The Aspen Institute, an international nonprofit think tank, announced Indian journalist Govindraj Ethiraj as one of 2018’s four McNulty Prize laureates. The United States-based Aspen Institute lauded Ethiraj for improving “public discourse and transparency in India by debunking fake news, fact-checking, and advancing public-interest journalism”.
Ethiraj was praised for using a “data-driven approach” at his three media ventures – IndiaSpend, BOOM, and FactChecker, a press statement issued by the McNulty Foundation and Aspen Institute said.
The other laureates are artist and curator Hope Azeda from Rwanda, strategist and author Mehrad Baghai who works in Australia and the United States, and co-founder of designer eyewear Warby Parker Dave Gilboa.
The 2018 Laureates will be honoured with a ceremony at the Resnick Aspen Action Forum in the United States on July 25. “By removing economic and social barriers, the laureates are making the world healthier, fairer and more open,” said McNulty Foundation President Anne Welsh McNulty.
The McNulty Prize celebrates the boldness and impact of individuals who are using their exceptional leadership abilities, entrepreneurial spirit and expertise to address the world’s toughest challenges. The winner receives $1,00,000 (Rs 68.62 lakh) and each laureate receives $25,000 (Rs 17.15 lakh).
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organisation based in Washington, DC.
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