The 2018 Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) award recognises India’s contributions to innovation in public service. Specifically, the focus was on an initiative that uses technology to enhance education in one of the country’s districts. Additionally, the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony also made headlines, celebrating cultural contributors from multiple years.
Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM)
CAPAM is a noteworthy, non-profit association that represents an international network of senior public servants, Heads of Government, leading academics, and researchers from over 50 Commonwealth countries. These leaders continuously strive to promote good governance for the advantage of their respective citizenry. Among CAPAM’s institutional members is India’s Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The CAPAM International Innovation Awards
Initiated in 1998, the CAPAM International Innovations Awards (IIA) are announced bi-annually. The awards honor organizations that have made remarkable contributions to improve governance and services in the public sector. In 2018, the innovation incubation category winner was the “Unnayan Banka” project from Bihar, India.
Highlighting the “Unnayan Banka” Initiative
“Unnayan Banka” is an initiative aimed at providing “Quality education for all,” particularly those at the bottom of the pyramid, by leveraging latest technologies. Putting an emphasis on overall youth development from education to employability, the initiative has been instrumental in rejuvenating the education sector in the district of Banka, Bihar.
| Year | Award Category | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Innovation Incubation | Unnayan Banka, Bihar, India |
The Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony
In addition to the CAPAM award, the coveted Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the years 2014, 2015, and 2016 was conferred upon a distinguished Manipuri dancer, a Bangladesh-based cultural organisation, and an eminent sculptor, respectively.
Award Recipients of Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony
For the year 2014, the award went to Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, a doyen of Manipuri dance. He is a renowned teacher, performer, and choreographer whose work has greatly influenced the tradition of Manipuri dance.
Chhayanaut, a Bangladesh-based institution devoted to promoting Bengali culture, took home the award for 2015. The organization has played a significant role in upholding the liberal progressive tradition of universal humanism of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and promoting the spirit of cultural harmony.
Finally, the award for 2016 was given to sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar. His prominent works include the 45-feet Chambal monument at the Gandhi Sagar Dam in Madhya Pradesh and celebrated representations of Mahatma Gandhi and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.
