Milestones

MILESTONES OF AMSHI/ASHI (1928-2011)

1928-29:

  • Ms. Meliscent Shephard launches her work in India with the objective to conduct an investigation into the tolerated vice areas, with a view to their abolition.

  • An extension of AMSH in England was launched in India by Ms. Shephard.

  • Ms. Shepherd requested by the Calcutta Vigilance Association to conduct a survey of ‘Prostitution in Europe, India and China. The survey revealed an urgent need for treatment of veneral diseases among prostitutes.

  • Work started on a war footing.

  • A resolution with the above purpose and a draft scheme submitted to Calcutta Corporation and to the Bengal Branch of British Hygiene Council.

  • Co-operation to fight the menace of venereal diseases sought from other organizations such as YMCA of India and Burma.

  • Ms. Shepherd helped Dr. Muthulaxmi Ayyar in working for the passage of Devdasi Prevention Act.

  • Ms. Shephard worked to help in amendments to Immoral Traffic Act of Madras.

  • Bangalore branch of the Association for Moral and Social Hygiene founded.

  • Children’s Marriage Act got approved by the Governor General.

1930:

  • She made all efforts to convince Mr. Jenkins the Commissioner of Delhi and a modified form of ‘Bombay Children’s Act’ passed in Delhi which also resulted in opening of a children’s court at Ferozshah Kotla.

  • A home Asra Ghar established at Rajpur Road, Delhi.

  • The Punjab branch of the Association inaugurated.

  • Miss Shephard attended the Congress of the All India Women’s Conference at Lahore.

1932

  • Headquarters of the Association shifted to Delhi.

1933

  • A Conference on Social Health organized by the Association.

1934:

  • Questionnaire regarding Purdah system, choice of caste etc. sent to the Directors of Public Instructions throughout India.

1935

  • Work undertaken by ‘AMSH of India’ to help in passage of a bill proposed by Mr. H.S. Gupta titled, ‘Hindu Widows Home Control Bill’.

1936

  • UP branch of the Association formed.

1937

  • The Association registered under societies registration act XXI of 1860 as Association for Moral and Social Hygiene in India (AMSHI).

1939

  • Abhaya Ashram Shelter home for women started in Bangalore.

  • Grant of Rs.5000/- received from U.P. Government.

1940

  • Elections take place with Lala Sree Ram elected as President. Marchioness Linlithgo agrees to be the patron of AMSHI and makes a public appeal.

  • Dr. Zakir Hussain nominated on the AMSHI’s Governing Body.

  • Miss Shephard awarded Kaiser-i-Hind Medal.

1941

  • AMSHI gets affiliated to International Abolitionist Federation.

  • Lala Sree Ram and Sir Maurice Gwyer Chief Justice of India, chosen as President and Chairman respectively of AMSHI.

1943

  • Her Highness the Vicountess Wavel consented to be the patron of the Association.

  • Action against pornographic and obscene literature initiated.

  • AMSHI’s health committee released a booklet on sex hygiene for schools.

  • Through the efforts of AMSHI a joint decision taken by three wings of Military i.e. Army, Navy and Air Force to declare brothels out of bound for all three wings of armed forces.

1946

  • Sir Patric Spen, Chief Justice of India accepted to be the President of AMSHI.

1947

  • Lady Mountbatten consented to become Patron of AMSHI.

  • A Systematic rescue and rehabilitation programme initiated following partition of India.

1948

  • ‘Stree Sadan’ a home for women in Delhi taken over by the Government.

1949

  • A new branch of AMSHI established in Delhi in response to an anticipation of the fact that a large number of women will be trafficked.

1949

  • First All India Conference held in Calcutta.

  • With the ‘model act’ for Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Children becoming operational, AMSHI decides to form special committees in the states. These committees incorporate. Police officers and social workers. The committees identified the short comings in the act and made recommendations to the Government.

1951

  • Bihar branch set up.

  • Andhra Pradesh branch set up at Hyderabad.

1952

  • Emphasis laid on sex education to be included in school curriculum.

1954

  • Punjab Branch established.

1955

  • Maharashtra branch set up at Bombay.

  • Abhayashrama Nursery and Primary school established at Bangalore, Karnataka.

1956

  • Rajasthan branch set up.

  • First Fund Raising Campaign initiated by Mrs. Shakuntala Lall which became a regular feature.

  • Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Child Act 1956 enacted by Parliament.

1957

  • First Education Committee formed.

1958

  • Orissa State branch set up.

1959

BRANCHES SET UP IN:

  • Madhya Pradesh.

  • Madras (now Tamilnadu).

  • Gujarat.

  • Kerala.

  • Financial allocation made to the Association and its branches by the Public Co-operation Division of the Planning Commission.

  • Setting up of V.D. control clinics at Delhi, Meerut, Nagpur and Patna.

1960

  • A three day seminar on the socio-medical aspect of Venereal Diseases organised.

1961

  • Training Programmes organized in the States in collaboration with the Department of Social Defence.

  • Student Counselling centre set up at Delhi University.

1962

  • Goa branch set up.

  • News letter ‘Social Health’ launched at the HQ.

1964

  • Family Life Institute set up with the help of grant from social welfare divison of the Minsitry of Education at Headquarters. Seven other Branches followed.

1965

  • Smt. Mohinder Kaur takes over as President of the Association.

  • Branches set up in Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and West Bengal.

  • AMSHI West Bengal Counselling centre established.

  • Three important Persons joined the governing body: Maharani Mohinder Kaur, Maharani Vijai Rajescindia and Major -General Laxmanan.

1966

  • The Secretary General attended the 23rd International Congress of the International Abolitionist Federation at Rome and presented a paper on the ‘Problems of Prostitution in India’.

1968

  • The Maharashtra Branch added a kindergarten to its welfare home for prostitutes at Kamthipura.

  • Committee set up for amendments to the Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act with a representative of the Association.

  • Haryana Branch set up.

1969

  • AMSHI represented at the 24th Conference of the International Abolitionist Federation held at Paris by Smt. Urmila Devi Masuda and Smt. Veena Duggal.

1970

  • First Short Stay Home established at Calcutta.

1971

  • A multipurpose centre established at Shradhanand Marg, Delhi. The centre had a nursery centre, a craft centre and a typing centre. The centre was later shifted to sadar thana road.

  • Second short stay home started in Gwalior, M.P. as a pilot project.

  • Family Counseling centre started in Gujarat.

1972

  • The Association hosted the 25th International Congress of International Abolitionist Federation.

1974

  • The Association Re-registered under the Societies Registration Act as Association for Social Health in India. (ASHI)

  • Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura branches set up.

  • An Urban Welfare centre established at G.B. Road, Delhi.

  • Multi-purpose centre established at Ludlow Castle Road, Delhi.

1975

  • The Secretary General and Mrs. Sumitra Kapur participated in the ‘Women’s International Year’ celebration at Berlin.

  • Vatsalaya Children’s Home set up at Karnatka

1976

  • The Association lodged a protest against Bill No. LIV of 1975, Mahrashtra Profession of Prostitution (Recognition) Registration and Licensing, (Regulation and control) resulting in withdrawal of Bill.

  • Two volumes on ‘Sex Education’ published named Sex Education- How and Why? For parents and teachers of growing children and for young adults.

1977

  • Maharashtra branch rescued 61 girls from brothels and rehabilitated them.

1978

  • State branch in Andaman Nicobar, Islands set up.

  • Golden Jubilee conference of the Association with special reference to trafficking organized in Delhi.

  • Sheetal Chhaya children’s home started in Delhi.

  • Amba Sadanam Short Stay Home started at Trivandrum, Kerala.

1979

  • Three Short Stay Homes started i.e. Sukh Shanti in Bombay, Ashamahal in Goa and Shantiniketan in Kerala

  • Puducherry branch set up.

  • Balalayam children’s home established in Puducherry.

  • Working women’s hostel started in West Bengal

  • Three crèches started in Puducherry

1980

  • A Socio Economic Project started by the Gujarat Branch.

  • Vatsalya a ‘Family Home’ for destitute children started by the Karnataka state branch.

1982

  • A State Branch established in Arunachal Pradesh.

  • Four Short Stay Homes established i.e. Vasuki Seva Nilayam at Madurai, Shanti Nilayam at Hyderabad, Sanjeevani at Jalandhar and Shanti Neer at Hooghly.

  • Leimacol Short Stay Home started in Manipur

  • Ashiana Children’s Home at Haryana .

1983

  • A Working Women’s Hostel started by Gujarat State Branch.

  • A socio-economic project ‘ASHI Bakery’ started at Bombay.

  • Opening of ‘Jiwan Jyoti’ a centre for rehabilitation and training for Women in distress at ASTA Village, Patna.

  • Four Anganwadi centres established by the Bihar State Branch.

  • Donation of two acre agriculture land and three constructed houses by local philanthropists for Manipur Short Stay Home received.

  • Matri Chhaya Short Stay Home established at Patna, Bihar.

1984

  • Matru Chhaya short stay home started in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat.

  • Mamtha Shishu Mandir started at Karnataka.

1985

  • Working women’s Hostel started in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

  • Family Counselling centre started in Puducherry

1986

  • Started three ‘Jagriti’ Counselling centres in Delhi on Drug Abuse Problems.

  • Family Counselling centre started in Karnataka.

  • Jagriti Drug Counselling centre started in Delhi.

  • Mamta crèche started in Karnataka

1986

  • Opening of New State Branch in Jammu and Kashmir and Sikkim.

  • Establishment of four Short Stay Homes- Nirmal Ashray at Assam, Manglalok Nari Niketan at Tripura, Neha Ghar at Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan.

  • Purchase of 500 square yards land for constructing a building for ‘Sheetal Chhaya’ a home for care and protection of girls in Nehru Vihar, Delhi.

  • Drug de-toxification centre and Mamtalaya Short Stay Home started in Sikkim

  • Nirmal Ashray Short Stay Home and Awalamban a training cum production centre started in Assam.

  • Savera Short Stay Home started in Chandigarh (Punjab)

  • Navchetna Short Stay Home started in Karnataka

  • Manglalok Nari Niketan Short Stay Home started in Tripura.

  • ‘Jagriti counseling centre’ for drug & alcohol abuse prevention started in Delhi.

  • Drug & alcohol abuse prevention Counselling centre started in Rohtak.

1988

  • Started counselling centres for Prevention of Drug Abuse in Goa, Madras, Chandigarh, Sikkim, Agartala, Hyderabad, Pondicherry, Meerut, Ahmedabad, Patna, Rohtak and Ujjain.

  • Diamond Jubilee of the Association celebrated.

  • Sheetal Chhaya State Award to Mrs. Shakuntala Lall, Secretary General.

  • Asian Regional Conference of International Abolitionist Federation in Delhi with ASHI as collaborator.

  • Nasha Mukti Kendra- a de-toxification centre started at Ujjain (M.P.)

  • Amman Deep short stay home started in Andaman & Nicobar island.

  • Kaya Kalp counselling centre started in Bihar (Patna)

  • Arunodayam Drug counseling centre started in Puducherry.

  • Ilaj Ghar a detoxification centre started in Delhi.

  • Drug & alcohol abuse prevention counselling centre started in Tripura.

  • Jagriti counseling centre started in Himachal Pradesh.

1989

  • Sujeevan Counselling centre started in Chandigarh by the Chandigarh branch.

  • Asha Deep Short Stay Home started in Kolkatta

  • Family Counseling centre started in Hoshiarpur, Punjab

  • Indira Gandhi Working Girl’s hostel started in MP

1990

  • Ashwash drug detoxification centre started in Guwahati, Assam.

  • Family counselling centre started in Gwalior, M.P.

1991

  • Sagodari SSH started in Puducherry.

  • Old age home Asha Niketan started in West Bengal.

  • Maya Mog Bhawan Short Stay Home started in Goa.

  • Basera Short Stay Home started in Himachal Pradesh.

  • Sevalaya Shelter Home started in U.P

  • Protective Home Dharamalakshmi Mahalir Seva Nilayam started at Rajapalaym (Kamraj District Branch).

1992

  • Sheetal Chhaya children’s home shifted to its own building at Nehru Vihar, Delhi.

  • Training Cum Production centre started in Tripura

  • Shakuntala Ashram Short Stay Home started in Bug-Bug West Bengal

  • Family Counselling centre started in Faridkot, Punjab.

  • Trichy District Branch started protective home for destitute women for counselling for prevention of drug & alcohol abuse.

1997

  • Nineteenth all India Conference held in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat.

1998

  • A Special condolence meeting for Mrs. Shakuntla Lall organized.

  • A Shakuntala Lall Memorial Fund launched.

1999

  • Ten temporary homes started in Orissa to give shelter to women and children rendered home less (funded by the Ministry of Women & Child Welfare) by the ‘super cyclone’.

2000

  • Navajivana detoxification centre started in Assam.

  • Balwadi centre for children from scheduled caste families started in Amtali, Tripura.

2001

  • A half way home for recovered female mental patients (Mansik Arogyashala) started in Gwalior, M.P.

  • A home ‘Apna Ghar’ started in J&K to give shelter to women and children rendered homeless due to Kargil war.

  • Women’s Helpline started in Trivandrum, Kerala.

  • Working Women’s Hostel started in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat.

  • Anganwadi Workers Training centre (AWTC) started in Bihar

2003

  • Computer course started in Delhi.

  • Women Help Line started in Assam, Maharashtra ,West Bengal and Sikkim

2004

  • Bhumi pujan for the ASHI head office building takes place.

  • Smt. Sheela Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi released the Platinum Jubilee Souvenir.

  • Chauma Village development project launched.

  • ASHI Website launched.

  • Victims of Tsunami provided psychiatric help and also helped to develop income generating capacity (This was done through the joint efforts of Puducherry branch and the ASHI head quarters).

  • Gujarat state branch inaugurated in Baroda district.

  • Setu drop-in-centre for guidance of drug abused persons started in Assam

2007

  • A women’s helpline started in Punjab (Jalandhar)

2008

  • ASHI starts functioning from its own building.

  • ASHI Website revised with a new address.

  • Family Support Services Project launched

2009

  • Dr. Sumitra Srivastava resigns from Secretary Generalship. Mrs. Alka Bipin Sharma elected Secretary General.

2010

  • Dr. Srivastava nominated member of the Delhi State Committee for prevention of trafficking.

  • Project “ANANDA” for the welfare of street children started in Haryana.

2011

  • Prof. Ratna Verma took active part in the deliberations at the UGC workshops on curriculum for family and child welfare.