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)