Senior Advocate Pravin H Parekh has been conferred the third highest Indian civilian honour last Republic day almost two weeks ago.

Parekh, along with 76 others, was awarded the Padma Shri award. He was cited for distinguished service in the field of “public affairs”, according to a press release dated 25 January by the ministry of home affairs.

Parekh commented: “They have taken into account the overall performance in life, not anything specific.”

Asked about the high points of his public life by Legally India, Parekh explained that they probably included his role as trustee of the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), where he was earlier chairman, his efforts in legal aid, being president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for five times and his 10-year-long previous stint as president of the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association.

He had also been active in fighting for the rights of women and children and disadvantaged sections across the country, he said, and is associated with international organisations such as the International Law Association, the International Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the International Institute of Human Rights Society.

About the work of the CERC, he added: “It is not only involved in litigation for consumers but also has labs to test consumer products, as well as publications.”

Parekh’s article titled “Children – voiceless multitude and human rights” is part of his publication “Human Rights Yearbook 2011”, which was inaugurated on 10 December 2010 by justice S.H Kapadia of the Supreme Court of India. Last April he addressed the all India seminar on “access to justice for the socially and economically disadvantaged”.

The function where the president confers the award on him would take place later in March and April, at Rashtrapati Bhawan.