End Polio show wows Arezzo
An awesome spectacle of the formation of the End Polio Now logo by 3,000 Rotaractors from RID 3234, a Guinness Book attempt, wowed RI President Francesco Arezzo on a bright Sunday morning in Chennai. “It is very impressive to see the EPN formation by such a large number of Rotaractors… only in India we can see such a vibrant Rotaract,” he exclaimed.
This EPN display, held at the Lead25 Conclave, visibly delighted Arezzo and his wife Anna Maria as they watched a massive gathering of around 5,000 Rotaractors for the record-making attempt to create awareness on Rotary’s End Polio campaign worldwide. The RI President said that the whole of Italy would not have 3,000 Rotaractors, “whereas a single Rotaract district in India has attempted a Guinness Record. Rotaractors find new ways and ideas of doing projects, which may seem impossible for Rotarians.”
Emphasising that Rotary has a rich legacy, proven integrity, leadership and fellowship traits, which will be passed on to Rotaractors, he urged the youth brigade to “show the way forward to Rotary. I wish all Rotaractors join Rotary clubs soon,” he said.
Youth power
“The youth are changing the world… just a single post on social media by them is enough to create a big churn. The speed and power of youngsters are driving change. I enjoy Rotary because of my entry as a Rotaractor,” said RI director M Muruganandam.
Citing Mahatma Gandhi’s words: Be the change you want to see in the world, he said Rotaractors are critical for the Rotary wheel to move for yet another century. Only by taking responsibility, “a man is respected as a father in his family, and a leader in his community. From Rotaractors, you have to become Rotarians.” Youth should aim to achieve big in their lives, he said, quoting former President Abdul Kalam: “Your entry may be unnoticed, but your exit must be remembered all time.”
Stating that both directors, Muruganandam and he have set a target of $5 million for the India zones for the Polio Fund this year, RI director K P Nagesh said a cricket tournament titled the Rotary Premier League will be organised for all the four zones to raise funds for this cause. He complimented the RID 3234 Rotaractors “for a grand show in front of RI President Arezzo, thus projecting the strength of Indian Rotaract clubs.”
It was a proud moment for RID 3234, said DG Vinod Saraogi; service projects worth ₹250 crore were launched at the inaugural session of the conclave. Of this, ₹40 crore worth projects will be executed by RID 3234; this includes autorickshaws gifted to 100 women under Project Pink Auto. They are being trained not only in driving but also martial arts, communication and personality development. The project was funded by a mix of CSR grants, club contributions and other donors, he said.
Recalling the birth of Rotaract in 1968 with the formation of the RAC University of North Carolina, Charlotte (US), IPDG N S Saravanan, RID 3234, pointed out, “we all know the capability and potential of our Rotaractors, they are the energy boosters for Rotarians.” Last year (2024–25), the district’s Rotaract clubs contributed $33,373 to TRF.
PRID C Basker noted “65 per cent of India’s population is below 35; our country depends on its youth. Our Rotaractors have once again demonstrated, through their End Polio display, the trust Swami Vivekananda had placed on them when he said, ‘my faith is in the young generation’.” Rotaract was formed by RI for global youth to “learn, lead and bring change in their communities. India, with the largest numbers of Rotaractors and Rotaract clubs, is the future of Rotary,” he said.
DRR Sathish Kumar said that it was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for district Rotaractors to perform in front of RI President Arezzo,” and thanked DG Saraogi for his support in staging the human formation.
The EPN logo formation is a branding exercise for district clubs and will create awareness on the global efforts of Rotary in eradicating polio, said Srinivasan Balaraman, EPN coordinator, RID 3234. “It was a great experience to anchor the entire formation,” said Britto Manohar who coordinated the event. A past member of RAC Loyola College, he had earlier anchored two Guinness Book attempts by Rotaract — world’s largest hand formation (7,000 members) and ‘My Flag, My India’ display (50,000 Rotaractors and public volunteers.)
Sharing her experience, faculty coordinator D Monika from A M Jain College, Meenambakkam, said “the young generation today is self-centred. Events like the End Polio display by Rotaract bring out the humanity, service-mindedness, along with leadership qualities, in them.”
