Ref. : ER/Press/’04/dG/mdslife.20

Lifetime Contribution Award for Prof. Manubhai Shah

Prof. Manubhai Shah, the septuagenarian consumer activist and Chairman Emeritus, Consumer Education and Research Centre, Ahmedabad, was honoured for his lifetime contribution to the Consumer Movement in India at an impressive ceremony at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on World Consumer Rights Day early this week.

Distinguished representatives from Indian and foreign organisations, including funding agencies, attended the function. They included a representative from Consumers International - Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (CI ROAP), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which is the regional office of the London-based Consumers International (CI), a federation of 250 consumer organisations in 115 countries.

The two other recipients of the Award were Mr. H. D. Shourie (92), of Common Cause, New Delhi, and Ms Kailash Rekhi (82), of the Mahila Dakshita Samiti (MDS). Prof. Shah and Mr. Shourie could not attend the function, the latter for health reasons.

Prof. Shah was represented by Prof. J. P. Singh, a Trustee of CERC and professor, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A). The function was presided over by the Chief Secretary, National Capital Territory. Ms Satwant Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, was present.

The Award along with a silver plaque was given on behalf of the Governing Council of the Consumer Coordination Council (CCC), New Delhi, and its member organisations. The Citation to Prof Shah, recalling his many-faceted contributions to consumer protection and empowerment, said, “The name of Prof. Shah has become synonymous with CERC. It is entirely due to his initiative that CERC became the first consumer organisation in Asia, barring Japan, to be equipped with an in-house comparative consumer product testing laboratory, which tests foods, beverages and drinking water, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and domestic electrical appliances against Indian and foreign Standards and recommends the `Best Buy’ for the consumers through informed choice. Prof. Shah is also responsible for the publication of the aptly named magazine `Insight’ which publishes the results of the comparative testing for wide publicity among consumers.”

Mr. Shourie, founder of the people’s group, Common Cause, triggered judicial activism through a number of public interest litigations (PILs). Ms Rekhi is the founder of the women’s group, Mahila Dakshita Samiti, recognised as one of the first people’s organisations in the country to take up the cause of the consumer.

Date : 20 March 2004
Place : Ahmedabad

Pritee Shah
Editor
INSIGHT - The Consumer Magazine

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Opinions, test results and research findings issued through this Press Release cannot be used in any form directly or indirectly for advertising, promotional or commercial purpose.

CONSUMER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE
“Suraksha Sankool”, Thaltej, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad- 380 054 (INDIA)
Phone: 079-27489945-46 Fax: 079-27489947
E-mail: cerc@wilnetonline.net
Web Site: http://www.cercindia.org
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