People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), as it is widely known, was born when the emergency rule had eclipsed the freedom enshrined in the Constitution of India. As darkness enveloped the country and the people waited for a ray of hope, a band of freedom lovers came together under its banner to expose the civil rights violations and secure for the victims such redress as was possible in the prevailing circumstances. It was a task that called for courage and dedication. The People’s Union for Civil Liberties leadership proved itself capable of taking up the task.