Lifestyle

Rotary plays an important role in inspiring the youth

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 07 Aug 2018, 01:19 pm

Social activist, Rotarian and philanthropist Ashok M Mahajan in conversation with Subhojit Roy

How does Rotary inspire the youth of today?

Everybody talks of long-term investment when it comes to increasing your assets. Youth is our most important asset and Rotary must therefore invest in youth. The tasks unfinished, the challenges yet unmet, the battles yet to be won and leadership in the docks . Rotary must reward the world by providing committed men and women who can meet most of the challenges that hover on the horizon. We have no option but to provide the kind of mature men and women we need  and today’s youth is tomorrow’s asset.

Rotary has always laid stress on developing the youth, guiding the youth, supporting the youth and training the youth. With multiple programmes for garnering a vital task force to fulfil our obligations, Rotary has successfully promoted Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA), Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA), Model Indian Parliamentary  System (MIPS), Rotaract, Interact, Youth Exchanges and other programmes aimed at providing a future leadership that the world desires and deserves.

What are the programs adopted by Rotary for the Youth?

There are many ways in which the ingenuity of Rotary brings forth new programmes and fresh ideas. Vocational training for the youth, functional literacy for dropouts, elevating the rural and urban poor and promoting the ideal of service to all those who are touched by Rotary produces well-trained adults who will be in the driver’s seat in the next decade or two.

What is Rotary's way forward for the development of youth?

Rotary, however, will have to do new things, bring new ideas, promote new ways of service and make “Honesty” a fashionable word again. In today’s world where corruption, dishonesty, untruth and communalism rear their ugly heads, Rotarians must strive utmost in guiding the youth to devise ways and means of making the world a better, safer and livelier place to exist.

Rotarians must reach high for the stars hidden in our souls. We must dream deep because every dream precedes the goal. We must try to grab every opportunity we have to guide the youth who, tomorrow, will rule the world. How they will rule depends on what we can do for them today. Herein lies a challenge that we must expect. We must be the inspiration to all  to charter these paths that will bring us better leaders than what we have today. Accept this challenge. It will surely reward you with long term gains from what we invest today.