ARVIND KEJRIWAL

INDIA' NEW SUNSHINE REVOLUTION

- A PUBLIC TALK AND DISCUSSION WITH MAGSAYSAY AWARD WINNER ARVIND KEJRIWAL

THURSDAY, OCT 19, 2006 @ 6:00PM
100 PORTER HALL , CARNEGIE MELLON UNIV,PITTSBURGH

The event is free and open to all

In the post 9-11 age, we are witness to increasing secrecy in the corridors of power belying the public's right of access to information. Still, the US Freedom of Information Act remains a model for much of the rest of the world - It is occasion to celebrate then, that civil society organizations in India recently achieved a major breakthrough with the passage of the Right to Information Act (RTI) - the Act promises to be a strong tool to usher in bureaucratic accountability and good governance. Please join us to hear India's most prominent RTI activist speak and engage us in a dialogue about the importance of open government and the people's right to know.


About Arvind Kejriwal: -------------------------- *Arvind Kejriwal* is an Indian social activist and crusader for greater transparency in Government. He was awarded Ramon Magsaysay Emergent Leadership award in 2006 for activating India's Right to Information movement at grassroots and social activities to empower the poorest citizens to fight corruption by holding the government answerable to the people.

After graduating as a mechanical engineer from IIT Kharagpur in 1989, he joined the civil services in the Indian Revenue Service (1992). Here he soon realized that much of the corruption prevalent in government is owing to lack of transparency in the process. Even while in his official position, he started crusading against the corrupt practices. After several years on Extra-Ordinary Leave from the Government, he resigned his official post and now devotes full time to his work as the founder-head of Parivartan - a Delhi based citizen's movement trying to ensure a just, transparent and accountable governance.

Initially, Arvind was instrumental in bringing in a number of changes to increase transparency in the Income Tax office. Together with Aruna Roy and others, he campaigned for the Right to Information Act, which was passed in 2005. In July 2006, he spearheaded an awareness campaign for RTI across India In the post 9-11 age, we are witness to increasing secrecy in the corridors of power belying the public's right of access to information. Still, the US Freedom of Information Act remains a model for much of the rest of the world - It is occasion to celebrate then, that civil society organizations in India recently achieved a major breakthrough with the passage of the Right to Information Act (RTI) - the Act promises to be a strong tool to usher in bureaucratic accountability and good governance. Please join us to hear India's most prominent RTI activist speak and engage us in a dialogue about the importance of open government and the people's right to know.


About Arvind Kejriwal: -------------------------- *Arvind Kejriwal* is an Indian social activist and crusader for greater transparency in Government. He was awarded Ramon Magsaysay Emergent Leadership award in 2006 for activating India's Right to Information movement at grassroots and social activities to empower the poorest citizens to fight corruption by holding the government answerable to the people.

After graduating as a mechanical engineer from IIT Kharagpur in 1989, he joined the civil services in the Indian Revenue Service (1992). Here he soon realized that much of the corruption prevalent in government is owing to lack of transparency in the process. Even while in his official position, he started crusading against the corrupt practices. After several years on Extra-Ordinary Leave from the Government, he resigned his official post and now devotes full time to his work as the founder-head of Parivartan - a Delhi based citizen's movement trying to ensure a just, transparent and accountable governance.

Initially, Arvind was instrumental in bringing in a number of changes to increase transparency in the Income Tax office. Together with Aruna Roy and others, he campaigned for the Right to Information Act, which was passed in 2005. In July 2006, he spearheaded an awareness campaign for RTI across India..
Resources
1. 2006 Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership:
http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationKejriwalArv.htm

2. India Together interview with Arvind Kejriwal:
http://www.indiatogether.org/2006/aug/ivw-arvind.htm
3. Right to Information Campaign in India: www.righttoinformation.com
4. NDTV's Right to Information Website: http://www.ndtv.com/rti/default.asp
5. Parivartan: http://www.parivartan.com
6. AID Right to Information Campaign: http://rti.aidindia.org

The talk is hosted by the Association for India's
Development<http://www.aidindia.org/>- Pittsburgh
Chapter <http://pittsburgh.aidindia.org/> and co-hosted by Bharat Uday
Mission <http://www.bharatudaymission.org/new/>

Contact: Geetu Ambwani (geetuji@gmail.com)