In order to promote and encourage vocational service, RCPD has introduced annual vocational award. The award is given to exceptional young achievers in the following three categories- 1. Talented Sportsperson 2. Differently Abled Entrepreneur. 3. Budding Social Entrepreneur In Rotary, January month is observed Vocational Service month and therefore we also give these awards during this month, every year. Our Annual Vocational Awards function was held at Poona Club on 31st Jan'2019. 1st. Award - Talented Sportsperson 2018-19. Our winner this year was Master Vivek Dasharath Pathare. Vivek is 21 years old & is currently doing his BA from SP College- Pune. Vivek suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Despite his illness, Vivek is a five times winner of the National Para Swimming Competition. He has won 2 Gold, 3 Silver & 1 bronze medals in Freestyle, Breaststroke & Backstroke categories in events held in Kolhapur, Chennai, Bangalore, Belgav & Indore. Vivek also finds time for his studies & has scored 78% in his HSC. Rtn. Ashwani Malhotra presented the award, which is sponsored by the Malhotra family in memory of ( Late ) Rtn. Satpal Malhotra. 2nd. Award - Differently Abled Entrepreneur 2018-19. Our winner for this award went to Ms. Rupali Kaluram Sakat. Rupali is just 29 years of age. At the age of 3 Rupali's right leg got affected by polio. When very young her parents passed away & was looked after by her grandparents. Due to a very difficult financial situation her brother could study only till 5th standard. Rupali the fighter enrolled into a course for training beauticians. Since then she has opened her own parlour, which is doing fairly well. She is also teaching beauty parlour skills to differently abled girls studying at Apang Kalyankari Sanstha. She plans to study till her graduation. Rupali has also obtained a certificate in tailoring, & processing of fruits & vegetables. Her talent also stretches into the fields of singing & dancing. Rtn. Ranveer & Ann Neelam Rathore presented this award, which is sponsored by them. 3rd. Award - Budding Social Entrepreneur 2018-19. Our winner for this award went to Mr. Bipin Shivaji Dhane. Born & raised in a middle class family in Satara, Maharashtra, Bipin excelled in his studies. He completed his B. Tech & M.Tech in Ocean Engineering & Naval Architecture from IIT Kharagpur in 2013. Bipin joined Keppel Fels, leaders in design, construction & repairs of mobile offshore rigs, as a Research Engineer in Singapore. Having stabilized his financial position, Bipin returned to India to fulfill his dream. He took up a voluntary teaching position in a small school in Manjuli in the state of Assam. To his surprise he was unable to see any infrastructure, which is required to run an average educational institute. Through his own initiative Bipin lead the Teacher training Program at his school. Bipin studied the entire surrounding tribal belt & understood that the tribal were extremely keen to educate their children. On requests from the villagers Bipin set about building a school in Kulamua village. The entire land, building material & labour support was provided by 19 village communities. The school became functional from Jan'2017. Within one & a half years the student numbers has risen to 220. The school has battled devastating floods twice in this period & has managed to resume classes once the water has receded. The school is named The Humming School, which now provides accommodation for 70 boarders as well. The award was presented by Rtn. Balkrishna & Ann Lalita Karwa, which has been sponsored by them in memory of Rukhmini Narayandas Karwa.