Knowing Our Members

Knowing Our Members

An Interview With Rtn. Sanjay Karwa

By Rtn. Krishna Kumar

Rtn. Sanjay Karwa, an easy looking and going new member of RCPC has been a very familiar face in the club for a while. He may be a new memberof RCPC, but in the world of Rotary he is well-known. His charming smile usually is his first response to any question, that endears him to us RCPCians. Here is the interview with him.

Tell us about your Rotary journey so far.

Almost a decade back, I was completely unaware about the magnanimity of Rotary International. In 2018, from chartering of a new club then taking presidentship and now being part of the district team – has helped me personally – be it networking, friendship and at times business as well. The foremost purpose of joining Rotary should be humanitarian service, other aspects will follow automatically; if the intent is right and in accordance with the Four Way Test, Rotary is an organization to reckon with.

 This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it. The story of Rotary will have to be written again and again – Paul Harris.

 Briefly trace for us your family history.

Ours is a very old family based in Pune, perhaps more than 150 years now. Our forebears migrated from Rajasthan. I have personally known about our ancestral roots from Rajasthan. Kaiser-i-Hind – was a medal that was instituted to recognize public services in India, by the British Raj. This medal was adorned to our family head, around late 1800 or early 1900.

Your wife, Vaishali, is also a super active member of RCPC. How do you balance home, work, Rotary, social work, and social relationships?

Rightly so, it’s challenging at times to be up to date on all fronts. To gain some you have to lose some – is the general saying. Our children have grown and that’s to our advantage. We set our priorities, and some extent o of planning helps us to sail smoothly. Rotary work is manageable to a large extent due to the connects developed over time and knowledge gained about the internal processes.

You are in the field of IT. Tell us more about it.

The IT era was just opening in India, around the mid 80’s. I have witnessed the evolution of IT viz. computer hardware, software, digital technology etc., which we now see as “Information Technology”.

In simplicity, what we studied as an elective in our final year is now being offered as 4 years engineering discipline. The pace of change is phenomenal and learning and adapting to new products is challenging and exciting as well. Digital technology will continue to be the root of all disciplines – it’s an essential skill all would have to learn and relearn – and it’s happening so. I have been in this for over 35 years now, and it’s been an elaborate and exciting area to be in as always. If I were to give you an analogy of the way in which Automotive industry would have been today, had it grown at the pace of IT

If the automotive industry had kept up with computing, today you could buy a flying, self-driving, solar-powered car for ₹5,000 that travels at the speed of light and never breaks down — but would mysteriously crash every time you tried to drive during a software update

You are a BITSian. I am aware that it is a privilege to be a BITS Pilani graduate. Did you ever consider going to the West where most BiTSians end up. Why?

Truly, I have been fortunate to have received the best possible education right from school to PG. As you rightly guessed 90% of my batchmates ended up in US – right after graduation – either for studies or jobs, and all of them have done fantastically well. As I see them today, the next generation, would they be able to settle back in India?

On graduation, my domain of responsibilities was larger than normal, and the possibility of overseas education etc., was a distant option.

Which is the most engaging social work that you have done?

Over the years I have engaged in youth services in different capacities. Working with the youth through INTERACT & ROTARACT clubs, has always been an enriching experience for me. Irrespective of the avenue, Rotary gives an opportunity to enhance your skills time and again.

You have been very active in the youth programs of Rotarians. What drives you to do it?

We commonly say that India’s future is the Youth. Around 50% of our population is below the age of 25 years and 65% below 35 years. Rotary’s fifth Avenue of Service – Youth Service, has been successfully running for more than six decades now. The primary objective is to encourage leadership, community service and global citizenship among the youth.

The challenges our youth face today are multi-fold. It’s an enabling factor for us to direct our efforts to do as much for them. At the global level, not many social organizations and/or NGOs can take pride in as much as Rotary can towards youth activities, is my personal experience. However, there is still much that needs to be done for our next generation.

What is the mantra for your success?

Consistency, in whatever we do, in spite of the odds, leads to success. I think while we are in social service, positions and designations should take a back seat and your work should be helpful for others. Few words of gratitude and thanks are far more rewarding than awards and accolades.

 Ignorance is NOT bliss. Being informed – is the most vital ingredient of being successful – whether small or big.

One secret recipe to handle challenges and failures.

Leadership is not about being in charge, it’s more about helping others to achieve their set goals. So as long as we are prepared to learn, unlearn and relearn, I think we are on the right path.

What, When and How you ask – ensures lesser failures and enables one to overcome challenges.