US honours Indian RTI activist Anjali Bhardwaj with anti-corruption champions award

US state department on Tuesday honoured an Indian social activist for exemplifying her role in transparency and accountability and anti-corruption initiatives at home and abroad. The right to information crusader Anjali Bhardwaj was recognized by the Biden administration and awarded with the international Anti-Corruption Champions Award on February 23 for working tirelessly towards her commitments of fulfilling international anti-corruption standards in the face of adversity. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced the Indian socialist as one of the 12 winners for holding up her ideals and deepening the democracy on a global level. Bhardwaj established a foundation by the name of Stark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS), that encouraged citizens with a mandate of promoting accountability in the public and government institutions. For over two decades, she has remained an active member of the right to information (RTI) movement in India. 

“As President Biden has emphasized, our commitment to truth, transparency, and accountability is a mission that we must live at home and exemplify abroad. I commend the dedication of these 12 brave individuals to these same ideals,”  US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a live-streamed ceremonial conference.

“The United States is rebuilding our partnerships, founded on shared principles like the rule of law, and in that spirit, I am proud to launch state department’s international corruption champions awards,” he added in an online remark. 

Read: US Senate Confirms Biden's Choice For UN Ambassador

Read: US Capitol Riots: After Hearing On Jan. 6, Chair Calls For Action

Providing protection to 'whistleblowers'

The 48-year-old Indian woman has been at the forefront of providing protection to the whistleblowers that report the abuse of power and authority via her anti-corruption ombudsman. Announcing the award, Blinken said that the winners “inspire us and so many of their counterparts pursuing these ideals around the world.” Further, hailing the individuals’ contribution, the US state department emphasized that the country uses a range of tools “to promote accountability for corrupt individuals, combat impunity globally, and engage in multilateral fora to fight corruption and strengthen citizen engagement.” In a Twitter post, the US ambassador to India, Donald L. Heflin congratulated Bhardwaj for being named as one of the inaugural by the US state department. The Anti-Corruption Awards are handed out by Transparency International, a global coalition against corruption that recognizes deserving individuals for their bravery and determination in combatting corruption worldwide. 

Read: Proposed US Legislation Would Target Honduras President

Read: US Senate Approves Vilsack For Agriculture Department Again