, it will be necessary for every District Governor to lead a team of volunteers and create the awareness about the vaccine with those who need it most. All sections of the society must be made aware that vaccination can surely help in preventing covid 19 from spreading and wherever there is a resistance proper information must be disseminated about the efficacy of vaccination.

We will work together and show that no pandemic is too big for Rotarians in India to handle.

“Aim for the moon. If you miss , you may hit a Star” 
Has someone ever asked you why are you settling for brass when you are made for gold  ? What ever , be the reasons , by doing so , you are degrading your true worth and drifting away from God’s creative plan . Instead , you should try to be better than the best person you have ever known , rather than settling for being mediocre.
The general trend today is that people settle every day for instant happiness, unsatisfying careers , shallow relationships etc . Settling for something worthwhile is all about embracing what is best for you. When you settle for the average, you accept less than what you deserve and less than what you are capable of becoming. “ The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for .” The only way to truly embrace your greatness is to stop settling for something mediocre and to aim high . Set big exciting goals in life because the more excited you are about something , the more motivated you will be to push through and accomplish them. You never know what you can accomplish till you try . In the process, even if you fail , you are closer to something that is worth living for Wouldn’t you like to see the best version of yourself come to life ? Then , never settle for less ! Set your aims always high and you will get great results.

As I offer my daily prayers and take in a slow, deep, and gentle breath I feel the greatness of God within me. I affirm that it is the greatness of God within that establishes my worthiness. I see myself going through my day experiencing and expressing the greatness of God in and through me.Everything I do today, I do through the power of God, and it is always  great. Everything I think today, I think through the power of God, and it is always positive . Everyone I meet today, I love through the power of God, and they are always friendly .

I imagine myself experiencing the greatness of God in everyone I meet today. I combine these images with the feelings of joy and let them go, knowing that they will create the good things I am visualizing and thinking.
Have a Merry Christmas and a very Bright 2021 …

There is a need to make good use of all our potentialities before we finally say goodbye to this world. Engaging in selfless service to the community enhances the experience and purpose of our life.

One of the secrets of living is to understand that life is the most precious and gift. Unfortunately, many individuals are so engaged with the humdrums of daily living that they rarely sit back and contemplate and enjoy the beauty of life.

Individuals who live their lives selflessly will discover the beauty of life at every turn of event. For them life means not just to exist but to live every moment of it purposefully. They know that the purpose of life is not to be just happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

It is said “If you make each minute of your life fruitful, you will have nothing but a fruitful life.” Be courageous to lead a purposeful life and thus discover the beauty of life. 

Remember, we make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give! We have seen that the pandemic has taught us how fragile our life. No one has given us a firsthand account of heaven or hell. But we can create an heavenly atmosphere here today, when we start caring for the community around us. Everyone who has been isolated here while living knows that it is hell. Life can be what you make it today, tomorrow and in the years ahead. 

We wish you a fabulous New Year 2021.

The Power of Optimum is the power to set yourself free from the self limiting thoughts patterns and negative behaviour , to imagine the best for yourself and the world around  you , to rise above the petty distractions in your life that take away much of your time and energy and to fill your life with lasting values . 
Optimism enables you to be at your best irrespective of the circumstances in your life . The secret lies in the fact that by changing your inner attitude you change the outer realities of life . If you don’t believe in yourself , you will have a hard time preserving against the obstacles in your life . Always remember “ No pessimistic ever discovered the secrets of the stars , or sailed to an uncharted land ,or opened new heaven to the human spirit. 

When I talk about positive leadership, it is powerful, real, and practical but depends on the way a person is groomed from early adulthood.

Those who missed the opportunity to learn how to become a good team player and a leader found that by joining Rotary they were able to be humble and learn the ways to lead a highly motivated band of volunteers who did not expect any benefits. 

Rotary offers a level playing field for everyone to shape up into leaders and even visionaries. Rotary has produced leaders who handled many challenging situations in the world which included negotiating for peace, eradicating polio, helping children with education, reducing infant mortality rates, caring for aged, bringing affordable or even free health care to many communities and uniting people around the world. These were, what I call as ‘Positive Leaders.’

Positive Leaders Provide Love and Accountability and I have seen that the greatest leaders are able to lead with the right amount of both love and accountability. 

You have to love your people. You have to make them know you care about them. But you also have to hold them accountable to the values, principles, culture and standards.  Too much of love with no accountability will make your team love you but they won’t perform. Too much accountability and not enough love will initially strive to be great but will eventually disengage and fall short of their potential greatness. It has to have in proper proportion.

Positive Leaders are demanding without being Demeaning. Many people feel that positive leaders are people who smile all the time and don’t care about winning. The truth is that positive leaders always work to win. They are very competitive. They challenge people to pursue excellence. They are demanding. They just aren’t demeaning. Instead of calling people out, they call out the greatness within them.

Positive Leaders Create Clarity and Generate Focus – The more clarity an organization, team and individuals have the more focused they will be. Positive leaders remove clutter, eliminate confusion, simplify, and create clarity that lets everyone know what they are supposed to do so they can take focused action. Everyone knows their job so they can do their job well.

Rotary is such a fine organisation with about 1.2 Million volunteers who are also leaders in their chosen vocation. The need of the hour is to see that all these leaders become positive leaders who can bring about a change in the community they live and probably blossom into national and global leaders who can bring about peace. 

When I talk about positive leadership, it is powerful, real, and practical but depends on the way a person is groomed from early adulthood.

Those who missed the opportunity to learn how to become a good team player and a leader found that by joining Rotary they were able to be humble and learn the ways to lead a highly motivated band of volunteers who did not expect any benefits. 

Rotary offers a level playing field for everyone to shape up into leaders and even visionaries. Rotary has produced leaders who handled many challenging situations in the world which included negotiating for peace, eradicating polio, helping children with education, reducing infant mortality rates, caring for aged, bringing affordable or even free health care to many communities and uniting people around the world. These were, what I call as ‘Positive Leaders.’

Positive Leaders Provide Love and Accountability and I have seen that the greatest leaders are able to lead with the right amount of both love and accountability. 

You have to love your people. You have to make them know you care about them. But you also have to hold them accountable to the values, principles, culture and standards.  Too much of love with no accountability will make your team love you but they won’t perform. Too much accountability and not enough love will initially strive to be great but will eventually disengage and fall short of their potential greatness. It has to have in proper proportion.

Positive Leaders are demanding without being Demeaning. Many people feel that positive leaders are people who smile all the time and don’t care about winning. The truth is that positive leaders always work to win. They are very competitive. They challenge people to pursue excellence. They are demanding. They just aren’t demeaning. Instead of calling people out, they call out the greatness within them.

Positive Leaders Create Clarity and Generate Focus – The more clarity an organization, team and individuals have the more focused they will be. Positive leaders remove clutter, eliminate confusion, simplify, and create clarity that lets everyone know what they are supposed to do so they can take focused action. Everyone knows their job so they can do their job well.

Rotary is such a fine organisation with about 1.2 Million volunteers who are also leaders in their chosen vocation. The need of the hour is to see that all these leaders become positive leaders who can bring about a change in the community they live and probably blossom into national and global leaders who can bring about peace. 

A little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is Attitude. What really matters is not what life brings to you, but what you bring to life.

Your attitude decides the size of your dreams and influence your willpower when faced with new challenges.

The soldier cries out, ‘Sir, we are surrounded by enemies on all sides.”  To which the Major responds, “Excellent!  We can now attack in any direction!”  It is not what happens to you, but how you react that counts.

Your attitude is the one solitary factor over which you have total control. You alone can decide what meaning you give to events that occur.

Most people tend to let their circumstances decide their attitude.  As a result, they run the risk of developing negative attitudes because situations don’t always adhere to their expectations.   

Be conscious of your attitude, moment by moment. Choose to be positive, more often.  With practice, you will experience remarkable changes in your life!

In their relentless pursuit of Peace, Rotarians must re-invent the pathways. Rotary must draw a blue print of service that will stand the test of time and promote global peace.The Rotary Foundation is at the forefront of this movement. World leaders have realized that if Peace initiatives are to be effective, these efforts must come from service organisations and the collective force of the community. The Rotary Foundation, through its service activities in Seven Areas of Focus stands tall in this field. It acts through our hands and hearts. We must contribute, support and promote The Rotary Foundation, which through its multiple projects, permits Clubs and Rotarians to undertake projects that bring people closer together, and closer to World Peace. The Foundations needs two things – Financial resources and Human resources. Rotarians are the Human resources. The Financial resources need to be raised. Dip a little into the pockets; your own as also of those around you who are blessed with wealth. Every dollar contributed makes it possible for TRF to increase its impact where it is needed most.The hands that serve are more effective than the lips that pray. Lend your hands now. Lift The Rotary Foundation to greater heights.

As a ace swimmer Michael Phelps chose to challenge himself and proved that no hurdle is too high for a determined and focused individual to cross over. His steadfast commitment for excellence in his chosen sports career made him a hero and even today sportsperson continue to draw inspiration from his achievements.

This is what is expected from a Rotarian. A Rotarian is expected to be an inspiration for others to do good in this world. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” Every sportsperson, every musician, every artist and everyone who has excelled in their vocation is setting an example for others to follow, if not the whole world, at least within their community. Service to humanity is the highest form of activity a person can choose and they are called Rotarians when they join the movement. You are expected to inspire, lead and make your community a better place for others.

When faced with a difficult challenge in front of you, it is natural for you to think that you are not strong enough toovercome. However, you must remember that  a problem remains as a hurdle only till the moment you decide to face it head on using all the resources available to you . In other words, a problem serves as an impetus to discover your innate but hidden capabilities and bring them to the fore.

It is time to replace your sense of confusion or fear in the face of challenges in life with strong self-belief, fear with indomitable courage, and negativity with positivity. “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.

Your destiny is not to go through life passively without leaving your footprints on the sands of time, but to be impactful and irreplaceable with your uniqueness and insurmountable spirit.Every Rotarian is expected to honour the legacy of the change makers who led the organisation in the earlier years by taking steps to make positive collective impact on the world. Remember, you can opt out of the act of serving humanity, but you cannot opt out of the outcome that will result when there is distrust, disharmony and strife in the world. Bringing people together has far-reaching effects. You, as a Rotarian, can do this by turning every hurdle into a stepping stone for progress.

Every part of nature inspires me in its own way . The Sun, the Moon and the Stars teach me to be always punctual. Rivers teach me to march toward my goal overcoming all hindrance. Rocks inspire me to be firm,  determined and tolerance. I learn from the bees to work hard and remain constantly active. Trees give me the message of humility and sacrifice. Birds and flowers keep me cheerful. Nature teaches me that life has a limit, love , patience, sacrifice and courage live forever.

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.

Father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi suffered tremendous persecutions and unimaginable miseries from the British in order to win freedom for us. He sacrificed his bright future and selflessly worked with single minded total focus to liberate our motherland from the clutches of slavery. Even so many years after his death, we all thankfully remember and recognize his sacrifice and service to the nation. 

Individuals who sacrifice their present for the sake of humanity’s future through their noble, generous and selfless deeds continue to occupy enviable place in the heart of those people whom they served. They successfully leave behind their permanent footprint on the sand of time.

Paul Harris was one such person who thought that the true essence of freedom is enjoyed only when people are able to live a life free from poverty, illiteracy and hunger. He founded Rotary and if this institution is living and flourishing in the hearts and minds of over 1.2 million members in nearly 200 countries after his death, it shows that the man really did something wonderful for the humanity.

During this time of pandemic, doctors and nurses are risking their lives to save ours. Volunteers taking to the streets to demand that we live up to our highest ideals. Workers, who have always been essential, maintaining critical parts of our infrastructure and economy—keeping shelves stocked, lights on and vital operations open are working daily. Rotarian volunteers putting  masks and donating blood. Researchers racing to find treatments. Artists sustaining us with new creations. Musicians writing soothing songs to make us peaceful and people everywhere around the world calling and marching for change. All these are extraordinary people who make a difference.

Every act you perform is a definite choice, and every choice generates an outcome. It is up to each one of you to choose actions that are meaningful, purposeful, helpful and can effect positive change in the lives of individuals and the world at large . It is unfortunate that those who have the great potential and resources to do something meaningful and make the world a better place to live in , go through life so emotionlessly  and passively that they fail to leave behind their Mark . 

Life may not offer you opportunity to perform great things all the time , but there is always a chance to perform great things with great passion and love in the lives of less fortunate people , provided you have tuned your eyes to see the suffering around you and heart conditioned to empathise . Don’t simply exist but co exist and pro exist. Life is not about getting but it is about giving as well.

It is up to you and you alone to take control of your life and lead yourself to where you wish to be. Become more sensitive to the needs of others, for it is the only way that you become a person with a difference.

You are born to win. So you should do everything that will make you live and enjoy the fruits of your victory. When I say that you should win, it does not mean that you should win over some other human being by putting them down or going to war with them over issues that have no permanent significance. Winning means you should win over your greed, your ego, your fear and hatred.

When we were young and playing in the house as a child, we did not know fear. You would have seen a child trying to touch a fire or even pulling a fierce looking dog’s tail or attempting to run in the street when the traffic is crazy. The child did not know the consequence of being hurt if something went wrong while doing any of the things mentioned above.

As we grew up, the knowledge that was imparted to us by our parents, teachers and others made us distinguish between taking a hasty decision or venturing into untested areas. This has proved to be a bane for many of us because the very essence of adventure is lost and the thought, “What will happen if I fail?” has crept into our system. 

The fear of losing is further escalated by those around you who portray the negative things of failure and do not highlight failure as a path to success. We are seeing this frequently in our lives. Our friends, relations, colleagues and even some advisor to whom we go, give us a bleak picture of what can happen to your self-esteem if you fail and what can happen if you are broke monetarily.

But understanding the fact that we are born to win and that to be a winner we must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win will help us clear the hurdles easily. It is a fact that the world recognizes only winners, but every winner did not win at the first attempt.

In Rotary we have winners of elections and those who lost out. But the winner knows that the opportunity to lead a team is there and that the team must include those who lost and those who do not want to win anything but just serve the community along with others. In civil society there are winners who become leaders of nations, organisations and defence services because they choose that path. None of the winners were guided by those who cautioned them beyond a point but took their own decision to fulfill their destiny.

Winning is a long term activity and gone are the days when the Maharaja chose a successor by letting an elephant roam around and garland a person in the crowd. Whether it is in Rotary or elsewhere, if you want to win and lead a team, listen and be guided only by your inner voice that will be forcefully telling you to move ahead.

The goals you have cannot be understood by many and hence you cannot be diluting your efforts by changing horses midstream.  What you see is what will make you win and that needs a vision.

Of course winning has its benefits and glory. But if you have to sustain and bask in that for a long time, you must be humble in your victory and realise that your time as a winner is not in your hands but with someone else above you.

Rotary thrives today only because of men and women committed to SERVICE.At the HEART of every SERVICE,there is commitment. Commitment is vital to the success of any SERVICE project.Rotarians commit to others, to Rotarians, to leadership and to the community.They thus commit to God.They commit to their dreams. There is difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing some thing , you do it when it is convenient.When you are committed you accept no excuse–you only want results.
COMMITMENT IS VITAL TO SUCCESS.

A Spark of Kindness Starts a Fire of Love
St Mother Teresa of Kolkata began her charitable mission among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Kolkata with barely any resources. Often she had to beg to feed the scores of destitutes she picked up from the streets. On one such mission, a trader was so annoyed with Mother Teresa that he rudely spat on her outstretched hand. Without any anger in her eyes, she wiped the spittle and said to the man, “Brother, you have given me what is meant for me. Now please give me something else for my suffering brethren.” The man was so taken up by her attitude that he supported her cause for many years.
Kindness makes a person place others before self. It is not a fancy luxury we allow ourselves but a fundamental responsibility as humans. In a world torn apart due to conflict, an act of kindness can make a world of difference. There is no tranquiliser more effective than a kind word and a good deed. 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 one person.
The best thing about kindness is that it is always paid forward. The recipient of kindness will show kindness to others. Therefore, decide now that whoever comes to you will go away happy. 
Rotary teaches us to do exactly that in our thoughts, words and deeds. From the smallest project at the club level to the largest endeavours of The Rotary Foundation, Rotarians perform acts of kindness to others.

Life is not a bed of roses for people. It is easy to be cowed down by the negativity around us. Positive thinking requires effort and constant practice. This easily comes only when you grow up in a family which has values to teach for the children. It is clear that you are the result of your surroundings and upbringing. 

Negative thinking comes easily as the atmosphere in the world is charged with hatred and jealousy. To stay clear of these negativeinfluences that can impact you consciously or otherwise, you have to train your mind every day. Prayer, meditation and exposure to people who think about peace, welfare and prosperity to the humanity are needed constantly.

You may wonder how to get into this wonderful circle of great and noble people. Just join Rotary. You will find that the people around you are as vulnerable as you are to the negative forces around them, but take steps to counter that by training their minds to work for the community. Service to society is the way your mind can be constantly active positively and Rotary shows the way.

If you believe that you are going to fail, you might unconsciously sabotage every opportunity to succeed. If you crowd your mind with pessimistic thoughts as dictated by your negative surroundings, you will radiate negative energy into the surrounding world, resulting in more negativity, failures and disasters.

It is high time that you take notice of this mental dynamics and replace your negative attitudes with positive ones thus to become shining example of someone who fought all odds in life influencing positively the lives of others who may be going through the same struggles as yours.

It is no use saying that others should change. Have you changed? As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see.” Rotary helps you to change and change the society.

Having lived in Mumbai all my life, a city which never sleeps and where lights are always burning, I did not pay much attention to the sky and stars. Occasionally a look upwards is all what I did and saw few stars twinkling. 

One day I was staying in a very small town and was chatting with my host in the terrace after dinner and I turned my head upwards towards the sky. I was dazzled to see millions and millions of stars in the sky – sight which I have never seen in a big city. I realised that lot of darkness is needed to see the stars in their numbers and from that day my vision of this galaxy changed.

In our lives we dwell in certain comfort and do not see the big picture in which we are living. But suddenly life can take a spin and while groping in the darkness we see brilliant people who shine like stars and who have always been there to help us and guide us. They are the Rotarians who are all over the world, but to the ordinary man who lives amidst dazzling artificial lights, these extraordinary people are hidden from their view.

Once we see Rotary and the amazing men and women in the organisation who are willing to assist you, life becomes less of a burden. By joining the movement you also realise that you can also be a shining star to thousands of people who want your guidance for health, education, nutrition and peace.

You cannot defeat darkness by running from it, nor can you conquer your inner demons by hiding them from the world. In order to defeat the darkness, you must bring it into the light.

When you overcome stumbling blocks in your life you become stronger and wiser as you discover hidden resources within you which you never knew you had. 

There is no denying that there is evil in this world but the light will always conquer the darkness. You may encounter many challenges, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter some setbacks which will make you know your potential. 

Life never hands out situations that you cannot handle. Your approach towards them will make you know how you come out of them. You have the choice of playing the role of permanent victim and feel sorry for yourself or you can reach into the essence of your existence and find your inner strength.

Constantly tell yourself that you are able to face your hardships head on, you are powerful, inspirational, strong and amazing. Always remember that through darkness comes light, through fear comes courage and through pain comes triumph. This of course is the victory of the human spirit, not only in a select few, but it is in every one of you. If you have seen the millions of shining stars when the sky was dark and realised the beauty of this galaxy, become a star today. Join Rotary.

It will be a great tragedy if you go through life behaving like a chicken when in reality you are an eagle, having the ability to conquer the sky. 
People are often afraid to look within and appreciate their own potential. They tend to compare themselves with others and underestimate their own capabilities.
Unfortunately, it results in being satisfied with the bare minimum in life when they are actually endowed with the potential to achieve the unimaginable.
The starting point of the journey towards actualizing your true potential is to become aware of your true self . If you don’t appreciate your true self no one else will ever do it for you. If you try to become someone else, you lose your individuality and uniqueness. 
You are the architect of your life! Therefore, be courageous in taking calculated risks. If you wish to unleash the greatness hidden within you , you will have to challenge  yourself. Remember, you are planted in the garden of life to bloom fully, spreading fragrance and beauty around. 
Dare to be yourself and conquer the world.

Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace can be achieved through Rotary’s efforts to fight disease, malnutrition, illiteracy and unemployment.
Rotary can show the way by taking many steps forward towards others to convince them that Rotarians only ask for a friendly hands to join theirs in ‘doing good in the world.’ When even a fraction of the community becomes part of our endeavour, the first chapter of “Success to Peace” would have started. Soon this chapter would be written and one day, we hope, the complete book will be in our hands. 
The only way to peace is be peaceful, tolerant and ever ready to offer your hand first with a sincerity that cannot be misunderstood. Peace is never just a matter of thought, desire or conviction only. Peace required concerted action with total commitment. Anything less would result in depression and loss of faith. Commitment will push us to try again and never allow failure to deter us from our efforts. 
Rotary has committed itself to peace and therefore we will, one day, see the light of serenity and tranquility that are precursors of peace.LET THERE BE PEACE EVERYWHERE.

Rotary’s only product is Service. When we joined Rotary, we gave up our right to say “NO” when asked to help someone in need. We all have dreams within – dreams of health, prosperity, peace and happiness. These dreams propel us to actions that will result in obtaining some, if not all dreams. However, we forget that others have dreams too. There are millions who dream of a good meal a day or assistance to overcome poverty or relief from ill health. Their dreams may be small – they don’s ask for the moon. Their small dreams – if fulfilled, will mean a great success. We have in our power to help them realize some dreams. Let our dreams include the dreams of others and let us collectively enter their world and eradicate some problems which will, in turn, help them and help us dreaming bigger dreams. When we embrace Humanity, we put our arms around their shoulders transfer warmth, compassion and love to those who are starved of many essentials.

The success story of Rotary is written in golden letters but many are unable to read the story. Reading a story is different from understanding a story. The real success is when , someone, somewhere, sometimes in some ways benefits from your action . 
The poor are the most vital targets for service because poverty brings many supplemental problems to the fore . Illiteracy , ill health, squalid surroundings, hunger are irrevocably interlaced with poverty.
Rotary is an organization that professes concern for the needy. If Rotary can answer even a few minor problems that face the poor, there will be a catalytic reaction that will put into motion other forces that will help the community arm itself with weapons to conquer some of their problems.
Success comes with a ‘cess’ – a tax that Rotarians have to pay for success. This ‘tax’ is their personal participation and personal contribution. Satisfaction comes with action— the action the Rotarians undertake to ensure excellent results. Pleasure comes with ‘sure’ — a commitment that we make to the community. It is then that the community will enjoy ; enjoy comes with ‘joy’ — the pleasure for the culmination of service.
There are of course many ways in which we redeem our pledge to help the needy. Since finances seem to be a very vital facet of service, we cannot ignore financial assistance. Money may not buy pleasure for some – but for many unfortunates , money is the base on which to erect a pyramid of good life. Rotary has both financiers and workers. Together, they can weave a web of intricate pathways that will permit us to reach the goal . Let’s then ensure that Rotary’s commitment to improve the quality of life of all those who matter will result in Rotary achieving greater heights and deeper roots. If your hands can wield such a magic wand . Rotary will be remembered as a great magician — OFFER YOUR HANDS OF SERVICE TO THE POOR.

All of us make mistakes because we are impulsive, emotional and imperfect. Relationships often suffer because of the mistakes caused by these human tendencies. The only way to restore broken relationships is acknowledging one’s mistakes and apologizing. Even when two people are equally at fault it is up to any one person to proffer an apology.  As mature people we are responsible for our faults and hence an apology is only part the step we take to correct our faults. An honest apology can help mend relationships, dissolve anger, soothe shattered nerves or heal a broken heart and in the process rightfully restore one’s pride.  When you apologize you yourself become more free to relate with the other person as you realize that your conscience is now clean and you have nothing that holds you back from relating to the other well. Apologizing does not mean that you own up responsibility for everything even when you know that the other person has his share of mistakes in the matter. It means that you own up responsibility for your part of the mistake and gently remind the other person that he/she too had his/her share of the faults. Say “Sorry”, mean it – and be free!

Passion is the ability to focus on your aim, the capacity to direct yourself relentlessly, toward your goal and be creative in achieving them. It is the energy that keeps you going, a powerful force pushing you to accomplish anything you set your mind to. It provides you with a far-reaching vision and the courage to pursue it. Passion makes you experience life to the fullest, making it bright and meaningful.Let service become your passion, you will find great things happen for you, to you and because of you.As it is said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something for others. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.
Ashok Mahajan Director, Rotary International (2007-09)Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)

The dictionary defines confidence as “the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.”
When we feel confident in ourselves, we are able to trust in our own abilities, qualities, and judgement.
Self-confidence is important to both your physical health and your psychological well-being. When you believe in yourself you’re more likely to try new things, devote your time and energy to tasks that matter, make good lifestyle choices, and foster healthy relationships.
To be confident in life you ought to be yourself. When you are true to yourself, you don’t have to be scared of any one in any situation for anything. You are free and that freedom brings about more happiness , which helps you gain more self confidence that will lead to further success.
How do you develop self confidence ?  It is simply by starting to experience your successful moments . Attribute your success to yourself and not to someone else. Stop comparing yourself. Comparison can make you feel that you are inadequate. Celebrate your uniqueness. Always try being around confident persons and may be their confidence will rub off on you Always be yourself and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and try to duplicate it .Work at it , it will pay off !

In order to achieve peace and harmony , you must stretch your beliefs, your efforts, and your tolerance. You will have to face new situations with an open mind, eager to reach your goal. Tolerance can be considered as the oil which helps in reducing the friction out of life . Lack of tolerance develops friction and conflict in families, among neighbours, in societies, between cities & states , nations and countries. There is so much intolerance within us that we see others as our bitter rivals. The culture of tolerance makes us learn to do justice to hearing different viewpoint. Further we are enabled to make a right assessment of the views of others .

To make tolerance the most essential attribute for the good of society in general let’s us teach our children to be more tolerant right from their early childhood, thus avoiding friction from spreading in society. Rotary Clubs can play an important role in developing this art of tolerance amongst our school going Interactors which will certainly take us step nearer making the society live in Peace and harmony.

Every human being on the planet wants to be happy. Anything that they all desire is because they think that their desire will make them happy. Whether it is health, money, a loving relationship, material things, accomplishments, a job, or anything at all, the desire for happiness is the bottom line of all of them .  But remember that happiness is a state inside of us, and something on the outside can only bring fleeting happiness, because material things are impermanent. 
 Unethical behaviour can bring temporary periods of pleasure in the form of wealth or putting down weaker persons or encroachment what is others and in many more such forms. But the final outcome of being unethical will be disastrous. 
Permanent happiness comes from you choosing to be permanently ethical in every action of yours. When you choose to be ethical in every sphere of your life, then you attract all the happy things as well. The happy things are the icing on the cake, but the cake is ethics itself. Ethics does not always roar. Sometimes, ethics is that quiet voice that says, “You are on the correct path.”
Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always truthful and conduct their lives in the highest form of ethical standards that has been prescribed. 
Ethics are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.  Every Rotarian in the society should be a role model and be considered as persons upholding the highest form of ethics in their lives, business and profession not only for their own self-respect, but for respect from others.  All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely ethical action. 
 Your life should not be focused on results. Your life must be really focused on the process of doing all the things you are doing ethically, from work to relationships to friendships to charitable work. 
If you focused on results, if it’s only about the ultimate results, you would be a failure in profession, you would be a failure in relationships, you would be a failure with your friendships and you would be a failure in life. Look at being ethical as an ongoing process.
Talent alone won’t make you a success. Neither will being in the right place at the right time, unless you are ethical. The most important question is, “Are you always ethical?”
Someone you haven’t even met yet is wondering what it’d be like to know someone like you who is embodiment of ethical behaviour in everyday life. Be that person the world would like to meet. Being Ethical will make it happen sooner than you think.

Corona has changed our future. Today we have to make decisions on imaginatively adapting to the situation around us.Our adaptability will determine our future. Common everyday matters, products we buy, the places we live in, the future of friendship and family life will be changed.

The virus has made people think of strange new cultures, new lifestyles. Corona has overturned institutions, shifted our values and shriveled our roots. Too much change in a short time has created stress and disorientation in individuals. Earlier we talkedabout educating people for change and prepare for the future. But corona has proved we are clueless about it.

Virtual meetings are the new norm. The incessant demand for change seen in the past four months makes us believe that the future has arrived abruptly. Children are hooked to gadgets for over 6 hours a day attending classes. Senior citizens are handling new technology to interact with families, friends in the neighborhood and round the world. 

Online buyers are frustrated at delayed or cancelled orders asdelivery boys are missing.  ‘Delivery Drones’ can come in handy. The government must allow drones for such deliveries.Automation represents the greatest change in mankind’s history.The effects of the technological revolution will be deeper than any other change. 

Corona has breached national boundaries. It has altered the texture of our existence.

Today Rotarians are feeling anxious, tense and uncomfortable as pace of life has slowed down. The period of lockdowns threw up incomprehensible conflicts – between generations, between parents and children, between husbands and wives and between people living in so-called ‘gated communities.’ How do we manage the future if we have to live with corona?

What will the Rotary clubs do if this persists? Club service may not be affected due to virtual connectivity. Inducting new members will be a challenge as virtual meetings do not provide the same fellowship. Other avenues of services can also havechallenges as hands-on-service projects may be delayed or shelved. Providing health care facility will be in focus but probably limited to procuring materials through global grants and donating them to health care centers. 

The Rotary Foundation is well placed to receive funds since there may be considerable savings for clubs.  This period can be used to educate the members about TRF, MOP and Code of Policy of Rotary International. The internationality of Rotary will become stronger with sister-clubs attending meetings/events on-line.

The forces sweeping us can no longer be channeled by bankrupt leaders. By considering the impact of unforeseen circumstanceson human behavior we have to control the pace of change. Continuity, a factor in human life, is an important ingredient for Rotary to survive.

Rtn PRID Ashok Mahajan 

Many a times you settle for just brass when you are made for Gold ? Whatever may be the reasons, by doing so , you are degrading your true worth. Instead you should put extra efforts to be better than the best person you have ever known , rather than settling for being a mediocre. 
The general trend today is that people settle every day for instant happiness, shallow relationships, unsatisfying career and the things like that . Settling for something worthwhile is all about accepting what is best for you . When you settle for the average , you certainly accept less than what you deserve to be or what you meant for or you accept less than what you are capable of becoming.
The only way to show your greatness is to stop settling for something mediocre and aim high . Set big exciting goals in life because the more excited you are about something, the more motivated you will be to put extra efforts and accomplish them . You never know what you can accomplish till you try . In the process, even you fail , you are closer to something that is worth achieving. 
It would be wonderful experience to see the best version of yourself come to life . Never ever settle for less ! Set your aims always high and get the best results in life . in short “ Aim for the moon. If you miss , you may hit a star”.

Complaining about a problem is not the solution. Complaining is futile exercise unless it is paired with doing. For a better world, we all need to commit ourselves to bringing about positive results in our own life and the immediate world around us . Before blaming others , we need to ask ourselves whether we have done anything to improve the situation? We ought to assess our worth by the value of our own contribution . It is not a question of who is going to throw the first stone ; it is the question of who is going to start building with it . Even though we may not have any concrete results to show to the world, nevertheless we should not underestimate the positive impact of our actions on others . We must remember that each word spoken and each attempt made are like a drop of water fallen into a pool . The drop itself may disappear, but it will create ripples that will reach far beyond its imagination. Though our contribution may be inadequate, yet we are necessary for world change . IF YOU ARE NOT LIGHTING ANY CANDLE, DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT DARKNESS.

God could not be everywhere , therefore He made Parents . My Parents made all the difference in my life .They were my inspiration, moral support and provided all the necessary security I needed to fight difficult time .Their love for me helped me grow and today all what I have achieved I owe it to them . Their simplicity, their sacrifice and their principles in life made me feel proud of them . What they meant to me cannot be expressed in words but every action of mine will prove it . They taught me all about life . They taught me to be honest in every stage of life. They taught me to respect all the seniors and they taught me to remain well content all through in life. Their teachings always help me in dealing all the issues which I face in life . I miss them every moment but all the time I feel as if they are with me to guide me and make me live a happy life. I am sure their blessings will always be with me which will help me to accept all the challenges in life . I pray God to bless my parents and make them have a place near His lotus feet . 

Peace appears elusive. One often feels that total universal peace is an impossible dream. Even if that were true, does it mean we stop working for Peace .

When basic human needs are not fulfilled,  when staying alive is a Herculean task, the best way to promote peaceful existence is to ameliorate their immediate problems.

Rotary promotes World Peace through its varied international service programmes.  

However, at the grass root level, Rotarians must concentrate on improving the quality of life of their fellow men.

Rotary is People of Action. Rotarians take enjoyment in Service. That is why Rotary service multiplied every year.

Rotary remains an adaptable inventor, ready to evolve with the times, ever ready to render service as the world requires.

Peace cannot be realized when people are  hungry, homeless and sick. Nobody wants conflicts. Everybody wants a productive, happy and useful life. 
Rotary works to make that possible. 

Rotary uses its strongest weapon, Service to promote Peace.

We know that diverse situations whether at home or or at work or in the world around, invariably present us with conflicting demands and at times generate turmoil beyond our level of endurance. What we need is to develop is the ability to see beyond ‘this too shall pass and try to remedy some of those situations. Once we wither, even a better situation cannot revive us.  As someone puts it so beautifully, “Cross the river, even if it’s stormy on this side. Do not keep crying or cursing. The river will flow away.  Life will go on and you will be  

left behind . 

We need to be at our best wherever we are, and not just where we want to be. Remember, each of us blooms in our sweet time and the soil of our choice nurtures our growth.

Get set to bloom in all kinds of situations .

Dear Friends ,

The month of July is round the corner when the new club /district leaders will take office. At the stroke of midnight on June 30, the leaders all over the Rotary world change, but the leadership continues. 

Covid-19 has presented us with an uncertain scenario. Though it is a difficult time, Rotarians through their respective clubs / districts have been rendering service to all in need. I am sure they will continue to do so as long as the need exists.

In such a situation the club /district leaders have to be positive in their thoughts and behaviour. Here are a Ten Tools for positivity, which will help you to sail through your one-year journey even under the most trying conditions.

 1) Mondays are a great day to focus on what we get to do instead of what we have to do. Life is a gift, not an obligation.

2) 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 be a team but one person can make or break a team. Stay positive! No energy vampires allowed.

3) Remember you cannot change your past. But you can create your future. Don’t get stuck in thinking about what you could have and should have done. Think about what you can and will do and start taking action today!

4) Today, decide to be that person who instils a positive belief in someone who needs your encouragement. Believe in others more than they believe in themselves.

5) How you see the world determines the world you see. Look for the good, the admirable and the praiseworthy.

6) Let Go. Focus on the things that you have the power to change, and let go of the things that are beyond your control. You’ll be amazed that when you stop trying to control everything, it actually works in your favour. 

7) 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.

8- Always remember you are one amongst equals. Use your diplomacy and take everyone along.

9-Act as a leader and not the follower.  Listen to all and use your judgements to decide the right course of action.

10- Always maintain your personal energy level. Everything you do may not necessarily yield positive results. When things go wrong, rather than drowning in disappointment, learn from the experience and improve your performance.

Yes friends, we do not know what will be the new normal, what changes we will face in our over 100 years-old organization. To accept the change and act upon it is one of the qualities of an effective leader.

I wish you every success as Rotary Opens Opportunities for you!

The Future cannot be rushed.
There is a process that seeds must go through in order to become all they are destined to become. We must also go through the same process to meet our destiny.
We may want things to happen immediately but it is likely that we may not be ready for it. The process prepares us ,  strengthens us and shapes us to be successful, at the right time.
We need to be like the Seed. Seeds surrender themselves to the ground so they can be used for a greater purpose. We must learn from the seed to produce a harvest that will benefit others and make a difference in the world.