PLEASE SPEAK TO ME
PRID Rtn. Ashok Mahajan
Past Director, Rotary International (2007–09)
Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009–13)
A Life Dedicated to Service
The Sunshine Man
SMILE • SERVE • SACRIFICE • SATISFY
For over five decades, these four simple words have guided my journey in Rotary and in life. They remind me that every smile can inspire hope, every act of service can transform a life, every sacrifice has a purpose, and the greatest satisfaction comes from making a difference in the lives of others.
Fondly known across the Rotary world as “The Sunshine Man,” PRID Rtn. Ashok Mahajan is one of Rotary’s most respected leaders, whose life has been dedicated to bringing hope, healing, and happiness to countless people through humanitarian service.
An Electrical Engineer by profession and a successful industrialist, he joined the Rotary Club of Mulund in 1973. During more than five decades of distinguished Rotary service, he has held several of Rotary’s highest leadership positions, including Club President, District Governor, Director of Rotary International (2007–09), and Trustee of The Rotary Foundation (2009–13). His leadership has been guided by integrity, humility, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to Rotary’s ideal of Service Above Self.
PRID Ashok Mahajan played a pivotal role in India’s journey towards becoming polio-free. Through his ability to unite governments, healthcare professionals, corporate leaders, and religious institutions, he strengthened Rotary’s PolioPlus programme and helped build confidence in communities where trust was essential. His efforts contributed significantly to protecting millions of children from the scourge of polio. In recognition of his outstanding contribution, Rotary International Director honoured him with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Polio Eradication.
One of the defining hallmarks of his Rotary journey has been his ability to build enduring partnerships between Rotary and the corporate sector. For over 25 years, he has inspired and mobilised millions of US dollars in philanthropic support from the Aditya Birla Group, under the visionary leadership of Smt. Rajashree Birla, for Rotary’s humanitarian initiatives. This unique partnership has supported Polio Eradication, Paediatric Heart Surgeries, Diabetes Awareness, Thalassemia Day Care Centres, Scholarships for deserving students, Cervical Cancer Awareness, Screening and HPV Vaccination, along with numerous other community service programmes. Thousands of children and families have benefited from these life-changing initiatives, demonstrating the extraordinary impact of collaboration between Rotary and socially responsible corporate leadership.
Throughout his Rotary journey, he has served Rotary International in several important capacities, including Chairman of the Membership Development & Retention Committee, Member of the international Polio Plus Committee, Member of R I President’s Advisory Committee, Member of The Rotary Foundation Fund Development Committee, Member and Advisor to India National Polio Plus Committee, Vice Chair of Rotary Polio Summits, Chairman of Rotary India’s National COVID Task Force, and Member of Rotary’s International COVID-19 Task Force, Major donors advisor. He has represented Rotary International at major forums across the world and has mentored generations of Rotary leaders.
An inspiring speaker, accomplished author, mentor, and visionary leader, PRID Ashok Mahajan has addressed Rotary Institutes, District Conferences, and leadership seminars across the globe. His writings and speeches on leadership, ethics, membership development, and humanitarian service continue to inspire Rotarians and young leaders alike.
His exceptional service has earned him some of Rotary’s highest honours, including the Service Above Self Award, the Distinguished Service Award of The Rotary Foundation, the PolioPlus Pioneer Award, the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World, the International Service Award for a Polio-Free World, and numerous national and international recognitions for humanitarian leadership.
Beyond these achievements, he is admired for something even greater—his character. He firmly believes that leadership is not measured by the positions one holds but by the lives one touches, the hope one inspires, and the opportunities one creates for others. He did not seek recognition for serving others; he sought opportunities to serve—and recognition followed.
He is ably supported in this remarkable journey by his wife, Nayantara, Past President of the Inner Wheel Club of Mulund. They are blessed with two children, Namrata and Nikhil, and three cherished grandchildren—Nija, Aumkar, and Akshata.
PRID Ashok Mahajan is a Level 2 Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation, reflecting his deep personal commitment to Rotary’s mission of Doing Good in the World.
For more than five decades, his life has been guided by four simple yet profound words:
SMILE • SERVE • SACRIFICE • SATISFY
These are not merely words—they are the values by which he has lived, led, and served.
Some people count the years they have lived. PRID Rtn. Ashok Mahajan measures life by the number of lives he has touched. That is why, across the Rotary world, he is fondly known as “The Sunshine Man.”