About

About Us

International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement

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 the more congenial climate for peace

President of IRCS TNB

THIRU R.N. RAVI

Ravindra Narayana Ravi is a former Indian bureaucrat serving as the current and 15th Governor of Tamil Nadu. He served as the 18th Governor of Nagaland from 1 August 2019 to 9 September 2021

Who We Are

IRCS Uniform Rules Branches

Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) was established in 1920 under the Indian Red Cross Society Parliament Act XV of 1920. The Act was last amended in 1992 and rules were framed in 1994.

What We Do

Create A Better Future

Day Care Hospital

DAY CARE HOSPITAL is functioning at IRCS TNB premises for the past 25 years and is rendering Health Care Services to the economically and socially downtrodden community.

Blood Bank

Blood Transfusion saves lives but many patient requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood. Now the demand of blood exceeds supply and blood services face the constant challenge of making sufficient blood available.

Disaster Management

One of the main objectives of Red Cross is to protect life and provide immediate relief to the extent possible to the victims of natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, epidemics, famine, drought, earthquakes, fire accidents etc.

Youth Red Cross

The YRC is the most important constituent of its mother organization, Indian Red Cross. It is group movement organized at the initial stages for students between 18 and 25 years of age within the colleges. A qualified lecturer is recognized as the leader and he is called as the PROGRAMME OFFICERS.

Junior Red Cross

The JRC is the student’s wing of the Red Cross Society. It is a students’ movement organized within schools. Pupils who are actively involved in Junior Red Cross activities are known as ‘Juniors’. The Teachers guiding the pupils in JRC activities are called COUNSELLORS.

Artificial Limb Center

The Artificial Limb Centre is rendering services to the various prosthesis and orthotic services and providing free aides to the disabled community for the past 15 years. When amputees access our Centre, more options are available, ranging from Limbs, Bicycle, Parts to Limbs made with sophisticated Technology.

Physiotherapy Centre

Most commonest problems like Back Pain, Shoulder Pain, and various Sports injuries are also treated here and Neurological patients like Stroke Patients, Mentally retarded children are also provided requisite treatment daily.

Society

About Society

Indian Red Cross Society is a Worldwide, well known, universally accepted and admired and internationally identified humanitarian Voluntary Service Organization. It organizes relief and assistance without discrimination to the victims of armed conflicts, endeavors to mitigate and alleviate the human sufferings, wherever and whenever the naturals/man-made disasters cripple the society, work to ensure respect and dignity for human being and serves to promote mutual understanding, friendship and co-operation among all peoples.

Indian Red Cross Society is constituted under the enactment of Parliament Act XV of 1920 and is governed by the New Uniform Rules circulated by the National Headquarters of Indian Red Cross Society at New Delhi. His Excellency the President of India, is the President of the Indian Red Cross Society at National Level. The Hon’ble Union Minister for Health is the Chairman of the Managing Body of the Indian Red Cross Society at the National level. At the State level, His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu is the President of Indian Red Cross Society Tamil Nadu Branch and at District level the District Collector is the President for District Red Cross Branches

The Tamil Nadu Branch of the Indian Red Cross Society was formed on 27th November 1920. The Indian Red Cross Society Tamil Nadu Branch has 32 Districts Red Cross Branches and 89 Taluk Sub Branches throughout the State. The Indian Red Cross Society serves as an auxiliary to the State authorities engaged in Social Welfare activities.

Our Origin

Young Swiss businessman, Jean Henry Dunant was appalled by the condition of the wounded soldiers he happened to see in the battlefield of Solferino, Italy in 1859 during the Franco - Austrian war. He arranged relief services with the help of the local community immediately. He wrote the book 'Memory of Solferino' suggesting that a neutral organization be established to aid the wounded soldiers in times of war. Just a year after the release of this book, an international conference was convened in Geneva to consider the suggestions of Henry Dunant and thus the Red Cross Movement was born. International Red Cross Movement was established by the Geneva Convention Act of 1864. The name and the emblem of the movement are derived from the reversal of the Swiss national flag, to honor the country in which Red Cross was founded.

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, a 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, Tamil Nadu Branch has partnership with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through the National Headquarters and individuals and philanthropists in supporting its activities. In fact, the Indian Red Cross Society is auxiliary to the Government.

7 Principles

Humanity :

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavors, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples.

Impartiality :

It makes no discrimination as to nationally, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavors to relieve the suffering of individuals, being solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

Neutrality :

In orders to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

Independence :

The Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles of the Movement.

Voluntary Service :

It is voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.

Unity :

There can be only one Red Cross Or Red Crescent in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.

Universality :

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which all societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other, is worldwide.

Our Emblem

Red Cross and Red Crescent

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 the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

IRCS