Consumer Education & Research Centre

Ref. : PR/’06/mrp_m23.p65

The Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Mr. V. Leeladhar, presented the M. R. Pai Memorial Award to”the champion of the consumers’ cause”, Prof. Manubhai Shah, Chairman Emeritus, Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad, at a function at Mumbai on Monday (8 May 2006).

The function was organised by the All-India Bank Depositors’ Association, Mumbai, in association with four other organisations, viz. the Forum of Free Enterprise, Indian Merchants’ Chamber, M. R. Pai Foundation, and Mumbai Grahak Panchayat.

A citation signed by Mr. Dadi B. Engineer, president, All-India Bank Depositors’ Association (Mumbai), and Mr. C. S. Chadha, chairman, Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank Ltd., was presented to Prof. Shah on the occasion. Mr. Chadha spoke about the Award and Mr. Engineer delivered presidential remarks.

The citation, read out by Mr. Ashok Ravat, Secretary, All-India Bank Depositors’ Association, mentioned Prof. Shah’s significant contribution to the core concept of corporate social responsibility and referred to him as one of the conscience keepers of Indian business, which earned him teaching assignments in various prestigious management and administrative institutes.

In the citation, the organisers recalled how he had voluntarily given up his corporate career of three decades to devote full time attention to bringing discipline, methods and systems to the voluntary consumer movement in India. He used his corporate acumen and non-conventional wisdom to create a world-class modern institute and communication technologies and has created state-of-the-science, well-equipped laboratories to evaluate products and services for the benefit of consumers — both affluent and deprived, the citation added.

The institute, CERC, imparts consumer education and acts as a guide-cum-mentor to many voluntary consumer organisations and individuals. “Manubhai is a pioneer in institutionalising relevant studies and research on consumer topics, in creating mass awareness about consumer rights and responsibilities and in protecting consumer interests. This he does by making use of an effective and judicious combination of consumer interest litigations and consistent lobbying for correction in the systems at the political and bureaucratic institutional levels, resulting in the introduction of new legislation and in effective monitoring of regulations”.

The citation added that Prof. Shah has devoted his time, energy, knowledge and expertise to the creation of a countervailing force of united consumers. Realising the inadequacies in the present-day economy in meeting the basic needs of the masses, his current relevant area of focus lies in promoting public interest and consumers’ interest laws to protect the interests of disadvantaged and deprived groups of consumers who would otherwise have no voice.

The organisers expected that the felicitation to a respected, senior activist like Prof. Shah, “who shares the same beliefs with those of the late M. R. Pai, namely that corporate social responsibility and consumer rights are two sides of the same coin”, will motivate the young generation to participate and carry on his crusade of creating a countervailing force of consumers to ensure justice and safety of consumers.

After the presentation of the Award, Prof. Shah spoke in response to the honour conferred on him and Mr. Leeladhar addressed the gathering as the chief guest.

On the death of Mangalore Ranga Pai, an eminent consumer activist and champion of public causes, on 3 July 2003, the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank Limited decided to institute the Award in his memory, to be conferred on eminent consumer activists and journalists, specialising in consumer affairs, or to consumer organisations. The All-India Bank Depositors’ Association, Mumbai, decides on the winner every year.

The first Award was presented in 2005 to Ms Pushpa Girimaji, journalist.

Date : 08/05/2006 Pritee Shah
Place: Ahmedabad Editor Insight-The Consumer Magazine