Active Rotarian honored

Neville Homi Irani was installed district governor of Rotary International District 3160 by Rotary International Director K. R. Ravindran at a glittering ceremony at Gulbarga in Karnataka on July 10, 2009, as per information received by Parsiana from Rotarian Dinaz N. Irani. District 3160, which is spread over parts of the southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh has eight zones and 62 clubs. Irani is the first Zoroastrian to hold the office of district governor there.

A philanthropist and social worker, Irani joined the Rotary movement in 1992 as a charter member of the Rotary Club of Gulbarga North. The write-up mentions that he has served the district at different levels and earned many laurels. Among the awards that have come his way are Best Club President, Best Polio Plus Chairman, Best Assistant Governor and the Four Avenues of Service Award. He has been the district chief sergeant-at-arms and has served as assistant sergeant-at-arms at two Rotary International conventions, in Chicago, USA and Denmark.

In January 2009 Irani attended the Rotary International Assembly at San Diego, USA, where he underwent an intensive week-long training program before being installed district governor. Along with some of his colleagues from India, Irani had a private audience with Microsoft founder Bill Gates Junior who assured them of his continued support and financial assistance to the tune of $ 255 million for Rotary International’s Polio Plus Program.

Originally from Poona, Irani went to Gulbarga after obtaining his Masters in Engineering, to join his father in their construction business in Karnataka. He and his family have donated a college named after his late mother, the Pilloo Homi Irani Women’s College for Arts and Science to the People’s Education Society (see "Edifice of education,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, June-July 2000). Irani’s father, the late Homi Muluk Irani also donated a college, the Muluk Sheriar Irani College, named after his late father to the Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society, Dinaz mentions in an e-mail.