CHENNAI: Penning down the journey of 25 years while tracking the legacy and re-visiting the accomplishments can be a valuable asset for the next generation. While celebrating their Silver Jubilee on Sunday at The Park, The Rotary Club of Chennai Towers (RCCT), didn’t restrict the celebrations to their usual activities. Instead, they came together to create something for the future members while paying tribute to their former and current members — by releasing a coffee table book.
The book walks the readers through the club’s activities since its establishment. Welcoming everyone to the event, president Satish Jupiter said, “This coffee table book is a way to express ourselves. It allows us to surround ourselves with an array of interests, styles, designs, information, art, and certainly share our thoughts and deeds over the long journey.
They are not mere compilations, but they carry the spirit of the presidents who have shouldered this club for the last two-and-a-half decades. This book also has insightful pieces that give perspective into the club and its activities. It is dedicated to the Rotarians and families who are left enduring stories and is also meant to inspire future leaders and the generations to come.”
Even though an idea of creating a book was in the cards five years ago, it was compiled only in the last six months. Fuelled by the spirit of the committee of eight members formed under the leadership of the president, RCCT took it up as a challenge to create the best output. The chairman of the coffee table book, also the first president of the club, Sabu Balagopal said, “The emotion I have today is similar to that of a mother who just delivered a baby after waiting for 10 months.
When I saw other clubs celebrating silver jubilees and golden jubilees, I had a dream of our club celebrating successful years. Today, that dream is fulfilled. When president Satish Jupiter gave a time frame of six months to complete the book and gave me the responsibility of heading the committee as the chairman, with everyone’s efforts, we completed what we couldn’t finish in five years.” The hardest part, including collecting the information from all the past presidents, rotarians and other beneficiaries was done by rotary member, Anuradha Prasad.
The other members of the committee included editors Dr Gita Dattatri, secretary Manoj, joint secretary Vinay Asrani, and past presidents Sanjay Dattatri and Krishnachander. Since its founding in 1998, Rotary Club of Chennai Towers, a member of Rotary International District 3232, has been committed to advancing the interests of the underprivileged segments of society by helping them to better their quality of life through a variety of means.
Through their coffee table book they hope to share inspiring stories of projects that made an impact. Satish concluded by saying, “This coffee table book will be one of a kind handbook and be made accessible to the members and donors,and project partners.”