उतिष्ठत ॥ जाग्रत ॥ प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत ॥
Arise! Awake! Do not stop until you reach the goal.
आत्मानं सततं रक्षेत् ॥ उध्दरेदात्मनात्मानम् ॥
One alone must always save oneself. Save yourself by yourself!
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बंधुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥
We are our own friends and also our own foes.
अनो भद्राह् क्रथवो य़न्थु विश्वथह् ॥
Let knowledge come to us from every direction.
धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः॥
Dharma protects those who protect Dharma.
Post-independence, India has been striving to develop and strengthen its industrial base. In this pursuit of “self-sufficiency,” consumers have had to endure the use of substandard products and services. Adulterated foods, short weights and measures, spurious hazardous drugs, exorbitant prices, endemic shortages leading to black marketing and profiteering, unfulfilled manufacture guarantees and a host of other problems are common.
In the 1960s exploitation of consumers by manufacturers and service providers was rampant in India with a few monopolistic business houses controlling the industry. In one infamous case, 40 persons suffered dropsy and glaucoma after consuming groundnut oil adulterated with toxic argemone oil. The victims did not get any justice from the country and the culprits escaped without punishment.
This outrage energized 9 women to organize a movement to fight and protect consumer rights by establishing the first consumer organization in India the “Consumer Guidance Society of India“, (CGSI) in 1966 to resist the silent suffering of consumers and their exploitation in all forms. After CGSI’s formation, several public-minded citizens and illustrious persons joined their cause over the years.
CGSI carries out its administration strictly as per CONSTITUTION. To date CGSI has about 3000-lifetime members spread all over India with all Managing Committee Members (office bearers) at the helm being unpaid honorary volunteers.
- India’s first Consumer Organization established in 1966!
CONSUMER GUIDANCE SOCIETY OF INDIA (CGSI)
Block J, Azad Maidan, Opposite Cama Hospital, Mahapalika Marg, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Maharashtra, India.
E-mail: cgsibom@gmail.com; Helpline E-mail: mah.helpline@gmail.com Website: www.cgsiindia.org
Toll-Free Helpline: 1800 – 222262. Landline Telephone: +91-22-2262 1612 Cellular: 8591373571 / 8591375883 / 8591398781.
The Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860: Ref. No. BOM 33 / 1966 GBBSD 04/04/1966 and
The Bombay Public Trusts Act XXIX of 1950: Reg. No. F – 1381 (BOM) 20/05/1966