Press Release on International Customs Day 2018 – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Mumbai Customs celebrated the International Customs Day 2018 with a great zeal and enthusiasm on January 27, 2018. The formal function was organised at Y.B Chavan Centre, Nariman Point, Mumbai at 10.00 AM. Shri Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, the Honourable Governor of Maharashtra was the chief guest at the occasion. The Maharashtra Minister for Housing- Shri Prakash Mehta, the Flag officer Commanding-in-Chief, the Western Naval Command Vice- Admiral Girish Luthra and Ms. Zia Mody, the Founder & Managing Partner of ABZ & Partners were the other guests who graced the occasion. The Senior Officers of the Department, Shri Rajeev Tandon, the Chief Commissioner of Customs Zone-I, Shri Vivek Johri, the Chief Commissioner of Customs, zone-II and Shri Amrit Pal Suri, the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone-III were also present on the Dias along with the guests. This year, the World Customs Organization (WCO) theme was “Security of the Business Environment”. Shri Rajeev Tandon, the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone-I, Mumbai, welcomed the Chief Guest and the other Guests and also gave an introductory speech on the subject. Thereafter, the Vice Admiral Shri Girish Luthra and Zia Mody gave their speech on the topic “Security of the Business Environment”.  Shri Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, the Honourable Governor of Maharashtra lauded the Customs Department for its role in preventing smuggling, contraband goods and fake currency entering the country. He also hailed the Department in generating revenue, in nation building and making Indian economy safe and secure. He also laid emphasis on improving infrastructure and simplification of procedure by the Customs Department. The Serving and retired officers and staff were also facilitated by the Honourable Governor.  Among the special awardees Shri Bharat Gade, the Superintendent of Customs, New Custom House, Mumbai who have been conferred the President’s Award for the Year 2018 for his outstanding contribution to the Customs Department was felicitated by the Honourable Governor of Maharashtra on the occasion. The Mumbai Customs Coffee Table Book was also released by the Honourable Governor of Maharashtra.

Further, the cultural programme was organised in the evening at Shanmukhanand Hall, Sion, Mumbai. In this event, several prominent personalities including the Bollywood Stars Shahrukh Khan, Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar, Ranveer Kapoor, Ritesh Deshmukh, Alia Bhatt, Anushka Sharma, Sushmita Sen, Annu Malik, Annu Kapoor, Bappi Lahari were present and enthralled the crowd. The GST Song, sung by Smt. Amruta Devendra Fadnavis, was also launched on the occasion. The Music CD for the same was inaugurated by Smt. Amruta Devendra Fadnavis, Shahrukh Khan, Shri Rajeev Tandon, the Chief Commissioner of Customs Zone-I, Mumbai, Shri Vivek Johri, the Chief Commissioner of Customs, zone-II, Mumbai and Shri Amrit Pal Suri, the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone-III , Mumbai on the occasion.