ROTARY GLOBAL HISTORY FELLOWSHIP HEROES
www.rghfheroes.org |
Binod Khaitan
PHF, DSA, MSA
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In the early 60s, Binod Khaitan was a member of the
Jaycees International and after moving to New Delhi in the early
70s, he joined Lions International
 .
An interest in
Rotary began as a teenager when he attended several Rotary
Fellowship Meets, which took place at home. After joining
business in the early sixties, he accompanied his grandfather
and attended several Rotary weekly Tuesday meetings at Princes –
Grand Hotel. His home had offered home hospitality to several
foreign & Indian Rotarians.
Returning again to Kolkata in the early 80s, he hoped to join his
Grandfather's Club - RC Calcutta known in India as "Rotary number 1"
but his classification as "plywood manufacturer" was unavailable.
He was invited to join the Rotary Club of Central Calcutta (RCCC) by President Mahesh Saharia in 1986 who
had invited him to a Rotary Polio program at Kala Kunj, Kolkata.
Mahesh left RCCC but in 1987, Girish Khaitan renewed the
invitation while Raju Rajgharia was the President.
Upon joining Rotary, his aim was to help develop rural
West Bengal. However, when he was called to lead RCCC after PE
Ramesh Bahety developed cold feet and decided to resign from the
Board, his aim was delayed.
1989 – 90 was a period of turmoil in RCCC. His first task was "to
bring back sanity & decorum in the Club!!"
As 1990-91 President he was successful and paved a way for the
future leaders to SERVE through RCCC.
During his presidency he developed three very good friends in Rtn
K.Chandramohan (Mohan) a grass-roots, service oriented Rotarian;
Rtn Prabhat Rohatgi, then President of Rotary No.1, a family friend;
and RCCC President Elect Rtn Shekhar Mehta.
He relates his most memorable program as president of
RCCC as being the "International Inter District Preserve Planet
Earth Seminar", at the Kolkata Ice Skating Rink.
"We had a very big contingent, Rotarians with their
families from Bangladesh and the participation of Interact,
Rotaract and Rotarians was unexpected & over whelming.
 The very colorful Road March with "Preserve Planet Earth"
messages & picture posters painted by Interactors, colorful
printed balloons, colorful satin silk flags, banners appropriately
printed and two Bands.
The procession started form Ballygunge Siksha Sadan and when it
reached the Ice Skating Rink, the end was still at Ballygunge
Phari!!"
While attending a LIMB Camp at Birlapur jointly organized by RCCC
and RC Budge Budge in December 1991, Mohan requested Binod, Raju and Shekhar
to consider sponsoring a Rotary Club at Baghati, Hooghly where a visit to
the village had been planned.
Raju and many other RCC Leaders realised that the village could only be
accessed after a walk of two kilometers on a narrow path and doubt of
the ability to form the club arose.
Binod however, accepted the challenge. The village lacked rudimentary
facilities such as proper road access, clean tube well drinking water,
toilets, school etc. There were hardly any fruit trees and people
sustained themselves with a single Khariff paddy crop, which many a time
was washed away due to excess rain.
 Within one year of entering
the village in May 1994, four tube wells were installed for safe drinking
water and toilets were constructed after educating the villagers.
Agriculture Training to cultivate appropriate high paddy seeds &hybrid
vegetables during winter, planting fruit trees, training to
 effectively
use ponds for pesiculture and poultry farming were all introduced.
Women were given training in sewing, knitting, mushroom cultivation and
bamboo craft.
The dilapidated mud school was replaced with a pucca two Room school and
several children activities (i.e. sports, games, singing & drawing
competitions etc.) were organized.
Baghati saw a revolutionary economic living standard improvement and as
a result of Binod's team, RC Baghati was declared the Districts best club
in 1993 -94 & again in 1994-95!
RCCC ventured to start another two Rotary Clubs – Dakshindihi &
Bhanderhati in Hooghly where similar developmental activities and projects
were taken up at these clubs with addition financial support through TRF
Matching Grants.
While President, Binod had dreamt of creating ROTARY SIKHSHA KENDRA
(RSK) in his own Club’s School building.
The project was started in a hired room at Vishnupur by Raju. However,
the president of the club, for want of funds, intended to abandon the
project. Rtn Binod arranged funding and kept the project going.
Subsequently, land was located and RCCC Planned a Lottery to raise about
Rs Nine Lakhs (Rs900,500). The Lottery, took place in 1991-92 when Shekhar
was President and Rs600,500 was raised.
The land which had been offered at a very low cost, went into difficulty -
the West Bengal Govt issued acquisition orders for widening Diamond
Harbour Road. This was ultimately sorted out and thanks to Subhahsh
Kankaria & his son Sandeep, the school building was a reality within a few
months of it’s foundation being laid by RI President Robert Bath.
 RSK remains the flag ship project of RCCC!
During the year 1994-95, Rtn Binod took the opportunity to spread
amongst Clubs & Rotarians the Grant Programs of TRF.
As Dist Chair TRF Grants he learnt about the 3H Grant and the possibilities
of bigger projects.
RCCC had contributed a substantial sum for the purchase of land for the
District Hospital Project – EASTERN INDIA ROTARY WELFARE TRUST (EIRWT) and
had committed to set up a M & CH Center in a portion of the 3 Acre plot at
Salt Lake Sector V, that had been allotted to the Trust by the Govt. of West
Bengal.
Despite some pessimism among several Trustees and with encouragement from
Mohan & Prabhat, he convinced PDG Amiya Shankar Gupta to apply for a TRF 3H
Grant for a Diabetic Hospital. With further encouragement, guidance and
help from PDG (Kitchluda) Iftekharul Alam of RID 3280, RCCC found an
International Partner – RID 6380 via the then District Governor - Terry
Youlton. Youlton was very interested in joining hands, as his daughter died due to
diabetes.
It was an unforgettable experience at the Foundation Laying ceremony of
the Hospital and regular visits to the site during construction.
Several meetings & functions were organized for fund raising.
Thanks to the first cheque from PP Dr R S Majumdar, the EIRWT was able to
generate funds for the foundation & ground floor of the first building.
The foundation & the ground floor of 9,000 sq.ft. estimated to cost about
one crore (Rs10 million) was completed and the hospital equipped through the TRF 3H grant
was started as a Diagnostic Center.
RCCC contributed another Rs 18 lakhs (Rs1.8 million) for the floor area to
accommodate the Pathology Lab. The Hospital started it’s activities from
January 2001. Later the same year EIRWT joined hand with Asia Heart
Foundation (AHF) to manage the Hospital. In 2003 a tripartite agreement
was signed with EIRWT, AHF & Shankra Nethralya. The hospital was converted
into a ‘State of Art’ Eye Hospital – "Rotary Narayan Sankara Nethralaya".
 The hospital grew. Three more floors were added through donations collected
by AHF. The Hospital has a covered area of 40,000 sft. Unfortunately, the
agreement was determined and thus EIRWT decided to enter into another very
favorable agreement with AHF. The Name of the Hospital now is "ROTARY NARAYAN
NETHRALAYA". Rtn Binod reflects that "to visit the Hospital, the only permanent
project of RID 3291, makes me feel really very proud to be a ROTARIAN of RID
3291!"
Experience as District Secretary -
"With Prabhat leading the District, we were able to involve most of the
Clubs into TRF Grant Projects with over 120 TRF Matching Grant Projects.
The saga of TRF Projects continued the following year under the dynamic
leadership of Shekhar. The final nod of the TRF for the biggest ever 3H
Grant - US$ 530,000 saw Shekhar’s dream ROTARY
NAGAR Project
come true.
It was indeed a very sentimental and satisfying occasion to receive a call
at 12.15 in the night, from our International Contact Person and a great
friend PDG Ton Ewen of RID 7010 Canada.
Binod acknowledged Ravi Sehgal who in 2001-02 appointed him as DICO –
District Internet Communication Officer & Webmaster. "Rotary gave me this
opportunity to learn Computers & Websites, which has come to very good
stead in day to day life."
"The challenge of introducing ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
(RLI) during
2002-03 by Governor Amitava Mookerjee, gave me a fresh insight to face the
mirth and mocking of several Past Governors. RLI today is in 31 Districts
of Rotary South Asia Zone. What a wonderful program to convert RINOs –
Rotarians in Name Only into knowledgeable Rotarians who appreciate the
meaning of Rotary FELLOWSHIP & SERVICE towards fulfilling RI’s aim of a
World with UNDERSTANDING, GOODWILL & PEACE."
"The TSUNAMI disaster on 26th December 2004, gave me an unforgettable
opportunity and experience of true Rotary SERVICE. An SMS from Shekhar set
the ball rolling of collecting, sorting out, packing, transporting and
distributing relief material to those who lost everything and even their
close dear ones at Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The traumatic scenes at Port Blair gave me another angle of real service
and it’s meaning. The sense
 of satisfaction of being able to be of help &
use in such trying conditions. The several visits to Port Blair and to be
a part of REHABILITATION activity gave more satisfaction unfounded.
Unexpected contributions flowed both locally & world over.
Our efforts made it possible to build 500 Low Cost Shelters at Little
Andaman, Two Children’s Hostels and a Medical Center with latest diagnostic
facilities & telemedicine at Port Blair.
My contact with a great friend - PP Samar Das of RC Guildford RID 1250 has
become a commitment to Rotary’s Preventable Blindness Projects.
The most satisfying project, with which I am still closely connected, is the
"Rotary Hooghly Eye
 Hospital". I am proud to be a part of RID 3291 efforts,
which now has seven (7) Rotary Eye Hospitals and several other Eye
Hospitals where equipment was provided through TRF M/G Projects.
It was District 3290’s Centennial aim to achieve 10,000 Intra Ocular Lens
Implant surgeries to give LIGHT to those who unfortunately suffer.
However, I am happy that currently the Rotary Hospitals give LIGHT to over
15,000 people every year and the target is to achieve 50,000 IOLs!
Experiences & memories in organizing several Rotary
District and Zone
events have given me a lot of Rotary insight, lasting wonderful memories
and friends, whom I cherish & preserve.
These events have been hard work but a saga of frustrating satisfaction to
be a Rotarian.
The experience of hosting Rotarians form various parts of the earth &
GSE Teams at HOME is a fantastic way to make lasting International friends
the world over. Though it can be a time consuming effort, but pays great
dividends towards making life long friends and insight & knowledge of
people, values, culture & religions around the world.
Binod attended Rotary Conventions held at Singapore, San Antonio,
Chicago, Copenhagen & Birmingham. He reflected "I look forward to attend
the Convention at New Orleans. The true INTERNATIONALITY OF ROTARY can
only be appreciated, understood, seen and believed by attending a Convention.
Having integrated these travels with opportunities to visit Clubs around
the world and HOME STAYs with my several International Rotarian friends has
made me a different human being with tolerance and appreciation of different
living, values, culture & thoughts.
In addition, it would NOT have been possible for Chandrakala & myself to see
so much of this beautiful planet earth if it was NOT for Rotary!"
Rotarian Binod Khaitan quotes William Arthur Ward - "Real optimism is aware of problems but
recognizes solutions; knows about difficulties but believes they can be
overcome; sees the negatives, but accentuates the positives; is exposed to
the worst but expects the best; has reason to complain, but chooses to
smile."
SUMMARY
►Past President of Rotary Club of Central
Calcutta;
►District Secretary - Projects & Program for Rotary Years 1998/99 &
Millennium Year 1999/00.
►DGSC in the 2011/12 year & was so also in 2003/04 and 2005/06;
►Trustee Secretary of The Eastern India Rotary Welfare Trust;
►Known for his work in the rural Villages of Hooghly District through
RI's Program – Rotary Community Corps.
►Since 2002/03 involved in the Rotary Leadership Institute in South Asia;
►Vice Chairman of the Rotary Leadership Institute (South Asia Region) since 2006/07.
►His wife, Ann Chandrakala &
Binod are Major Donors level II;
►Both are members of the Bequest Society.
►All his family members including grand children are PHFs and his son
Sakate is a Rotary Foundation Benefactor.
►Recipient of TRF’s Distinguished Service Award;
►Recipient of TRF's Meritorious Service Award;
►A philanthropist, and is associated with several Charitable Trusts and
Organizations;
►A keen Golfer who has represented his country;
►The first National Junior Golf Champion;
►Chief Referee during the Indian open Golf Championships held at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club;
►Has attended six RI Conventions;
►The first Patron of the 4 Way Test Association in India;
►The first member of RGHF in Asia, representative for Zone 6a which covers 7
Rotary Districts in northern India and Nepal.;
►An RGHF Hero
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acknowledgements to Rotary Club Central
Calcutta and to PP Binod Khaitan for permission to publish
researched and posted by
RGHF webmaster
Greg Barlow.
October 2011 |
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