Edu-leaders

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the leading United Nations agency for Information and Communication Technology, has decided to confer the 2011 ITU World Telecommunication and Information Society Award to Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations, in recognition of his dedication to promoting ICTs as a means of providing a better life for humanity and social and economic empowerment.

The ITU will be celebrating its 146th anniversary on May 17 this year by recognizing eminent personalities who have made significant contribution in using ICT for social development to unleash the digital revolution.

Pitroda is the first Indian to receive this prestigious award. He is currently undertaking several initiatives to realise the inclusive growth agenda of the Government by leveraging ICT. He is also widely considered to have been responsible for India’s telecommunications revolution and has been a leading campaigner to help bridge the global digital divide.

Pitroda is involved in shaping the country’s policy on rural broadband connectivity to enable a move to the next generation of ICT infrastructure with a focus on open government and democratisation of information for improved governance and transparency.

Announcing the award, ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré lauded Pitroda’s work for leadership and dedication towards promoting ICTs as a means of providing a better life through global sustainability and bridging the digital divide.

The awards will be presented on May 17, 2011 at 11 am in a ceremony at the ITU headquarters in Geneva as part of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day celebrations.