The ROTARY CLUB OF CALCUTTA  was installed on the 26th September 1919 and received its Charter on 1st January 1920 (charter No. 587).

At its inception it was the only Rotary Club between the English Channel and the South China Sea, there being only two others in Asia, viz. Manila and Shanghai, both installed in 1919, a few months after Calcutta.

However both the Manila and Shanghai Clubs had to suspend activities due to the Second World War and other reasons. 

This makes our Club the longest continuing Rotary Club in Asia with 100 years of uninterrupted service.

Our 4731stRegular Weekly meeting was held on 2 July 2019. Indeed, we can claim to be in existence even before Rotary officially changed its name to "Rotary International” in 1922. We also one of the few Clubs having its unique Presidential badge. The emblem itself depicts in red the Rotary motto, "Service Above Self". Below is a crown depicting two adjutant storks, typical of the Gangetic plains standing guard on either side. Inside are two green palm trees - commonly found in these parts. We see the British Lion insignia in red in between and below it a sailing ship which connected Calcutta with distant shores. At the bottom is the Presidential motto inscribed in Latin, "Per Ardua Stabiles Esto."(Be firm through difficulties)