The Ahmedabad chapter formally came into existence in 1982. Earlier it was known as Gujarat chapter and Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Rajkot were the nerve centres of the activities. In late seventies, Mr Hasmukh Shah, then PR Manager with IPCL (who became chairman of IPCL later on) was the one of the founder members of Gujarat chapter with Mr Suarshan Desai and .Mr Jay Mande.
The Ahmedabad Chapter has grown from time to time under the leadership of Mr Dhananjay Shah, Mr Bhagwandas Shah of Calico Mills, Mrs Laxmi Nagaswamy, Mr Mukund Kansara, Mr Suresh Buch, Mrs Praxy D’çosta, Mr P R Joshi, Ms Rekha Budhdev and Mr Dinesh Bhagat. It was a golden time for the PR activities. The chapter immensely contributed to the societal developments and emerged as a pro active profession and not reactive profession. The Ahmedabad chapter remained active from 1982 to 1991. Between 1991 and 1996, there was a lull in the chapter.
However, with the support and guidance of Mr. Mukund Kansara and Ms. Rekha Budhdev, the chapter was re-launched in November 1996, under the chairmanship of Mr B L Yadav. Mr Yadav reactivated the chapter and once again the foundation of a strong beginning which was to follow, was laid. Since then the chapter has been slowly but steadily growing.
After Mr. Yadav stepped down, Mr Vivek V. Shah took over the reins and under his leadership (2005-2007) the chapter received two national PR awards in Delhi and Chennai. Thereafter, there has been no looking back and during Mr Bhavesh Upadhyay’s tenure as chairman, the chapter witnessed new initiatives like website launch and awards to distinguished professionals in communication area.
Today the chapter is one of the most active Chapters in the country with several accolades and his chaired by Mr. Vipul Shukla, who took over from Mr. Upadhyay in April 2010. Mr. Shukla has the enviable record of being a National Council Member representing Ahmedabad chapter for the last many years, almost since its re-launch and along with very few senior PRSI members has attended almost all the National Council meetings, which are held every three months across the 30 chapters in the country. Ahmedabad chapter’s presence, thus, has always been felt.
Interestingly Mr. Hasmukh Shah, went on to become National President of PRSI, while Mr. PR Joshi went on to become National Vice President, Western Region. Since 2007, Mr. Vivek V. Shah, is the National Vice President, Western Region. In December 2009, at Chandigarh National Conference his term along with other core office bearers was extended till June 2012.