Brief Introduction of IWC :
International Inner Wheel Club is an international women’s Social organisation to create friendship, service and understanding. It has clubs in over 100 countries with over 100,000 members.IWC has very strong presence in India. It has more than 3000 thousands clubs in Urban and rural India. Since the Covid 19 Pendamic breaks out Inner wheel club launched charity campaign worldwide. In our Inner wheel Social entrepreneur series in this Episode we are introducing very popular face of IWC, she doesn’t need any kind of Introduction. Yes we are talking about Dr. Sandhya Bhatt National Association Editor IWC 20-21.
An Exclusive Interview :
Hello Womeniya : Being a Association National Editor Inner wheel club 2020 -21 what type of challenges have you faced during this covid 19 and lock down.
Dr. Sandhya Bhatt : As World faced Pandemic,I as a Doctor and Anesthesiologist joined as Front Line Worker doing COVID DUTY in ICU From March 2020 till May 2020.
The concept of Virtual was new to everyone and meetings on Zoom started becoming a Norm.
My official Inner Wheel began from July 1st but before I began my Official duty I worked on technical aspects of Launching Instagram page as it’s a very popular site.
My role was as a Media Manager sending project reports to International Media pages.
Challenge was to put in my best efforts of projecting Inner Wheel work done to various media handles.
Hello Womeniya :Tell us something about IWC clubs activities during this lockdown
Dr. Sandhaya Bhatt :.There are so many activities done by the Clubs .List is endless.
They have done so much for COVID,Environment,Senior citizens,Orphans,Girl child.
I was so proud as Inner Wheel member and as National Editor it made me more determined to showcase the Work done by the club -Be it in Remote town or in Big Cities.
The Inner wheel member did their best to help the needy sections of Society.
Be it Distribution of Pulseoximeters,Facemasks,Sanitizers to common people Donating PPE Kits,Gloves,,Beds, Steam Inhalation machines to Government & Municipal Hospitals and COVID Centres, Installation of Sanitizer Pumps in Local areas like Markets, Bus stations, Train Stations, Hospitals.
Many Inner Wheel members who are Doctors from all our India were part of Front Line Workers while also being Post Holders in Inner wheel at Club & District level.
Some Clubs even provided Daily home cooked meals to the needy & poor spending money from their own pockets.
Contactless OPD,Sanitizer Chambers ,donation of Multipara Monitors were also undertaken.
They also provided Groceries supply to orphanages & senior citizens home.
Some donated Tablets, Mobiles, Computers, Laptops to needy students as Classes & Exams were being held virtually.
As I said the list is endless. To know more of the projects please visit our Website
www.innerwheelindia.com
Our Instagram handle is assn_innerwheel_india
Our Facebook page :Association Of Inner Wheel Clubs in India.
I have been posting all work & projects done since Last year.
Hello Womeniya : Share your experience of second wave of covid 19,
How your all clubs and Association handling this second wave
How your all Associations helping and supporting to the people during this difficult time
Dr. Sandhya Bhatt : During the Second Wave with shortage of Oxygen many clubs came forward to donate Oxygen Concentrators,Bipap machines, Ventilators ,Beds to COVID centres.
Many helped financially too.
The Inner Wheel members of many Clubs who are Doctors formed a Helpline group for Inner Wheel members & their family and Friends and were available 24 hours 7 days a week to give medical advice, help in finding beds etc.
Many Inner Wheel Club members started providing home cooked meals to COVID patients who were home quarantined.
Hello womeniya : What’s your message to the all Inner wheel Associations women during this tough time
Dr. Sandhya Bhatt :Take care of Yourself First.Stay safe,Wear Masks ,Get Vaccinated.If a woman is healthy only then she will be able to takecare of her family and serve the Society.
Brief Introduction of Dr. Sandhya Bhatt :
Dr. Sandhya Bhatt is one of the most affable personalities of Inner Wheel District .
Svelte and tall, her South Indian roots are very visible in her attitude and attire. Simple and approachable, She is a Friend to many.
Sandhya is no different from any of us. She is a working woman like many of us are a parent like most us and is a woman to the core . Juggling life between her family and profession she faces all the stress, trauma and agony that we encounter in our lives as well. So what distinguishes her from us? Courage, iron will and commitment towards mankind.
Born into a service-oriented family, Sandhya’s leadership skills date back to 1985 when she was Head-Girl,Guide’s Captain at School. The pride of Rotary Past District Governor 1989-90( PDG) Dr.R.M.Bhat and his wife Anuradha, she was a loyal supporter of her parents’movement for Senior Citizens called Jesta Nagarik Sangha.Her Father founded the Senior Citizens Movement in India.
Driven on her charismatic father’s principles, she joined International Inner Wheel District 314 in 2005. The terminology ‘young’ is synonymous with Sandhya, who was the youngest President in her Club and District in 2006.
During her Tenure as Club President she did a record breaking 4 Medical Camps benefiting 2000 plus patients,Buidling Toilet blocks,Help to Orphanages,Senior Citizens Home,Education of Many Needy children,Vocational Training to Inmates of Nasik Jail along with Inner Wheel Club of Nasik-Ambad . A winner all the way, she won 7 awards for her club .She was also judged the “ Best President” in the District . Though young ,seeing her dedication she was invited to be the District Pulse–Polio Coordinator twice and then Zonal Coordinator incharge of the Zone which comprises 7 Clubs . She was urged to apply for the District Executive Post & got elected as District Editor in 2010-11 .
As a District Editor she was instrumental in bringing out a Modern Newsletter which was very well appreciated along with a Comprised District Directory & District Souvenir.
District Editor 2010-11.
District International Service Organizer 2011-12: Where she organized a Fellowship program me cum Picnic at Amby Valley,Lonavala.
District Treasurer 2012-13: Where she was handling the finances of the District aptly thereby bagging the Best District Treasurer Award among the remaining 26 Treasurers all over India.
District Secretary 2013-14: Where she was prompt in her communications & emails.She also was updating the Website regularly.
District Vice-Chairman 2014-15: Where she organized a Seminar “Don’t Pause At Menopause”
District Chairman 2015-16:Where she did Projects more than 5 crores of Rupees .
Awareness Building:
Seminar for Literacy
Seminar for knowing Inner Wheel Constitution.
Seminar for Women’s Empowerment-Topics like
Divorce was covered by eminent lawyer Mrunalini Deshmukh,Topics on making Will & Sexual Abuse by Christi Charles of Majlis Foundation,Mumbai.
SAFE & UNSAFE TOUCH WORKSHOPS –For School going children along with CHILDLINE Organization, Organized Workshops for Safe & Unsafe Touch covering 63,675 children from 165 Schools in & around Mumbai.
PINKATHON Along with Milind Soman the Walk for creating Breast CancerAwareness.In the year 2015-16 under her leadership 277 Members took part & thereby she was recognized by the Organizers for Highest Participation among the NGOs.
Invited Sanjeev Kapoor Masterchef to judge a competion helping Branding of Inner Wheel.
Dr. Sandhya Bhatt with Bollywood Actor Milind Soman at Breast cancer awareness event.
URBAN MEDICAL PROJECT:
The Donation of Baby Warmers ,Phototherapy Units,Infusion Pumps,NIBP Monitors,Masimo Technology Pulsoximeters to the NEONATE UNIT OF LOKMANY TILAK MUNCIPAL HOSPITAL where more than 3000 neonates are admitted annually.The neonates were turned away due to lack of equipments.
The Clubs under Dr.Sandhya’s Leadership contributed to 10 baby warmers,4 phototherapy Units,8 Infusion Pumps,5 NIBP Monitors,5 Masimo Technology Pulsoximeter total amounting to Rs 17,75,000.
- RURAL PROJECTS:
BUILDING TOILET BLOCKS TO 71 HOMES IN A VILLAGE NEAR NERE,PANVEL.CONVERTING RURAL SCHOOL INTO HAPPY SCHOOL.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO ADIVASI SCHOL CHILDREN IN PANVEL.
TOTAL AMOUNTING TO RS 38,52,140.
LITERACY PROJECTS:Under Collaboration with Rotary India Literacy Mission (RILM) with TEACH
T=TEACHERS SUPPORT.
35 Centres established & 325 teachers were trained in different workshops so as to enchance their skills in teaching .
National Builder Award was organized where best Teachers were recognized & felicitated.
E=E learning
43 centres established where E-learning was installed for better understanding.Around 4500 children were benefitted.
A=Adult Literacy
70 Centre’s were established with 922 Adults being taught to read & write.These were house-helps,maids,watchman,vegetable vendors who at some point had left their Education.
C=Child Development.
968 Children were helped via Scholarships,Paying of professional fees etc.
H=Happy Schools.
Converting a Zilla Parishad or Municipal School into Happy School with providing them with safe Drinking Water,Separate toilets, Fence ,Play area,E-learning,Refurbishing the School Area-including Painting, New benches,Uniforms,Shoes.
Around 33 Happy Schools were Inaugurated.
VOCATIONAL PROJECTS:Different Vocational Projects were undertaken to make ladies self sufficient so they could earn.
Taxi Driving & Teaching Women Driver.
Makeup Course
Montessori Training
Nursing Training
Agarbatti Making
Beautician Course
Organic Farming
The list is endeless but 3120 ladies were benifitted and amount spend was Rs 19,37,000.
DROP OF HOPE-Mega Blood Donation Camp with Rotary Clubs on 1st July was organized which took place across Mumbai at same time 10.am.
A unprecedented 4783 bottles of Blood was collected across the centres.
TB DETECTION-Along with Rotary District 3140 & Lupin Labs- 4 Mega Sundays these TB detection camps were organized which consisited on Blood Test,Sputum Test & XRC.
Many defaulters & new cases were found.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION:
1.AT PINKATHON with Brand Ambassador Milind Soman –RECOGNISED FOR HIGHEST REGISTRATION BY NGO
2.AT DISTRICT CONFERENCE-RELEASED A STAMP & ENVELOPE WITH INTERNATION INNER WHEEL THEME .THIS WAS APPRECIATED BY THE INTERNATIONAL INNER WHEEL PRESIDENT CHARLOTTE DE VOS IN HER INTERNATIONAL INNER WHEELMAGAZINE.
3.AT THE TRIENNAIL CONFERENCE 2016 : WAS RECOGNISED FOR HIGHEST REGISTRATION BY A DISTRICT WITH 412 DELEGATES AND APPRECIATED BY IIW PRESIDENT CHARLOTTE DE VOS.
4.IN MARCH 2016- WAS RECOGNISED & AWARDED BY ROTARY INDIA LITERACY MISSION FOR HER CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS TEACH & ADULT LITERACY.SHE WAS AMONG THE 5 DISTRICT CHAIRMAN.
5.IN THE INTERNATIONAL INNER WHEEL WEBISTE-SHE IS THE ONLY DISTRICT CHAIRMAN WHOSE 17 PROJECTS WERE FEATURED .
6.ALONG WITH PRAFULLA DAHANUKAR ART FOUNDATION ,INNER WHEEL ORGANISES DRAWING COMPETITION & GIVES AWAY SCHOLARSHIPS.DR.SANDHYA WAS CALLED AS GUEST OF HONOR ALONG SIDE SACHIN BHOWMICK(RENOWED ARTIST AS CHIEF GUEST) WHERE SHE WAS RECOGNISED BY DILIP DAHANUKAR THE TRUSTEE FOR HER WORK.
SHE ALSO FELICITATED ARTIST ANJALIE ELA MENON.
6.SHE WON WITH LARGE MAJORITY & WAS ELECTED AS ASSOCIATION SECRETARY OF THE ASSOCIATION OF INNER WHEEL CLUBS IN INDIA WHICH IS THE GOVERNING BODY FOR 33,000 PLUS MEMBERS IN INDIA.
SHE IS THE YOUNGEST TO BE ELECTED AS ASSOCIATION SECRETARY.
7.AS ASSOCIATION SECRETARY-SHE BOUGHT A CHANGE IN THE MINUTE WRITING,MEETING,VOTING,BALLOTING .
SHE WAS PROMPT IN HER WORK & WAS APPRECIATED BY THE SENIORS.
SHE ALSO COMPILED THE ASSOCIATION DIRECTORY WHICH LISTS THE DETAILS OF 1241 CLUBS AND 39,484 MEMBERS.
SHE CHANGED THE FORMAT & THE LOOK OF THE ASSOCIATION DIRECTORY WHICH WAS APPRECIATED.
8.She was Speaker at the International Inner Wheel Convention held in Melbourne in 2018.
She got Elected as National Editor in 2020-21.She has launched a Instagram page,You Tube Channel for Association .she regularly updates news on Association & sends news to IIW .
When she is not representing IW District 314, Sandhya is busy sending people to dreamland. An Anesthesiologist from Lokmanya Tilak Muncipal Memorial Hospital, Sion, she worked as lecturer with her alma-mater for a couple of years.
It was here that her life changed. In 2003, when Mumbai battled one of its worst terrorist attacks, Sandhya was at Sion Hospital playing angel of mercy. Her hair-raising moment was when she saved an unknown victim in a 20-hour marathon surgery. The gut-popping, resuscitated victim with a cracked skull eventually saw light of day. Three years later she turned up on Sandhya’s door-step as her next-door neighbor. Such spine-chilling experiences have driven Sandhya towards spirituality and faith in Karma.
She continued in Pediatric-Anesthesia following it up with a clinical fellow from Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. A certified authority in Regional Blocks from Ganga Hospital-AESCULAP Academy in Germany, Sandhya now works as a consultant in several hospitals
AWARDS RECEIVED
Hall of Fame Award BY Ganga Hospital 2018 ,Maharashtra state Presidents Appreciation Award 2018
Secretary at Indian Medical Association 2017, Magazine Editor 2005-06, 2019,Organising committee member at various State & Branch level conference.
She has been working with COVID patients since March 2020& April.She has been recognized a COVID WARRIOR by Indian Medical Association & other Inner Wheel Clubs of her District
MEDLIFE ASIA TOP 100 WOMEN DOCTOR AWARD 2020.