MB#64: 𝙍𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙖𝙪𝙡 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙁𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙣 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙙𝙖𝙮.

[MemoirBlogthon #64] For two decades, my commitment to Rotary's motto, "Service Above Self," was fueled by my father's keen interest and admiration. From my earliest club directorships to global conferences in Bangkok and a career project in Australia, his motivation was my compass, culminating in the ultimate honor: recognizing him as a Paul Harris Fellow on his 90th birthday.

The PHF Honor My 90-Year-Old Father Deserved

My father, Sri Susarla Subrahmanya Sastry, may not have been a Rotarian, but he was a dedicated supporter of the ethos. During his lifetime, he knew how deeply I was involved in community service with a motto that perfectly aligned with his own life of public duty: "Service Above Self." He took a keen interest in every Rotary project I organized and admired every recognition I received, from the local club level to the global stage.

His motivation was my constant, quiet force. Any achievement in Rotary—creating the first web-based Rotary E-Club in India in 2010, serving as District Chair for Vocational Service, or traveling to Melbourne and Singapore in 2006 as an International Volunteer—I would first share with him. I wanted his reaction, his unique perspective, before presenting it to the world. His approval was the benchmark.

My Rotary journey, spanning from my membership in 1995 to 2015, saw me hold diverse roles:

• Local Leadership: Director at various clubs in Secunderabad and Charter President of the innovative Rotary E-Club of District 3150.

• District Service: Serving three consecutive terms as District Internet and Website Chair, where I built and moderated the official website, and roles as Moderator for Rotary Webinars and District Trainer.

• Global Exposure: I was sponsored by Rotary International-USA to utilize my skills in Career Guidance Projects in Melbourne, Australia, and Singapore. Later, I moderated a breakout session at the Rotary International Conference in Bangkok in 2012.

All these experiences—the extensive travel, the management of large-scale service projects, and the public speaking—were quietly celebrated at home.

The ultimate expression of his influence came toward the end of his life.

In 2014, on the eve of his 90th birthday, I resolved to give back in the only way I knew how: by formally linking his principles to the global mission of Rotary. I made the initial contribution to The Rotary Foundation, with a request to confer upon him the Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) recognition.

The PHF is awarded for a substantial contribution (US\$1,000 or more) to the Foundation’s humanitarian and educational programs. It is an honor typically reserved for Rotarians, but often given to non-Rotarians who embody the spirit of service.

The response from the club was immediate and deeply moving. Rtn. Dr. Manik Prabhu, the President, and Rtn. Rau Nidumolu, the Governor's Special Aide, personally visited our house on November 7, 2014, to convey birthday greetings and acknowledge the honor.

Later, my father received the beautiful PHF certificate and medallion. This distinction—given for a lifetime of service, integrity, and inspiration—was the highest recognition I could convey from the world of my own success back to the man who made it possible.

His motivation was, and remains, the core behind my success.

MB#64 Quiz

MB64—Question: Which highly prestigious honor was conferred upon the author's father on the eve of his 90th birthday for a substantial contribution to The Rot

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• A. Rotarian of the Year Award.
• B. The District Service Award.
• C.Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) recognition.
• D. Vocational Excellence Award.

MB#64 Quote

"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." – William James