New Delhi : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) celebrated its 33rd Foundation Day in New Delhi on October 12, 2026, emphasising the need to strengthen human rights protection in response to emerging global, social and technological challenges.
Established on October 12, 1993, the NHRC has played an important role in promoting and protecting human rights across India. The Foundation Day celebration highlighted the continuing importance of safeguarding human dignity, freedom and fundamental rights in a rapidly changing world.
Addressing the occasion, NHRC India Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian observed that the world has made considerable progress in healthcare, education and living standards. However, he noted that several challenges, including climate change, economic inequality and the vulnerability of marginalised communities, continue to affect millions of people.
Justice Ramasubramanian also drew attention to the growing concerns surrounding digital privacy and surveillance. He highlighted how technological developments can influence public opinion, shape individual thinking and enable the monitoring of people’s activities. These developments, he indicated, have created new challenges for human rights institutions tasked with protecting individual freedoms and privacy.
The NHRC Chairperson stressed that human rights institutions must adapt to changing circumstances, strengthen their institutional systems and improve their functioning to address emerging concerns effectively. He reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that technological advancement and global development do not come at the cost of human dignity, personal freedom and fundamental rights.
The 33rd Foundation Day served as a reminder of the need for continued efforts to make human rights protection more effective, inclusive and responsive to contemporary challenges.
