International Vegetarian Union (IVU)
IVU logo



Jashu Shah
IVU Council Member 1982-2006
IVU Regional Secretary for Asia, 1986-2006
Joint organiser of the 1993 IVU Congress in Madras
Founder of the Asian Vegetarian Union, President 1999-2008
Organiser of the 2006 IVU Congress in Goa
Fellow of IVU

Jashu informed us that he was present at the first Indian Congress in 1957, and became more involved with the organising committees for the subsequent Indian congresses in 1967 and 1977. He also attended many other IVU Congresses during this time, including the 1975 Congress in the USA.

26th World Vegetarian Congress 1982, Neu-Ulm, West Germany
Elected Members of the International Council: . . . Mr.Jashu C.Shah, . . .

Minutes of a meeting of the International Council of I.V.U. held at the University of Maryland, Catonsville, U.S.A. on the 9th and 10th July, 1983. Present: . . .Mr. Jashu Shah . . .

27th World Vegetarian Congress 1984, Baltimore, USA
Elected Members of the International Council: . . . , Mr Jashu C. Shah, . . .

28th World Vegetarian Congress 1986, Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia
Hon Regional Secretaries: . . . Jointly for India and the East - Mr Jashu Shah and Dr.M.M.Bhamgara, . . .

Minutes of meetings of the International Council of the International Vegetarian Union held at the Hotel Fiesta Americana, Guadalajara, Mexico on 1st and 2nd August, 1987. PRESENT: . . . Jashu Shah. . . .

Minutes of a Meeting of members of the International Council and represetatives of the Israeli Vegetarian Society at the Kfar Maccabiah Hotel, Ramat Gan, Israel on 1st April, 1989. PRESENT - . . , Mr J. Shah,
The Israelis wish to approach regional secretaries and member societies for suggestions for lecturers and subjects. Messrs Lee, Shah and Snijders agreed to do their best to find suitable lecturers etc.

Minutes of meetings of the International Council of I.V.U. held during the World Vegetarian Congress at the Kfar Maccabiah Centre, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv, Israel from 17th - 24th April,1990. Present : . . Jashu Shah, . . . [Jashu appears to have become the sole Regional Secretary by this time]

Minutes of meetings of the International Council of I.V.U. held during the European Vegetarian Congress at Chester College, England on 28th & 29th July, 1991. Present : . . J. Shah, . .
Jashu Shah reported that there was little contact with the East. He said the main activity was concerned with preparations for the next world congress.

30th World Vegetarian Congress 1993, Madras, India
M inutes of meetings of the International Council of I.V.U. held during the World Vegetarian Congress in Madras, India from 5th - 10th January, 1993. Present : . . Messrs J. Shah, [Jashu was joint organiser of the Congress, but we have no records or pictures from it]

31st World Vegetarian Congress 1994, The Hague, Holland

Reports from Regional Secretaries
India and the East - Mr Jashu Shah, the regional secretary reported the situation had been difficult in 1993 due to the riots which limited activity. Nevertheless, there had been a very successful congress in Madras. Action by vegetarians and animal protection groups had led to less slaughter house activity and stray dogs are no longer killed. A major aim of Indian vegetarians is to discourage people from taking up meat eating. Maharaj Bir Singh Ji of the Nanhari Sikhs spoke about the history of the Nandhari Sikhs and their approach to vegetarianism. They support the holding of vegetarian congresses and try to attend them. They offered their congratulations to Veg International on becoming the hosts for the 1998 world vegetarian congress.

Minutes of a meeting of the International Council of I.V.U. held on 25th July, 1995, at the Congress of the European Vegetarian Union held in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Present: . . . Mr Jashu Shah, . . .

from IVU Newsletter, October 1995
Vegetarian Society (Reverence for Life) Bombay, India
The society decided to award a vegetarian of the year award and held a major event in April for this purpose attended by some 800 guests. The national award was give to Smt. Maneka Gandhi and the international was given to Dr Bhiku Jethalal of Canada. Both gave lectures, Dr.Jethalal on medical and scientific aspects of vegetarianism and Smt.Gandhi on moral, economic and environmental aspects. Mr Jashu Shah, regional secretary for India and the East of IVU, was the main organiser of the event. The interest and enthusiasm for promoting vegetarianism is much alive in India. A good thing in view of the Government's desire to encourage more meat consumption.

32nd World Vegetarian Congress 1996, Johnstown, PA, USA

right: photo from the cybercafe

from the program,
Wednesday:
1:45pm - 2:45pm COMMUNITY OUTREACH: MAKING A DIFFERENCE : How to Arrange a Seminar on Vegetarianism : - Jashu Shah
Thursday
11:20am - 12:20pm: Vegetarianism in India - Coordinated by Shri Surendra Mehta and Jashu Shah
7.00pm INDIA NIGHT Cultural Entertainment - Host Jashu Shah

Minutes of a meeting of the International Council of 1.V.U. held at various times during the world vegetarian congress held at the University of Pittsburgh, Pitt-Johnstown Campus, Pennsylvania, USA. : Present: Mr Jashu Shah,

Minutes of the IVU General Meeting
India and The East
Mr Jashu Shah explained that vegetarianism was under attack in India due to Government support of meat consumption, particularly chicken. He had visited Bangkok to encourage support for the next world congress. Mr Shah informed members that Reverence for Life (Bombay) made an international vegetarian of the year award and that earlier in 1996 this had been made to Mr Maxwell Lee.

  • A Report from India, by the Hon. General Secretary, IVU News - Issue 1-1996, with details about Jashu's activities
  • A Thai Welcome, A report on the 1999 World Vegetarian Congress venue by the Hon. General Secretary, IVU News - Issue 1-1996 - from his trip with Jashu.
    right: Jashu, back row, 2nd left, in Thailand

33rd World Vegetarian Congress, Chiang Mai, Thailand, January 4 - 10, 1999

A meeting of the International Council was held on Sunday, 3rd January, 1999 at 2 p.m. at the Lotus Pang Suan Kaew Hotel Chiang Mai, Thailand. Those present were : . . . Mr. Jashu Shah, Regional Secretary
The second session of the IVU Council was held on Friday 8/1/99 at 1.30 at the Lotus Pang Suan Kaew Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Those present were ; . . .Mr Jashu Shah Regional Secretary (India & the East)

The Asian Vegetarian Union came into existence when the 33rd World Vegetarian Congress was held in Chiang Mai in January 1999. At that time the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) and the Vegetarian Union of North America (VUNA) had already been established, however, there was no apex body for the Societies of Asia. The First President elected was Mr. Jashu Shah of India.

34th World Vegetarian Congress, Toronto, Ontario, Canada • July 10-16, 2000

Monday, July 10th : 1:00 - 1:50 p.m. Jashu Shah, International Vegetarian Union councilor for India: The Position of Vegetarianism in India
Sunday, July 16th: 4:00 - 4:50 p.m. Jashu Shah, International Vegetarian Union for India: Position of Vegetarianism in India

IVU GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
Scribe: Jashu Shah was Minutes Secretary for the duration of the meeting. Saurabh Dalal transcribed Jashu's written notes into these minutes.

Mankar Foundation and Trophy
A replica of the original Mankar Trophy was shown and circulated to the attendees. Tina Fox mentioned that the original was made of sandalwood and has become difficult to handle. Jashu Shah (IVU Regional Secretary of India and the Far East) gave a brief history and details of the Mankar Foundation.


The newly elected International Council, with Jashu, front, 2nd left

IVU INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES , JULY 13, 2000 - THURSDAY
08:30 - 10:45 am and 5:00 - 6:15 pm Attendees: . . Jashu Shah, . .

35th World Vegetarian Congress, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, July 8-14, 2002

below: Jashu at the IVU General Meeting in Edinburgh, 2nd photo wth Marly Winckler (all photos below here by John Davis)

v

36th World Vegetarian Congress, Florianópolis - Brazil

  • Jashu Shah - brief intro from the list of speakers, his talk was on 'Jain philosophy of food', Friday 2-3pm (see photo below)

below: Jashu with Mr D. M. Popat, Chair of the organising Committee for the next Congress in Goa

IVU General meeting, Brazil, 10 November 2004
IVU fellows
John Davis presented the background to Council's recommendation that Jashu Shah be elected as a fellow. Jashu first became involved in the IVU in 1957 and by 1967 was secretary of the reception committee for an IVU Congress. In 1977 Jashu stepped in as joint organiser of an IVU congress held in Bombay, Delhi and Madras. In 1982 he joined the International Council and in 1986 became Regional Secretary for India and the East. In 1997 he organised a regional congress and in 1999founded the Asian Vegetarian Organisation. He has been a trustee of many other organisations. Jashu was unanimously elected as a fellow, and thanked IVU, his family and his team in Bombay for their support.

click on photos for bigger images


above, Jashu at his retiring Congress, passing the baton to the new Indian member of the International Council, Shankar Narayam


above: introducing the Indian dancing in the evenings


above: Jashu's final International Council meeting, and IVU General Meeting


above: Introducing Hildi Scholvien for her talk on the next Congress in Dresden

At the 2006 Congress Jashu retired from the IVU International Council after 24 years, and from his 20 years as Regional Secretary for India & the East (which became Regional Co-ordinator for Asia in 1999).
He was President of the Asian Vegetarian Union from 1999 to 2007, and Secretary of The Vegetarian Society (Reverence for Life) for many years. He worked as a lawyer in Mumbai, and passed away on May 9, 2008.