Round Table India Foundation is a Trust formed in April 1980. One of its main aims is to build a corpus and serve the community at large through the Round Tables of India out of the earnings of the corpus. The trustees of the Round Table Foundation are the ex-members of Round Table India (RTI). The foundation is managed by the Chairman, Secretary and Joint Secretary who form the Managing Committee. The President, Secretary, Treasurer, VP and Project Convenor of RTI are also trustees.
The Round Table India Foundation has its own premises measuring about 6600 Sq.ft at a prime location in Chennai where the Secretariat of RTI is housed in one of its floor. Apart from having its own secretariat, this building is called BOB CHANDRAN CENTRE. It is needless to say that Mr. Bob Chandran alone contributed more than Rupees twenty lacs for this corpus.
As on date the corpus has about Rupees hundred lacs and RTF has given grants for more than Rupees forty eight lacs by way of assistance to various projects. One of the main sources of funds is “Louis Marchesi Fellow” and sell a brick for the Donors Wall”. In recent years, RTF is extending support to projects taken by the Ladies Circle India and for the last 4-5 years RTF has been extending full support to RTI National projects.
What it is:
Round Table is a non-political and non-sectarian organisation offering young men between the ages of 18 and 40 the opportunity for serving their communities by encouraging high ethical standards in commercial life; by developing the acquaintance of men in all vocations and thereby a fuller understanding; and by stimulating individual interest in everything affecting public welfare.
The local club termed as “Round Table” or simply “Table” is the most important unit in the movement. The individual members of each Table decide how they will serve their community. What the Table does depends on the problems and challenges, which its community presents. These range from providing civic amenities, vocational training, conducting blood donation drives and health camps, performing corrective surgery, sponsoring underprivileged children in educational institutions and homes, providing shelters for the needy and helping out during times of natural calamities and tragedies like floods etc. The Table alone determines the scope and limit of its activities. There is no pattern limiting this scope.
It is said that the privileges of life are accompanied by equal obligations and it is a Round Table belief that they require effort and service in return. The community service performed by Round Tables is an instrument, which benefits both parties to the contract. Those who are helped are given an intimate friendly assistance. Those who help have the opportunity to give a return for the privileges they enjoy, not the least of which is their membership of Round Table.
How it began:
The Round Table movement first came to India 1957. John Barton, a resident of Madras , when on home leave joined Hastings Round Table in U.K. , which sponsored the Madras Round Table No.1. This Table was inaugurated on November 14, 1957 by the then Rotary District Governor. The then RTBI President Dr. Peter Bush, chartered the Table in the year 1959. In the meantime, more Tables were started in Calcutta , Bombay and Delhi and the National Association of Round Tables of India with 6 Founder Members was inaugurated on May 5, 1962 at a meeting held in Madras . Tabler Ian Calvert was in the Chair and Dick Miller, WoCo President was present on the occasion. The movement then spread all over the country, though slowly at first.
Aims and Objects:
The Aims and Objects of Round Table are:
a) To develop the fellowship of young men through the medium of their business and professional occupations and community service activities.
b) To encourage active and responsible citizenship by cultivating the highest ideals in business, professional and civic traditions.
c) To promote and further international understanding, friendship and co-operation.
d) To promote the extension of the Association.
The basic objects may be summarised as the encouragement of high ethical standards in commercial life, the development of acquaintance among men in all vocations and the quickening of individual interest in everything affecting public welfare. Object ‘c’ is implemented by virtue of the fact that Round Table India (RTI) is affiliated to Round Table International and World Council of Service Clubs (WOCO) whose history and activities are given in a later section of the Handbook.
All Round Tables and individual members undertake to adopt the Aims and Objects as set out above.
The Badge:
The Round Table Badge shows the Table with twelve spokes in alternate black and white segments and has the distinctive National Emblem of the Ashoka Chakra (this design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka and is part of the State Emblem of India) in the centre and King Arthur’s head at the top. Other National Badges have in common only the twelve sections of the circular table and vary with regard to the emblems in the centre and top.
The Badge is in its essential elements a copy of the reputed Round Table used by King Arthur and his Knights. According to legend this band created by King Arthur, met around the table, so that no one was either greater or lesser than another. It is, therefore, a badge of equality. The Knights were pledged to a life or service, chivalry and loyalty to their cause. The chief function was to render service to other and to protect and defend their country.
To these principles, all people of goodwill of whatever nationality and whatever their religious, political or other differences, can subscribe.
The Motto:
The motto of the Table -ADOPT, ADAPT, IMPROVE was taken from a speech by the Prince of Wales in 1927 when he said that young men should get together round the Table, ADOPT methods that have proved so sound in the past, ADAPT them to the changing needs of the times and wherever possible IMPROVE them.
