Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167

The club popularly termed as “Round Table” or simply “Table” is the most important unit in the movement. The individual members of the Table, decide how they will serve their community. What the Table does depends on the needs and challenges, which its community presents. These range from providing civic amenities, vocational training, conducting blood donation drives and health camps, 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 determines the scope and limit of its activities.

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. Those who are helped are given an intimate friendly assistance.

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.

The Round Table and individual members undertake to adopt the Aims and Objects as set out above.

The Badge:

The Round Table Badge shows the Table with twelve spokes in alternate black and white segments and has the distinctive National Emblem of the Ashoka Chakra (this design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka and is part of the State Emblem of India) in the centre and King Arthur’s head at the top. Other National Badges have in common only the twelve sections of the circular table and vary with regard to the emblems in the centre and top.

The Badge is in its essential elements a copy of the reputed Round Table used by King Arthur and his Knights. According to legend this band created by King Arthur, met around the table, so that no one was either greater or lesser than another. It is, therefore, a badge of equality. The Knights were pledged to a life or service, chivalry and loyalty to their cause. The chief function was to render service to other and to protect and defend their country.

To these principles, all people of goodwill of whatever nationality and whatever their religious, political or other differences, can subscribe.