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Tandon bows out after leading Rotary Club of Lagos Island to record feats

By Tope Templer Olaiya
02 July 2018   |   4:07 am
Rotary International yesterday, July 1, turned the calendar of a new year and for Rotarian Sanjeev Tandon, the Vice-President, Kewalram Chanrai Group, General Secretary...

Tandon (left) the secretary of the club, Rotn. Mamta Debroy

Rotary International yesterday, July 1, turned the calendar of a new year and for Rotarian Sanjeev Tandon, the Vice-President, Kewalram Chanrai Group, General Secretary, Indian Cultural Association and president 2017-2018 Rotary Club of Lagos Island, he has surpassed all expectations and placed the young club of barely two years on the world map in Rotary reckoning.

Under his astute and resourceful leadership, the Rotary Club of Lagos Island is today the first Mega Rotary Club in District 9110 (first club with more than 100 members in the district comprising over 100 clubs in Lagos and Ogun states); largest Rotary Club in Africa; and the largest Rotary Club with female members in the world.

And there is more. At the recently concluded district conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the club was adjudged the best performing club in the district after bagging 11 awards out of 13 categories. These are no mean feat for a club just chartered in 2016.

Tandon, in a chat with The Guardian at the weekend in company of the secretary of the club, Rotn. Mamta Debroy, said he was inspired by the motto of his service year: “Making a difference”, and placed the secret of his success to the commitment of every member, especially the female Rotarians.

“Many years ago, ladies were not allowed to be Rotarians. We used to have the Inner Wheel but since 1987 when the bar was lifted, we have had 56 lady Rotarians, which is the largest female members of any club in the world.

“We have been very successful because of our female participation. Many of them are not in full-time paid employment but they possess all the leadership qualities you can think of. So, I made them to be in charge of all our committees. They present their programmes and budgets, which they implement satisfactorily that has won us all the laurels.”

As he would be stepping down for the incoming president, he holds his head high for having achieved his set target for the club, district and Rotary International. On his legacy, he said: “One thing I would be remembered for is revolutionalising the culture of blood donation and volunteerism, giving back to the society that made you. We did seven blood donation camps this year as against the once a year event and we had more Nigerian donors than the expatriates unlike in previous years.”

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