At a late night function in the city, the Trustee Chairman of the Rotary Foundation Holger Knaack and his wife Suzanne, along with another Foundation Trustee Dr Bharat Pandya, brought the award and personally presented to him.

Holger Knaack who is also the past Rotary International president 2020-21 commended the contribution of Rajendra K. Saboo since the inception of the Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio from the world at a time in 1981 to 1983 when he was on the Board of Rotary International as one of the Directors.

He was instrumental in the initiation of the National Immunisation Day for nation-wide polio immunisation of children below 5 years, in the country, besides working relentlessly in the transportation of the polio vaccine from abroad and maintenance of cold chain through Rotary volunteers who participated with the government health authorities in reaching out to the people pan India.

He reached out to the polio-afflicted population in different parts of the world and in fact organised special international medical mission to various African countries for conducting orthopedic corrective surgeries for polio victims.

Holger Knaack along with other senior Rotarians presented the citation and a crystal to past Rotary International Saboo, describing him as a Champion of Polio-Free India.

District Governor of Rotary International District 3080 Rtn Ravi Prakash said the Rajendra K. Saboo and his wife Usha Saboo's contribution to the Rotary world had been immense not only in spearheading the movement to eradicate polio from the world and in India, but also in establishing Rotary Peace Centres in the world, taking medical missions to African continent, and other countries.