Chandrika Prasad Srivastava, secretary-general emeritus of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and member emeritus of the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) governing board recently passed away.
Dr Srivatava was instrumental in establishing the IMLI in Malta in 1988 and remained one of the strongest supporters of the institute until his last moments. Dr Srivastava and parliamentary secretary Joseph Fenech signed the agreement establishing IMLI on May 13, 1988.
Early in his career, he found his forte in the field of seafarers training and welfare. During 1947 and 1948 he was the prime mover in the establishment of a network of new maritime training institutions, which have since produced world-class maritime personnel, greatly facilitating the growth of Indian shipping in the years following Independence.
After a stint at the Directorate General of Shipping, he was appointed chief executive of the Shipping Corporation of India, which he built up to one of the world’s biggest and most successful shipping companies.
In 1974, he was elected IMO secretary-general, and was re-elected unanimously for three successive four-year terms, serving until his retirement in 1989. He recognised the importance of the human element to ensure safety and efficiency in international shipping and played a pioneering role in establishing the International Maritime Academy in Italy and the IMLI in Malta.
He was the founding father and also the first Chancellor of World Maritime University, which was founded in 1983 to address a pressing need for trained maritime professionals in the developing world.
He was the inspired prime mover in the development of the concept of the World Maritime University and the IMLI, and in the immense job of planning, negotiating, fundraising, organising and implementation that was required to take a vision and turn it into a reality.
Just before his retirement from his post as IMO secretary-general in 1989, the IMO assembly, meeting for its 16th session, unanimously adopted a resolution noting his retirement with regret and recording his services to IMO member states. The resolution noted that, throughout his tenure, which comprised four successive terms and lasted 16 years, Dr Srivastava rendered exceptionally meritorious services to the organisation with total commitment to its ideals and objectives.
In 1990, in recognition of his service and contribution to world shipping, Queen Elizabeth II conferred on to Dr Srivastava the title of Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (KCMG).
In 1991, he received the International Maritime Prize from the IMO for his contribution to the organisation’s work and objectives.
IMLI director David Attard, faculty and staff express their heartfelt condolences to his family for the loss. Dr Srivastava will be always missed.
This is an edited extract from IMLI e-News (vol. 10, issue no. 46), the IMO International Maritime Law Institute Official electronic newsletter.