Norma Alvares

Norma Alvares
Alvares at FIAPO bootcamp, 2017
Born (1951-04-28) 28 April 1951
Occupations
  • Advocate
  • social worker
  • environmental activist
Known forGoa Foundation
Spouse
(m. 1977)
Children3, including Rahul Alvares
Awards

Norma Alvares (born 28 April 1951) is an Indian senior advocate, social worker and environmental activist based in Goa.[1][2]

Early life

Norma Alvares was born on 28 April 1951 in Bombay, Bombay State, India.[3] She graduated in law from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai and entered environmental activism.[4]

Career

Under the aegis of the environmental action group Goa Foundation that was started by Alvares' husband, Claude, she initiated a public interest litigation (PIL) in 1987 to save the sand dunes of Goa, the first ever PIL filed in the state.[4] She has been involved in over 100 PILs[5][6] and has served as an amicus curiae.[7]

Her efforts are reported in winning a favourable court order for blocking a DuPont factory and in another one which restricted the mining activities in Goa.[4] She is the president of the Goa branch of People for Animals[8] and is the founder of Other India Book Store[9] and Other India Press.[10]

Alvares was designated as Senior Advocate by the Bombay High Court in 2024.[11]

Personal life

She married Claude Alvares, an environmentalist, on 15 October 1977.[3] The couple currently resides in Parra, Goa with their three sons, Rahul, a herpetologist, Samir, and Milind.[12]

Awards and accolades

Alvares was honored by the Government of India, in 2002, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.[13] The Government of Goa honoured her with the Yashadamini Puraskar in 2001.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Mediation gives women a voice in justice system: Norma Alvares". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  2. ^ "India Inspires". India Inspires. 2015. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Norma Alvares - Session 01". catalogue.archives.ncbs.res.in. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  4. ^ a b c "Livemint". Livemint. 9 August 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Goa Foundation". Goa Foundation. 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  6. ^ "Down to Earth". Down to Earth. 11 April 2012. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Amicus Curiae". Down to Earth. 20 April 2012. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  8. ^ "PFA Goa". PFA Goa. 2015. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  9. ^ "Other India Book Store". Other India Book Store. 2015. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  10. ^ "About Us". Other India Book Store. 2015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  11. ^ "5 Goa advocates get senior status". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  12. ^ "India Inspires". India Inspires. 2015. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  13. ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Padma Awards. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  14. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)