Histories of Clubs of RI Presidents

Kalyan Banerjee 2011/12

ROTARY CLUB OF VAPI District 3060, Zone 4b

According to PDG Ravin Daftary In 1969-70 Vapi was taking up shape as Asia's biggest small scale industrial estate in India. Young technocrats & experienced industrialist where coming to Vapi with golden dreams not only from all parts of our country but also from all parts of the world like USA', U.K, Canada, Africa, & many other surrendering their green cards, residency & visa's. All had a common dream of doing something great for our country in the field of industrial growth.

This was the time when after a days hard work loneliness in the evening use to bother, the same way as it was bothering our founder of Rotary Paul P. Harris way back in 1905 in Chicago.

Idea of starting a rotary club in Vapi came from the then Gov of Rotary Rajnikant Thakkar of Rotary Club of Surat who visited my factory to sale Voltas Air condition Unit.

The idea was put forward by me to few other friends like Vishnubhai Patel, Subhash Panchal, Vinod Buhariwala & few others. Yes it clicked & it is with special efforts of Vishnubhai Patel who visited Rotary headquarter in Chicago we got our club charters. In early days Rotary's weekly meeting use to be held in my factory, some times at Balmandir Vapi & then shifted to Gyandham School. All the Board Meetings use to be in residences of Rotarians.

Rotary started in Vapi in 1970-71 & since then kept glooming & blooming with keeping up to the needs of the community all time.

The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a not-for-profit corporation that promotes world understanding through international humanitarian service programs and educational and cultural exchanges. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and others who share its vision of a better world. Since 1947, the Foundation has awarded more than US $1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants, which are initiated and administered by local Rotary clubs and districts.

22 Sept 1999.

Inauguration of Roffel Shri G. M. Bilakhia College of Pharmacy, by the worthy hands of Vice Chancellor of S. G. U . Mr. Prem Shardaji.

04 April 2000.

Shri Purushottam Rupale Chairman GIDC Vapi handed over the premises of GIDC to Roffel Trust, at the worthy hands of Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Honourable Union Minister for HRD, Science and Technology and Ocean Development, Govt. of India.