The Jury
(Front row from left) Santanu Sengupta, director, Grameen Sanchar Society; Rufina Fernandees, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation; Shyam Malhotra, editor-in-chief, Dataquest; Osama Manzar, director, Digital Empowerment Foundation 
(Behind from left) Parminder Jeet Singh, director, IT for Change; Ashish Sanyal, director-e-Gov Program Management Unit, DIT; Tanmoy Chakrabarty, VP and head-Global Government Industry Group, TCS; R Chandrashekhar, joint secretary- e-Gov, DIT; Madanmohan Rao, consultant, Asian Media Information and Communication Center; Satish Kaushal, country manager-Government, IBM India; Dr Anil Gupta, prof, IIM-Ahmedabad and director, National Innovation Foundation and Aruna Sundararajan, India head GeSCI (no in the photograph) participated online in the process.

 “For simplifying district level administration by abolishing layered structure of bureaucracy through ICT intervention, leading to better redressal of public grievances and information dissemination of government schemes; thereby connecting people to strategy makers”

Prof MM Ansari, information commissioner handing over the trophy to Amod Kumar (Right)

As the district magistrate of Sitapur he is credited with conceptualizing and implementing Lokvani, a web-based grievance handling system aimed at improving the responsiveness of the district administration. This single window system also handles land record maintenance as well as offering other services like online revenue court cases, tender publishing and monitoring, employment advertising, beside providing information of various government schemes, prescribed government forms, arms application status and teacher's GPF details. The model is being replicated across Uttar Pradesh.

This MTech in civil engineering from IIT-Kanpur, has a deep understanding of government functioning, thanks to his unique and diverse career profile that ranges from his first posting as the sub-divisional magistrate to being chief development officer of Rae Bareli, additional commissioner of rural development department and additional executive director, State Innovations in Family Planning Services Project Agency. He is also credited with implementing the CM's videoconferencing with district magistrates in 2001 as the special secretary to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Address: DM Sitapur Residence, Civil Lines, Sitapur-261001, Uttar Pradesh, India; 
Tel: 5862-242600 / 242212. Fax:  5862-242615 Email: amodkumar71@yahoo.co.in

“For developing and executing business models that suit the needs of the industry, government and the citizens and for driving a highly motivated team of more than 200 IT professionals in Uttar Pradesh, to achieve 'Good Governance' through ICT intervention”

R Chandrashekhar (Left) hands over the e-Gov Champion trophy to Shyam Bihari Singh

A man with rich experience of serving private, public sector and central government organizations in different capacities, he has been involved in the rollout of majority of e-Gov projects in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar-from automation in Treasury, State Electricity Board, Transport and Sales Tax Departments to Land Registry, Pension disbursement, Lokvani and Bhu-lekh. He is also credited for implementation of the online electricity billing system in Bihar and redefining the PPP
service delivery model as a pro-poor program.

The man, who joined NIC's UP state unit in 2001, has since then been striving hard to provide the fruits of IT enabled services to the common man despite the odds of political and bureaucratic reshuffles and negative attitude of government employees. A BE from BITS-Pilani, he has also worked with Delhi-based software company Softek where he was responsible for designing and developing two highly acclaimed software packages-SIMS and the Banking System. Subsequently, he joined NTPC in New Delhi and extensively worked on the production, planning and control to streamline the material management process.

Address: NIC, UP State Unit, 9, Sarojini Naidu Marg, Yojana Bhavan, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh; Telephone: 0522-2238415/ 2238949/ 2238950; Email: sio@up.nic.in; spsingh@nic.in  

“For harnessing the power of Information Technology to create a knowledge-based society and directing Chandigarh's IT policies to improve G2G and G2C interactions through an integrated service mechanism, thereby bringing about qualitative change in people's life”

This electronics and communication engineer from Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra is credited with driving the e-Gov initiatives of the Chandigarh Administration with the eSampark project, an integrated service mechanism for providing government to citizen services through a single window. He is also credited with automating the functioning of the Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department and implementing the union territory's IT Policy. 

Besides, he has also been responsible for promoting Chandigarh as an investment destination, setting up of the Chandigarh Technology Park and new initiatives such as Society for Promotion of IT in Chandigarh (SPIC) and Chandigarh Training on Soft Skills (C-TOSS)-all aimed at
creating a knowledge society.

The man who joined the Haryana Civil Services in 1991 has a rich experience of handling government processes as sub divisional magistrate at Kalka, Naraiangarh and Firozepur Jhirka. He was also posted as city magistrate at Kaithal and Narnaul and has worked in Finance, Planning and Development Departments in various capacities before joining Chandigarh Administration on deputation in April 2000.

Address: 5th Floor, Additional Deluxe Building, Sector 9-D, Chandigarh-160 017;
Telephone: 0172-2749120; Fax: 0172-2740005; Email: dit@chd.nic.in

“For driving automation of G2G transactions at various levels and departments-particularly for the rural masses-through planned ICT intervention, government process re-engineering and change management; thereby considerably helping the Tamil Nadu government improve delivery of citizen services”

This 1995 batch IAS officer is credited with creating the first paperless government office in Tamil Nadu as the Executive Director of Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women Ltd in November 2001. He has also been instrumental in computerization of the Chief Minister's special cell while serving as the special officer, with the department.

The man who has an extensive field experience in participatory development, panchayati raj, literacy, health, sanitation, child rights and has also championed the cause of gender issues had also initiated and executed computerization of all 14 Block Development offices in Tiruvallur district as the Additional Collector Development and Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Tiruvallur district in 1999.  His other initiatives include the RASI project-rural access service through the Internet-in Sivaganga through use of Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) technology in 2003.

Address: Secretariat, Fort St.George, Chennai-600009, Tamil Nadu; Telephone: 044-25672783;
Email: santynits@yahoo.com, jsrdtn@yahoo.co.in

"For his initiative to address the new challenges of decentralized local government in Kerala through ICT intervention and integrated service mechanism; thereby establishing an efficient and responsive system for the local self governments"

As part of the Information Kerala Mission (IKM), he has been spearheading the mission's objective of ICT for transparency and efficiency. While he is credited with establishing efficient and responsive systems for good governance in local self governments, he has also been driving the mechanism set up for improving government service delivery through a comprehensive citizen interface mechanisms, community information systems and business process re-engineering.

He has also been the force driving back-end computerization program in various local government departments and instrumental in establishing a holistic social security network for developing an integrated micro-level resource based developmental information system. Besides, he has also been involved in formulation of models for alternate service delivery like Janasevanakendram and hospital kiosk besides being activity involved in designing FRIENDS single window service delivery facility for the Government of Kerala and the Akshaya programme for bridging the digital divide.

Address: Information Kerala Mission, Pratheeksha, Near Government Engineering College, Sreekaryam, Pangappara PO, Thiruvananthapuram-695581, Kerala; Telephone: 0471-2595832/ 2595833;
Fax: 0471-2597543; Email: pvunni@hotmail.com, pvunni@infokerala.org;
Personal Website: www.infokerala.org/emd.html

"For harnessing the power of Information Technology to benefit the masses through various project initiatives at the district and panchayat level; thereby helping the local administration to bring qualitative change in governance through ICT intervention"

This NIC DIO from Nalgonda has been involved with majority of the e-Gov initiatives of the district-from land records management information system (LRMIS) to e-Panchayat initiative and Spandan, a file monitoring system for paperless office and grievance monitoring and redressal system. He is also credited with implementing the general elections solution to support the district administration in all the areas of election management including, faster announcement of election results, data transmission to ECI, CEC and Doordarshan for analysis.

He has also been involved with creating financial accounting system for cooperative bank in Karnataka's Bidar district and was also involved in software development and implementation of the now legendry BHOOMI project. Besides, he has also been involved with designing and development of websites for the Chickmagalur, Nalgonda and Bidar districts.

Address: NIC, District Informatics Centre, Collectorate, Miryalguda Road, Nalgonda-508001, Andhra Pradesh; Telephone: 08682-233267; Email: apnlg@apsu.ap.nic.in

He is one bureaucrat who not only has penchant for IT but also is also completely hands-on with it. The man who owns the patent of a system to track files and papers in a large government office-FileTracker-during his tenure as the Director in Department of Economic Affairs.

While in his current position he has been responsible for planning and implementing IT initiatives for the Government of Jharkhand, he is also considered the first official in Bihar to have adopted computers for managing administration, as the district magistrate of Begusarai. He is credited with conceptualizing and implementing computerization of district treasury during his tenure as district magistrate, Purnea, way back in 1986-89, and a public grievances monitoring solution in 1987.

As a transport commissioner in Bihar his automation drive led to a quantum jump in annual tax collection-from Rs 48 crore in 1990 to Rs 152 crore in 1994. He also introduced computerization of GPF account as a Director of GPF and Treasuries in 1994.

His initiatives in Jharkhand include creation of statewide information and communication infrastructure, JharNet, computerization of various departments, planning and implementing various e-Gov initiatives besides promoting IT investments in the State.

Address: Information Technology Department, Mantralaya Building, 3rd floor, Dhurwa, Ranchi-834004, Jharkhand; Telephone: 0651-2400001; Email: sec-it-jhr@nic.in

While this bureaucrat from Assam has vast experience in administration, agriculture has always been his area of interest. He was a topper in 1995 for PhD in Genetics at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, the knowledge that came in handy when he took over as the as an additional secretary-Agriculture, Assam and CEO of Assam Small Farmer's Agri-Business Consortium (Assam SFAC).

His vast experience with various government departments, particularly the success gained during his posting as deputy commissioner in Sonitpur District in implementing the land records computerization project Dharitri, also came in good stead. Soon he was to implement ASHA, the agribusiness services portal, in May 2005, aimed at empowering farmers and other partners in agribusiness, and improving their livelihood opportunities through ICT intervention.

He is also credited with spearheading a number of e-Governance projects-from Online Monitoring Program (PEEP) to Intranet of Sonitpur district, public information kiosks and development of various government websites through private partnership model.

Address: CEO, Assam SFAC, Agriculture Campus, Khanapara, Guwahati -781 022, Assam India, Telephone: 0361-2333560 Mobile: 094350-47851, Email: arizahmed@yahoo.com, arizahmed@nic.in, assamsfac@yahoo.com

Satish Kaushal (left), country head, e-Gov, IBM handing over the trophy to Rabindra Nath Dash

Armed with post-graduate diploma in rural management he joined the Orissa administrative services in 1985 as a deputy director in Panchayti Raj Department. Soon he was inducted to the Indian Administrative Service in 1988 and held various positions-from being a collector and district magistrate of Bolangir to director Information and Public Relation Department and managing director of Orissa Small Industries Corporation. The real break in bringing in ICT intervention for him came during his tenure as the director anti-poverty program, Panchayati Raj Department between 2003-2005. Today he is credited with the networking of 314 block offices of Orissa with 30 DRDA offices and state headquarter of Panchayati Raj Department, installation of Priasoft, Rural soft, Betan and Pamis application software for online data processing and management of rural development and anti-poverty program for the state of Orissa. This has led to the improvement of efficiency and better delivery of services to the target group consisting of 45 lakh below poverty line families. His next ambitious project: creation of a statewide class rooms for engineering degree and diploma students located in 40 engineering colleges and 30 polytechnic of the state with the target studentships of 25,000 using EDUSAT.

Address: Type V/A Unit-2, QR # 19/4, Bhubaneswar-751009, Orissa; Telephone: 2536260;
Email: rn.dash@rediffmail.com

FC Kohli (left), awards beaming Dr Neeta Shah as the e-Gov Champion at the Mumbai Summit

Equipped with a doctorate on Information Technology model for Management of Industrial Data, she has a mind full of innovative ideas for enhancing rural IT infrastructure. No wonder then that she is credited with spearheading automation in the departments of education, legal, revenue, industries, finance, health and tribal development of the Gujarat Government. She has handled pojects such as E-Databank, Invite and Village Information System (VIS).

VIS is targeted at the State's rural population with the objective of ushering better, efficient, transparent and effective governance and citizen services that are easy and simple to access with minimum costs.

Currently posted as director e-Governance, she is handling project Gyan Ganga, the biggest IP based e-Governance network in the Asia Pacific region. While the project connects the state headquarters up to the Taluka headquarters, its 212 live kiosks and another 186 e-Gram installations across the state provides various educational programs, health tips and online courses to people of different age groups.

Address: Block No 1, 8th Floor, Udyog Bhavan, Sector 11, Pin-382 017, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Telephone: (O) 91-79-23259223 (M) 91-98790 00542 Email: neetas@gujarat.gov.in,  neetashahgil@hotmail.com

MN Rao(right), director- IT, Goa accepting the Award on behalf of Amit A Shirodkar from Lalit Yagnik, senior executive, Solution Architecture, IBM India

A mix of rural and modern concepts, this class 12th pass sarpanch has been involved with various village and panchayat level development and welfare projects. Despite a lack of formal training in technology or an IT background and with no past record of implementing or involvement with IT projects, he dared to dream and embrace technology when most other Sarpanch's in Goa resisted the Infogram project aimed at automating the functions in the village Panchayat.

And the result has been exemplary. Not only did he help kick-start the project from the Shiroda Village Panchayat, he is also credited with helping NIC customize the solution for the Infogram Project in terms of providing domain knowledge of the various needs of panchayat's and the kind of work and reports required.

Thanks to his initiative, not only has the project been rolled out in 22 village panchayats, efforts are also being made through Directorate of Panchayat to roll out the same in the remaining 168 Panchayats of the states.

He is also credited with other development work-from construction and maintenance of dams, canals, tanks, wells, bores, reservoirs, toilets, compound walls, shelters, public stages to organizing health camps, sports events, agricultural camps, and legal awareness camps. Knowing the value of education in the lives of common man he also organized textbook donation camps.

Address: Bhatwada, Shiroda, Pin: 403103, Ponda, Goa, Telephone: 0832-2307400

This 1993 batch IAS officer, who started his career as a lecturer in the BEd College, Chandrapur is clearly a people's man who believes in participatory approach to work, a quality that he clearly displayed
during his tenure as the additional collector earthquake rehabilitation at Osmanabad and Latur. He has also worked as the associate professor in YASHADA and as collector of Dhule district.

His vast experience coupled with his drive to ensure better citizen service led him to tap the ICT route when he took over as the Commissioner PCMC. Besides streamlining the operation of the Corporation he is also credited with driving the citizen-oriented solution that includes effective parametric control mechanism. This also has an interface for the citizens to understand the stage of their application through web with an easy guide information kiosk.

The project also led to process reengineering at PCMC with the aim of creating a strict citizen service SLA in consultation with the concerned departments enabling the departments to drastically cut down on the services delivery time.

He is also actively engaged in the GIS project of the Pimpri-Chinchwad city and setting up of a science and technology park.

Address: Off Pune- Mumbai Road, Pimpri, Pune-411018, Maharashtra; Telephone: 27426331,
Email: pcmc@vsnl.com