New Delhi, Delhi, India
Ashutosh Chaturvedi is a journalist turned public servant who has spent more than four decades working at the intersection of media, democracy and public accountability. Today he serves as Central Information Commissioner, where his work focuses on strengthening citizens’ right to information and ensuring transparency remains a cornerstone of democratic governance. His journey began in journalism, where he built a career across some of the most respected newsrooms in India and abroad, including Prabhat Khabar, Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, India Today, Sunday Observer and BBC World Service. Over the years he reported on major national developments, worked across print, radio and digital platforms, and helped launch early digital initiatives such as the BBC Hindi website.  Before joining the Commission, he served for nearly a decade as Editor in Chief of Prabhat Khabar, one of India’s most respected Hindi newspapers. Under his leadership the publication strengthened its tradition of fearless reporting, community focused journalism and public interest investigations that brought citizens’ issues to the center of national conversation.  Throughout his career he has believed that journalism is not only about reporting events but about expanding the space for truth, accountability and informed public debate. That belief continues to shape his work today as he contributes to safeguarding the spirit of the Right to Information Act and strengthening institutional transparency in India. From the newsroom to public service, his work has been guided by a simple conviction: a healthy democracy depends on citizens having access to credible information and institutions that remain accountable to the people. He believes that strong democracies are built not only through elections, but through institutions that encourage transparency, dialogue and informed participation.
Prabhat Khabar is a Hindi newspaper published daily in Jharkhans,Bihar and West Benglal. The newspaper is circulated in several states in India, including Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and some parts of Orissa. It was founded in August 1984 in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. Prabhat Khabar is notable for reporting social issues and revealing scams, such as Fodder Scam. The newspaper began reporting the Fodder Scam in 1992. Despite receiving threats, the newspaper wrote 70 reports on the scam and had four or five reporters reporting the story. ‘Not a newspaper but a movement’. We have been following, what I would call, civil society journalism. The paper has always given voice to the people. We have managed to stay in touch with our readers through initiatives like Aap ke Dwar (At your doorstep) and Pathak Manch (Readers’ Forum). We embrace the agents of change – the journalists who hold the powerful accountable, the storytellers that shape culture and the voices that reflect who we really are. we’re on a mission to empower the most ambitious, independent voices in journalism, art and entertainment.