Chitra Subramaniam
Encyclopedia
Chitra Subramaniam is an India
n journalist
famous for uncovering the Bofors scandal
.
, India. She was educated at Lady Sri Ram College
(Delhi University) with a Bachelors in English Literature and received her Masters in journalism from Stanford University
, California
, USA. Prior to this, she did her PG Diploma in Journalism from reputed Indian Institute of Mass Communication
. She is married with two children and lives in Geneva
with her husband Dr. Giancarlo Duella.
. Working out of Switzerland and Sweden, she got hold of the 300-plus documents which showed that the Swedish arms manufacturer, Bofors
, had paid massive kickbacks to Indians
, including the then Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi
and others for the gun deal. For nearly one year she investigated the scandal, and sent back reports regularly to The Hindu
. Due to political pressure, The Hindu finally ceased publication of her story and Chitra resigned and went to the Indian Express.
For her work she has received several journalism awards including the prestigious B.D. Goenka Award and the Chameli Devi Award. She is the author of several books, including; India is for Sale, a New York Times, best seller.
In 1997, Chitra Subramaniam was invited by Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland
, the former Prime Minister of Norway
to be part of her campaign team for the post of Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The campaign was successful. Dr. Brundtland was elected as head of the WHO and she announced that global tobacco control was one of her priorities. She set up the Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) a cabinet project which led to the conclusion of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the world’s first treaty entirely devoted to public health. Chitra Subramaniam led the work on Policy Analysis and Communications for TFI.
After the successful completion of the FCTC mandate at the WHO, Chitra Subramaniam moved on to set up CSDconsulting csdconsulting.net , a business development and marketing company based in Switzerland.
More recently, she assisted in the foundation of Swiss watch company BorgeauD SA borgeaudwatches.com. In a global first, BorgeauD SA has launched La Collection Gravitas, the world’s first watch that incorporates the Rahukaalam
, a daily 90-minute sequence which is avoided for the taking of important decisions. The Rahukaalam calculations are part of the Indian Panchang, one of the world’s oldest almanacs.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
famous for uncovering the Bofors scandal
Bofors scandal
The Bofors scandal was a major corruption scandal in India in the 1980s; the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and several others were accused of receiving kickbacks from Bofors AB for winning a bid to supply India's 155 mm field howitzer...
.
Personal life
She was born in SindriSindri
- Overview :Sindri is an industrial township within the Dhanbad municipal limits of the Dhanbad District of Jharkhand state. Sindri was well known because of a large Fertilizer factory conceived here in the early industrialized India...
, India. She was educated at Lady Sri Ram College
Lady Shri Ram College for Women
Lady Shri Ram College for Women , is a constituent college of the University of Delhi. It is recognized as one of the premier women's institutions for liberal arts education in India.It isalso known as the Wellesley of the East....
(Delhi University) with a Bachelors in English Literature and received her Masters in journalism from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA. Prior to this, she did her PG Diploma in Journalism from reputed Indian Institute of Mass Communication
Indian Institute of Mass Communication
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication is India's premier media school funded and promoted by the Government of India. IIMC is an autonomous society under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The institution was established on August 17, 1965 with support from UNESCO.-The...
. She is married with two children and lives in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
with her husband Dr. Giancarlo Duella.
Career
She was based in Geneva in 1987 working for The HinduThe Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
. Working out of Switzerland and Sweden, she got hold of the 300-plus documents which showed that the Swedish arms manufacturer, Bofors
Bofors
The name Bofors has been associated with the iron industry for more than 350 years.Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammer mill "Boofors" founded 1646. The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget Bofors-Gullspång...
, had paid massive kickbacks to Indians
Bofors scandal
The Bofors scandal was a major corruption scandal in India in the 1980s; the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and several others were accused of receiving kickbacks from Bofors AB for winning a bid to supply India's 155 mm field howitzer...
, including the then Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
and others for the gun deal. For nearly one year she investigated the scandal, and sent back reports regularly to The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
. Due to political pressure, The Hindu finally ceased publication of her story and Chitra resigned and went to the Indian Express.
For her work she has received several journalism awards including the prestigious B.D. Goenka Award and the Chameli Devi Award. She is the author of several books, including; India is for Sale, a New York Times, best seller.
In 1997, Chitra Subramaniam was invited by Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
, the former Prime Minister of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to be part of her campaign team for the post of Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The campaign was successful. Dr. Brundtland was elected as head of the WHO and she announced that global tobacco control was one of her priorities. She set up the Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) a cabinet project which led to the conclusion of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the world’s first treaty entirely devoted to public health. Chitra Subramaniam led the work on Policy Analysis and Communications for TFI.
After the successful completion of the FCTC mandate at the WHO, Chitra Subramaniam moved on to set up CSDconsulting csdconsulting.net , a business development and marketing company based in Switzerland.
More recently, she assisted in the foundation of Swiss watch company BorgeauD SA borgeaudwatches.com. In a global first, BorgeauD SA has launched La Collection Gravitas, the world’s first watch that incorporates the Rahukaalam
Rahukaalam
Rahukaalam or the period of Rahu is a certain amount of time every day that is considered inauspicious for any new venture according to Indian astrology ....
, a daily 90-minute sequence which is avoided for the taking of important decisions. The Rahukaalam calculations are part of the Indian Panchang, one of the world’s oldest almanacs.