Chandrika Prasad Srivastava
Born 8 July 1920 · Uttar Pradesh
Died 22 July 2013
Led the International Maritime Organization as Secretary-General from 1974 to 1989.
🔔 Add birthday reminderChandrika Prasad Srivastava IAS (Retd.) was an Indian civil servant, international administrator, and diplomat.
✨ A detail that surprised us
Chandrika Prasad Srivastava was the first Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization from a developing country, serving an unprecedented 16 years from 1974 to 1989.
1. 🌊 Born in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh in 1920, Chandrika Prasad Srivastava’s journey took him from a religious Kayastha family to becoming the longest-serving Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, transforming global maritime governance forever.
2. In 1949, he entered the Indian Administrative Service, embarking on a civil service career that would place him at the heart of India’s post-independence bureaucratic evolution.
3. 🚢 From 1966 to 1973, Srivastava was the first chief executive of the Shipping Corporation of India, shaping it into one of India’s most successful public sector companies and catching the attention of the international maritime community.
4. Between 1964 and 1966, he worked closely as joint secretary to Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, navigating the corridors of power during a pivotal era in India’s history.
5. 🌍 In 1974, he was unanimously elected Secretary-General of the IMO in London, becoming the first from a developing nation to hold the post and steering the organization for 16 years until 1989.
6. Srivastava revolutionized the IMO by democratizing its membership from 86 to 134 countries, empowering developing nations and elevating maritime workers’ rights worldwide.
7. 🎓 He founded the World Maritime University in Sweden (1983) and the International Maritime Law Institute in Malta, institutions that radically expanded maritime education access to the developing world.
8. ❓ How did a civil servant from Uttar Pradesh turn an elite maritime body into a global platform that balanced power between rich and developing countries, reshaping the future of international shipping?
Awards & Honours
- 🏅Padma Vibhushan
🔍 One thing most people don't know
In 1972, Srivastava was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his role in making the Shipping Corporation of India a leading public sector enterprise, a rare civilian honor for a bureaucrat focused on maritime affairs.
🖼️ Through the Years
📅 The Journey
🗝️ Discoveries
🎥 Speeches & Recordings
Sir CP Srivastava (how Shri Mataji saved sick young boy - Piccadilly Circus London 1974) Sahaja Yoga
YouTube📖 Curated Sources
🌱 What changed because of them
Srivastava fundamentally altered the International Maritime Organization by expanding its membership from 86 to 134 nations, giving developing countries equal influence in maritime governance. He also established key institutions like the World Maritime University and International Maritime Law Institute, which trained maritime professionals worldwide, especially from the developing world, thereby democratizing maritime expertise and shaping global shipping regulations for decades.
💬 Social Buzz
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