Eminent technocrat Sam Pitroda chosen for 2011 ITU award

Sam Pitroda, who is an adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations has been chosen for International Telecommuinication Union (ITU) award for 2011.

Sam Pitroda, who is an adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations has been chosen for International Telecommuinication Union (ITU) award for 2011.

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Pitroda, who is also chairman of National Innovation Council, has been selected for the award in recognition of his dedication to promoting ICTs as a means of providing a better life for humanity and social and economic empowerment, an official statement said on Thursday.

The Award will be conferred on him on May 17, 2011, in a ceremony at the ITU headquarters in Geneva as part of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day celebrations.

Making the announcement for 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.

ITU, the leading United Nations agency for Information and Communication Technology, is marking its 146th anniversary of establishment on May 17 this year by recognizing eminent personalities who have made a significant contribution in using ICT for social development to unleash the digital revolution.

Pitroda is the first Indian to receive this prestigious award.

As adviser to the PM and Chairman of the National Innovation Council (NIC), Pitroda 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.