The Journey to form an ASSP Gujarat Chapter began in 2012 for activities to promote ASSP Membership. The task force was formed to take the flag across the Gujarat State of India. Since then, several TFC meetings, and technical get-to-gather seminars and symposia were organized under the umbrella of ASSP.
With the consent from 51 members and the ASSP Global Region IX VP and the Area 3 Director, an ASSP Gujarat Chapter launching ceremony was conducted on February 10, 2019, Sunday. The program was attended by eighty (80) HSE Professionals from various industries of the Gujarat State including dignitaries from local industry and business community; just to name a few; Pravin Parikh, CEO, Trivedi Associates, Pradip Parikh, Owner, Parikh Associates and Hemant Shah CEO, Shanti Consulting Engineers, Approved Cylinder Testing Shop and Suruchi Industries CCOE approved Emergency Kit.
The program begun with the introduction of the activities held by the founder members in last three years as foundation for formation of the chapter. Volunteer endeavors of HSE professionals; have created interest in large number of industries in the state. The program included a talk by Jitu C. Patel, ASSP Global Ambassador and “ASSP Kuwait chapter journey as world’s role-model chapter” by a Kuwait Chapter volunteer – Devendra Kotecha, who was a member of the Editorial Review Board of ASSP flagship journal.
The function was followed by conducting the official ceremony of Installation of the newly selected officers of the ASSP Gujarat Chapter Executive Board, who will form the core of the advocacy in the region. The ASSP Gujarat Chapter, when approved by the ASSP Board of Directors, will be the 5th chapter in India and the 11th in the ASSP Region IX.
Almost eighteen (18) new additional members were inspired and encouraged to join ASSP completing applications on the same day of the launching ASSP Gujarat Chapter, who were announced as the founder members of the chapter.
The program was concluded with the commitment by all attendees to support the prime objective of the ASSP Gujarat Chapter and the supporting role of ASSP-USA under the capable leadership of Utpal Bhavsar as the proposed ASSP Gujarat Chapter President. For example, at a technical meeting ASSP Ambassador Jitu Patel and Devendra Kotecha, Chapter Board Adviser, will address the group on “High Impact HSE Leadership” on February 28, 2019 for benefit of the Chapter Membership and other HSE professionals of cluster of industries around the City of Vadodara. The event will be supported by Director of Industries Safety & Health, Government of Gujarat, India and is to be hosted by a leading industry CEAT Tires Ltd. Likewise; the chapter’s activities will support the enhanced requirement of responsibility of HSE Professionals in the era of fast technological and industrial advancement in India and in the state of Gujarat in particular.