About Round Table India Area 14 in Vikram Singhania - Chairman, Shillong

Area XIV which comprises of the North Bengal, Sikkim and the North East of INDIA, is a part of Round Table India.

Round Table is a non-political and non-sectarian organization offering young men between the ages of 18 and 40 the opportunity for serving their communities by encouraging high ethical standards in commercial life; by developing the acquaintance of men in all vocations and thereby a fuller understanding; and by stimulating individual interest in everything affecting public welfare.

The local club termed as “Round Table” or simply “Table” is the most important unit in the movement. The individual members of each Table decide how they will serve their community. What the Table does depends on the problems and challenges, which its community presents. These range from providing civic amenities, vocational training, conducting blood donation drives and health camps, performing corrective surgery, sponsoring underprivileged children in educational institutions and homes, providing shelters for the needy and helping out during times of natural calamities and tragedies like floods etc. The Table alone determines the scope and limit of its activities. There is no pattern limiting this scope.

It is said that the privileges of life are accompanied by equal obligations and it is a Round Table belief that they require effort and service in return. The community service performed by Round Tables is an instrument, which benefits both parties to the contract. Those who are helped are given an intimate friendly assistance. Those who help have the opportunity to give a return for the privileges they enjoy, not the least of which is their membership of Round Table.

How it began:

The Round Table movement first came to India 1957. John Barton, a resident of Madras , when on home leave joined Hastings Round Table in U.K. , which sponsored the Madras Round Table No.1. This Table was inaugurated on November 14, 1957 by the then Rotary District Governor. The then RTBI President Dr. Peter Bush, chartered the Table in the year 1959. In the meantime, more Tables were started in Calcutta , Bombay and Delhi and the National Association of Round Tables of India with 6 Founder Members was inaugurated on May 5, 1962 at a meeting held in Madras . Tabler Ian Calvert was in the Chair and Dick Miller, WoCo President was present on the occasion. The movement then spread all over the country, though slowly at first.

Aims and Objects:

The Aims and Objects of Round Table are:

a) To develop the fellowship of young men through the medium of their business and professional occupations and community service activities.

b) To encourage active and responsible citizenship by cultivating the highest ideals in business, professional and civic traditions.

c) To promote and further international understanding, friendship and co-operation.

d) To promote the extension of the Association.

The basic objects may be summarised as the encouragement of high ethical standards in commercial life, the development of acquaintance among men in all vocations and the quickening of individual interest in everything affecting public welfare. Object ‘c’ is implemented by virtue of the fact that Round Table India (RTI) is affiliated to Round Table International and World Council of Service Clubs (WOCO) whose history and activities are given in a later section of the Handbook.

All Round Tables and individual members undertake to adopt the Aims and Objects as set out above.