Fellowship meal with Lions from Ratnagiri at Maharani’s Hampton

In late July 2026 Peterborough Lions were delighted to hear from fellow Lions visiting from India. Lion Parag Panvalkar, MJF, District Activity Chairman in Lions District 3234D1, and his wife Lion Shilpa Panvalkar, MJF, Zone Chairperson in the same district, belong to the Lions Club of Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. After a short tour of Ireland they stayed in Longthorpe with Shilpa’s brother Swapnil Gadkari and his wife Gayatri, until returning home on 7 August.

Lion President Robert arranged a warm welcome so we could share fellowship — and, as our guests had hoped, exchange Lions pins — during their stay.

Rushden Classic Car Show

On Sunday 2 August Parag and Shilpa joined us at the Rushden Classic Car Show, spending about three hours at the event. They travelled independently; with a strong Peterborough Lions turnout on the day, including our minibus contingent, there were plenty of members on hand to greet them. Swapnil and Gayatri were part of that welcome too — “delightful people,” as Lion Robert put it, whom many of us met at Rushden.

Maharani’s Hampton

The culmination was a fellowship dinner on Tuesday 4 August at Maharani’s in Hampton, booked at short notice so it would fit their tight schedule.

Around the tables, Lions and friends shared an Indian evening with our visitors. Group photographs captured the club pennant with our guests, and the pin exchange they had looked forward to from the start — small tokens of friendship between Ratnagiri and Peterborough, and between District 3234D1 and our own district family.

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Thank you

Thank you to everyone who made time at short notice, to Maharani’s for looking after the party, to Lion Robert for opening the door, and above all to Parag, Shilpa, Swapnil, and Gayatri for spending time with Peterborough Lions. We hope our paths cross again in Lionism and friendship.