The Malabar Hill Story…
Our club was born with the sponsorship of the erstwhile RC of Bombay Sunrise. Seven members of the Sunrise Club namely Subhash Majithia (Charter Member), Parimal Parikh, Milan Mehta, Vinod Shah, Hareshwar Mathur, Atul Shah and Rajesh Thakker felt the need to start our new club Rotary Club of Mumbai Malabar Hill. In the beginning, as prospective members, meetings took place in the small room in the Malabar Hill Club with senior Rotarians from the District coming over to give the members orientation talks. The process appeared to be slow, but with the encouragement given by DG Rajkumar Bagadia, to assemble the number needed, by June 2000, within four months of conception, we had reached the critical mass of 25 to apply for the charter. 21st June 2000 was indeed a red letter day for us when we received our Club Charter.
The Club Logo decided upon by the Rotarians (and Rotary Ann’s) was the famous Shoe in the nearby Kamala Nehru Park of Malabar Hill.
Led by a very upright Board consisting of the 7 founder members and others, we recognized the need for a good foundation from day one. A lot of time and effort was put in to get our Constitution and Bylaws highly democratic and building on the experience of the previous club, we had Trustees on Rotation in our Foundation in sync with the rotation in the Board of Directors.
Our timing for club meetings was indeed unique, we met at 9-30 am over breakfast. Since we regularly put out our speaker and subject details in the Times of India, we had the pleasure of having many visiting Rotarians at our meetings for attendance make-up. Most speakers also accepted our invitations gladly.
Over the years in line with the requests from our Members we changed our meeting day and time and we now meet every Friday evening for our Club meetings followed by dinner. All partners are welcome at our meetings today.
Our club used to conduct singing get-togethers on a regular basis and we were happy to be referred to as a singing Rotary club in the initial years. Although, initially our membership numbers were comparatively smaller, everyone who visited our club, appreciated and marveled at the family spirit and camaraderie prevailing amongst us.
We had a unique concept, pioneered by our member Kartik Kothari, of conducting a small musical event and through souvenir advertisements and donor passes we would raise required funds for our large projects, in line with the objectives of our trust, which could be carried out regularly.
Our first large project was refurbishing the Babasaheb Ambedkar School at Simla House, right in the middle of Malabar Hill.
In times of natural disasters, such as the Bhuj Earthquake, Orissa Cyclone, Tsunami, and Mumbai floods, to name a few, the members of RCMMH took immediate remedial action to alleviate the suffering and assist those affected with some basic housing and basic necessities like grocery hampers, clothing etc We have donated dustbins in the Kamala Nehru Park, a PCO for the disabled on the Nepean Sea Road and provided innumerable rounds of assistance to the homeless, visiting destitute patients in Municipal Hospitals with fruit and food hampers as a regular activity.
We regularly carry out an Annual Blood Donation and Organ donation awareness camp.We also organise Medical Camps every year for benefit of staff of various Clubs as well as other organisations.
Apart from some usual smaller projects like the club undertook many socially relevant projects.
All our Presidents and their Team have continued our culture of carrying out meaningful service projects over the years and we are proud to list various prestigious socially relevant projects hereunder (in chronological order):
Primary and Secondary School at the Tara Village, Yusuf Meherally Centre, Panvel.
Funding the creation of a full-fledged Library, building a new Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, donating six Computers, with teaching and learning software, setting up 48 bunk beds, mattresses, pillows and sheet sets, and individual lockers for the girl students. Eye surgeries for those in need were sponsored as well.
The BPK Sahakari Vidya Mandal School at Tardeo
Installation of Water Purifiers, creation of a new Library, revamp of Blackboards and Cupboards in each classroom, providing sports equipment like Table Tennis Tables, Basketball facilities etc., donation of 10 Microscopes and a Telescope.
NASEOH, Chembur, Mumbai.
Gift of specially modified Sewing Machines to selected girl children of the school after training, specially built tricycles and wheelchairs, Computer etc
The Kothari Charitable Trust
Donation of Ureteroscope Instrument.
Kshitij
Provided supports in form of material and equipments as per their requirements.
NAB
Braille watches/ white canes
Smile Foundation
Sponsoring Education for Children
The Banganga Crematorium project- a task we are proud of!
Throughout the execution of this project, many people asked,” Why have you chosen a Crematorium for a service project? Couldn’t you think of something else?”
Our answer has always been, “Everyone is entitled to a peaceful Last Journey and it is wonderful to do something about it!”
Through a comprehensive MOU with the Jagannath Sunkersett Trust, we achieved our primary objective of replacing wood-burning pyres in the century-old cemetery with a modern gas-fired Cremator furnace.
Seeds of this project were planted by carrying out a Vocational project of competition among young Architects and students of Architecture to study the requirements of a modern crematorium wherein 300 young Architects took part enthusiastically.
Successive Presidents and Boards of Directors supported the Banganga core team with encouragement and patience, while various challenges and heartbreaks were being surmounted.
ST. JUDES Childcare Centre
Constructed 24 family units to provide shelter for children and their caregivers, undergoing Cancer treatment at Tata Memorial Hospital.
Palghar
Water harvesting, Solar Water pump and Solar streetlights.
WADIA HOSPITAL
Pediatric Heart Surgeries
KEM HOSPITAL
Upgradation of the endoscopy department, refurbishing operation theatre and endoscopy room with all relevant apparatus. We also donated a breadth analyzer machine first of its kind in Mumbai.
Upgrading of Neuro Surgery Department.
BHATIA HOSPITAL
Donation of 4 Dialysis machines to Bhatia Hospital
AKSHAY CHAITANYA
Donation of 3 Insulated Vans
SION HOSPITAL
Donation of portable X-Ray Machine.
PAEDIATRIC HEART SURGERY
An ongoing project year on year. Sponsored 250 plus surgeries.