History & Hallmarks of ROTARY CLUB OF AMBALA Ambala Cantonment was set up during British regime in 1843–44. Over the years this town continued to develop, fulfilling need of the armed forces. Later on Ambala emerged as a home to industry of Scientific Instruments with over 1000 small and large manufacturing and trading units. Apart from being one of the largest cantonments it began to be known as The City of Scientific Goods. Due to increasing popularity of the town, RC Dehradoon sponsored a Rotary Club to be opened in Ambala. The first formal meeting of Rotary Club of Ambala was organized on 31st August 1944 by an authorized representative of the Rotary International along with Shri Barkat Ram Kalia Superintendent District Jails Ambala. After the chartering of the club, its first meeting was held on 1st September 1945 in Parrys Hotel and the club spent Rs. 10 for the meeting. It's an honor for us to remember the first 26 Charter members of our Club. Mr. Champa Lal, H.K. Das, J C Oberoi, H R Alipuria, Raj Kanwar Jaiswal, Umaro Singh, B D Syal, R N Kapoor, Khushi Ram Gupta, Nand Kishore, Munish Chandra, Chetan Das, H L Tandon, Dr. Jaimal Singh, B K Khanna, G C Vijh, Basan K Wadhawan, K K Khosla, G C Juneja, D R Kohli, Chuni Lal, O P Datta, Bhola Nath, Vishwanath P Gupta, Pawan Kumar Jain. Formally the Charter was granted by the RI on 17-09-1947, but due to disturbed political conditions in India at that time, the Charter was presented to the club by PDG Rtn. M N Seth in November, 1949. The birth of Rotary Ambala was landmark in the history of this town. The principles of Rotary made such an impact on its members that many of them started paying great attention towards the upliftment of the community that needed emotional, financial and physical support. * The club celebrated its silver jubilee in 1969 by dedicating Kumari Rukmani Devi Memorial Hall as a community centre for running youth activities. Foundation stone of the hall was laid by H. E. late B.N. Chakrabarty, hon'ble Governor of Haryana. * Adopted Murlimal S.D. Industrial School for Women belonging to the economically weaker section to find employment. * In 1984 the club set up a unique institute Pavitradham, Rotary School for Deaf (Hearing-impaired children) in order to make them learn and earn and be a useful part of society. With dedicated efforts of PP Rtn. Dr. Jai Dev, the school is being effieiently run with active co–operation from the Govt. Later on, club spent a further sum of Rs. 26 lakhs for constructing a new building and hostel. At present, the school has 62 students on rolls including hostel facilities for 40 students. Modern teaching aids and computers have also been provided in the school. * Built a colony for lepers to provide gainful livelihood and respectable living sorroundings. * Donated funds for the construction of Bal Bhavan. * Installed two tubewells, one in cremation ground and the other in village Salarheri to provide clean drinking water. * Donated equipment for Sanatan Dharam Physiotherapy Centre. * Established Vocational Training Centre for imparting technical training to unemployed youth. * Built 10 ever–clean public toilets in slum areas under Sulabh Shauchalaya Scheme. * Built a classroom with a verandah at Govt. High School, Bakra Market. * Collaborated with S.D. Sabha, Ambala Cantt. in setting up a community Planetarium at a cost of Rs. 5 lakhs at Bhartiya Public School as a mark of celebrations for Golden Jubilee of our club. * Celebrated club's 2500th meeting by planting more than 2500 saplings. * Constructed a shed for keeping wood dry in local cremation ground Ram Bagh. * Provided artificial limbs, crutches and wheel–chairs to 3500 handicapped persons at a 15 days workshop organised in collaboration with District Red Cross Society at an approximate cost of Rs. 15 Lakhs. * Provided free immunisation to 3500 children from economically weaker sections of society against the dreaded disease Hepatitis—B. * Provided free mid–day meals to 400 school children for full one year. * Arranged two free polio corrective surgery camp for 250 & 220 patients in two consecutive years and provided free callipers, crutches etc. costing approximately Rs. 10 lakhs. * Contributed Rs. 50000/-, Rs. one lakh, Rs. 4 lakhs and Rs. 5 lakhs respectively for victims of Orissa cyclone, Orissa super cyclone, Gujrat earthquake and Leh flash floods. * Helped in setting up a day care centre (Elders' Home) for senior citizens. * Constructed a shelter in Neta Ji Subhash Chandra Park, Ambala Cantt. * Executed a Rural Sanitation project for providing drainage system and for lining of village roads. * Provided safe drinking water to students in Vivekanand Prathmik Pathshala and provided water filter in several schools. * Provided free cataract eye surgeries for thousands of needy persons at Mahavir Dal Eye Hospital. * Provided funds approximately 3 crores for construction of Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital 2005 - the centennial year of Rotary International. Already more than 300 patients are daily taking advantage of services of highly specialized doctors in OPD. * Catheterization Lab at a cost of nearly 3 crores, has already been inaugurated at Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital and heart surgeries involving implant of stents are already being performed since July 2012. * The Club has produced 5 District Governors and also PDG Y P Das served as the Rotary International Director (2011-13) and he continues to hold many important RI assignments. Unfortunately we have lost three of our shining stars PDG H K Das, PDG S S Das and PDG Lakshmi Sagar. In 2012–13, the RI Director Y P Das also served as the Chairman Executive committee of Board of Directors, RI. It was great honor for our club that he also served as Chairman, Rotary Foundation (India) in 2015–16 and 2016–17. * Both PRID Rtn. Y P Das and PDG Rtn. Manmohan Nath are respected in the Club as veterans, patrons and mentors. * 3rd Mega Polio Corrective Surgery Camp from 27th to 31st October, 2012 at Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital. Number of beneficiaries more than 200. * Latest PHACO machine at Mahavir Dal Eye Hospital costing Rs. 20 Lakh was installed. The machine was received under the matching grants from Distt. 7790 Canada. * New toilet block was dedicated to the Govt. Sr. Sec. School on 16th Feb 2013. * R.I. President Ron & Jetta Burton inaugurated the additional 50 bedded ward of Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital on 31st March, 2013. Now the hospital is 100 bedded with Multi Specialities. * Our club hosted the Distt. Intercity of 'Fellowship & Warmth' to felicitate RI President Elect Ron & Jetta Burton on 31st March 2013. * Our club contributed Rs. 3.2 Lakh for the rehabilitation of the victims of Uttrakhand Flood Disaster during 2013–14. * We also contributed 13.5 Lakh to reconstruct the Schools destroyed due to cloudburst in Uttarakhand causing devastating floods and landslides. * Our club contributed Rs. 75,500 for the rehabilitation of families of Defence personnel who lost their lives in saving the flood victims of Uttarakhand. * RI President Nominee John Germ inaugurated the Dialysis Center at Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital during March 2015. Cost of the project Rs. 20 Lakh. * His Excellency Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki Hon'ble Governor of Haryana – Punjab & Administrator of UT Chandigarh was the chief guest of the Rotary installation function held on 17th July, 2015. * The Hon'ble Chief Guest Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki earlier visited The Rotary School of Hearing Impaired and Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital ann appreciated the efforts of the Ambala Rotarian's in providing health facilities at most affordable cost and imparting skilled education to the hearing impaired children. * His Excellency Acharya Dev Vrat, Governor of Himachal Pradesh was the chief guest of installation ceremony in July, 2016. He also appreciated Rotary projects such as Deaf School and Rotary Hospital. * During 2015–16, major projects accomplished were : Happly School project was implemented at S.D. Sr. Sec. School, toilets and hand washing station were constructed and RO safe drinking water and books provided; renovation of Rukmani Devi Hall after 30 years, construction of toilets and providing of PVC panels there; the club got an award for highest contribution for Polio Plus program in the district; a coloured Club Directory was published; hosted an intercity that was attended by over 600 delegates and a zonal WINS seminar, and Shri Anil Vij, Health Minister was honored and felicitated. Most of the projects were accomplished without any financial burden on the club. * Major highlights of 2016–17 were : i) installing of CT Scan Machine in Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital with grant from Rotary Foundation; holding of Polio Awareness Rally for 40 days throughout the RI Distt. 3080 with a mobile van and 1800 students local Rally at Ambala; hosting of TB Eradication Awareness District Seminar; organizing District leval 100 year Centenary Celebration of the Rotary Foundation at Ambala and contributing more than $93500 to the Rotary Foundation in which each and every member contributed. It was a highest and historic contribution from Rotary Ambala. * In 2017–18, MRI Machine worth Rs. 9 crores was installed in Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital. Two blood donation camps were held shoes and sweaters were given to prisoners of Ambala Central Jail, fans were given to Elders Home and blankets were distributed to the needy people staying at footpath near railway station and bus stand. * During Rotary year 2018–19, a modern and state of the art 24– Bed Intensive Care Unit was inaugurated by lan Riseley, RI President (2017–18) at Rotary Ambala Cancer & General Hospital. Major renovation work that included complete change of flooring and covering of courtyard with tin shed was undertaken and completed with MPLAD fund given by Ms. Selja, M.P.A. at Pavitradham. Mega Cancer & General Check–up Camp was organized at Rotary Hospital where 320 patients availed free medicines and free tests. A Handwash and Drinking Water Station was installed at DAV Sr. Sec. School for students. *. Rotary year 2019–20 was full of activities in diverse fields. Rotary Community Corps (RCC) in community and Earlyact in DAV Sr. Sec. School were sponsored and set up. Cotton bags were distributed among people to shun use of plastic bags. Two students of Rotary Deaf School participated in RYLA at Chandigarh. Fifth Foundation Day of Sneh Sparsh was celebrated by distributing ration to 25 Cancer Patients and enacting a play 'Zindagi Zindabad'. Yoga workshop was held at Patel Park and picnic at Pinjore. 20 desks were given to a School at village Boh. Health check up and consultation cam was organized for members. Painting and drawing competition to celebrate Deen Dayal Upadhaya birthday and magic show were held in the Deaf School. Under 'war against winter' project, woolen sweaters to 50 needy school students and blankets to 25 Cancer patients were distributed. On World Cancer Day, a cancer awareness rally and placards making competition was held jointly with IWC, RCC, Interact, Earlyact and students of DAV Sr. Sec. School.