Hello Womeniya Entreprenuer Desk :
Female Social entrepreneurship is vital for our future. Collectively we can make a change by closing the gap between men and women in the workforce.
Social entrepreneurs are those adventurous, daredevils who drive deep into the pressing problems of society and try to find solutions to them, not by leaving the responsibilities in the reins of the government or business, but by trying to change systems as a whole and persuading societies to take new initiatives
In our social Entrepreneur series today We are introducing you a very dynamic and popular social Entrepreneur of Mumbai and President of Rotary Club of Bombay Mahakali Heights who always belives in Women Empowerment and Social service is passion for her.
Gurdeep “Babli” Bhamra, has been appointed as President, Rotary Club Of Bombay Mahakali Heights, for the year 2021-22 Dist-3141
Hello Womeniya takes the opportune moment to catch up with her on her appointment as President of RCBMH.
Hello Womeniya :
Hello Madam, Welcome to Hello Womeniya. You have been appointed as President of Rotary Club Of Bombay Mahakali Heights, Dist.3141, Congrats. Could you Please share your first reaction and feeling on the appointment?
Gurdeep “Babli” Bhamra :
Hello. Thank you for your Good Wishes and it’s my pleasure to answer your queries. Coming to your query, “My initial reaction was of a sense of responsibility. I have been entrusted with a platform to serve the people. Of Course I was doubly happy because I am the first lady President.I am extremely happy that most of the members have reposed faith in me”.
Hello Womeniya: Madam what will be your Priority towards the growth of Your Club as well as the Dis 3141?
Gurdeep “Babli” Bhamra :
My priority for growth or put it another way ,strategy for growth rests on a triad.
One leg is for Service towards poor and needy through Projects , Second leg is for direct identification of members and persuading them to join and the Third leg is towards funding. We are doing very well in projects and have identified new members who are on board or will get boarded shortly. Our real challenge is fundraising since there is a shortage owing to pandemic. Small businesses have suffered immensely.And they are reluctant to commit or give . Moreover, getting CSR is a challenge. So we depend on donations from individual Club Members or donations from Friends & Colleagues, Charities and Crowdfunding.
Hello Womeniya:
What have been the current challenges faced by your Club amid the Post Covid-19 Pandemic?
Gurdeep “Babli” Bhamra :
Well, as far as challenges in Pandemic are concerned, there were several in numbers. First was, our physical interaction and meetings emerged as a challenge. Obviously Communication and Bonding got impacted . To a certain extent, this got resolved through Zoom Meetings.
Next, there was a sense of uncertainty and fear. One could not believe and or assume the extent of damage to the economy resulting in loss of jobs and businesses. It’s so painful to remember all that.
However, We, in Rotary, continued with our Service. We had organised several campaigns for distribution of cooked food, foodgrains equipment to hospitals plus masks and sanitizers to the Frontline Workers.
Hello Womeniya: What is your future agenda to solve these problems?
Gurdeep “Babli” Bhamra
Wow: Our Future Agenda – Although there is no formula as such to overcome the challenges, the only mantra that I have is to soldier on. It will be my endeavor to tap the experience and wisdom of Club members to track solutions to the challenges. Our Club is very strong in the execution of projects that includes some big ones in both urban and rural areas. At this juncture, we need to focus on fundraising. Like I said ,our strength is in the execution of our project with the support from a highly motivated team . We need funds to support them. We will do this through Crowdfunding, CSR programme, support from friends and relatives, District &/or global Grant. Etc.
Hello Womeniya, Madam, Could you please share your Rotary Club Journey with us?
[11/8, 8:06 AM] Aleem Shaikh: 6. Hello Womeniya: Madam how has been your lockdown experience and what has been the role of your Club and District amid these trying times?
Gurdeep “Babli” Bhamra
On Lockdown experience, I have listed it above. Here I would like to mention that during the pandemic and relentless lockdown, our Club performed remarkably well. Last year ,as soon as the lockdown was imposed, our club arranged for Rs.4 lakh worth of materials (PPE, thermal guns, masks etc) for St.George Hospital. Then it was over Rs.40lakhs (Global grant) worth of materials to Hospitals and other front line workers, followed by food distribution, housing through Ashiana and Check Dam in Palghar. At the beginning of 20-21, We were blessed with a little healthy financial situation. We have continued with our focus on projects and thanks to some timely support of International organizations, RCBMH has emerged as one of the leading Clubs in the district. We have earned respect from other clubs as well.
Hello Womeniya: Your Appeal and Message to Rotary People please?
Gurdeep “Babli” Bhamra
Yes. As far as my Appeal and Message to Rotary is concerned, my suggestion and request to the Rotarians is to be proud of the work that they are doing even at times when the government is unable to focus on food distribution, blood donation camps, sanitary pads distribution etc.
But much remains to be done. For this , I need to rope in more people to join the Clubs. At present in Clubs , some people do a lot of work, some less and some hardly do anything and they need to be motivated. Also clubs should join hands to undertake bigger projects. There need to be more Joint Club meetings. Rotary can be a bigger force. And they should reduce focus on 4 or 5 Star events. Finally, educate the members on reducing interpersonal differences, conflict resolution, credit seeking orientation and focus on Service.
Hello Womeniya: Do you agree that this pandemic brought a lot of changes in our personal and professional life?
Gurdeep Babli Bhamra:
Well, as far as Changes amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Several changes were brought about. The most viable is reduction in physical meetings . Now, mostly it happens through Zoom.
No doubt it reduces cost and the challenge of commuting. Also , since people are careful of not coming out , it reduces the availability of manpower for projects and other activities. But most important is that the pandemic is a great leveler– it has made people realize that rich and poor are equal in front of a pandemic. No compromise. It’s also had a huge negative impact on children whose schooling and education suffered. It’s impact lessened online classes. But the biggest change was in the behavior of people : Everyone including Frontline workers, NGOs, Rotary Clubs , Govt Bodies and other institutions joined hands to defeat the virus.
Hello Womeniya: Could you please care to highlight some important service projects you undertook during this pandemic?
Gurdeep Babli Bhamra, nice question, Projects during pandemic. There is a long list.
Through a Global grant we distributed PPE kits, sanitisation stands. sanitisers, homeopathy medicines in Dharavi and in other peak areas where Covid was high. We distributed food grains packets, cooked meals, medicines to the poor and needy in various areas
We also arranged vaccination centres and donated ICU hospital beds to Holy spirit hospital. We helped a needy who were unable to pay their rent and were pushed to the street and provided a roof to stay. When the Hospitals were facing shortage of oxygen we donated oxygen concentrators to Bhaktivedanta hospital, Mahavir Jain Hospital and hospitals in Mumbra and Palghar. Recently We also inaugurated an oxygen plant at Bengaluru. I would like to thank Rtn Sunil Anand, a true Rotarian who helped in getting international Charity. It was a proud moment to inaugurate Rotary Mahila Kendra where in Advocate Flavia Agnas (a well known women’s rights lawyer) DG Rajendre Agarwal, Adv Vishal Saxena were on panel and released our tagline of “ Nari hi Nari ki shakti hai” to work on holistic needs of womens, And many more the list is non ending
Hello Womeniya: As a Social Entrepreneur what is your goal and vision towards the upliftment of the Society?
A.Gurdeep Babli Bhamra
Upliftment of Society is a massive topic and also a very complicated one. Nevertheless, individually, we can take small steps to help others. Each one helps one. And be the change that you want to see. And change will not happen automatically but you have to make it happen.
Brief Introduction of Gurdeep Kaur Bhamra :
File picture of Gurdeep Kaur Bhamra.
Rtn Gurdeep kaur Bhamra, Is known for her social service She is also lovingly called Babli. Many people in community know her as a tireless & selfless worker who is passionate about “Seva”. This is something ,that she learnt as a small girl frm her father, .
She is a member of Uniceff Yuva team
And United International Sikh sabha foundation
She joined Rotary club five years back . She is a positive force in every project. And, never allows impediments and challenges to stop her. She as a dollops of experience of community service having worked as..
Medical director Treasurer
Secretary and now president. In district she worked as co chair in prevention in disease, Chair in citation and awards and zonal avenue chair for givers gain We all know, women have a unique ability to handle several things/matters at the same time. She is no exception. With her husband,who is topper frm VJTI , working overseas, she handles domestic matters and yet finds time for community Service.
Blessed with a son Prince Who has completed his mechanical engineering from DJ Sanghvi and is proceeding to Columbia University USA for higher studies and daughter Saloni Who has done chemical engineering from DJ Sanghvi and is pursuing MBA at York university in Canada, She will obviously b working in different time zones. Ladies and gentlemen , with experience of handling projects, Financial matters, and relationships, We can assure you on that a club will rise under her guidance and leadership. I welcome Prez Babli
News Edit: K.V.Raman
