Tabling Today's perspective - Tr. Prem Ganesh, Area Fellowhip Convener - Area II, RTI

२००७.

From the time I joined tabling 5 years ago, I have been a witness to a lot of debates on whether RTI should concentrate on Fellowship or Service. Earlier, classroom construction Projects were not many. Tables used to do simple fund raisers and raise small amounts to build 1 or 2 classrooms every year and do a few community service projects like distributing Note books, Clothes, Bed sheets, Food, etc.

But of late the emphasis is on building more classrooms. This leads to more fundraisers & there is lot of pressure on each table & in turn on its Chairman to perform. Reason: Identity for RTI. Why do you need an identity for RTI? Why do you want to be known as a Service organization? If I want to be associated with some Service organization and want everyone to identify me as a Social worker, then I would join so many other organizations, which have that identity. Why RTI?

This is a group of young men to develop Fellowship & do Community Service activities. Once you are 40 you cannot enjoy the lovely experience & fun that tabling provides. There has to be a difference between RTI & any other Service organisation. Once you are 40 & retire from tabling & join another organisation you must be able to experience the difference, which I am sure will be the Fun & fellowship this organisation offers.

When I joined tabling the meetings used to be so much fun to attend as it was short & crisp. We would discuss a small Fund Raiser & do 1-2 classrooms and a few community service projects. The time for partying at the end of each meeting used to be lot more & hence the bonding. Of late, I see that we have long meetings as we spend much time discussing how many schools to build, how much money to raise, who to approach for sponsorship, who is responsible for the quality of construction, etc resulting in fellowship taking a back seat due to meetings extending up to late in the night. This discussion could go on even after the meeting & if you hold any responsibility in the table, then it could go on through out the year.

We have enough of these pressures in our place of work to raise money, meet expenses & make profits and when we come to the meeting we again discuss the same. By doing too many projects involving outside agencies, we tend to overburden ourselves & and become answerable for the money collected from the other sources.

I am not against building classrooms or doing community service. But let us not overdo the same. I have not missed a single community service or project inauguration of my table since joining this movement.

I love this movement for all the opportunity it gives one to make more friends & have so much fun and at the same time allows him to contribute to society. All of us have friends from school, college, work, etc and we can go & party for long hours in pubs, discotheques. Similarly some of us may be donating money for various causes through various organisations. But Round table is a fantastic forum which gives one the opportunity to have the cake & eat it too. You have friends who will party with you & also join in your service projects.

I hope by looking more into Projects we don't dilute the essence of Tabling….which is Fellowship. -- Cheers!!