India on Rotary International 2005
A commemorative postage stamp on the Rotary International : A Century of Service :
Issued by India
Issued on Feb 23, 2005
Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative stamp on Rotary International in its centennial year.
Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation : Alka Sharma
Type : Stamp, Mint Condition
Colour : Multicolour
Denomination : 500 Paise
Print Quantity : 0.8 Million
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printer : India Security Press, Nasik
About :
- Rotary International is the pioneer voluntary service organization providing humanitarian service, encouraging high ethical standards in all vocations, and helping to build goodwill and peace in the world. Formed on 23 February 1905 by Paul P. Harris of USA, Rotary has earned acclaim for nurturing ideals of service to mankind through the medium of diverse community projects, at international, national, regional, district and town levels. There are over 1.2 million Rotarians in 33000 clubs in 165 countries and 35 geographical regions worldwide.
- Scrupulously adhering to its motto, “service above self”, Rotary strives to bring together people of all races, religious faiths, and political beliefs.
- Rotary International is involved in multifarious activities such as eradication of polio, community service projects in different parts of the world, rehabilitation and total health care, rainwater harvesting and many more socially relevant projects.
- The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a ‘not for profit’ corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian programmes. It is supported totally by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.
- In 1988, Rotary International embarked upon a very ambitious programme to eradicate polio from the face of the earth by the year 2005. As the leading key non-government partner in this programme along with national governments, WHO, UNICEF and CDC, Rotary has not only provided major funding over US $ 600 million for the polio eradication initiatives but has also mobilized volunteers to help carry out mass immunization campaign. It is all because of the cooperation and co-ordination between various international and national agencies towards polio eradication initiatives that the number of polio endemic countries has come down from 125 to 6 and more than four million children have benefitted.
- Rotary came to India in 1919 and formed its first club in Kolkata. It has been aiming to serve the needy and underprivileged sections of the society. Rotary is spread all over India with more than 1 lakh members in 2500 clubs. It is also dedicated towards eradication of polio in India.
- Rotary began to address the pressing global issues of environmental degradation with the formation of the Preserve Planet Earth Programme in 1990. It also focussed on issues concerning the problems of illiteracy & drug abuse and welfare of the elderly and the children.
- Text : Based on material provided by the proponents.
[…] towards national development, given by the London-based Non Resident Indians’ Institute, the Rotary Club of Panjim‘s “Ambassador of Goodwill” honour, and the Shiromani Institute’s award […]
[…] G. Varadaraj, popularly known as “GV” also played a commendable role in the Rotary movement. He was largely instrumental in starting the Measles Immunization and Polio Vaccination […]
[…] Rotary International started 74 years ago with the foundation of the first club in Chicago by Paul Harris. He had the idea of creating a fellowship of businessmen that would transcend trade and be motivated by the motto “Service Above Self”. The name Rotary was adopted because in the early days, meetings were held in rotation at the offices and stores of the members. The emblem of Rotary, the cogged wheel, denotes rotation and the movement of men and ideas within Rotary. Each club is composed of men selected by the club, each representing a different business or profession; and it meets regularly once a week. The activities of each club are centered around several avenues of service: club, community, vocational and international service. Having analysed the problems and opportunities specific to its community, each club decides upon action involving its members according to their business and professional abilities and connections in the community. Thus every Rotary Club has a somewhat different programme. Most of the Clubs in Israel have established Funds for providing educational grants to the youth in their communities to assist them in their studies at High School, Technical School or University, and most of them also honour at a special event individuals or groups of people who have contributed most each year to the welfare and quality of life in their community. Each Rotarian represents his vocation to his fellow-Rotarians, and at the same time represents the ideals of Rotary to his business associates outside. Rotary requires its members to test their thinking and their behaviour by the “4-way test”: “Is it the truth? is it fair to all concerned? will it create goodwill and better friendship? will it be beneficial to all concerned?”. […]