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INDIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY

INDIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY

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WHY IN NEWS

The President of India, Smt.Droupadi Murmu presided over the ceremonial session of annual general meeting of Indian Red Cross Society.

About Indian Red Cross Society

  • The Indian Red Cross is a voluntary humanitarian organization and has a network of over 1100 branches throughout the country.
  • It is a leading member of thelargest independent humanitarian organization in the world,the International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement.
  • The organisation works by providing relief in times of disasters/emergencies and promotes health & care of the vulnerable people and communities.
  • Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) was established in 1920 under the Indian Red Cross Society Act.
    • It was incorporated under Parliament Act XV of 1920.
  • The IRCS has 36 State / Union Territories Branches.
  • The National Managing Body consists of 18 members.
    • The Chairman and 6 members are nominated by the President.
    • The remaining 12 are elected by the state and union territory branches through an electoral college.

History of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

Young Swiss businessman, Jean Henry Dunant, after seeing the conditions of wounded soldiers in the battle field of Solferino, Italy in 1859 during the Franco – Austrian war, arranged relief services with the help of the local community immediately.

  • He, later, wrote the book ‘Memory of Solferino’ suggesting that a neutral organization be established to aid the wounded soldiers in times of war.
  • Just a year after the release of this book, an international conference was convened in Geneva to consider the suggestions of Henry Dunant.
    • And thus the Red Cross Movement was born.
  • International Red Cross Movement was established by Geneva Convention of 1864.
  • The name and the emblem of the movement are derived from the reversal of the Swiss national flag.

Origin of Indian Red Cross Society

  • A bill to constitute the Indian Red Cross Society, Independent of the British Red Cross, was introduced in the Indian Legislative Council on 3rd March 1920 by Sir Claude Hill.
  • Sir Claude Hill was a member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council who was also Chairman of the Joint war Committee in India.
  • The Bill was passed on 17th March 1920 and became Act XV of 1920 with the assent of the Governor General on the 20th March 1920.
Source: PIB, indianredcross.org