ROTARY is an organization of business and professional people united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
It was founded by PAUL HARRIS together with three of his colleagues on 23 February 1905 in Chicago USA and has ever since spread all over the world. As of 30th November 2016, RI members or Rotarians were 1,227,217 belonging to 35,263 Rotary Clubs grouped in 530 Rotary Districts in 169 countries.

Rotary organization:
Rotary being essentially a grassroots organization has most of her services carried out at the club level. Rotary International and the District structures are designed to support the clubs and help them provide more service
their communities and abroad.

Clubs: Rotarians are members of Rotary clubs, which together form Rotary International (RI). Each club elects its own officer and enjoys considerable autonomy within the framework of Rotary’s constitution bylaws.

Districts: Rotary Clubs are grouped into RI Districts, each led by a District Governor, who is an officer of RI. The District Administration, including Assistant Governors and various committees, guide and support the clubs.

RI Board: The 19 member RI Board of directors, which includes the RI President and President-Elect, meets quarterly to establish policies. Traditionally, the RI President, who is elected annually, develops a theme and emphasis on activities for the year.

RI Secretariat: Rotary International has her headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, USA, with seven international offices in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland. The RI in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) ofice, in England,serves clubs and districts in that region. The Secretariat’s active managing officer is the RI General Secretary