The National Association of PR Practitioners was established in 1958 to promote the recognition of public relations as a profession and to formulate and interpret to the public the objectives and potentialities of public relations as a strategic management function.

The society functioned as an informal body until 1966, when it was registered under the Indian Societies Act XXVI of 1961, with headquarters in Mumbai. Kali H. Mody, the father figure of professional PR practitioners in India, was the founder President of PRSI from 1966 to 1969.