History & General Information

International Inner Wheel


In 1923, Mrs. Margarette Golding, wife of Rotarian Oliver Golding initiated a women’s organization. In 1924, wives of Rotarians of Manchester Club adopted the title INNER WHEEL, the objectives being “Friendship and Service”. Inaugural meeting of IWC Manchester was held on 10th January 1924 that continues to be celebrated as International Inner Wheel Day. On 6th May 1934, Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland came into being. Since 1936, newly formed clubs started getting the Charter – Certificate of Membership. In 1967, International Inner Wheel (IIW) was formed. Today, IIW is one of the largest women’s organizations comprising of 4 Associations in Great Britain and Ireland, Australia, India and USA, having over 100,000 members spread across 103 countries. International Inner Wheel is an NGO, inserted in the ECOSOC Roster. It has several representatives at the UN. The representatives of Inner Wheel at the UN are UN, New York – Martine Gayon, UN, Vienna – Ceja Gregor Hu and Ulrike Nemling, UN, Geneva – Karin Rivollet. It was an honour for India that our Past IIW President Dr. Kapila Gupta represented Inner Wheel in UN, Vienna as a panelist on the event “Girls not Brides”, an event for the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign.


Inner Wheel in India


Inner Wheel came to India with the formation of Inner Wheel Club of Ahmedabad in 1955. The 1st District in India No.75 was formed in 1965, now called District 305, 2nd District 315 in 1966, 3rd District 317 in 1967-68 and 4th District 310 in 1968-69. Lavender Weightman, first IIW President, during her visit to India in 1968, suggested forming National Council of Inner Wheel Clubs in India and Sri Lanka by combining 4 Districts, that bore fruition in 1969. Inner Wheel movement spread by leaps and bounds in India resulting in the formation of 10 Districts, making it imperative to form an Association. On 1st July 1976, Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in India and Sri Lanka came into existence replacing National Council of India and Sri Lanka. Today it is known as Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in India. It is the largest Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in the world.


India has the honour of having IIW Presidents: 6 IIW Presidents in the past – Minna Kapur (1986-87), Anita Aggarwal (1993-94), Kamala Ramakrishnan (2007-08), Dr. Pallavi Shah (2010-11), Abha Gupta (2014-15), Dr. Kapila Gupta (2017-18) & Dr. Bina Vyas (2020-21).

Our Legacy

  • Late Purviz Banaji was Founder Chairman of Dist. 315, 2nd District in India. Dist. 315 bifurcated into 2 districts, Dist. 314 & 315. Silla Ardeshir became Founder Chairman of Dist. 314, that bifurcated again in 1984-85 and 1991-92 to form Dist 313 and 303 respectively.
  • Till date, District 314 has 82 clubs with more than 3500 members in and around Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane making it the largest District of our Association.


Pillars of Inner Wheel District 314


Raksha Mehta


  • 1976 – 77 – Founder President, Association of IW Clubs in India and Sri Lanka/ International Inner Wheel Representative (IIWR).
  • 1994 – Founder Secretary, IIWR Forum.
  • 2001 – Chairman, Silver Jubilee Celebration Committee of Association of IW Clubs in India.
  • 2007 – Chairman, 11th Triennial Conference, Mumbai. She was also felicitated with “Margarette Golding Award” – highest Award in IIW.
  • 2014- Convenor, 3rd South Asia Rally, Mumbai. International Inner Wheel is an NGO, inserted in the ECOSOC Roster. It has several representatives at the UN.


Veena Gandhi


  • 1983-84- President, Association of IW Clubs in India and Sri Lanka/ IIWR.
  • Bangladesh was then part of our Association. In 1985, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh became separate entities and are no longer member countries of our Association.
  • 1985-86 – CCC Chairman, 4th Triennial Conference, Delhi.
  • 2014-15 – Recipient of”Margarette Golding Award”.


Asha Bajaj


  • 1991-92 – President, Association of IW Clubs in India / IIWR.
  • 1994-95 – CCC Chairman, 7th Triennial Conference, Cochin.


Late Aruna Sheth


  • 1996-97 – National Representative.


Dr. Pallavi Shah


  • 2006-2007 – President, Association of IW Clubs in India / National Representative.
  • 2008-2009 – IIW Board Director.
  • 2009-2010 – IIW Vice-President.
  • 2010-2011 – 1st IIW President from Dist. 314.


Pushpa Suryamurty


  • 2013-14 – President, Association of IW Clubs in India / National Representative.
  • 2015-18 – Association Zonal Literacy Co-ordinator.
  • 2018-19 - Recipient of “Margarette Golding Award”


Late Meher Framji (from Dist. 310)


  • 1972-73 & 1973-74 – IIWR for 2 consecutive years.
  • Founder Chairman of Dist. 310, also belonged to Dist. 311 & later transferred to Dist. 314.


Vasudhaa Chandrachud


  • 2020- 21 – President, Association of IW Clubs of India/ National Representative
  • 2017 – 18 – National Editor


Sunita Deodhar


  • 2003-04-District Chairman
  • 2019-20-– Recipient of "Margarette Golding Award"


Dr. Vinodini Pradhan


  • 1996-97-District Chairman
  • 2020-21-Recipient of “Margarette Golding Award”.


District Milestones


  • 1968 : First National Council Meeting held in Mumbai with 4 Districts 305, 310, 315, 317
  • 1976-77, 1983-84, 1991-92, 2006-07 : AC Meeting held in Mumbai.
  • 1976-77, 1991-92, 2006-07 : Triennial Conferences held in Mumbai.
  • 1979 : Hosted Seminar for Past & Present District Chairmen.
  • 1981, 1986, 1997, 2005 : Hosted Institutes for Incoming District Chairmen.
  • 1992 : IIW President Isabel McKnight attended our District Conference
  • 1992 : IIW President Isabel McKnight attended our District Conference – the first time an IIW President attended a Dist.
  • Conference in India.
  • 1993 : Hosted 1st Inter District Rally with Dist. 303, 306, 313 & felicitated IIW President Anita Agarwal.
  • 1994 : Formed and hosted Forum for IIWR.
  • 2001, 2007 : Hosted IIWR Forum meeting.
  • 2001 : Celebrated Silver Jubilee of Assn of IW Clubs in India & Hosted IIW President.
  • 2010 : Felicitated IIW President, Dr. Pallavi Shah at District Assembly in June.
  • 2010 : Held IIW Executive meeting and GBM in October attended by IIW Executive and 16 Board Directors.
  • 2010 : Hosted 2nd Inter District Rally in October.
  • 2012 : Hosted West Zone Seminar ‘Synergy’
  • 2013 : Hosted Installation of Assn President.
  • 2013 : Hosted Meghdhanush – Installation of Assn. President PushpaSuryamurty
  • 2014 : Hosted 3rd South Asia Rally and hosted IIW President.
  • 2014 : Hosted PAP Forum meeting.
  • 2015 : Association CCC Meeting held in Mumbai.
  • 2017 : Hosted IO held in Mahabaleshwar.
  • 2019 : Golden Jubilee Celebrations of District 314


Visionary Ideals


  • District co-ordinated rural and urban projects continue to make a great impact on Society at large year after year.