On 15th June, 1988, Company Secretaries in Practise were accorded with the most remarkable recognition of certifying Annual Returns under the erstwhile Companies Act, 1956. Since then the Institute of Company Secretaries of India celebrates 15th June as PCS Day every year.
To commemorate the occasion this year, the Institute organised a webinar on a theme relevant to the present times “Sustaining the Challenging Times: Passion, Innovation & Technology”. V Muraleedharan, Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
Appreciating the preparedness and potentiality of the Practising Company Secretaries, V Muraleedharan said, “PCS has been in existence for over thirty years, this in itself speaks volumes of their resilience and significance to the stakeholders. Company Secretaries have proven their niche in every dimension of legal corridors today, be in Companies Act 2013, SEBI Laws, Arbitration or Insolvency and hence the regulators have shown full faith in the profession.” He further added that “the theme chosen for the day is very apt in the current times, since it is innovation and technology that will drive the 21st century”.
The webinar brought to the fore the profound role of Company Secretaries at every step of the recovery process of the economy, from the unparalleled crisis brought in by Covid-19 pandemic through a series of focused Panel Discussions on:
· CSR: Impact Assessment
· Exploring New Opportunities: Valuation, Arbitration, Labour Laws
· Inspiring to Succeed: Experience, Knowledge, Traits
As part of the celebration, ICSI felicitated 10 senior most Practising Company Secretaries for their immense contribution to the growth and recognition of the profession. The following courses and publication were also launched on the occasion:
· PCS Induction Programme
· Certificate course on Commercial Contract Management
· Certificate Course on Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016
· Crash Course on CSR Impact Assessment for ICSI Members
· Guidance Note on Corporate Social Responsibility
Humbled with the responsibility and faith bestowed on to the governance professionals, CS Nagendra D Rao, President, The ICSI, thanked the Regulatory Authorities and said that “the acclaim has redefined the role of Practising Company Secretaries and has elevated their unwavering commitment in developing a strong and sustainable India Inc.” He also thanked SEBI for recognising PCS to conduct Due Diligence under the SEBI delisting Regulations 2021 under Regulation 10 &21.
Also present on the occasion were CS Devendra Deshpande, Vice-President, the ICSI, CS Manish Gupta, Council Member & Chairman, PCS Committee, The ICSI and CS Ashish Mohan, Secretary, The ICSI, who resonated with the words of the President.
