Seventy years after India attained independence, making the democratic governance deliver remains a challenge for government and the media. The scourge of corruption devastates several sectors, environment, education, health and urban, rural sustainability schemes. It remains a major hindrance to the democratic processes. As an award-winning investigative journalists, my work originates from a burning desire to fight corruption and support deepening of democracy so it can deliver tangible improvement to people's lives. I aggressively use the right to information act to bring nuances to my reports and lay bare the impact of corruption on both rich and the poor.
The President of India, while conferring on me this year's Indian Investigative Journalist of the Year Award underlined my efforts to expose immense damages caused by the polluting industries to environment and health of the people. These reports had exposed corruption in the state industrial monitoring department, forcing government to compensate thirteen workers suffering from asbestosis.
Sometimes, to maintain greater scrutiny on stakeholders I even collaborate with vigilance institutions. Recently, I tied up with the anti-corruption bureau to put pressure on the state for action against three dozen contractors who had siphoned off public funds meant for construction of sewer lines. The prestigious national red ink award, 2014, had acknowledged these efforts.
Having widely battled corruption through my writings, I am convinced the pro-poor delivery mechanisms in India are fraught with abnormalities in the absence of a strong Ombudsman. Currently, anti-corruption institutions operate in advisory roles because a clearance to the draft lokpal bill, which aims to appoint a central ombudsman has been withheld by the parliament.
It is my hope dedicated reporting effort in this direction will soon lead to a breakthrough in adaption of an ombudsman. On a more personal level, I plan to complete my ongoing studies in administrative law and later pursue a doctorate with a focus on the functioning of ombudsman in global democracies.
The chevening fellowship will provide me the right tools to be the strong advocate and champion of these anti corruption causes. It is a life-time opportunity to analyse the role of strong supervisory agencies operating in the united kingdom, a global cradle of parliamentary ombudsman having high ethical standards in public services. I am excited at the prospect of learning from landmark british laws, such as the british bribery act, which establish liability for corruption committed anywhere in the world.
By interacting with britain's leading democratic institutional experts, will help me shape an informed coverage of corruption issues back home, influence policy decisions concerning those on the periphery of the Indian society. The opportunity to closely debate and learn from transparency experts, anti-corruption activists, and foreign journalists from across the border will help me redefine my writings, which currently are only able to grasp the limitations of the Indian institutions.
Finally, I believe the fellowship will be an invaluable experience, one that would make me a better journalist and a champion of anti-corruption causes in the future.
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