Global silk body elects Indian as Secretary General

ISC – Background:

The ISC is an inter-governmental organization of silk producing countries, stationed at Lyon, France. The genesis of ISC dates back to June 1948, when the VII International Sericulture Congress was organized in Alès, whose aim was to re-launch sericulture world-wide, after the Second World War.  The permanent commission of ISC was instituted through a convention held at France during 1960. India is one amongst the founding members of ISC.. At present, 13 countries are the members of ISC viz., Brazil, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Romania, Thailand and Tunisia. The primary aim and objective of the ISC is to encourage and promote the development and promotion of sericulture, globally.

ISC has been supporting the development of silk industry in India in the areas of strengthening the R&D activities and acting as a facilitator for sourcing funds from international funding agencies for taking up developmental projects by the Central Silk Board and State sericulture departments.

The prestigious Louis Pasteur Award, being awarded to persons who have done outstanding contribution to global sericulture industry, has been instituted and given away by the ISC. Louis Pasteur Award is considered as the “Nobel Prize” of silk industry and is given once in three years. India has been one of the major recipients of this coveted award and till now, 11 Scientists from India have been conferred with this award for their contribution to the silk industry.

ISC Office would be shifted to Bangalore, India

Ms. Ishita Roy would be assuming the charge of Secretary General for a three year term from January 2013. During this intervening period, the Head Quarters of this prestigious and the sole international organization for silk industry would be shifted from Lyon - the Fashion Capital of Europe, to Bangalore - the Silk Capital of India. The Office would be housed in the Campus of Central Silk Board, at Bangalore.

The global aspirations

• This new opportunity can well be utilized to harness better understanding of technological innovations amongst the member countries to begin with.
• ISC can play more active role in bringing its members, producing, converting and consuming countries much closer on an international forum for bilateral and multi-lateral business beneficial to each other.