Mr. Bejon Misra

International Consumer Policy Expert, consumer advocate and activist

Mr Bejon Misra, International Consumer Policy Expert
Visiting Professor, Institute of Management Studies (BHU)

Mr Bejon is the founder of several consumer organisations in India and network with more than 2000 consumer organisations around the world. 

He has been working with Governments at National, regional and international level on consumer protection policies. He is a renowned and active member within Consumers International and worked as a consultant with several UN organisations. Visited more than 30 countries as a member of Indian delegation and also Consumers International on various negotiations on Treaties and Standards. He intends to bring consumer-related issues in developing countries as a thrust area in development and poverty eradication.

Early days

Born in Jamshedpur, India in 1951 and acquired a degree from Senior Cambridge Board and subsequently Degree in Business Management with Marketing as major from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in the year 1971. Started his professional career from Kolkata as a Marketing Executive with TATA Steel in the year 1971 and subsequently became an entrepreneur in Jamshedpur in the Travel Industry & Leasing Business. 

A crusader of Consumer Right Activism

Mr Bejon Misra has devoted 33+ years of his career in the consumer education and advocacy as a volunteer in the Consumer movement in India since 1983 as the Founder Managing Trustee of the Consumer Guidance Society of Jamshedpur. At present, he is Founder Trustee of Consumer Online Foundation and Healthy You Foundation, Chairman of Cell for Consumer Education & Advocacy (CCEA) Society, Founder Director of a not-for-profit Company to promote access to safe and quality healthcare for all called “Patient Safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation”.

He has devoted almost two decades as an International Expert on User (Consumer) Focus, for developing Strategies and capacity building programs in developing countries; on Quality Management Systems for public and private organisations. He has been engaged as a short term consultant with UNDP, UNICEF, UNCTAD, WHO, World Bank, GIZ, British Council, DFID, GAIN & EPOS; working on consumer protection policies and customer-centric culture within the organisation.

A persona donning many hats

Mr Misra is presently the Governing Board Member on the International Alliance of Patients’ Organisations (IAPO), which has official relationship with World Health Organisation (WHO), Council Member of the Quality Council of India (QCI), Board Member of National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) and National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET). He is former Member of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and at present Member of the Central Advisory Committee (CAC) of FSSAI; Served as a member on several Expert Groups on framing Government Policies like the Mashelkar Committee for Review of Drugs Regulatory System and Tandon Committee on the Scientific and Technological Measures to Counter Spurious and Sub-standard Drugs and Diagnostic Centres in India, Government of India Committees on how to tackle the nexus between Diagnostics Centre-Pharmaceutical Companies and the Medical Practioners-Hospitals, Inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee on Misleading Advertisements, Expert Committee on Patient Safety Implementation Program, Expert Committee on the Implementation of the UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection in India, Member Pharmacovigilance and Haemovigilance Advisory Committees & Member National Drug Survey Core Expert Committee, Advisory Board Member of Global Healer LLC, USA and Member of the Consumer Complaint Council (CCC) of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). He is the Publisher and Chief Editor of the English Monthly Consumer Magazine published from Delhi by the name THE AWARE CONSUMER.

He has extensively travelled abroad in more than 34 countries to study issues concerning consumer protection policies as a member of delegations and missions. Attended all the six Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) at Geneva from 2000 to 2003. Represented Consumers International (CI) in various international negotiations as a member and head of CI delegations at various international committee meetings of Codex Alimentarius Commission, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Health Assembly (WHA), Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) & International Conference on Renewable Energies. Represented India as the member of the Indian delegation as a consumer representative at the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL) and ISO meetings abroad. In November 2004 lead the Indian delegation at ISO, TC 126/WG 9 Meeting at Geneva.
He is also the Chairman & Managing Director of a rural hospital project in Uttar Pradesh by the name of New Era Patient Friendly Hospital Pvt. Ltd. and an Enterprise on Consumer Empowerment under Hamara Consumer Dost Private Limited.
 
Awakening People to fight for their rights

Being the Founder Signatory of the Consumer Coordination Council (CCC) and served as the Founder Governing Council Member and Former Chairman of Consumer Coordination Council (CCC), he initiated several innovative projects with support from Government of India; like the JAGO GRAHAK JAGO Multi-Media Campaign and the Consumer Online Resource and Empowerment Centre (core.nic.in). He is member of the first constituted Central Consumer Protection Council (CCPC) New Delhi in 1987 and similarly the First Bihar State Consumer Protection Council in the same year, as per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1986. Since 1983 played an important role in Drafting the Consumer Protection Act 1986, Electricity Act 2003, Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 including rules and regulations.

Published several research papers on consumer behaviour, perspectives, complaint handling mechanisms, accessibility, affordability and quality of service-related issues on Healthcare, Electricity, Water, Banking, Insurance, Telecom and similar for the World Bank, WHO and National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) and Government of India. Recently authored and published several books like “Safety Issues Concerning Storage Water Purifiers”, “Direct Selling: Is It Ethical?” and “Patient Safety and Access to Safe Internet Pharmacies”. Presently working on the subject of “How Technology can play a Role to Empower the Indian Consumer to recognize Safe and Quality Products and Services”; Also working on issues concerning GOOD GOVERNANCE by preparing an INDEX to Measure the MOST Consumer-Friendly State(s) in India and the Most Consumer Friendly Brands in India.

Awards and accolades

Mr Misra was awarded “Distinguished Alumni Award” in 2012 by the Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The World No-Tobacco Day 2013 Award Winner from the South-East Asia Region of World Health Organisation (WHO). He was recognized by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) as a Rural Innovator on improving access to safe drinking water. Conferred with “BHAMASHAH AWARD” for service to the consumers by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in 2013.

*This story is published by VOH Team*

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