On March 7, 2025, Past International President J. Frank Moore III laid the foundation stone of the M.M. Singhi Lions Hospital, in the presence of International First Vice President A.P. Singh, PID Sangeeta Jatia and other Lion dignitaries. This momentous event marked a significant expansion of Karnavati Lions Club, District 3232-B2’s healthcare initiatives, building upon their decades-long commitment to community wellbeing.
Classrooms of Hope
“This state-of-the-art multi specialty hospital will be a game-changer for healthcare access in our region,” explains PID Pravin Chhajed. The impressive 22,000-square-meter hospital will house advanced ICU services, modular operation theatres, a blood bank, a specialized dialysis centre, and precision diagnostic centre—all under one roof.
The project received a significant boost when club member and philanthropist Shri M.M. Singhi, along with his family, pledged to donate USD 1 million through Lions Clubs International Foundation.
The hospital groundbreaking ceremony coincided with Karnavati Lions Club’s 40th anniversary celebrations, which also featured another remarkable achievement. “It was my utmost pleasure to be part of this large-scale service project and presenting 14 new clubs sponsored by our multiple to our Past President J. Frank Moore III,” shares MCC Sunil Gugalia.
A Legacy of Service
This latest initiative builds upon a legacy of service that began in 1984 when the Karnavati Lions Club was chartered under the leadership of Kanubhai Choksi. “I was the charter secretary of the club. Looking back, we could never have anticipated how profoundly our service initiatives would impact lives in our community,” recalls PID Chhajed.
From the Lions Karnavati Shantaben Vishnubhai Patel Eye Hospital to the Lithotripsy Centre at Rajasthan Hospital, the Lions Learning Centre at Mithakhali, and educational institutions like Lalji Mehrotra Lions School and the Lions School of Performing Arts, which now educates 1,700 students across two campuses, the club’s permanent projects have made a positive difference to countless lives.
Their healthcare initiatives grew to include the Lions Blood Bank—a joint project with Lions Club London Enfield—a Dialysis Centre funded through Corporate Social Responsibility support from State Bank of India, and the Rohit Mehta Lions Medical Hub and Parvati Devi Shankar Lal Choudhary Dialysis and Eye Care and Diagnostic Centre.
When the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges, the Karnavati Lions Club, District 3232-B2, responded swiftly by establishing Lions Oxy Bank, which operated through 30 satellite centers equipped with 500 oxygen concentrators. Their impact extended beyond Gujarat to Mumbai, Nagpur, Meerut, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
Engaging New Generations
The club also focused on engaging younger members through initiatives like the Lions Business Network and the Karnavati Premier League cricket tournament, as District Governor Anuj Mehta explains.
As the Karnavati Lions Club looks toward the future, its focus remains unwavering: identifying community needs and addressing them with innovative, sustainable solutions. For the community, it’s not just another Lions project—it’s the difference between accessibility and exclusion, between early intervention and delayed care, between hope and uncertainty.
