Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Anshu Gupta win Ramon Magsaysay Award

Whistleblower bureaucrat Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who had initiated probe into alleged scams at AIIMS before being booted out as its Chief Vigilance Officer, and founder of NGO Goonj, Anshu Gupta, were on Wednesday chosen for the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2015.

40-year-old Chaturvedi, an Indian Forest Service officer and currently the deputy secretary of AIIMS, has been selected for the award under the ‘Emergent Leadership’ category for his “exemplary integrity, courage and tenacity in uncompromisingly exposing and painstakingly exposing corruption in public office”

Gupta, who left his corporate job to start Goonj in 1999, has been selected for the award for his creative vision in transforming the “culture of giving” in India and in reminding the world that true giving always respects and preserves human dignity. Goonj collects used clothes and household goods and <g data-gr-id="27">distribute</g> them to the needy. In his reaction to announcement of the award, Chaturvedi, said the <g data-gr-id="37">recognitiion</g> was a “strong morale booster” for honest officers and added that he was able to “survive” only because of an “independent judiciary”.

Chaturvedi said he was hugely disappointed with the PMO and that he had taken action in a number of graft cases allegedly involving “powerful” people, getting inspiration from the Prime Minister’s slogans like ‘na <g data-gr-id="32">khaunga</g>, <g data-gr-id="33">na</g> <g data-gr-id="34">khane</g> <g data-gr-id="35">dunga</g>’ (neither will I take bribe, nor will I allow anyone to take bribe).

“There should be a zero tolerance to corruption and not against honest officers. I am hugely disappointed with the functioning of PMO as I worked with <g data-gr-id="36">policy</g> of zero tolerance as espoused by the Prime Minister. I took this message to heart and took considerable personal risks to break corruption in AIIMS,” he said.

<g data-gr-id="22">Chaturvedi,</g> has been transferred 12 times in the last five years, had taken on land sharks during his stint in Haryana government.