Rotary time line
1905 Chicago attorney Paul Harris Organized first Rotary meeting on 23 February leading to formation of the Rotary Club of Chicago.
1906 Rotary club of Chicago provides a public toilet outside City Hall, Rotary’s first community service project.
1910-11 Paul Harris elected first president of National Association of Rotary Clubs at the first convention.
1911-13 Club formed in Canada, Great Britain and Ireland: organization name changes to International Association of Rotary Clubs.
1915-16 Clubs chartered in Cuba, the first non-English speaking Rotary country.
1916-17 President Arch Klumph proposes establishing and endowment fund, precursor of Rotary Foundation.
1942-43 Rotary conference in London On education and culture exchanges sets stage for UNESCO.
1945-46 Foury-nine Rotarians help draft the UN Charter.
1946-47 Foundation Paul Harris dies in Chicago, outpouring of funds from Rotarians used to establish fellowship program.
1948-49 First Rotary Fellows study abroad, a precursor of Ambassadorial Scholars.
1962-63 First Interact club formed in Melbourne, Florida, USA. World Community Service program launched.
1965-66 Special Grants (now Matching Grants) and Group Study Exchange Program begin.
1967-68 First Rotaract Club formed in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
1978-79 Health, Hunger and Humanity (3H) Grants begin.
1979-80 Foundation Grant to immunize six million Philippine children against polio sets stage for Polio Plus.
1984-85 Rotary launches Polio Plus program and campaigns to raise US$ 120 million to immunize all the children of the world.
1987-88 Through the Polio Plus campaign, Rotarians raise US$ 247 million, First women join Rotary.
1988-89 Rotary returns to Hungary and Poland.
1994-95 Western Hemisphere declared polio-free.
1998-99 Rotary centers for International studies in peace and conflict resolution established.
2000-01 Western Pacific region declared polio-free.
2001-02 Europe declared polio-free.
2002-03 Rotary launches a second polio eradication fundraising campaign to help fill a critical funding need. Rotarians raise over US$ 129 million.
RI DISTRICT 3250 21
2004-05 Clubs celebrate Rotary centennial by launching hundreds of community projects and contributing thousands of volunteer hours.
2006-07 Rotary Foundation recognizes the millionth Paul Fellow.
2007-08 Rotary receives US$ 100 million grant from the Gates Foundation to help eradicate polio.
2008 Rotarians at the 2008 RI Convention set a Guinness world record for the most books donated during a seven-day period. Exactly 242,624 books were collected for public school students in Southern California and Southern Nevada.
2009 Bill Gates announces 255 million dollars donation for Polio plus program, Rotary foundation launches Future Vision Plan.
History of rotary in india & district 3250
The history of Rotary in the Indian sub-continent dates back to the very early days of Rotary.
In 1919 R.J. Coombs, manager of a steel products company, impressed and inspired by the ideals of Rotary during his visit to the United States, organized the Rotary Club of Calcutta. The first meeting on September 20, 1919 paved way for the charter to be presented on January 1, 1920 with 20 non-Indians as charter members. interestingly, the first Indian to be a Rotarian was Surendra Banerjee who was made an honorary member of the club. This was followed by S.C. Rudra who became the first Indian to become a full-fledged Rotarian with the classification of Mining Engineer. Within a few years, in 1926 Nitish Laharry was elected the first Indian to be the secretary of this club and AEM Abdul Ali was the first Indian to be president of a Rotary Club. In 1927, the Rotary Club of Lahore was chartered followed by Rotary Club of Bombay in 1929 by Jim Davidson. Rotary Club of Bombay which started with 38 members of which Sir Pheroze Sethna, a member of the Legislative Assembly was the only Indian became the largest Rotary Club in India. In Delhi too, a Rotary Club was organized by Jim Davidson on April 26, 1929. However, the club was closed down
in 1931 for various reasons. The untiring efforts of Jim Davidson along with F C James saw Rotary enter the Deccan with the formation of Rotary Club of Madras in 1929. R.C. of Bangalore was chartered on 27th Oct. 1934 and was the seventh club in the preindependence India.
Although Rotary Districts were established for the firs time in 1912, clubs in India, Burma, Ceylon, Malayasia, Java and Siam did not come under any District. They were grouped together as the IBCMJS area and placed in-charge of Hony. Commissioner Sir Fredirick E. James, a Past President (1924-26) of Rotary Club of Calcutta.
In 1931, India, Burma and Ceylon were formed into Provisional District ÔAÕ and Commissioner F.E.
James continued in charge. On July 1, 1936, Rotary International decided that, Rotary clubs in India, having increased to 24 from 16, the number should be granted District status. Rotary Clubs in Afghanistan,
Burma, Ceylon and India (including present Pakistan) were reconstituted into R.I. District No. 89 with Rtn. Fredrick E. James, OBE as the District Governor. In 1939-40, District 89 was divided into two Districts 88 and 89. District 88 covered areas of Burma, Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, U.P., Punjab, Kashmir, Sind, Baluchistan, N.W.F.P., Rajputana, Central Indian States, and Jabalpur. District 89 comprised of Southern India and Ceylon. By the time India became independent, there were 71 Rotary clubs (14 in Gujarat, 10 in Maharashtra, 10 in UP, seven in Tamil Nadu, seven in Karnataka and 23 in another 10 States) with a total membership of 3121 members.
The first conference of Provisional District ÒAÓ was held in 1932 at Calcutta with Sir F.E. James as the first governor and total registration of 39. The 1934 and 1936 conferences were held at Bombay and Bangalore respectively. Up to 1936, R.I. President was not represented at the conferences and there was no conference in 1934-35.
In 1968-69, Pakistan became a separate District and by 1970-71, the number of Districts in India was 12. During the 70s the number of clubs which stood slightly above 300 more than doubled in the next ten years. The same tempo continued in the first half of 80s also. In 1980-81 there were 899 clubs in India in 14 R.I. Districts with a membership of 35,172 Rotarians.
In the beginning of 1995-96, when the system of regions in the Rotary world was abolished and the new zone system was introduced, India had 1653 Rotary clubs in 28 Districts and the number of Rotarians was 58,777. In 1996 there was remarkable growth of Rotary in India, thanks to Calgary Challenge. As many as 133 clubs were chartered in 1996. In 1995 the number of new clubs was only 74.
In 1971-72 Bangladesh came into existence but the 28 RI DISTRICT 3250 clubs remained with Pakistan in District 307. In 1973- 74 the seven clubs in Bangladesh were transferred to District 325 in India. In 1977-78 radical reshuffling took place. The reshuffle resulted in 319 being carved out of 318. The clubs in Delhi were divided between Districts 309 and 310, making it 15 districts in total.
In 1984-85 total redistricting throughout India was done according to revenue Districts; the clubs in Delhi were amalgamated into District 301 and the clubs in Bangladesh were transferred to a new District. The year 1984 also saw the inauguration of the South Asia Service Centre at Delhi.
About District - 3250
As we are aware that the first club of our district is Rotary Club of Jamshedpur. It was sponsored by Rotary Club of Kolkata and was chartered on 14th January, 1937.
It is worthwhile to mention that Rotary Club of Jamshedpur was first in Bihar and the 15th in India, Burma & Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Late J. L. Keenan was the first President of Rotary Club of Jamshedpur.
In 1970-71, Dist. 325 was split and Dist. 326 was formed with Clubs in East Madhya Pradesh, Bihar & Orissa.
Dist. 326 was further bifurcated into two Dist. Ð Dist. 325 & 326 on 1.7.1994. At that time, 38 Clubs were there in unified Bihar in Dist. 325 and Late Dhanesh Prasad of Rotary, Gaya was the First Dist Governor in 1984-85.
Dist. 325 was re-numbered as Dist. 3250 on 1.7.1992 and Rotarian B.N. Singh was the First Governor in 1991-92.
As of now Bihar and Jharkhand are re-designated as Dist. 3250 having 95 Clubs with 3407 members.