Indian Red Cross Society

History

During the First World War relief services for affected soldiers in India was provided by a branch of the Joint War Committee, a collaboration between the St John Ambulance Association and the British Red Cross. On 3 March 1920, a bill was introduced to the Indian Legislative Council by Sir Claude Hill (a member of the Viceroy's Executive Council who was also Chairman of the Joint War Committee in India) to constitute the Indian Red Cross Society, independent of the British Red Cross. The Bill was passed as the Indian Red Cross Society Act, 1920 on 17 March 1920, and became Parliament Act XV of 1920 with the assent of the Governor General on the 20 March 1920.

On 7 June 1920 fifty members were formally nominated to constitute the Indian Red Cross Society from members of the Indian branch of the Joint War Committee. The first managing body was elected from among them with Sir William Malcolm Hailey as chairman.

Red Cross parcels

PoW parcels supplied by the Indian Red Cross Society during WW2 contained:

• 8 ounces fruit in syrup
• 16 ounces lentils
• 2 ounces toilet soap
• 16 ounces flour
• 8 biscuits
• 8 ounces margarine
• 12 ounces Nestlé's Milk
• 14 ounces rice
• 16 ounces pilchards
• 2 ounces curry powder
• 8 ounces sugar
• 1 ounce dried eggs
• 2 ounces tea
• 1 ounce salt
• 4 ounces chocolate

Post War

In 1947 some of the IRCS assets were provided to found the Pakistan Red Cross Society, now the Pakistan Red Crescent Society.

The act governing the IRCS was last amended by The Indian Red Cross Society (Amendment) Bill, 1992.