Rotary is a worldwide organization of business, professional, and community leaders in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary, once of the world’s largest voluntary service organizations, began as an idea 104 years back and now has members in over 200 countries and geographical areas, across the entire planet.

The Rotary motto ‘Service Above Self’ conveys the humanitarian spirit of the organization’s more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful local and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide. Bangalore City and its suburbs have over 50 Rotary clubs doing yeomen service for benefit of fellow humans, polio eradication being their international flagship project.

One of the newer service divisions of the hospital to the society is the formation of the Narayana Hrudayalaya Tissue Bank & Stem Cell Research Centre (NHTB-SCRC), actively supported by the Rotary Bangalore Health City (RBHC) at a cost of over Rs. 5 million. The public storage facility is named after RBHC as Rotary Bangalore Health City Narayana Tissue Bank.

Inspired by her many interactions with Dr. Devi Shetty, CMD, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Rtn. Maya Agarwal during her term in 2006-07 as President of Rotary Bangalore Health City, initiated this tissue bank project.

In 1917, the 6th Rotary International (RI) President, Arch. C. Klumph proposed an endowment for the purpose of doing good in the world with the first contribution of US $ 26.50. This was named appropriately as The Rotary Foundation (TRF). Today, this has grown to be one of the largest foundations.

In the year 2007-08, TRF distributed US $ 247.4 million (Approx. Rs. 1213 crores) to cover three major areas of Polio Plus (Rs. 557 crores), Humanitarian programs (Rs. 327 crores) and Educational Scholarships (Rs. 145 crores).

TRF 63090 was the grant that was awarded to initiate this novel tissue bank project through Rotary Bangalore Health City.

Rotary Bangalore Health City was born as a vision of RIPD Rtn. Dr. MK Panduranga Shetty and Hon. Rtn. Dr. Devi Shetty. Rtn. RP Agarwal (Bangalore Midtown) was appointed as GSR to form the club. RBHC is a 100% Paul Harris Club, thanks to the efforts of Rtn. PP Maya Agarwal, generous contributions by Rtn. PP NC Gupta, President Rtn., Kris Kini and other members.

After three years of persistent efforts, theis dream of Rtn. PP Maya Agarwal has come alive. RBHC and Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore have cooperated with the supporting TRF Matching Grant with the support of Jacksonville Rotary Club, RI District 6460, Illinois, USA and many other donors.

By global standards, this project is one of the most challenging and frontier medical technology projects being dedicated to serve humanity.