Shri Anil C. Shah and some of his friends and colleagues established Development Support Centre in 1994. Within a short span of 10 years, DSC gained the recognition of being one of the premier institutions in the country in the field of training and policy influencing for natural resource management programmes such as Watershed Development, Participatory Irrigation Management, and Participatory Forest Management.

In June 2001, Shri Anilbhai completed 75 years devoted mainly to rural development. On this occasion Anilbhai’s children, friends and family members thought of setting up a fund to institute an award to promote the cause of rural development, so dear to Anilbhai. The main objective of this award is to recognize and encourage lesser known institutions or individuals around 45 years of age who can contribute their best for at least 20 more years in the field of rural development.