It was an event filled with grandeur, pride and honour. The Ceremonial Session of the Annual General Meeting of Indian Red Cross Society and St John Ambulance India was held on Tuesday, the 18th of November, 2014 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan auditorium. Later in the afternoon the Business session was held in the Dr. D. S. Kothari auditorium, DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi.
The ceremonial session was presided over by the Hon’ble President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee who is also the President of both these organizations. Also present on the dias were Shri J. P. Nadda, Hon’ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chairman of both the organizations, Shri Aziz Qureshi, Hon’ble Governor of Uttarakhand, Shri Deepender Singh Hooda, Vice Chairman of Indian Red Cross Society, Dr. (Mrs.) Kamala Gidwani, Vice Chairperson, St. John Ambulance (India) and Dr S P Agarwal, Secretary General, IRCS & SJA (I).
While addressing the gathering of distinguished guests and members of both the organization from the various state and UT branches from all over the country, the Hon’ble President said that these organizations were pioneers and role models for voluntary workers and non-governmental organizations in India.

Acknowledging the immense progress that India has made in addressing the risks of disasters, he glowingly appreciated the contribution of the Indian Red Cross Society in motivating and mobilizing scores of trained volunteers who have assisted the authorities with evacuations, relief and shelter to affected communities. He said that more needs to be done and more vulnerable people need to be empowered to develop the ability to have the security and protection from risks of disease and dangerous forces of nature. He further said that volunteer and skill development and disaster risk reduction work can assist the vulnerable population with swiftness and efficiency. Speaking of the good work done by the St John Ambulance, the President exhorted the youth to take part in voluntary blood donation to the Red Cross, and thus help save many lives. In closing, he quoted Gandhiji and said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”, as he called upon all those present to reflect on these words as well as exhorted all to seriously consider making a contribution – big or small, to support and supplement the noble efforts of the Government and organizations such as the Red Cross and St John Ambulance in the service of the people.

Shri Mukherjee also gave away medals to the members and volunteers of these organizations for their exemplary service towards the humanitarian objectives of the organizations, as well as shields to branches and centres of both organizations for their outstanding contribution in voluntary blood donation as well as organizational development for the years 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Indian Red Cross (Gold Medal)
For 2012-13 - 1. Sh Balakrishna Siddula, 2. Sh Dinesh Gupta
For 2013-14 - 1.Sh Harish L Metha, 2.Dr Dipak Mohanbhai Narola

Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur Gold Medal
For 2012-13 - Sh P S Naidu
For 2013-14 - Sh R K Kher

Jiv Raksha Medal
Sh Bashir Ahmed Sheikh-2013-14

St John Gold Medal
For 2012-13 - Dr Mukesh P Jagiwala
For 2013-14 - Smt Meenakshi Lakshminarayanan

Fund Raising & Membership shields to state & UT Branches (1st Position)
For 2012-13 - State- Andhra Pradesh, UT- Chandigarh
For 2103-14 - State- Andhra Pradesh, UT- Chandigarh

Fund Raising & Membership shields to state & UT Branches (2nd Position)
For 2012-13 - Odisha
For 2013-14 - Gujarat

Blood Donation Shields- For Collection of highest no of voluntary blood
For 2012-13 - Gujarat
For 2013-14 - Gujarat

Blood Donation Shield- maximum blood collection vis-à-vis population
For 2012-13 - Dadra & Nagar Haveli
For 2013-14 - Dadra & Nagar Haveli

St John Membership Shield
For 2012-13 - Haryana
For 2013-14 - West Bengal

St John Training Shield
For 2102-13 - Haryana
For 2013-14 - Haryana

Later in the afternoon, the business session was chaired by the Hon’ble Chairman of IRCS and SJA (I), Shri J. P. Nadda (Hon’ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India). He addressed the members and volunteers of both organisations gathered there and spoke in details about the work done by both organisations since the last AGM. While speaking of the First Medical Responders programme being implemented by IRCS headquarters in 18 most disaster prone he expressed pride at the initiative of the FMRs in the J&K flash floods and said that they were at the forefront of relief and response activities in Uttarakhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, J&K, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam etc. following disasters which struck these states in 2013 –and 2014. He further spoke of the work of the IRCS in providing clean drinking water to the affected people during disasters as also of their work in voluntary blood donations, as complementing the government in the implementation of the health programmes like TB Programme and Measles Catch up programme and the work of the junior and youth wings of the organisation.

He spoke about the important work of St John Ambulance (India) in providing First Aid training along with Red Cross to lay people, students and professionals as well as the ambulance services provided by their brigade wing during important events. He called upon all to get involved in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan as a part of voluntary service and also to participate in promoting voluntary blood donation, so that the country has enough blood through 100% voluntary blood donation.

The Hon’ble Chairman gave away Red Cross Certificates of Merit for 2012-13 and 2013-14 to twelve volunteers and members of Indian Red Cross Society for their distinguished services to the organisation.

Indian Red Cross Award of Merit Certificate

For 2012-13
1.Dr A Sridhar Reddy, 2.Prof. Jesubhai M Naik, 3.Sh N K Arora
4.Sh Satyanarayan Vithaldas Karwa, 5.Mrs Ambeni TCK, 6.Dr. Sushila Dubey

For 2013-14
1.Sh A Pochaiah, 2.Dr Prafull V Siroya, 3.Sh Subhash Chander Bali
4.Sh C B Nema, 5.Sh P Shanmugam, 6.Sh D K Das

Earlier, while welcoming the Hon’ble Chairman and delegates to the Business session of the AGM, Dr. S.P. Agarwal, Secretary General of IRCS and SJA (I) thanked the Hon’ble President of India for holding the Ceremonial session in the Rashtrapati Bhavan Auditorium and shared the programmes and activities being conducted by the National Headquarters through the various branches and centres of IRCS and SJA (I). He later presented the Annual Reports and Annual Accounts of both the organizations for the years 2012-13 and 2013-14. All of these reports and other items on the agenda for the AGM were adopted unanimously.

Speech of the Hon’ble President of IRCS and SJA (I)
Speech of Hon’ble Chairman of IRCS and SJA (I) – Ceremonial session
Speech of Hon’ble Chairman of IRCS and SJA (I) – Ceremonial session (Hindi version)
Speech of Hon’ble Chairman of IRCS and SJA (I) – Business session
Speech of Hon’ble Chairman of IRCS and SJA (I) – Business session (Hindi version)
Speech of Secretary General of IRCS and SJA (I) – Ceremonial session
Speech of Secretary General of IRCS and SJA (I) – Business session
Photos of Award Presentation by Hon’ble President at the Ceremonial session
Photos of Presentation of Merit Certificates by Hon’ble Chairman at the Business session
AGM Photo Gallery

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