Rotary Club of Pune Sports City celebrated the Rotary month for Vocational Excellence by felicitating two individuals with excellence awards (VERA/SERA) . The aim was to recognise vocational excellence and service excellence of the highest order and to honor outstanding individuals for the same. Also the objective is to inspire further enthusiasm in others to achieve similar heights. To set an example to others particularly youth of the need to strive for vocational excellence. Dr Rajini Paranjpe (Doorstep school) and Dr Pawan Kohli (orthopedic surgeon, spine , holistic treatment) were the two awardees. This was one of the best vocational awards function that club has hosted. Kudos to the committee. 1. CITATION SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD 2019 MRS. RAJANI PARANJPE Rajani Paranjpe is a social worker and the founder of the “Doorstep School (DSS)” that has impacted the lives of more that 70,000 children. DSS providesfree education to underprivileged children in a unique innovative method of reaching to them. DSS, “A school on wheel” was founded in 1989 along with Rajini’s cofounder Bina Lashkari. A bus was converted into a school and equipped with all the facilities to reach to the locations such as pavements, construction sites etc. where large number of children reside and do not attend school either due to lack of awareness or non-proximity of the schools. She surveyed nearly 400 constructions sites in Pune in 2003 to identify the beneficiaries. These children were given initial training to read and write through DSS and nearly 9000 children aged 6-14 were covered via 112 Education Activity Centers set up at the construction sites. Subsequently, these children were enrolled to formal schools and provided support to continue schooling. Today DSS has 700 teachers working in different sites and in different programs. DSS has a dedicated training center “Parivartan.” It focuses on training of new teachers and conducts refresher programs for management staff and existing teachers. DSS also runs a “Parent’s Participation in Children’s Education Program” initiative. Parents are made aware of the importance of their children’s education and are made to take responsibility for the same. DSS has worked closely with nearly 800 parents from 900 sites. Children enrollment in schools has increased subsequently through the contributions of DSS. Education that literally“reaches to one's doorstep” is an extraordinary initiative. Rotary Club of Pune Sports City is privileged to honor Mrs. Rajani Paranjpe by conferring the “Rotary Service Recognition Award (SERA) 2019” for her contribution in education, innovation and her tenacity towards this noble cause. Rtn. Dr. Rupinder Beri Rtn. Kennedy Samuel President RY 2018-19 Secretory RY 2018-19 2. VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE RECOGNITION AWARD 2019 DR PAVAN KOHLI Dr. PavanKohlii s an Orthopedic Surgeon and Professor who has made a remarkable impact in the area of knee and spine surgery. He has mixed the modern medicine with yoga and ayurveda in treating his patients. He believes that, the blessings of our Sages are very important. He is known for his Nature friendly and Patient Centric Holistic treatment. He not only treats the bone and the body; but also the State of Being of his patients. Dr. Kohli is the recipient of the “Global Healthcare Excellence Award 2018” as“the best orthopedic surgeon of Western India”. He is the founder of HOLIS, the first integrated orthopedic clinic in India that includes Sports, Medicine, Yoga, Ayurveda,Chiropractic with Orthopedics. Dr.Kohli is the founder of Samarth Namaskar, an enhanced form of Surya Namaskar. The Samarth Namaskar was launched in Delhi in 2015 during the International Yoga Day. Dr. Kohli is also a Doctorate in Yoga. His guide was Yoga Guru Iyenger. He has developed‘SamidhaShravani’ an Intelligent healthy walking stick for the elderly people. Dr. Kohli is a socially responsible person. He designed and developed the device “SamidhaBhavani,”to empower women and elderly people for self-protection. This was in response to the unpleasant Nirbhaya incident in Delhi that shook the nation.SamidhaBhavaniis India’s first holistic, legal and portable self-defense device, recognized in the National Social Impact Innovation Awards.The device has a distress signal button, pepper spray with a range of 12 feet, torch, stun gun, knife etc. This device has been mentioned in the prestigious Wall Street Journal. Rotary Club of Pune Sports City is privilege to honor Dr. PavanKohli by conferring the “Rotary Vocational Excellence Recognition Award (VERA) 2019” for his contribution in health care, innovation and social causes. Rtn. Dr. Rupinder Beri Rtn. Kennedy Samuel President RY 2018-19 Secretary RY 2018-19