A club of fitness enthusiasts RAC Vijayawada
The Rotaract Club of Vijayawada, sponsored by RC Vijayawada in 1968, is the oldest Rotaract club in RID 3120. The club paused its activities for four years between 2018–21, due to administrative reasons, says club president Jayadeep Ravulapati, who is leading the club for the second consecutive year in 2025–26 too. “We are a 30-member-strong club now, thanks to the year-long membership drive last year, but all Rotaractors are passionate about growing our club and are involving themselves in various service activities.”
Project Shakti, a self-defence training session organised by the club for girl students of the Siddhartha Mahila Kalasala in Vijayawada won appreciation from parents and friends. The club had engaged a martial arts expert B Kishore to teach karate and essential self-defence skills to the young women. “With rising safety concerns, this programme was a much-needed step towards awareness and preparedness,” says Ravulapati.
Another initiative that won accolades for the club included a career consultation programme for the hearing and speech-impaired students. The club did the groundwork and studied in detail various career options available for them and addressed the higher secondary class students of the Madonna School for the Deaf. “We upped their confidence by shining light on the courses that can make them employment-ready and spoke to them in detail about the various government schemes and alternate vocations.” The club members spent a day with the students, engaging them in games and cultural activities.
A cancer screening and awareness camp was organised at the HCG Hospitals in the city. Another health-related programme comprised a session for people against sedentary, desk jobs such as those in banks and software companies. An orthopaedician addressed them on ergonomics, sitting postures and related exercises.
Ravulapati, being a fourth-generation optometrist, organised a vision screening camp for Rotaractors and Rotarians in the city. The programme, conducted at his clinic, was also extended to members’ families.
The club has a mix of fitness enthusiasts who are also nature lovers. Every month, club members embark on a cycling expedition or a trekking programme, along with members of a local club, Amaravati Bicyclers. “We prepare and carry seed balls during these trips and disburse them along the way,” he says. The club also hosts fitness programmes inviting Rotaractors across the district for month-long exercise routines of 30-minute duration. “We name the events based on Telugu months because we found that many youngsters are not well-versed in Telugu month names, and this way they get to learn them. This month’s event is called ‘Pushya masa fitness challenge’,” he explains.
Ravulapati is a Rotaractor since five years; his father Ramu Ravalupati, a past DRR is presently the District Rotaract Coordinator.
