Good evening, my Rotary family.
As this Rotary Year comes to a close, I am filled with deep gratitude, pride, and humility. Serving as District Governor of Rotary District 3300 for RY 2024-25 has been the honour of a lifetime.
To every one of you who has walked this journey with me, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This year was never mine alone. It was built on the shoulders of an exceptional team and a remarkable community of service-driven leaders. It was OUR Year.
To the District Learning and Development (DLEAD) team, the heartbeat of our leadership engine.
To our ever-reliable District Secretariat.
To all District Chairs, committee members, and officers, your hard work, dedication and sacrifice were the bedrock of this year's success.
And a special word of appreciation to my amazing 20 Assistant Governors who were the District's frontline leaders. You guided clubs, managed crises, calmed storms, and answered every 11.45p.m. WhatsApp message with grace and good humour.
To our Past District Governors, especially PDG Leslie and PDG Dr Baskaran, and to my District General Secretary PAG Dr Bernard, Treasurer PAG Sarkuru, and PAG Bharat Gorasia, thank you.
You weren't just my advisors, you were my personal team of Avengers. Each of you brought your own superpower, wisdom, precision, calm, generosity, and to be honest, some very strong opinions! When things got tough, I knew exactly who to call.
If Thanos had the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half the universe, I had PDG Leslie, PDG Dr Baskaran, Dr Bernard, Sarkuru, and Bharat, not to destroy, but to build, protect, and do good. And unlike Thanos, we didn't need to snap our fingers, just a quick late-night WhatsApp chat to get things done. Together, we turned challenges into victories, and service into joy.
To my home club, the Rotary Club of Bandar Sungai Petani, you guys were amazing. You were my rock and my biggest cheerleaders throughout this year.
Despite several of us serving simultaneously at District level, the Club never missed a beat. You kept the wheels turning, the fires burning, and the flags flying, that is the hallmark of a great Club. Thank you, President Prabu and friends.
Your unwavering support, understanding, and spirit inspired me every step of the way. I could not have asked for a better home team.
This year, we chartered 4 new Rotary Clubs. We launched 7 new Rotaract Clubs. We are at over 2,150 Rotarians, a net growth of over 200 members.
In Rotaract, we experienced incredible momentum with almost 700 new members, bringing us to more than 1,500 Rotaractors.
Membership Chair Ee Hooi and DRR Jonathan, your leadership was simply outstanding.
Our contributions to The Rotary Foundation exceeded expectations. The latest reports show us at :-
Annual Fund : $261,512.49
PolioPlus: $121,400.25
Endowment: $167,025.00
Restricted Giving : $4,275.00
Total contributions : $554,212.74
We proudly recognised :-
250 Paul Harris Fellows
140 Paul Harris Society Members
29 Major Donors
3 Benefactors
6 Major Gifts
And for the first time ever, 104 PolioPlus Society Charter Members.
We were also privileged to host TRF Trustee Chair Mark Maloney in Malaysia, though even he was briefly defeated by the Rotary pace and needed a well-deserved rest!
We grew not just in numbers, but in visibility and credibility.
Our partnership with BAC Education, the launch of our ESG Accreditation initiative, and our elevated public image helped us connect with communities in new and meaningful ways.
Our 90th District Conference in Penang brought together over 500 Rotarians, and the revival of Spouse Programmes reminded us of a simple truth. Rotary isn't just a network, it's a family.
This year, we stood together. We served together. We laughed, learned, and led together.
I must also thank DGE Edward Khoo, our incoming District Governor, for his support and friendship. He's a long-serving Rotarian, a dynamic entrepreneur, and a visionary leader who I know will serve with heart and purpose.
And he's generous to a fault. When he found out I regularly took the ETS to get to KL for Rotary engagements, he didn't just offer, but he insisted I borrow one of his cars.
When I saw his Maserati and various sporty cars, I told him, "Boss, I can get into those cars, but I might need a crane or crawl to get out!"
That's DGE Edward, bold, practical, and full of heart.
And to Kim, thank you for your warmth and kindness. You've become like family to Yi Xin and me.
Speaking of which, Yi Xin, thank you for everything.
You are my rock, my anchor, and my partner in every sense of the word. Through the late nights, endless meetings, and long drives, your support never wavered. This year would not have been possible without your love and patience.
And yes, one final Rotary adventure.
Just a few days ago, the Governor's Jewel went missing. 24 hours of panic, a flurry of phone calls, and some very dedicated family detectives later, it turned up in one of my Rotary bags. Safe and sound. I guess even the Jewel wanted some excitement before I handed it over.
And finally, my cat, Kiara, is absolutely thrilled. After a year of wondering where I vanish to almost every week, she's finally getting her human slave back.
My friends in District 3300, thank you for giving me the privilege of serving as your Governor.
I leave this role with a heart full of gratitude, and a Rotary family I will always cherish.
If you remember nothing else about this Rotary Year, remember this.
Rotary is stronger when we serve together. The title of District Governor comes and goes, but the friendships and laughter, those stay forever.
Thank you for the honour.
Thank you for the memories.
Let us continue to Unite for Good, today, tomorrow and always.
Thank you.
Yours in Rotary Service,
Arvind
