Aruna Raje

A social activist who catalyzed India's first food safety law through a landmark public interest litigation

Aruna Raje (born 1952) is an Indian social activist whose relentless efforts led to India's first comprehensive food safety legislation. In 2011, she filed a landmark public interest litigation (PIL) before the Supreme Court of India following the tragic death of 23 school children in the Kedarnath area due to consumption of contaminated food. Her petition argued that India's food safety regulations were outdated and insufficiently enforced since the 1960 Food Products Order.

Through her legal advocacy, Raje successfully compelled the government to establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and enact the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. This legislation introduced modern food testing protocols, mandatory labeling requirements, and stricter penalties for adulteration. Her work has been featured on BBC and NPR, highlighting her role in transforming India's food regulatory framework.

Raje's approach combined grassroots campaigning with legal strategy, organizing food safety workshops across 12 states and training over 5,000 volunteers. Her 2013 report Food Safety in India: A Silent Crisis became a critical policy document, cited in parliamentary debates and UN reports on public health governance.