Journalism Through RTI

Shyamlal Yadav is one of the pioneers of the effective use of RTI for investigative reporting. A part of Investigative Team of The Indian Express, he is also a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Washington DC. He has been part of cross-border investigations like Paradise Papers, FinCEN Files, Pandora Papers, Uber Files, Hidden Treasures, and Cyprus Confidential. His work on polluted rivers, Streams of Filth (India Today, December 30, 2009) was selected by UNESCO as one of the 20 best investigative reports. His reporting like foreign travel of public servants, MPs appointing their relatives as their personal assistants, bank staff putting their own money in Jan Dhan accounts, fake research journals, and honorary doctorates being conferred to people in power and more has made huge impact. He is the only two-time winner of the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism in Investigative Reporting category, and Best Investigative Reporting Award by Asian College of Journalism. Shyamlal has been awarded with the Lorenzo Natalie Journalism Prize, Developing Asia Journalism Award, National RTI Award, and Statesman Rural Reporting Award among others. He has addressed conferences at a range of platforms including Columbia University; London University; and European, Asian and global Investigative Journalism Conferences at different parts of the world and workshops organised for journalists in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Brazil. Besides his investigative work, he keeps writing on other political and social issues.

Foreword. Preface. List of Figures. List of Abbreviations. Acknowledgements. 1. From birth of FOI in Sweden to a legislation in India and Role of Media 2. Contributions to PM Cares Fund 3. A flagship scheme called Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojna 4. Honorary Doctorates and Fake Research Journals 5. Foreign Travels made by Union Ministers 6. Foreign Travels of Bureaucrats of union government 7. Declarations of assets and liabilities of public servants and fight for that 8. Corruption Cases Against bureaucrats from prime services like IAS/IPS/IRS 9. Personnel in Personal Staff of MPs, all in Family 10. Cleaning the Rivers through the RTI Act 11. Guest Houses for Members of Parliament and facilities at Constitution Club 12. NGOs Funded by Government, how politicians get and occupy the JSSs and KVKs 13. Contribution of Non-Resident Indian to India 14. Light Every Corner, RTI Everywhere in the Government and impact 15. Misuse of RTI by Public Authorities, how they play the game with RTI applicants 16. They enacted and implemented it with enthusiasm, now themselves making historic legislation ineffective 17. How a Journalist Can Use RTI and paved way for the Change