The Indian Red Cross is a voluntary humanitarian organization having a network of over 700 branches

throughout the country, providing relief in times of disasters/emergencies and promotes health & care
of the vulnerable people and communities. It is a leading member of the largest independent
humanitarian organization in the world, the International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement.

The Mission of the Indian Red Cross is to inspire, encourage and initiate at all times all forms of
humanitarian activities so that human suffering can be minimized and even prevented and thus
contribute to creating more congenial climate for peace.

Origin of Indian Red Cross Society

During the first world war in 1914, India had no organization for relief services to the affected soldiers,
except a branch of the St. John Ambulance Association and by a Joint Committee of the British Red
Cross. Later, a branch of the same Committee was started to undertake the much needed relief
services in collaboration with the St. John Ambulance Association in aid of the soldiers as well as
civilian sufferers of the horrors of that great war. 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, 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 .

On 7th June 1920 , fifty members were formally nominated to constitute the Indian Red Cross Society
and the first Managing Body was elected from among them with Sir Malcolm Hailey as Chairman.

Indian Red Cross Society is a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement. Relations between the IRCS and the India Delegation of the Federation are strong.

Indian Red Cross Society has partnership with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, St.John
Ambulance, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IFRC), International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC ), Multinational firms. Individuals and others in supporting IRCS
activities. It also coordinates with Indian Government and other agencies ( UNDP, WHO etc )

  n Tamil Nadu

 
   Youth Red Cross (YRC) in Tamil Nadu has seen a tremendous and phenomenal growth in a short
span of six year.The  membership has increased from a meager 37,000 to 7 lakhs, the number of
colleges to start YRC unit has grown from 140 to 852.  Now the Number of Universities are 13
including Arts & Science Colleges, Engineering Colleges, Polytechnic Colleges, Para Medical Colleges,
Law & Agriculture Colleges .Under the each university the Vice-Chancellor will be the monitor.  Under
whom the Co-ordinators (University Level) District Organizers (District Level) Programme Officers
(College Level) will be the functionaries of the YRC unit.
 
 
No. of colleges enrolled:   Over 800 &
Membership:    Seven Lakhs.

Who We Are :
   
•Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) was established in 1920 under the Indian Red Cross Society Act and incorporated
under Parliament Act XV of 1920. The act was last amended in 1992 and of rules were formed in 1994.
 
•The IRCS has 35 State / Union Territories Branches with their more than 700 districts and sub district branches.
 
•His Excellency The President of India is the President and Hon'ble Union Health Minister is the Chairman of the
Society.
 
•The Vice Chairman is elected by the members of the Managing Body.
 
•The National Managing Body consists of 19 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.
 
•The Managing Body is responsible for governance and supervision of the functions of the society through
a number of committees.
  
•The Secretary General is the Chief Executive of the Society

Red Cross Emblem

   
Red Cross on a white background, is the Emblem of Red Cross, recognized in 1864 as the distinctive
sign for medical relief teams on the battle field.
In the Russo-Turkish war the Ottoman empire used a Red Crescent in place of the Red Cross.
Egypt too opted for the Red Crescent while Persia chose a Red Lion on a white background.
These symbols were written and accepted into the 1929 Geneva Conventions.
The IRCS adopted RED CROSS as its emblem.
The National Society make use of the emblem as an indicative device in peacetime and
during armed conflicts within the limits stipulated in national legislation, the regulations and its statutes
only for activities consistent with the principles set out by International Federation of the Red Cross
and Red Crescent.
During the General Assembly and the council of Delegates in November 2005 at Geneva,
Red Crystal has been adopted as another emblem for the Red Cross Red Crescent movement.

Activities going on in india:

1.IRCS AP State Branch established 8 Blood Banks and 66 Blood Storage Centers and aims to complete

establishment of remaining by the end of March, 2009.

2. We average 500 to 600 transfusions a month at our vidhyanagar center. A We currently provide free transfusion eve

month for,

• 450 Children in the age group of 2 to 12 years and

• 80 to 90 Adolescents in the age group of 13 to 24 years

• 1 to 2 transfusions for Adults in the age group of 40 – 50 years

NEWS
    
Pakistan Floods
27.08.2010
Unprecedented floods in Pakistan are ravaging vast areas and
bringing in great of miseries to the population. Indian Red Cross
Society, a part of the International Red Cross Red Crescent
Movement, has offered two trained personnel to be a part of the
Regional Disaster Response Team (RDRT). This team has been  
constituted with the well trained and best performing workforce
from the Red Cross Red Crescent national societies in the
region.The trained members are awaiting deployment by South
Asia Regional Delegation of the International Federation for
Pakistan Flood Relief operation. More»

Red Cross Relief to Leh  

13.08.2010
Indian Red Cross Society has responded to the
cloud burst in Leh on 5th - 6th August, 2010
which has claimed 175 lives so far and left
over 300 missing. Dr. S.P. Agarwal, Secretary  
General of the Indian Red Cross Society accompanied Chairman
of the Society and Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri
Ghulam Nabi Azad to Leh the following day to assess the damage
and the immediate needs of the affected people. More»

WATSAN Unit becomes Operational

19.08.2010
Dr. S.P. Agarwal, Secretary General paid a second visit to the devastated
town of Leh on 16th – 17th of August to review the relief work being done
by the Red Cross team consisting

of staff and volunteers from Leh, Jammu & Kashmir State Branch, Srinagar and the National
Headquarters. The Secretary General witnessed the rescue, search and transportation of dead and
injured in which Red Cross teams are assisting local authorities.More»

Red Cross Diploma to Disaster Managers

23.07.2010
Indian Red Cross Society today conferred diploma upon 72 successful
participants of the one year part time PG Diploma Course in Disaster
Preparedness and Rehabilitation.

The course is being run by the Indian Red Cross Society since 2006. The course participants belonged to
2007-08 & 2008-09 batches. “The Society embarked upon the onerous task of creating a cadre of
disaster managers in the year 2006. More»