Sumaira Abdulali
| Sumaira Abdulali | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
22 May 1961 Mumbai, India |
| Residence | Mumbai, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Fields |
environmentalism, Wildlife conservation, Noise Pollution, Sand Mining |
| Institutions | Bombay Natural History Society |
| Known for | Awaaz Foundation, MITRA |
| Notable awards | Mother Teresa Awards, Ashoka Fellow |
Sumaira Abdulali (born 22 May 1961) is an environmentalist from Mumbai, India, founder of the NGO Awaaz Foundation and Convenor of the Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Revenge against Activists (MITRA). She was Co-Chairman of the Conservation Sub Committee and Honorary Secretary of Asia's oldest and largest environmental NGO, the Bombay Natural History Society, and is currently a Governing Council Member.
Through legal interventions, advocacy and public campaigns, contribution to documentary films, television debates and press articles she has successfully mainstreamed and built consciousness about previously unknown environmental hazards, notably noise pollution and sand mining, and has won national and International awards for her work. She also set up the first network for protection of activists in India after an attack on her by the sand mafia is 2004.
Sumaira Abdulali has been called the Indian 'Minister of Noise' by Government officers and by the press.
In 2003, Abdulali filed public interest litigation in coordination with the Bombay Environment Action Group, Dr. Yeshwant Oke and Dr. Prabhakar Rao in the Bombay High Court demanding the demarcation of silence zones. Seven years later, in 2009, the Bombay High Court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to demarcate 2,237 silence zones extending 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions, courts and religious institutions.
In 2006, Abdulali founded Awaaz Foundation, a registered public trust to support her work in environmentalism, named for the Marathi and Hindi word for "noise". She has continued her campaign against noise pollution through litigation, advocacy and awareness programs with pro bono help from legal and advertising professionals and through volunteers. Professionals such as Ishwar Nankani of Nankani and Associates and Josy Paul of BBDO India have been an integral part of her campaign.
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