Press Release.

OIPA, International Organization for Animal Protection, is an International Confederation of associations for the animal protection and for the defence of animal rights all over the world. OIPA was founded in 1981 by Milly Shr Manzoli and belongs to the Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. OIPA is a Non Governmental Organization affiliated to the UN Department of Public Information since 1992. The Organizations purpose consists in the defence of animal rights and in the defence of the animals from every kind of mistreatment. It also follows the purpose of improving the public health through the abolishment of any kind of animal experiment throughout the world. The Organization also works for environmental defence, where precarian ecological conditions may damage the human health and animal and vegetal life in their wholeness. The Organization wants to bring its contribute for a better, a healthier and a more human world, for a medical science that is not based on violence, for a more efficient sanitarian structure, for an ecologically clean environment. The activities of OIPA are based exclusively on non-violence and non-infringement of individual personal liberty. International center: Via Barzoni 4 - I - 20139 Milano (Italy) OIPA headoffice: via Passerini 18 - I - 20162 Milano (Italy). OIPA chapter in India pleased to announce following awards for the year 2011-12 on the eve of Bhagwan Mahaveer Jayanti: 1. Best Politician award jointly goes to: A). Shri Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister for Rural development. He has done a lot for animal rights and their welfare during his tenure as Minister for Environment and Forest, preparing draft for Animal Welfare Act, 2011 replacing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. B). Ch. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Chief Minister, Haryana. He has done a lot for cows, introducing Cow Commission in Haryana and to control Cow transportation for slaughtering. C). Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha. D). Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of UP. E). Shri Anna Hazare of Ralegan Sidhi, Maharashtra.

2. Best Activist award jointly goes to: A). Dr. S.K. Mittal, President of the Karnataka Goshala Mahasangh / National CoConvener BJP Cow Development Cell. He has contributed a lot for cows, introducing proper utilization of cow urine and gober / Campaigning against lifting ban on beef export from India. B). Shri Abhishek Kadyan, Media Adviser to OIPA in India / PFA Haryana. He has successfully managed many online petitions / Campaigning for animal rights and their welfare, raised his voice against lifting ban on beef export from India. C). Shri Anil Katariya of SPCA, Ahmed Nagar Maharashtra. He has done a lot to get ban Bullock Cart races in Maharashtra. D). Shri Vikramaditya Singh Bushahr of Delhi University.

3. Best Journalist award jointly goes to: A). Shri Vijay Pinjarkar of Times of India, Nagpur. B). Shri P. Naveen of DNA, Bhopal. C). Shri Navin Dhamija of Punjab Kesri, Faridabad. D). Shri Narender Verma of Shukervar Magazine. E). Shri Shashank Shekhar of Mid Day in Delhi. F). Shri Anupam Thapa of Mail Today in Delhi. G). Shri Anil Sharma of IANS at Jaipur. H). Shri Manish Sirhindi of the Tribune, Panipat. I). Shri Rajesh Moudgil of the Hindustan Times, Chandigarh. All awardees consent required for acceptance and awards may be given in a function to be organized in Delhi on the eve of Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Animal Welfare Board of India. Naresh Kadyan,

Representative of OIPA in India - www.oipa.org Founder Chairman, PFA Haryana www.pfaharyana.in