Peace-building needs new approach: Chandigarh Administrator

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Chandigarh, February 24

UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit attended Rotary’s 118th anniversary celebrations as the chief guest at Sukhna Lake here yesterday.

Earlier in the morning, students joined by other senior Rotarians, including former world president of Rotary International Rajendra K Saboo, District Governor VP Kalta from Shimla, and Club president Vinod Kapoor, joined in the walk.

The programme was organised jointly by Rotary Club of Chandigarh in collaboration with the Chandigarh Tourism Department. Visually impaired students from the Institute for Blind opened the proceedings with Saraswati Vandana and recited bhajan and shabad.

Addressing the congregation of Rotarians and school children at the Rotary Peace monument, Purohit recalled the contribution that Rotary has made to the world in advancing world understanding, goodwill and peace through its humanitarian services.

Purohit remarked that only generous people who have big hearts and accept the challenge to serve society and humanity join Rotary and no one can ever refuse them.

He related the story of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who was known for his generosity and recalled how he rewarded an old lady with 1,000 gold coins who had hit him inadvertently with a stone that she had hurled to get mangoes from the tree to feed her hungry children. Despite his ministers’ insistence to punish her, Maharaja remarked that when a tree can give her the fruit to eat when she hits it with a stone, why can’t I help her?

“Peace-building needs a new approach. Efforts of Rotary to have a peace march is a good beginning to keep ourselves reminded that our ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ is an age-old guiding principle that India has shown its commitment to even for the upcoming G20,” he said.